Nineteen Minutes: Lives Change In Less Than Twenty Minutes

A couple of weeks ago, I read a review of Jodi Picoult’s newest novel, Nineteen Minutes. I had not been aware that the book was coming out, but the plot sounded interesting and I have enjoyed Picoult’s books in the past. I quickly placed an order at Amazon.com, and two days later, the book arrived- thank you Amazon Prime! I read the book in a couple of days, and enjoyed it immensely.

The story centers around a school shooting in a sleepy New Hampshire town. In nineteen minutes, Peter Houghton, a junior, enters the school and shoots twenty-nine people, fatally wounding ten of them. As the small town’s stability is shattered, everyone is left wondering how something so horrible could have happened in Sterling.

In true Picoult fashion, the story unfolds from a variety of perspectives. Peter’s parents struggle to cope with the fact that their son did something so horrible. Peter’s lawyer works devotedly to prepare a defense for his client, much to the outrage of the town, who see Peter as a monster who deserves the death penalty. Alex, the judge on the case, is the daughter of one of the surviving victims. Josie is a popular girl, who for some reason, was spared by Peter. Finally, Patrick is one of the detectives investigating the case.

In order to truly understand what happened, a good portion of the novel focuses on flashbacks. These flashbacks provide a great deal of insight regarding the events that led up to the shooting. We see that on the first day of kindergarten, bullies throw Peter’s brand new lunchbox off the bus and onto the road. He is comforted by his good friend Josie. As the two children grow older, they begin to grow apart as Peter becomes an outcast, picked on constantly by bullies. These flashbacks also show some of the events that shaped the lives of Peter’s parents and Josie’s mother.

There is, of course, a surprise twist at the end, but that is all that I am saying about that!

As I have mentioned, I have enjoyed Picoult books in the past. Fans of her novels will appreciate the return of two characters from previous Picoult novels- Jordan the lawyer and Patrick the detective.

I found this book to be very engaging. Picoult makes it very easy to get involved in the story from the very beginning. While Peter’s actions are absolutely reprehensible, the numerous instances of bullying definitely show what led Peter to do what he did. And the way in which the people involved try to resume their lives is absolutely fascinating.

I am not quite sure how to define this book’s genre. There is a legal aspect to the book, as everyone prepares for a trial, but there is also an emotionally charged component that really focuses on the characters, who are very well defined and interesting. I found myself reading quickly to find out what would happen next or how the characters would deal with a new obstacle or a surprising revelation.

I highly recommend Nineteen Minutes. This is an amazing book. The subject matter is fascinating, as well as culturally relevant. The characters all have unique personalities and it is quite fascinating to read about their interactions. This is definitely a must-read!