Book Review: The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult…

i finished reading this book some months ago but have been thinking about whether i do indeed truly like the story or not. And what i should include in the review.

Let me tell you a bit about the characters involved first. There is Daniel, the seemingly flawless work-from-home-husband, supportive of his wife, Laura´s interesting career, as a psychology professor, and a wonderful father to their teenage daughter, Trixie, who seems to have the perfect boyfriend, Jason, and a great social life at school.

Daniel is a comic artist and through out the book we get to see the story he is working on for the well-known comic publisher (you will have to read to find out which one), inserted between chapters. He is the world´s most patient man and never seems to lose his temper. However, his past hides a deep sad secret, one not even his wife knows about. Laura loves her job and family but is hiding her own secret, one which threatens to destroy her family and her current life.

All these comes to a head when Trixie comes home from her best friend´s house in tears and Daniel finds her in the bathroom, where she confesses to being raped by her “perfect” boyfriend. He said she came onto him, she said she said no.

As the investigations progress, Laura´s affair comes to light. She says she ended it. Daniel is torn. But they have to keep it together to help Trixie through this terrible experience.

Trixie suffers at school, many not believing her, accusing her of wanting to destroy her boyfriend´s football career, because he broke up with her. Even her best friend takes the other side. She hides at home.

Then they receive the news that Jason took his own life. But the nightmare does not end. Evidence soon shows that Trixie might the one who pushed Jason off the bridge. She runs and Daniel does what any good father would do, he covers for her and then goes after her. Through this journey to find their daughter, Laura learns about a past she never knew about her husband.

At the beginning of this review, i said i was deciding whether or not i really liked this story. It is a good story but i am not sure because there is so much packed into it and i feel a bit let down that not all the themes are thoroughly explored. But of course, i understand there is only so much a writer can say in one book.

i did finish the book, still wanting to know what happened to this family and how they are coping with the consequences of their actions. But even with some unanswered questions,  i did enjoy the book and yes i would recommend that you give it a read. It is a typical Jodi Picoult book with the many heart-wrenching decisions her characters have to make to finish their journey.  It made me think, would i have done the same thing if i were in their position? Would i be able to bear the consequences and still live on? If you have read this book, let me know what you thought about it. Or about any other Jodi Picoult book.  You can read my review of another Picoult book here.

syc