Synopsis: Freelance carpenter Shay Bourne was sentenced to death for killing a little girl, Elizabeth Nealon, and her cop stepfather. Eleven years after the murders, Elizabeth's sister, Claire, needs a heart transplant, and Shay volunteers, which complicates the state's execution plans. Meanwhile, death row has been the scene of some odd events since Shay's arrival—an AIDS victim goes into remission, an inmate's pet bird dies and is brought back to life, wine flows from the water faucets. The author brings other compelling elements to an already complex plot line: the priest who serves as Shay's spiritual adviser was on the jury that sentenced him; Shay's ACLU representative, Maggie Bloom, balances her professional moxie with her negative self-image and difficult relationship with her mother. Picoult moves the story along with lively debates about prisoner rights and religion, while plumbing the depths of mother-daughter relationships and examining the literal and metaphorical meanings of having heart.
My review: I have read most of Picoult's books, which usually center on some ethical/legal/medical/social issue that is intended to get a big reaction out of the reader. Every one has made me cry, and this book was no exception.
These books are not based on any remotely possible situation, they are designed to get a rise out of the reader. To enjoy these books, you must be able to suspend reality to a degree, which with her other books I have been able to do. I just could not do it with this one.
***SPOILER ALERT***So inmates and guards start thinking this murderer, Shay, is Jesus reincarnated. I'm sorry, there is just no way for me to buy into this. I find it ridiculous and frankly blasphemous. Then Shay's priest becomes absolutely convinced he is Jesus on earth. PUH-LEEESE! A priest? Shouldn't a priest be looking for signs of the rapture instead of thinking wondrous thoughts about a murdering pyschopath? Gah! It was just wayyy too much for me.
Even though this book made me cry toward the end, it was more because I put myself in the mother's shoes, watching her daughter fade away slowly, rather than because of the book itself.
Rating: 2/5 stars. The plot is interesting, the way it is carried out is too unbelievable.
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