Books written by Picoult - including 'My Sister's Keeper,' 'Lone Wolf,' 'House Rules' and 'Keeping Faith' - also were removed from high schools after objections that they were romance novels for adults, not children, according to district records. That may gain her readers in the short run, but could undermine her reputation over time.Morrison's 'The Bluest Eye' and 'Beloved' had been on high school shelves. Plain Truth, but she tips toward sensationalism here. 10)įorecast: Picoult tastefully tackled touchy subject matter in

Genuinely suspenseful and at times remarkably original, this romance–mystery–morality play will gain Picoult new readers-although her treatment of the aftermath of rape may also make her a few enemies. Some of her characters, though, can be almost disturbingly forgiving. While Picoult seems ambivalent about the power of Wiccan spells, she has no doubts about the power of sex and violence to change lives. The difference is considerable: despite the townspeople's aura of virtue, by the end of the book we're hard pressed to find any women who have never been raped or threatened, or any men who are really innocent of violence. As the courtroom battle unfolds, many secrets are revealed, and Picoult's characters are forced to confront the difference between who people are Then Gillian is assaulted in the woods, and Jack is accused of the crime. Things get dangerous when manipulative 17-year-old Gillian Duncan, whose father owns half the town, gets interested in Jack and tries to seduce him with Wiccan love spells.

He has no trouble landing a job at the local diner and winning the trust of the diner's eccentric owner, Addie, but the rest of the town is suspicious. Unfortunately, Salem Falls turns out to be the wrong place to do it. The former teacher and soccer coach wants to start a new life following a wrongful conviction for statutory rape. Bride comes to Salem Falls, N.H., after his release from prison. Picoult's new novel (following the acclaimed Plain Truth) is a story about rape and reputation, loosely based on The Crucible.

Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult