The novels of Jodi Picoult are known for tackling controversial issues such as kidnapping, rape and with one of her latest novels, Nineteen Minutes, school shootings. In the 21st century, school shootings have become far too commonplace and have led to typecasting of certain individuals in school. All in efforts to make other students safe. Yet, in many situations no one truly understands the drive that pushes a student to go on a rampage. Jodi Picoult tries to examine this as long as the affects it has on a small town and those directly attached to the shooter. In some case, connections that were unexpected.

As an avid reader of Jodi Picoult novels, I expected to fall into the novel instantly. The event itself does not take place right into the novel, but Picoult thoroughly introduces the reader to the characters and litters the story with foreshadowing. The reader begins to feel like the character is someone you know. In fact, some parts of the characters begin to appear in yourself.

Picoult develops a very complex story, told from the perspective of at least five different characters making it far easier to make connections between characters and truly understand the conflicts between characters and the conflicts characters are fighting with themselves.

However, there is a delicate balance when writing about such controversial issues. Towards the end of the novel, the ending seemed unsatisfactory and left me wondering even though the conflict had be officially resolved. It was unexpected and random, breaking off the flow that Picoult had worked to develop in the past 300 pages.

Regardless, Picoult managed to pen another engrossing novel providing the American public with a new perspective on an issue that doesn't seem to appear in the news any less. Picoult serves as a social commentator of our age.