Books : Harvesting the Heart: A Novel

Rating: - This is not a good book
I have read all of Picoult's books, and I've found that only some of them have the good writing and interesting storylines that she's known for. Harvesting the Heart is an example of one of her really crummy books. The narrator is incredibly unlikable, the scenario is unrealistic, and I've tried to read it through more than once and always failed. I wish I had not purchased this book.

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Rating: - In-depth detail is vivid and brings the novel to life
Jodi Picoult's HARVESTING THE HEART receives actress Cassandra Campbell's warm and vivid reading as it tells of a mother who abandoned character Paige, and how her absence and memories affected her life. In-depth detail is vivid and brings the novel to life, making this a top recommendation for any interested in complex, high-quality novels with powerful characterization and equally powerful narration.

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Rating: - 3 1/2 Stars- Good Read
The main character is extremely selfish and I hate that about the story, however there are some people who are like that so it's not as if the story could never happen.

The main character is a young female who runs away from home to spare her father the embarrassment of having an abortion. Almost immediately upon reaching Boston, she quickly falls in love with a well-to-do gentleman approxiametly 7 years older than her. They very quickly get married. He waits for her for 5 years to have a baby. She works while he goes through medical schooling. While I'm sure it's difficult to do, she grumbled the whole time.
Then came the pregnancy. She didn't want it, but it made her husband extremely happy. She felt invaded the entire pregnancy and inadequate the first couple of months of motherhood.
Their marriage hits the rocks.
She runs away from home again, leaving her Doctor husband alone with their son with no word of where she's going. She's gone for two months in search of her estranged mother.

There are many angles and hidden doorways in this story- at times it is mind boggling to follow. There are many loose ends.
And, actually, this is one of the FEW Picoult books that does NOT involve a court hearing. I was at least pleased to see that.

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Rating: - Well written but....
Well-written and it definitely kept me interested...yet...halfway through the book I found myself really despising the characters. Paige is a wimpy non-too-bright mother who let's herself be treated very poorly. Nicholas, her husband, is a horror. He's pompous and conceited and selfish and downright nasty...and we're supposed to be happy this marriage works?? Neither one of them seemed to care for their child, and honestly I felt it would have been better for both of them if they just gave him up for adoption. I guess the whole thing is pretty realistic though, and that I think, is what's really sad.

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Rating: - Harvesting the Heart
Picoult takes you into the hearts and minds of her caracters and you feel their pain. Her research and depth of knowlege of the issues she deals with never ceases to amaze me.