Just What I Needed

We are in the middle of kitchen renovation. It is a complete tear down reno... which means I am currently living without a kitchen. the rest of my house is covered in dust.  It is not fun. I am sure if you have been there-done that I have your sympathies.  I like Jodi Picoult.  I like that she is predictable.  I like that her books are filled with adult angst.   House Rules is her typical book. I am not as far into the book as I would have liked by this point. I am usually a cover to cover in 24 hours kind of reader for these types of books, but with all that is going on I am reluctantly having to put the book down all to often.

I love books written in the first person.  I love hearing a character voice. This book is in the first person, but each chapter in from another characters point of view. It is a great style. It gives me the first person I like but also the opportunity to get inside all the characters heads.  House Rules has a lot of themes running through it.

Emma, Jacob and Theo are a family. The dad took off long ago. Jacob is a child with Asperger's  Syndrome. Theo is his younger brother made to be the keeper, protector and also made to have the ability to become invisible whenever that is needed.  I get Theo.


Emma is the mom who is always sewing up the seams just in time for another seam to open.  That is the life of a mother.  I do not know a mother who thinks to herself at the end of the each day, "Wow I am awesome". No most of us end each day with the hopes that we can do better tomorrow. Part of that is that yes we screw up each day-but mostly we are to hard on ourselves.   Emma is hard on herself. She is also not living the life she expected.   most of us aren't but Emma is a mom you can get behind. You a cheering her on, even in her moments of "failing" she is likable.  


Jacob has Asperger's . I do not have a child with Asperger's  but I do know a few children and adults with it and I think that Ms. Picoult has done her research.  She approached this subject with dignity.   I find Jacob to be  a fascinating and likable character.


I am not sure how much of this book I am going to share, I do not want to tell you the whole story-yet I want to share it.  Have you read this book? If you have please share your thoughts on it.