Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
This was one of the first books I read at the start of the school holidays. A friend had recommended it and I certainly needed a change from the diet of children’s and young adult books. What a powerful read. It should almost be required reading in any teacher training course.
Picoult tells the story of a school shooting incident from many points of view. The judge, whose daughter attended the school and cannot remember what happened in front of her own eyes. The detective, who arrives on the scene while the shooting is still in progress and manages to disarm the shooter and arrest him. The mother of the shooter, who has been a successful midwife for many years, advising other mothers about nurturing their own children. The daugher of the judge, who used to be best friends with the boy with the gun. The defense lawyer, desperately looking for any defense for the young man. And finally the shooter himself, is he a criminal or really a victim…
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Every page. However, be warned, it is not a book you can forget easily.
