“The Pact” by Jodi Picoult – Love Kills

The Golds and the Hartes have been living next door to each other for years and years, to the point where they have become inseparable, practically merging into one family. It came as a surprise to no one when their children starting dating each other. 

It seemed as if Chris and Emily had the brightest and most hopeful future there is ahead of them, but as is usually the case in works of fiction, it seems it just wasn't meant to be. A phone call comes in at three in the morning, alerting both families about a tragedy: Emily was shot to death… by Chris. As it seemed, that foolish action was part of a suicide pact, although Chris hadn't gone through with it. 

So you might think, what is this book about exactly? The legal procedures behind such a case? Chris’ journey of self-discovery? Well, there are some of those elements there, but mainly it focuses on the relationship between the members of the two families, how they get violently torn apart while in search for answers to questions beyond their understanding. 

The most notable thing about The Pact by Jodi Picoult, in my opinion, is that it looks in-depth into the minds of people who go through such terrible tragedies, and unfortunately, in this day and age, it’s far from being uncommon. I have to add though that this book isn't all dark and grim; there are glimmers of hope and rays of light shining in from time to time, all leading to an eye-opening climax where reality sets in at its finest.

At first, I thought that this would be some kind of boring romance story, but after being urged by my friend to give it a chance, I did. I’m generally not exactly in favor of emotional dramas, but this one actually wasn't bad. As a matter of fact, it was downright good, and I’m certain that people who can relate to the deep feelings of loss, grief, and of course, love. 

The Pact by Jodi Picoult (Book cover)
This is one of those books which seeks to push the reader’s emotional buttons, depicting the finer and less likable lines of having to deal with an unfortunate situation which could very well occur to practically anyone. 

While I wasn't driven to tears like some readers may claim, I was moved by certain moments, and I found the ending to be perfect for this type of book: heavy and realistic without being overly tragic. All in all, I’d definitely recommend this to most people.

Jodi Picoult (Author)

Jodi Picoult


Personal site

Jodi Picoult is an American author who has had the honor of being awarded the 2003 New England Bookseller Award for Fiction. Her books have garnered popularity on an international level, with there being more than 14 million copies of her books in print, and counting. Some of her more famous novels (amongst the many she has written, of course) include The Pact and Salem Falls.



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