Mercy

**11/6/20**

I'm afraid I have to update. Over the past few years, my tolerance and love for angst have increased significantly. What bothered me then, well................now I love. My early reviews of cheating books need to be clarified. So, here's the clarification. We all change and grow, get tired of the same old thing, and then learn to appreciate good writing.

I simply can't stand her books. I'm aware that she claims they're not romance but chick lit, but whatever the classification. I can never shake the feeling that Picoult dislikes her heroines. And this particular book really validates my theory to a great extent. It seems that in her stories, the heroines often face numerous hardships and challenges that make it seem as if they are being punished. Maybe it's the way she writes or the situations she puts them in, but it just doesn't sit well with me. I understand that different people have different tastes in literature, but for me, her books are just not to my liking.

I am so so so disappointed with this book. It turns out that the book wasn't truly centered around mercy/euthanasia as I initially thought. Instead, that was just a peripheral subplot. The main focus of the book was on Cam, the selfish and immature police chief. I really didn't like Cam's character at all. However, I still persisted in reading, hoping and waiting for the "mercy" plot line to unfold. But to my great disappointment, the "mercy" plot didn't surface until almost the very end of the book. Maybe Picoult didn't have sufficient substance to write an entire book dedicated solely to euthanasia, so she ended up writing a rather random book about Cam with the euthanasia subplot thrown in? Overall, this book just didn't gel together for me.

I even found myself getting annoyed with the language used in the book. The most overused phrase was "- shook his/her head." And the most overused words were "murmured" and "simply." It seemed that every conversation was described with one or more characters "shaking their head" as they spoke. "Simply" was the favorite adverb and "murmured" was the favorite speech descriptor. On some occasions, they "muttered," but mostly they "murmured." After a while, I actually found it quite funny in a strange way.

There was so much potential with this book. The euthanasia storyline is truly fascinating. Given how well Picoult has handled other controversial topics in her previous works like "My Sister's Keeper" and "Handle with Care," I had high expectations. But unfortunately, this book failed to meet those expectations.

This book commences with a man taking the life of his wife. She is on the verge of death, enduring great pain, and he simply cannot bear to see her suffer. It presents a rather good and mostly believable storyline.

However, where the author fails to hold my attention is with the sheriff and his blatant disregard for his wife. I might be considered a bit old-fashioned when it comes to marriage, but I firmly believe that there is nothing romantic about infidelity. If one's wife is not their so-called "soul mate," then the right thing to do is to end that relationship first.

Rather than engaging in extramarital affairs and causing unnecessary pain and heartache to the spouse, it is essential to be honest and upfront. Respecting the institution of marriage and the feelings of one's partner should be of utmost importance.

Overall, while the initial premise of the book was interesting, the actions and behavior of the sheriff left a sour taste in my mouth and detracted from the overall enjoyment of the story.

Having read the majority of Picoult's novels, I am now thoroughly acquainted with her tone and writing style. Mercy did not disappoint in that regard. However, structurally, I have a preference for her later style of writing as I find it more straightforward to follow and interpret.

Police chief Cam and his dedicated wife Allie lead a rather ordinary life in their respective positions in the heart of New England. Quite unexpectedly, a distant cousin of Cam's shows up in his town and confesses to murdering his wife, who was slowly and painfully succumbing to terminal cancer.

The novel sparks debate on the act of euthanasia, which is in itself a significant topic. For example, why do we artificially prolong life while denying people the right to end their suffering? As Picoult delicately portrays, people have the right to be free from pain but not to completely eliminate that pain.

I found certain parts of the book to be heartrending and completely engaging. However, the issue of infidelity in Cam and Allie's marriage did not seem to fit the storyline. I thought Allie's actions were weak and lacking in backbone once she discovers Cam's unfaithfulness. And as for his mistress, where exactly does she vanish to? She is perhaps the most frustrating character in the book. I felt that I didn't get to know her at all.

As always, the book reaches its climax in the courtroom scenes. This is probably one of the more emotionally charged topics that Picoult has written about. I felt that the last fifty or so pages did justice to the storyline. However, the ending was a bit abrupt, and I couldn't help but wonder what would happen a year from now. The book is set in 1995, over twenty years ago, which I think might be a bit intimidating for younger readers. Being only six years old myself at the time, I find it difficult to conceive of the mid-nineties in terms of such complex issues.

Overall, it is a worthwhile read. While it may not be Picoult's finest piece of writing, it is definitely not her worst either.

Mercy is a remarkable novel by Jodi Picoult that delves deep into the complex themes of love, death, and the moral gray area between right and wrong. Set in a small town, it begins when Cameron MacDonald, the town's chief of police, encounters his cousin who claims to have killed his wife out of mercy. The story then unfolds around the trial to determine whether the cousin should face death or imprisonment for his actions, all while exploring the relationship between Cam and his wife Allie. It's a profound and touching narrative that offers valuable lessons about making decisions and maintaining relationships.

This is my third Jodi Picoult book. I absolutely adored My Sister's Keeper, her most renowned novel. Since then, I was aware that Picoult had written more books, but I never felt the compulsion to pick them up. I'm not entirely sure what made me choose this one over the others, perhaps it was the good ratings it received on Goodreads.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mercy. It's filled with unexpected twists and turns, but they are slow and deep, unlike the action-packed books that some people prefer. The plot is engaging, and I particularly liked the two different storylines that run parallel throughout the narrative. The evolution of Cam and Allie's relationship is especially well-written. It feels genuine and profound, making me reflect on my own relationships. Additionally, it was fascinating to explore the moral concept behind Jamie's actions and his trial. We come to like him as a character, and it's evident that he loves his wife deeply. This really makes us question, 'What would you do if you were in his shoes?' Personally, I would never kill my partner or lover, even if they were dying and asked me to.

However, this book also brought up other interesting aspects. For instance, the idea that in a relationship, there is always one partner who loves the other more than the other. It might be 60-40 or 70-30, but it's never 50-50. I can somewhat understand this, but I feel that the two couples in this story were very different. Although we can clearly see which character loved their partner more, their actions differed, showing that a relationship is much more than just two people loving each other. Other topics were also discussed, such as what happens if your wife, with whom you've been married for years, is not the right one, or what if you love and care for her but there's someone else out there whom you love more deeply and who might be better for you? It's all very confusing, and there is never a definitive answer as the situation varies for each person. There were so many thought-provoking elements in this book, from euthanasia to infidelity, and it's all very well thought out.

The characters in this novel are also excellent. They feel real and relatable, and there's a sense of maturity about them. I'm not sure why I had this impression, perhaps it's because they're all significantly older than I am, most of them being married and having stable jobs. I loved Allie. Her character was a bit unremarkable in the beginning, but as I got to know her better, I grew to like her more. Her development, or rather the change in her personality towards the end of the book, was a pleasure to read about. On the other hand, Cam was not a character I particularly liked. His decisions and actions didn't make him seem like a good person that I would want to like, let alone love. However, the other supporting characters were also well-developed and interesting. I liked Jamie, as well as the lawyer and the mother. They all added depth and flavor to the story.

One piece of advice I would give when reading this book is to avoid reading an illegally downloaded ebook. My edition had some issues, with some sections ending abruptly in the middle and then changing to another scene, only to come back to the first section later. This really disrupted the mood and flow of the story and sometimes made me misunderstand or have to think hard to fit the conversation into the context. It was a bit of a nuisance throughout the book, but overall, it was still an enjoyable read. I had a great time reading it, although I didn't cry as much as I did in her other book. The story was excellent and made me really think. I also think the content was a bit too mature for me, as I haven't experienced things like marriage and death, but it didn't stop me from relating to the characters and caring about them.

Overall, Mercy is an enjoyable book that I would recommend to others. I can't wait to read more from Jodi Picoult!

Bookmarks:
Did you ever look down at yourself and realize that finally you had it all? Did you ever feel that everything was so right in your life you'd have nowhere to go but downhill? (Loc. 423)

'You know it's never fifty-fifty in a marriage. It's always seventy-thirty, or sixty-forty. Someone falls in love first. Someone puts someone else up on a pedestal.' (Loc. 1317)

The first person you fell in love with stole your heart. The first person you made love with stole your soul. And if these were one and the same, you were damned. (Loc. 5590)

This book was truly one of the worst books I've read in quite some time.

Typically, I have found Jodi Picoult to be a talented storyteller, capable of weaving engaging and thought-provoking narratives. However, this particular offering was a major disappointment. There simply seemed to be no coherent story to tell.

The plot was ostensibly centered around the suicide/murder of a cancer patient, but in reality, it devolved into a tiresome exploration of how much of a prick Cameron is. He is hands down the most egocentric character I have ever encountered in literature. His self-centeredness knows no bounds, and it becomes increasingly grating as the story progresses.

His wife Allie, on the other hand, appears to be completely oblivious to the fact that she is constantly being manipulated by him. Throughout the entire book, her only notable personality trait is being a pushover. She lacks the strength and agency to stand up for herself, and as a result, she fails to resonate with me as a character.

And then there's Mia, Cameron's spineless mistress. Not only is she dreadfully boring to read about, but she also seems to have no moral compass whatsoever. Her actions are often unethical and self-serving, and she adds little to the overall narrative. Once again, she is not the type of character that I usually appreciate or find interesting.

This book took me weeks to plod through, and I was relieved to finally be rid of it once I reached the end. It was a frustrating and ultimately unsatisfying reading experience.

Reread on 3/9/2022

There is an abundance of elements to absorb in this book. During this reading, my focus was more on the euthanasia plot rather than the cheating husband subplot.

I came across some discussion questions for the book. One of them is "who is the most selfish character in the story?" And upon this reread, I realized that by far, Maggie is the most selfish character. It's a difficult point to make. She has endured tremendous suffering and she is dead, but she was extremely selfish. She commits suicide by asking her husband to kill her, which is horribly cruel. She knew he would do anything for her, and he proves this. It's so brutal and so sad. While her suffering is alleviated, his will continue for the rest of his life, made even harder by her request.

The trial? It's brutal and, to be honest, I'm not sure how realistic it would have been in 1995. He is beyond sympathetic, but this seems more about the author's feelings regarding euthanasia. If this were real life, would he be guilty or not guilty? I'm just not certain.

The Cam and Mia subplot is rather curious. Cam and Mia, also selfish characters, are fulfilling their desires above everything else.

Part 3 of the story is interesting. It's Jamie's trial, but it's also the aftermath of Cam and Mia's affair. Allie has already discovered that they were having an affair that lasted for months - two people she trusted. Both are weak characters, and their relationship was always going to fizzle out. She was never going to stay and he was never going to leave. From his inner thoughts after Allie admits she doesn't want a divorce: "He was surprised to realize he was not wishing she was Mia. He looked at his wife and wished in that moment none of this had ever happened."

Through her support of Jamie, Allie has shown a great deal of growth, but is it enough? Supporting him has made her stronger, but why would she be willing to stay with Cam? Once Mia is gone and it's clear that Cam isn't going to leave, the balance of power in Allie and Cam's relationship shifts drastically in Allie's favor. Cam isn't happy about the changes and wants the old Allie back, but he accepts them. He's never going to leave, even with all of his inner musings or journaling to Mia, he's NEVER going to leave Allie.

But what does Allie gain by staying? She has children with a man she can't trust. He loves Allie, misses Mia, and there is no redemptive arc. I'm not even sure if she forgives him.

Jamie, despite all his heartbreak, has a more realistic chance of having a happy life. And there's this contrast between Jamie and Cam. Jamie, the life-taking, loving, supportive husband, and Cam, the "upstanding" police chief, cheating husband.

4 stars for a story that makes you think, but Cam is still not forgivable or redeemable.

Original reviews: Well written, emotional, and angsty. Jamie and Maggie’s story is heartbreaking. Allie is likable, Mia not so much, and Cam is probably one of the least likable heroes I’ve come across. He’s neither forgivable nor redeemable, which says a lot. You’re left wondering if Mia hadn’t left, would he have abandoned Allie. Love how Allie reacted, selling everything he owned was a rather creative way of making a point.

We follow the journey of a man whose wife, terminally ill and no longer wanting to live, begs him to kill her.

I really like the initial concept as he immediately goes to the police station and confesses that he killed his wife.

We trace their story from high school until a short time after his wife's death. He kills her and then has to deal with the aftermath.

I have, in outbursts of pain and agony, told my mom that I would like to be killed and asked if she would do it. She always answers no because she would be sent to jail. But I tell her it would be merciful as it would save me from the torment of my life with Lyme disease. I really wanted to love this book, but I was disappointed due to the brevity of each perspective. I never really connected with any of the characters, which is usually not the case as I connect with the characters immediately in her other books.

What I didn't like about this one was the fact that we are presented with so many perspectives within just a few pages, rather than a chapter following one person and then another, as she usually does. This made me feel disconnected from the characters and I couldn't follow the story as well.