Having read quite a number of Picoult books, I would unhesitatingly label myself as a devoted fan of her work. However, this particular book simply failed to captivate me. There were two principal story lines. One revolved around an affair between two characters, while the other involved a man who killed his wife as she was succumbing to a terminal illness. The latter plot was by far the more engaging one. Regrettably, it was the former that dominated the majority of the novel. There were continuous allusions to the fact that the characters had known each other in some past life, but disappointingly, nothing ever materialized from that. The two plot lines were pieced together in a rather clumsy manner. In the end, it almost felt as if one was reading two distinct books rather than a unified one.

I was also profoundly disappointed by the novel's ending. I could accept the absence of the classic Picoult twist. What I couldn't abide were the decisions made by some of the characters. One character, in particular, seemed to mature significantly and change in an astonishing way. And yet, the final decision she made was completely inconsistent with the person she had become.

Ordinarily, Picoult's books are of the kind that I find impossible to put down. This was not the case for me with this book. The last 100 or so pages, once the trial commenced, were interesting. But the remainder of the book left a great deal to be desired.

What

On earth

Did I just waste my life reading?

Here is a word and some sound effects to summarise how I felt reading this: ew *cue hacking, vomit cough sounds*

While I was expecting this book to have some romance in it, due to Jamie killing his wife out of love (as it said in the blurb), I was not expecting it to be a full-blown romance novel. It was. Very much so. To the point where even my Mum, a grown woman, was grossed out.

Now I understand that I was probably not part of the intended audience, being on the younger side of young adult. But, as I mentioned above, my mother was also disgusted.

Warning: this review may become gross.

This book was supposed to be about the consequences of Jamie killing his wife, whose body was full of cancer, out of mercy like she asked him to. However, this was just a sub-story until about the last 40 pages. Instead, it was mainly about Cam.

Cam goes and falls for Allie’s (his wife) new assistant basically the first or second time he sees her. *ahem* Instalove at its finest.

So Cam spends most of his time either ‘making love’, as Picoult put it repeatedly, to Allie or Mia.

I cannot tell you the number of times I read those cringe-worthy phrases like ‘he put himself in her’ or ‘he pulled himself out of her’. Ew.

ANYWAY, that’s the majority of the book. Yup. And then Allie finds out, and Cam thinks to himself ‘I just want the old Allie back’. Well, then he shouldn’t have had an affair with someone else, you buffoon.

Jamie’s story during his trial was quite sweet and lovely, but there wasn’t enough of it to raise this book to two stars, unfortunately.

So that was my review. Sorry, it’s a bit long. If you read all that, thanks and congratulations!

This book truly should've been titled something like "Selfish," or perhaps "I'm a Horribly Insensitive Person," or you can probably get the general idea. Generally speaking, I have a penchant for the formulaic writing style that Jodi Picoult employs. She typically takes an ethical conundrum, tosses in a court case, and populates the story with sympathetic yet complex characters, and voila, that's the foundation of her tale.

In "Mercy," the ethical issue at the heart of the matter should have been euthanasia. Jamie MacDonald makes the heart-wrenching decision to end the life of his wife, who is enduring excruciating pain from terminal cancer, at her behest. However, instead of delving deeply into this profound and morally challenging topic, Picoult devotes a significant portion of her time to focusing on the relationship between Cam MacDonald, the town's police chief, and his wife, Allie MacDonald.

Cam is far from a likable character. He is self-centered and shortsighted, and I could scarcely bear to read those scenes where he is unjustifiably cruel to his wife. What's her supposed fault? Her entire world seems to revolve solely around Cam. She treats him as if he were the one who created the sun and placed the stars in the sky, all in an attempt to secure his affections and attention. While I do pity Allie, she comes across as desperate, and it remains rather unclear as to why the two got married in the first place.

Cam's problem lies in the fact that as the police chief of the small town of Wheelock, which was settled by Scottish families and where he still technically holds the title of clan chief, he yearns for the new and the unfamiliar. Allie, on the other hand, adores the familiar routine of Wheelock. But when Allie's world-weary new assistant arrives in Wheelock, Cam finds himself smitten. I physically winced at the cruel scenes involving Cam and Allie's assistant, Mia, and I must admit that I didn't find either character particularly sympathetic or well-developed.

Some might argue that I'm missing the point, that both relationships - that of Jamie and his wife and that of Cam and Allie - demonstrate the significance of mercy and forgiveness. While that may be true to an extent, neither the characters nor the plot are developed with sufficient depth to have a profound impact on the reader.

"Mercy" had the potential to be yet another outstanding Picoult book, but unfortunately, the story falls flat, feeling as if not much of a story was told at all. The most interesting and relatable characters were not given the time and attention they deserved, and the ethical issue was haphazardly "resolved" in a rushed court case. I was left feeling disappointed by "Mercy," and I would not recommend it to readers new to Picoult's work as this book certainly does not do justice to her considerable talents.

The book under discussion delves into a complex and rather disturbing narrative. It tells the story of a man who makes the difficult decision to "mercy-kill" his wife suffering from cancer. Alongside this, it also explores the lives of the man's cousin, Cam, his wife Allie, and a rather selfish vagabond named Mia.

To be honest, I found myself feeling extremely uncomfortable throughout the entire reading experience. Adultery is an act that can never be condoned. In a marriage or relationship, if there are issues that seem beyond repair, the right thing to do is to end it rather than engage in an affair. I had the distinct impression that Piccoult was attempting to romanticize the act of cheating, which truly bothered me. Mia, in my opinion, was a rather unpleasant character. Pardon my language, but when someone offers you a job in their shop, the last thing you should do is have sex with their husband. Moreover, Cam's decision to go away for the weekend with Mia, a weekend that holds great significance for his wife, was truly inexcusable.

I was so frustrated with the story that at one point, I actually had the urge to throw the book out of the car window and into the path of oncoming traffic. It just seemed to be a never-ending cycle of immoral behavior and bad decisions.

I was not really a fan of this book. In my opinion (IMO), it had the potential to be so much better. The flashbacks to Scotland were rather strange and seemed out of place. They didn't flow well with the rest of the story and I found that they really dragged the pace of the book. It felt like the author was trying to add something extra, but it just didn't work for me.

Certainly, this book is nowhere near my favourite of Picoult's works. I have read several of her other books and have been really impressed with her writing and storytelling. However, this one just didn't hit the mark for me. I found the characters to be a bit flat and the plot to be lacking in depth.

Overall, I would not recommend this book to others. There are much better books out there by Jodi Picoult that are worth reading. I will still continue to read her work in the future, hoping that she will return to the form that made me a fan in the first place.

I truly desired to have a profound liking for this book. I had heard such enthusiastic and glowing reviews about J.P., and this happened to be my very first reading experience from this particular author.

There were several aspects that I found quite appealing. The sections that centered around Maggie were truly heartrending, tugging at the emotions in a powerful way. Jamie, on the other hand, is a likable character who is compelled to make a life-altering decision that no one should ever be burdened with. Allie also undergoes a transformation as she comes into her own and discovers that she is far stronger than she had initially believed herself to be. Additionally, the allegory of how the title "Mercy" is employed in diverse contexts for different characters added an interesting layer of depth to the story.

However, there were also elements that I didn't care for, which is the reason I could only award it 3 stars. And that is Cam. Oh, Cam. He seemingly falls in love within a mere 2 days! A love so intense that he cheats on his wife, whom he has allegedly loved for 10 years. It is only after his wife discovers his infidelity that he realizes he has done something amiss. Yet, even as he is being drawn back into the chaos, he never shows any genuine remorse. At the conclusion of the book, he still aspires to be the dominant figure with his little wife at home, cooking his meals, cleaning his house, and living solely to serve him. Ugh, it's truly exasperating.

3.5 STARS

My review seems to have vanished into thin air, which really frustrates me to no end.

I just don't have the inclination to pen another one.

To be honest, I had a greater liking for MERCY the very first time I delved into its pages.

The narration for the audiobook was truly fantastic. It brought the story to life in a way that made it a pleasure to listen to.

The narrator's voice was engaging and added an extra layer of depth to the characters and the plot.

Despite my review disappearing, I still have fond memories of the audiobook experience and would recommend it to others.

Maybe one day, I'll find the motivation to write another review and share my thoughts on MERCY once again.

There is SOOOOO much lawyer/legal jargon in this. It's truly mind-boggling. Unless one happens to be a lawyer, a judge, or some other legal professional, I really don't know how anyone can keep up with all of this complex and convoluted language. I made an attempt, but it was no easy feat.

Now, as for my personal opinion on whether I liked it? Well, it was just okay. It didn't really wow me or anything. But did I think it was murder? Oh, yes. I mean, she explicitly asked him to kill her. That's clearly a case of assisted murder. So when they compare him to Kavorkian, the guy who is known for helping people die, they're not just joking around. It's a very serious and disturbing situation.

This whole thing really makes you think about the ethics and morality of such actions. Is it ever okay to assist someone in taking their own life? There are so many questions and no easy answers. It's a complex issue that requires a lot of careful consideration and debate.

The small town of Wheelock, Massachusetts is thrown into turmoil when Jamie MacDonald, the cousin of local police chief Cameron MacDonald, commits a mercy killing. The victim is his own wife, Maggie, who had been suffering from various forms of cancer. One night, she asks him to take her life, and he complies by smothering her with a pillow. He then drives to Wheelock and confesses his crime. Cameron MacDonald arrests his own cousin and brings him into custody, where charges of murder are brought against him.

The town is divided into two sides. Cameron decides he is on the side that believes Jamie had no right to take a life, even if asked to. His devoted wife, Allie, is on the other side, completely seduced by the idea that a man could love his wife so much that he would take her life if she begged him to. The trial drives a wedge into Cam and Allie's marriage, leading to an inexplicable betrayal and terrifying consequences.

Jodi Picoult's writing talent is truly remarkable. She has the ability to draw readers into her story and keep them hooked until the very end. I found myself constantly saying, "I'll read one more chapter, then do my homework," only to conveniently let myself read a little more afterwards, thinking, "I still have tomorrow until the assignment is due." Her writing is simply mesmerizing, even if at times the language is a bit "romancy."

Picoult also excels at making her characters come to life. Some people may complain that they hated certain characters and didn't have a connection with them, but that's like saying someone is so boring they don't have a personality. In reality, these characters do have personalities, just ones that may not appeal to everyone. I found myself completely feeling Allie's heartache at times and wanting to punch Cameron in the face at others.

The only drawback of "Mercy" is that the two storylines, Jamie's trial and Allie and Cam's marriage, weren't fully connected at the end. While Jamie's trial did cause stress in their marriage, there wasn't a complete connection throughout the book. Picoult alluded several times to the idea that the entire cast knew each other in past lives, but nothing really came of it. This nuance didn't significantly detract from my overall enjoyment of the book, but it did leave me a little unsatisfied by the end. Nevertheless, I would still recommend this book, despite the presence of some sexual scenes and a fair amount of language.

I initially had the impression that this book was rather sluggish in the first half. Although I did enjoy certain aspects of it, I wasn't entirely captivated or drawn in completely. However, as I delved into the second half, my level of interest increased significantly. It wasn't my absolute favorite work by her, but nevertheless, it was still a good book. The story gradually picked up pace and developed in a more engaging manner. The characters became more complex and their relationships more nuanced. There were some unexpected twists and turns that added excitement to the narrative. Overall, despite the slow start, the second half managed to redeem the book and make it a worthwhile read.

I typically have a great passion for Jodi Picoult's books. Her works usually manage to captivate me with their engaging storylines and well-developed characters. However, this particular book failed to meet my expectations.

I found myself unable to like any of the characters in this story. They seemed rather one-dimensional and lacked the depth and complexity that I have come to expect from Picoult's writing.

The plot, too, was a disappointment. Instead of focusing on the thought-provoking topic of mercy killing, it seemed to center more around the idea of cheating on one's spouse. This detracted from the overall impact of the story and made it feel less relevant and meaningful.

Furthermore, the character development in this book was severely lacking. The characters did not seem to grow or change throughout the story, which made it difficult for me to become invested in their lives and experiences.

In conclusion, while I usually love Jodi Picoult's books, this one was a miss for me. I hope that her future works will return to the high standards that I have come to associate with her name.

Reading this book was truly a remarkable experience for me. It was like a God-incendence as the moral dilemma presented within its pages has made me reevaluate my views on death, dying, and the complex issue of someone's desire to die when life throws them a difficult curveball. The different perspectives on death offered in the book have been extremely beneficial in broadening my own point of view. I found myself deeply engaged with the various ideas and emotions presented.

I also particularly enjoyed the snippets about the more eccentric 'brews'. They added an interesting and unique element to the story. Although I didn't initially like the twist in Cam's life, upon further reflection, I realized that it fit perfectly into the storyline. I'm certain that many people will be able to relate to the perspectives of Cam, Allie, and Mia.

As is typical of Jodi's work, I love the way she is able to skillfully tackle a moral dilemma and use it to create awareness and, hopefully, a more expansive worldview. Her writing has the power to make readers think deeply and question their own beliefs and values. This book is no exception, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and engaging read.