Songs of the Humpback Whale is truly a remarkable and engaging read. Its structural design is quite masterful, employing multiple points of view and a storyline that unfolds backwards. This was Jodi Picoult's very first published work, and it's astonishing that she was able to pull off such a complex and captivating narrative at the young age of 26. Her talent is truly outstanding. For those non-believers out there, it's time to stand back and take notice. This book comes highly recommended. It offers a unique and thought-provoking reading experience that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. Whether you're a fan of Picoult's work or simply looking for a great book to sink your teeth into, Songs of the Humpback Whale is definitely worth checking out.

Some people have claimed that Jodi Picoult's early works did not measure up to her current novels. I must admit that I concur with this view to some extent. In fact, I am still in the process of exploring her unique writing world. What I mean by this is that I am not giving up on her. I have the sense that her present works are of a higher quality and that she is still uncovering her own inner ideas to create engaging books. I do not believe that her books are poorly written. In fact, I find them to be quite acceptable. However, the issue I have with this particular book is the constricted minds of the characters. I cannot sense the unity among them. They differ, of course, as everyone does. But the difference I am referring to is in their individual situations. There is something that disrupts the continuity of the story between them. This makes the story lose its sense of连贯性 among the characters. They seem more like puppets rather than real people experiencing such circumstances.

According to the book or some forgotten source, "Songs of the Humpback Whale" is a book told from five voices. This intrigued me and led me to start reading her book. Perhaps I had high expectations and was trying to evaluate it based on my own standards. Five voices? Yes, there are five main characters in the story. But for me, there are only four. The other character is only present in the story through his letters to another character. He was not developed well by the author, but he does serve to develop the character of Jane, which makes him special in a way, or perhaps less so than the others.

The entire story revolves around the broken relationships of the characters and their search for the true meaning of family, love, and self. The overall idea was quite good. They share their daughter, Rebecca, who is the symbol of their marriage and the reason for their relationship. They always see themselves in Rebecca. She is a combination of their love and their traits. Nobody can separate them, no matter how far they may go. Love is always just one step away.

Oliver, a marine biologist and the husband of Jane, is obsessed with researching humpback whales and has neglected his wife and daughter. Imagine four years without sex for his wife. It was like hell for Jane, who longed to have their relationship return to normal. One day, Jane hits Oliver and escapes with her daughter, planning a road trip to her brother Joley. Joley is the brother who only sends letters to emphasize their childhood and their past brother-sister relationship.

She meets Sam and has a short-lived relationship. If possible, it is the shortest relationship. But I think Britney Spears might have won the competition in terms of short-lived relationships if you can still remember her issues. Sam is 25 and Jane is 35, and they have a bit of a mother-son relationship, just kidding. But their age difference of 10 years makes the whole thing somewhat fragile. The same goes for her daughter, Rebecca, who falls in love with a 25-year-old man named Hadley. His character is still a mystery to me as he only appears in certain parts of the book and then suddenly dies. The story progresses at a hilariously fast pace, and Sam's reaction to Jane's decision makes me think that both characters just wanted to add more problems and then stopped caring as if it didn't matter anymore.

I don't really like to discuss the ending of the book, but seriously, everything was so rushed. I think everything happened within just one day, and it all had a happy ending. I love happy endings, but the story felt too rushed to end like that. Imagine after the falling action of the book, the story only concludes in 20 pages. I don't know how she managed to write the entire ending of the book in such a short space. Maybe she was so overcome by her own writing talent that she couldn't wait to publish her first book.

In conclusion, "Songs of the Humpback Whale" by Jodi Picoult has its strengths and weaknesses. While the overall idea and some of the character development were good, the rushed ending and the lack of unity among the characters left something to be desired. However, I still believe that everyone should give her novels a try before passing judgment. We all have our own tastes, and nobody can force us to change them. I respect everyone's opinion as long as they have actually taken the time to read the author's books.

I recently became a die-hard Jodi Picoult fan and have been eagerly devouring every book with her name on it. Strangely, I couldn't get my hands on a copy of her first novel, Songs of the Humpback Whale, until after reading all fifteen of her other novels. I was curious to see what kind of beginnings Picoult had and what kickstarted her career.

Songs of the Humpback Whale follows the literal and figurative journey of a woman, Jane, and her daughter, Rebecca, who are fleeing an emotionally abusive marriage. After a life-altering experience, Jane decides to leave her husband and drive across the country from San Diego, California, to an apple orchard in Massachusetts to stay with her brother. Soon after, her husband, Oliver, chases after them to bring them back.
Told through the eyes of five different narrators, which has become a trademark of Picoult's novels, this is a story of love, loss, abuse, and relationships. However, unlike many of her later, more popular works, there is no courtroom drama, no complex moral dilemmas, and no suspense or mystery. Instead, there is only a rather shallow plot intertwined with complex relationships and psychological issues that seem to be drawn from personal experience.
Songs of the Humpback Whale shows early hints of Picoult's later success, but not much more. The plot is excruciatingly dull, the timeline is somewhat muddled with flashbacks and frequent repetition of events, and the ending feels unresolved. I even had the sense that the entire novel accomplished very little, and rather than adding drama to the characters, the story seems to drag on in a state of near-nothingness.
Despite this, the novel is well-written and does an excellent job of capturing believable character emotions. Despite the lack of significant action, Songs has complex characters that will tug at your heartstrings. But to be honest, I wouldn't have picked up this book in the first place based solely on the plot. It was Picoult's name that compelled me to give it a try. And frankly, if this was the first and only Picoult novel I ever read, I would have little to no interest in picking up her subsequent works. As a standalone piece, it simply isn't strong enough to hold my attention.

I am truly SICK and tired of having to read the same conversations and scenarios over and over again, presented from each person's perspective.

A great deal of it was extremely repetitive and did not offer any truly enlightening insights into each individual's point of view. Maybe it was fun for Picoult to write, but I really don't know. It just made me feel weary and reluctant to keep reading.

Also, there's the characters' trip to Salt Lake. Do people actually swim in the Great Salt Lake? And she inserts these supposed polygamists into the story. I guess she's trying to make them seem nice. There's a man with his three wives, and not a single child in sight. I suspect she might have been influenced by that Big Love show, but I think she wrote this before that show aired. It's an interesting perspective. Did all you Salt Lakers know you're polygamists? lol LOVE that.

And then she rationalizes statutory rape, which is just really weird. She's going to point out the supposed oddity of a man committed to three wives, but then one of her main characters pretty freely commits adultery and another commits statutory rape, and those actions are completely rationalized. *shudder*

I think I missed a trick here.

To be honest, this was just an average read for me.

Surprisingly, this never usually happens with a JP book.

However, I have a hunch that this might be her debut novel.

If that's the case, then perhaps that could explain why I felt it didn't quite reach the standard of her other books.

I would describe this as a sunbed read.

It's light and easy to get through, but it's not exactly what I expect when I pick up a JP book.

Maybe I was just hoping for something more profound or engaging.

Nonetheless, it's still a decent read and might be perfect for those looking for a quick and enjoyable escape.

I'll definitely be keeping an eye on JP's future works to see if she can recapture the magic that made her other books so great.

I need to start this review by saying that Jodi Picoult is one of my absolute favorite authors.

Two summers ago, I borrowed nearly every book she'd ever written from the library and devoured them all. The way she writes - the subjects she explores - they're real, timely, and relevant. Her kind of fiction is the kind I would aspire to write if I were a fiction author.

To my knowledge, Songs of the Humpback Whale is the first novel she published. Having read most of her later works, I can say that this is definitely a \\"first book\\". It's not as well-edited, and from observing how her writing style has evolved, I can see that it was a really good starting point for a previously unpublished author.

This is the story of a 35-year-old woman who is successful in her professional life and as a mother but has lost herself within her marriage. After a fight with her husband, she and her teenage daughter impulsively embark on a cross-country journey from California to Massachusetts to visit her younger brother working on an apple farm.

The storyline itself is interesting, mainly because this saga is told from the perspectives of five of its characters. We learn about the characters not only from their own voices but also from the voices and opinions of others who recount the same scenes with a different perspective. I've read novels told in different voices before, but never one where one voice begins telling the story from the end and works its way back in time to the beginning.

I think that particular backwards storytelling could be a great concept for a novel if all the characters were telling their stories in the same way. However, unfortunately for me, knowing the outcome of the novel before it even started meant there was no climax at the end. What four of the characters built up to throughout the novel was already discussed in detail within the first 100 pages, leaving me with anticipation about when it would actually happen and why, but not how. In the end, it was a bit of a letdown since the ending had been spoiled so early for me.

All in all, this was definitely a novel worth reading if you're already a Jodi Picoult fan. But if you're new to her works, this isn't the one to start with. There are others that are much more developed and easier to get completely immersed in (like Plain Truth, My Sister's Keeper, or Nineteen Minutes).

That being said, I just saw on her website that her newest novel - also told from the perspectives of several characters - was just released to bookstores yesterday, March 3rd. I can't wait to pick it up.

I didn't know this was Jodi Picoult's first novel, but it is very evident.

Knowing this, I wish I would have read it first, then perhaps I might have liked it more. I made the mistake of reading this after already reading My Sister's Keeper. Songs of the Humpback Whale simply doesn't compare!

I was extremely upset with Jane for not knowing what she wants. I never felt that Oliver truly loved his family more than his career. Joley gave off a strange vibe, as if he loved his sister in a very, very wrong way.

I felt sorry for Sam and Hadley, whose lives were disrupted by such dysfunctional people. Rebecca's "relationship" with Hadley was very difficult to read. I don't think she did much research on the places they visited.

It was an okay read. Nothing spectacular! I probably will never read it again. It's a great disappointment compared to My Sister's Keeper! I guess that's why they're making a movie from that book and not this one.

Overall, while it has some interesting aspects, it falls short in many areas and doesn't live up to the expectations set by her later works.

I've been delving into some of Jodi Picoult's literary works. Generally speaking, I find them to be rather entertaining. They have that certain allure, although they might lean towards the trashy side at times. Every now and then, there are some really good lines that catch your attention and make you think.

However, this particular book, which has been reprinted due to her recent surge in popularity, is unfortunately not a winner. It seemed to take me forever to get through it. The writing style was not only annoying but also inconsistent.

Supposedly, it is told backwards from five different perspectives. But in reality, it is presented in a jumbled chronology. There are these confusing skips back and forth between the characters, which makes it really difficult for the reader to form any kind of attachment to any of the narrators.

Oh well, such is the case with this particular book. Maybe her other works are more to my liking.

As a debut novel, this book does show some definite promise.

However, having read several of Picoult's later works, I have to say that this one is the weakest thus far. The premise of the mysterious world of humpback whales was quite interesting, and I was curious to see how Picoult would incorporate them into the storyline. Unfortunately, the whales didn't feature nearly as prominently as I had hoped.

In the typical Picoult style, the story is told from multiple perspectives. At first, I was drawn to Jane and her daughter Rebecca, but as the story progressed, I found them both to be rather flaky and annoying. I just couldn't seem to hold the sympathy that the author was trying to cultivate for Jane.

Some parts of the book were overly repetitive. In fact, the exact same conversations were repeated word for word by different characters in their respective chapters, which became rather tiresome.

The book does touch on difficult themes, as is Picoult's true style. However, the absence of any courtroom-based drama might disappoint some readers who are used to that aspect of her writing.

One aspect that I did enjoy was the mother and daughter's cross-country trek, which took them to many famous destinations. It added an element of adventure to the story. I also understand that the author faced some criticism for her portrayal of supporting character stereotypes.

For new readers who are looking to explore Picoult's writing, I would highly recommend one of her later books such as The Pact, My Sister's Keeper, or Leaving Time. These books showcase her writing skills more effectively and offer more engaging storylines.

This is not a five-star book by most standards of writing, I suppose.

But I am giving it five stars because there was so much about this story that made me reflect and remember about my own life.

This was an interesting story to follow along and was easy to understand in some ways, but so complex in others.

The complexity was about human relationships and human feelings.

In some ways, the ending was very surprising if you want a happy ending to a love story.

But maybe this book is more about life than about a story.

Here are some thoughts about the author by way of ChatOn AI.

Jodi Picoult is known for her unique writing style and thought-provoking storytelling.

Her writing often tackles complex moral and ethical issues, weaving together multiple perspectives and presenting them in a balanced manner.

Picoult's writing process involves extensive research on the topics she explores in her novels.

She delves deep into the subject matter, consulting experts and immersing herself in the intricacies of the issues at hand.

This attention to detail and thoroughness is reflected in the depth and authenticity of her characters and their experiences.

Picoult's novels are typically structured with alternating perspectives, allowing readers to view the story from different angles and gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of the themes explored.

Her prose is accessible and engaging, making her books widely appealing to a diverse audience.

Overall, Jodi Picoult's writing style is characterized by its thoughtfulness, empathy, and ability to challenge readers' preconceptions.

Her novels often leave readers contemplating moral dilemmas long after they have finished reading.

In the late 1970s, an important event took place. The Voyager spacecraft went into orbit. It carried greetings in fifty-five languages, which was truly remarkable. Along with the greetings, it also had music from renowned composers like Bach and Mozart, and even from a rock group. Additionally, it carried the songs of the humpback whale.

On another note, there is a description of cement. It is said that the cement burns the balls of someone's feet. This gives a vivid image of the discomfort and pain that the cement can cause.

There is also a period where Hadley says something rather interesting. He calls it "Stupid," but then adds "but real fucking funny." This shows a contrast in his opinion and adds a bit of humor to the situation.

Finally, there is a detailed spelling of a terrifying experience. It describes how something envelopes the person and wraps itself tightly. The person starts to scream, but a hand presses against their lips. They try to bite the hand, but it's no use. Then they are pushed down against the bed, rolled onto their back, and pinned by their shoulders. Throughout this entire time, they are trying to scream. And finally, their eyes clear and inches away from them is Sam. This description is very profound and creates a sense of fear and anticipation.

Overall, these snippets of text offer a variety of interesting and thought-provoking ideas.

Disappointed