WOW! I have delved into three other remarkable books penned by this author, and I was completely enamored with each and every one of them. However, this particular novel left me feeling rather disappointed. But then again, I am well aware that it was her debut work. The cover of the book was so captivating that I felt as if I could simply fall into it, and I had high hopes that the story within would have the same effect on me. Sadly, that was not the case.

The narrative of this novel was told from multiple points of view - a staggering six to be exact! - and it did not follow a linear storyline. This made it extremely difficult for me to form a connection with any of the characters. Jane's part of the story was the most linear, while Rebecca's seemed to go backwards in time. Joley, on the other hand, provided a great deal of the historical background regarding their lives. The story just jumped around too much, leaving me feeling disoriented and disconnected.

Jane, in an attempt to escape her abusive father, marries at a very young age. As a result, she brings a great deal of emotional baggage into her marriage. Her husband, Oliver, gains renown in the world of biology for his work with humpback whales, but in the process, he becomes a distant husband and father. Jane eventually snaps, and she is both fearful of her response and what it means for her character. So, she basically runs away. She reaches out to her brother, Joley, with whom she is extremely close. Joley is currently working on an apple farm in MA, and that is where Jane is headed. Her 15-year-old daughter, Rebecca, accompanies her on this journey. Their trip across the country is circuitous, and then they spend a fateful time at Sam Hansen's apple farm. The ending of the story felt rather contrived to me.

There were some interesting elements of symbolism in the book, particularly with the whales and apples. However, I felt that these could have been explored and mined for deeper meaning to a greater extent.

Despite my disappointments, there were still a few things that I liked about the book. I really enjoyed learning more about humpback whale songs, and the description of life around Hansen's apple farm was quite vivid. It actually reminded me of the wonderful times I spent visiting my grandparents in the countryside of Syracuse, NY when I was a child.

February 2007 BotM.

I made an effort to stay optimistic as I delved into this book. It wasn't the one I had voted for, yet I read it regardless. Now that it's been read, I'm relieved that it's over and done with.

It simply wasn't the kind of book that appeals to me. Although I typically refrain from giving a book a negative opinion, this one, much as I loathe to say it, was truly bad. OMG!

The entire book was written in the first person, and there were no dividing chapters. It was just the characters themselves. Everything was presented from the first-person perspective.

While one doesn't usually pay that much attention to the actual chapter headings (such as chapter 1, etc.), in this case, you had no choice but to pay attention, or else you wouldn't know who was speaking!

Not only did it jump from one character to another, but it also skipped around within the same timeline - nothing seemed to follow a logical sequence.

Although I don't find jumping timelines confusing in any way, when combined with the frequent jumps between characters, I really disliked it.

But that wasn't the part I hated the most. It was learning the ending before actually reaching the end of the book, and despising the decision that was made, which made me feel like I had wasted my time reading it!

I'm sorry, but if you were that unhappy, would you really go back? If you were truly unhappy and your daughter was old enough to understand... would you go back? This character did - for her daughter. Come on - she's fifteen!

Nope, I didn't like this book. There are numerous other points that I could include in this review, but I don't have half an hour to write them all down. Suffice it to say, I was disappointed. I had expected so much more from the story than what was actually there.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and it was truly addictive. I found myself constantly eager to know more about the story of Jane. To be honest, what initially attracted me the most to this book was its name. It intrigued me to such an extent that it was the main factor that drew me into the story. I was extremely eager to learn more about humpback whales, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover many fascinating facts.

The book is written from five different perspectives, namely that of Jane, her daughter Rebecca, her husband Oliver, her brother Joley who works on a farm, and Sam, the owner of the farm. As someone who loves reading about the same situation from different viewpoints, I truly adored the story plotting. It allowed me to gain more in-depth insights into each situation through the various mindsets presented.

Overall, the story was enjoyable. However, I wouldn't say that I loved it; rather, I simply liked it. It had its moments of excitement and interest, but it didn't quite reach the level where I would consider it a favorite. Nevertheless, it was still a worthwhile read that provided some entertainment and knowledge.

Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult is a captivating novel.

Jane has tied the knot with Oliver, who is passionate about ocean studies. Together with her daughter Rebecca, they embark on a cross-America drive to her uncles in Massachusetts. Along the way, they discover letters waiting for them at different post offices, adding an element of mystery to their journey.

The songs that are passed down from male speaker to male speaker are an interesting aspect of the story. However, the abuse sections can be quite hard to listen to. There is no need for such violence.

The journey itself is truly enjoyable, with all the different places they get to experience. But there is a sense of fear that Oliver will catch up with them soon and cause them harm.

Rebecca, the teenage daughter, has a lifestyle that makes one think. The descriptions of the apple orchard and all the useful information provided are also engaging. The correlation between the trip and the whales is both unique and fascinating.

I was fortunate enough to receive this book from the National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device), which allowed me to enjoy this wonderful story.

Jodi Picoult is my favorite author. However, if this were the first book of hers that I read, I highly doubt I would have continued to explore her works.

In the beginning, it was just okay. But as I delved deeper into the story, it deteriorated and became increasingly annoying. I was actually tempted to abandon it completely. But since I had already invested so much time, I decided to push through and finish it. I completed it in a rush, not because it was a page-turner, but rather because I wanted to put an end to the agony.

The first issue I encountered was the abundance of grammatical errors. While one or two might be understandable, there were far more than that. I realize it's not Picoult's fault directly, but it really irked me that the editor was so negligent. Another aspect that bothered me was the relationship between the main character, Jane, and her brother, Joley. Their bond seemed almost incestuous, and reading it from the brother's perspective was rather uncomfortable.

The next problem was regarding Jane's daughter, Rebecca. She is 15 years old, yet every character in the book refers to her as a "little girl." Come on, at that age, especially when she's engaging in sexual activities with a 25-year-old, she's no longer a little girl. It's quite disturbing actually. Even the guy she's involved with, Hadley, constantly calls her a kid, yet also remarks on how mature she is and that she's not a kid. It just didn't make sense to me.

The final thing I need to complain about is the way the story is narrated. It's extremely confusing in the beginning until you figure out that everyone in the book is telling the story linearly from the start to the end, while Rebecca is telling it in reverse. So essentially, you know the outcome right from the very beginning. This approach might work for some stories, but not for this one. In my opinion, the ending was the most exciting part, and having it revealed so early took away the suspense. Moreover, Picoult executed it in a rather convoluted manner. All the characters would be telling the story from their point of view for an extended period, and then we'd jump back in time with Rebecca. Since her narration is so infrequent towards the end of the book, it's easy to forget where we left off with her the last time she spoke.

Overall, the main thing I didn't like was that I was accustomed to Jodi Picoult addressing complex ethical issues in all her other books, and this one was completely different from her later works.

This book really deserves no stars.

It was an absolute chore to get through.

From the very beginning, it failed to capture my interest. The plot was dull and uneventful, lacking any real excitement or tension.

The characters were poorly developed, making it difficult to form any kind of connection with them.

The writing style was also a major let-down. It was dry and unengaging, with long, convoluted sentences that made it a struggle to understand what the author was trying to say.

I found myself constantly losing focus and having to reread passages just to make sense of them.

In conclusion, I would not recommend this book to anyone. It is a waste of time and money, and I can only hope that the author will improve their writing skills in future works.

Jodi Picoult books have always been a bit of a mixed bag for me. Some of them have been absolute hits, while others have fallen flat. Unfortunately, this particular book is definitely a miss.

The characters in this story were just not likable. In fact, some of them were downright creepy, which made it difficult for me to engage with the story on an emotional level.

The storyline itself was also not very engaging. It lacked the real twist on emotions and life-altering situations that I have come to love in some of her other books. I remember reading those earlier works and being completely captivated by the complex characters and their struggles.

However, it has been a long time since I read those books, and I can't help but wonder if my reading taste has changed in the meantime. Maybe what I once found captivating no longer holds the same appeal for me.

Despite this disappointment, I will probably still give Jodi Picoult another chance in the future. After all, she has written some truly amazing books in the past, and I'm hoping that her next one will be a return to form.

I keep telling myself that I will not read another Picoult book. When will I ever learn?

This book was a monumental waste of time. There were so many aspects that I disliked about it, and very few that I actually liked. Let me elaborate.

First, the narrative had 5 different voices. However, a couple of them seemed unnecessary and uninteresting.

Second, one of the voices was Rebecca's story, written backwards. This meant that the events that occurred last in the story were presented first from her perspective. HUH?? By the time I reached page 50, I already knew what was going to happen at the end. How could this make sense? It felt like all the secrets were already out in the open. And unfortunately, the middle of the story was far from good, offering no redemption.

Third, the story itself wasn't all that captivating. There were numerous different "themes", but none of them were truly outstanding, nor did they seem to interweave in a wonderful way.

Fourth, the love that Joley felt for Jane seemed less brotherly and more incestuous. It was just icky and creepy.

Now, for the few things that I liked.

Well, there was a bit of travel described somewhere in the book. That's always interesting to me.

Also, there was one small chapter regarding the rescuing of a whale. That was kind of cool.

And I did learn a few things about apples.

That's basically it. Wow. Overall, this book gets a huge thumbs down from me.

Jodi Picoult's debut novel, Songs of the Humpback Whale, was my recent literary exploration.

In this work, she not only showcases her unique writing style but also her penchant for employing multiple perspectives. Jane Jones, a speech pathologist, lives in California overshadowed by her husband Oliver's renown. Oliver, who researches humpback whales and is famous for uncovering the mystery of whale songs and their repetition, has a tumultuous relationship with Jane. When the story commences, they engage in yet another argument, which leads to Jane striking Oliver. Haunted by her past as an abused child, Jane decides to leave California with her teenage daughter Rebecca in search of her brother Joley.

Joley guides them across the country to various places he deems necessary for them to visit, including the site of a plane crash that Rebecca was involved in when Jane last left Oliver. Surprisingly, despite being only three years old at the time, Rebecca remembers fragments of the incident with remarkable vividness.

The narrative unfolds through the eyes of Rebecca, Oliver, Jane, Joley, and Jane's lover Sam. Rebecca's account is presented in reverse chronological order, while the other narrators tell the story in the sequence of events. Picoult's use of multiple perspectives enables the reader to gain a profound understanding of each character's idiosyncrasies and personalities. Eventually, the different storylines converge at the climax, revealing the diverse manifestations of love that exist - the unbreakable bond between a mother and daughter, the complex relationship of a husband and wife, and the profound connection between a person and the love of their life.

Overall, although this wasn't my favorite among her books (I preferred Harvesting the Heart and My Sister's Keeper), the character development was excellent. Even though the reader has an inkling of the ending from the start, I found it incredibly difficult to put the book down.

I read the book many years ago. Since then, it has always held a special place in my heart. However, I was truly shocked when I read the reviews on here today. It made me question the intelligence of those who post such comments. This remarkable book had such an impact on me that it made me eager to devour everything she writes. If one can't keep up with the diverse points of view presented in the book, perhaps it's a sign that they are simply not intellectually equipped or are being too narrow-minded. Maybe they shouldn't be reading books at this sophisticated level. For me, I absolutely loved it. The author is incredibly insightful and brutally honest, qualities that a lot of people either don't desire or are incapable of handling. Her words cut through the clutter and make us face the uncomfortable truths. It's a book that challenges our thinking and broadens our perspectives. I highly recommend it to those who are ready to embark on a journey of intellectual exploration and self-discovery.

This was my very first Jodi Picoult book, which was warmly recommended to me by a dear friend.

I was truly impressed by the brilliant structure of the novel. Each chapter is presented from a distinct person's viewpoint. One of the characters, Rebecca, relates her story in a unique way, going from the present to the past, while all the other characters tell their tales in chronological order.

I absolutely loved hearing the diverse stories from different angles. It was really neat to observe how the stories intertwined as we got to know what was happening in the present through Rebecca's viewpoint and also understood how we arrived at that point from everyone else's perspectives.

However, beyond the structure, I didn't have much affection for the plot. It focuses on a woman who feels trapped in a comfortable, yet loveless marriage. She decides to run away not only from her husband but also from herself, taking their daughter along. They embark on a journey across the country to visit her brother, whose obsession with his sister borders on perversion.

This story contains a bit too much steamy content for my liking, ranging from the wife's affair to the daughter's inappropriate encounter with a 25-year-old man. It reminded me of those depressing stories that Oprah is so fond of featuring.

It's truly a pity because the storywriting itself was executed really well. But unfortunately, the plot just didn't do it for me.

I truly don't understand how it is possible that I haven't read this book before. It's not as if it's an outstandingly great book. In fact, it was just okay, nothing really special about it.

No. The reason I'm so surprised is that I had thought I had managed to read all of Jodi Picoult's novels. However, while reading this one, I was constantly distracted. I kept expecting to reach a certain point where I would say, "That's right. I DID read this." But that never happened.

The story itself was fine. It had its moments, but it was missing that trademark plot twist at the end that has become so characteristic of her works.

One element that I did like was the way one character's story was written in reverse. It did get a little confusing at times, but it was kind of cool to see how the two narratives more or less met in the middle. It added an interesting layer to the story.

Overall, it was an okay read, but not one of her best.