3,5 Sterne

The first half of the story was rather uneventful. Some things I found a bit exaggerated and not understandable. For example, the witchcraft elements that almost reminded me of magical realism, but only almost. These elements didn't quite fit in, so I thought it was not only unbelievable but also inappropriate when 4 girls magically heal a stroke patient from one day to the next. Also, the scene where Jack is not raped in prison because he tells the rapist that he won't lose his dignity that way. Huh? This scene confused me and didn't make much sense.

The love affair between Addie and Jack I didn't find extremely annoying, but it was rather half-hearted and sometimes cheesy. It kind of bored me and didn't really interest me.

However, from the second half on, once Jack is accused and the presentation of evidence and court trial begin, I was hooked. Picoult describes here excitingly and very detailed how such a court trial can proceed. The outcome was not entirely unpredictable, but still this part provided exciting entertainment. What Picoult also managed to do and what remained most impressive in my memory was to make me understand how a man feels who is wrongly accused and/or convicted of a sexual offense. How inhumanely he is treated and how outrageously unjust this whole situation is. This is basically not a new realization, but to be honest, as a woman I have never really thought about what this means for a man.

What I didn't quite understand again was the message of the book. Especially the ending I found a bit strange. Gillian is abused by her father, as it seems for years, no one knows about it and presumably nothing will change in the future. Does the author want to imply that Gillian deserves to be sexually abused by her father further because she has cast evil witchcraft spells that backfire on her and/or because she is manipulative and intrigant? These behaviors were perhaps only triggered or at least fueled by the years of abuse. Unfortunately, this final scene left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.

Here is the link to the book:
https://amzn.to/2zpMBfO

When Jack arrives in Salem Falls, he is the mysterious stranger. He has buried his past deep, content with no one knowing the harrowing journey that led him from being a beloved teacher and coach to serving time in prison for a crime he vehemently claims he didn't commit.

Addie, too, has her own ghosts haunting her. She is cautious around the new guy working at her diner. However, as time passes, he seems to fit seamlessly into her daily routine and, perhaps more surprisingly, into her heart.

But when the whole town discovers Jack's secret, a modern-day witch hunt blossoms in Salem Falls. Once again, a group of teenage girls crosses the line, and shattering allegations turn Jack's world upside down, causing him to lose his hard-earned reputation.

Determined not to take the fall again for something he didn't do, Jack refuses to back down. Meanwhile, Addie is desperate for answers and evidence to prove his innocence.

Picoult is indeed an amazing storyteller, and this book is no exception. The story is told from multiple points of view, allowing readers to get to know each character intimately and understand how people can perceive the same events in vastly different ways. However, paired with the jumps in time, it can sometimes become a bit confusing.

She does an excellent job of portraying a realistic story, adding layer upon layer of details that sow seeds of doubt in every direction. Just when you think you have it all figured out, that last twist reveals something that could have been so obvious yet is completely unpredictable.

Typical of her writing, Picoult doesn't miss a single detail. However, at times, the story gets too wordy and delves too deeply into specifics that don't necessarily enhance the narrative and instead seem to drag it out.

The author effectively shows how lives can be utterly destroyed by rape and how vile false accusations can be, even if unintended. While I understand that she might have intended this as a critique of the justice system, I'm left unsure whether to appreciate or hate the impression the trial leaves.

The entire defense strategy of discrediting Gillian and making her out to be a slut on drugs is deeply disturbing. Although we have the full picture and may not like her or approve of her actions, it doesn't mean she couldn't have been raped. Defenses like this are precisely why so many actual rape victims are afraid to come forward.

I'm actually quite interested in the taboo subject of false accusations, as it's a difficult topic to discuss and often gets overshadowed by the focus on actual victims. However, we need to have these conversations about what happens in real life.

And then there's Addie and her story. I was constantly guessing who it could be and what would happen, only to be left frustrated when they seem to move on as if nothing had occurred.

I also have mixed feelings about the portrayal of witchcraft in this book. While I expected something related to Salem to come up given the title, I'm not entirely satisfied with how it was woven into the story.

Team Jack

Salem Falls is a captivating novel by Jodi Picoult.

A young man, Jack St Bride, is released from prison after being wrongly accused of rape. He travels to the small town of Salem Falls with the hope of starting a new life. However, he is required to register as a sex offender, which immediately makes him an outcast.

Rumors begin to spread like wildfire in the town. Four teenage girls, who practice witchcraft, start spreading lies about Jack. His boss at the diner where he works, Addie, finds herself falling in love with him despite the rumors.

The power of lies is shown to be extremely destructive as it changes the course of Jack's life. It is only after many years, when a young girl finally tells the truth, that Jack is able to be redeemed.

This story is a real page turner, filled with mystery, drama, and romance. It keeps the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end.

This book just doesn't sit well with me anymore.

It presents a disturbing narrative where a white man, who has been accused of sexual assault twice, gets acquitted despite a flashback clearly showing his participation in and disregard for sexual assault.

Additionally, another white man offers a half-hearted apology to the woman he raped.

What's more concerning is that the book gives the impression that many women are liars when they come forward with their claims of sexual assault.

This kind of portrayal is not only inaccurate but also harmful as it undermines the credibility and experiences of real victims.

I find myself unable to simply let this pass and will instead sit here and quietly fume, frustrated by the way such important issues are being mishandled in this book.

It makes me question the author's intentions and the message they are trying to convey.

I hope that in the future, more care is taken to accurately represent and respect the experiences of those who have suffered from sexual assault.

At the outset, I had high hopes for this book. The writing was engaging and the characters were quite compelling. However, as I delved deeper into the story, I discovered a rather glaring flaw. Jack, one of the main characters, is a rapist. Although he didn't rape Catherine or Gillian, the girls who accused him, the book clearly描绘了 his actions as a college student. He and his teammates would get girls drunk in order to have sex with them. There was even an instance where a girl passed out and the whole team raped her. Despite growing up with a mother who showed him the trauma that girls and women experience due to physical and sexual assault, he still committed these acts as a young man.

Piccoult is renowned for creating nuanced characters and telling complicated stories with murky moralities. However, in my opinion, Jack is supposed to be a sympathetic character. But it's impossible to side with him when we know about his criminal past. Addie, who was herself raped by varsity athletes, would not have been so quick to forgive Jack's past, yet it never comes up. I don't think this is a malicious omission by Jack; rather, it seems that the story doesn't consider it a complicating factor. If we assume that the 8 months he served for Catherine was atonement for his earlier sins, it falls short because Addie is unaware of his true history.

To that end, Piccoult has a Q&A at the back of the version I read. She says, "The truth is, for every Jack St. Bride there is an Amos Duncan, for every Addie Peabody there is a Gillian." However, I believe these numbers are inaccurate. For each wrongly accused individual, there are thousands of rapists who are never held accountable for their actions. And for every person who makes a false accusation, there are thousands of victims whose stories are not believed. In this book, none of the identified rapists are punished for their actions, which, whether intentional or not, gives the impression that rape committed by young athletes is forgivable or a lesser offense. This book was written years ago when the prevalence of rapes by young athletes may not have been as prominent in discussions as it is now. But with the awareness we have today, this really makes the story lose its appeal.

On a lesser note, it was blatantly obvious to the reader that Amos was abusing his daughter, yet the characters, who all seemed to sense something was amiss, never came to that conclusion.

From a writing perspective, I was initially inclined to give this book a higher rating. But I couldn't do so in good conscience when, in an attempt to show the impact on victims and those accused of sexual assault, the book downplays the very crime it is trying to condemn.

Jack St. Bride has just been released from jail, having endured 8 months behind bars due to糟糕的 legal advice. He is the unfortunate victim of a false rape allegation and a bad plea bargain. Eager to prove his innocence and show that he is not the man he has been wrongly accused of being, he finds himself in the sleepy town of Salem Falls. There, he takes a job as a dishwasher at the local diner owned by Addie Peabody. As time passes, they begin to fall in love.

However, the town's Golden Girl, Gilly Duncan, an aspiring Wiccan, has her sights set on Jack St Bride. She will stop at nothing to gain his attention, even going so far as to set him up to face another rape trial. Let me be crystal clear. If you maliciously set someone up for rape, you deserve all the consequences that come your way in retaliation. You are the very reason why real survivors are often too afraid to come forward with their stories, fearing that they will be wrongly accused of making a false allegation.

It should be noted that less than 2% of rape allegations are false, mainly because so many rapes unfortunately go unreported. Therefore, I will always believe the victim over the accuser until there is evidence to the contrary, as no one believed me when I spoke up. Anyways, this book is truly excellent, especially when you realize that it is based on the Crucible.

I have been desiring to read this book for a considerable period of time, and I am extremely glad that I finally did.

If someone were to inquire about this book from me, I would state that it is very much in Picoult's distinct style of writing and adheres to her typical storyline, which often tackles a challenging subject.

As I set a goal for myself to read a certain number of Picoult books this year, and I had one remaining slot. The title alone intrigued me as I have a particular interest in witchcraft. Although they did touch upon that subject as a sub-plot, I truly relished the main plot. It revolves around the concept that the law appears to be harsh on sex offenders, operating under the principle of being guilty until proven innocent rather than the other way around.

Swiftly, I found myself deeply engaged in the lives of these characters. That is precisely what I adore so much about Jodi Picoult's writing – her remarkable ability to create such realistic characters. I may have a profound affection for some of them, while there are others that I simply love to despise. Even with this book, Picoult manages to introduce numerous twists, right up until the very last paragraph! I absolutely love it!

3/5⭐️

This was a controversial read for me. I had initially gone into it with the perception that it was a thrilling, mysterious, and fall-vibes kind of book. However, I was very much mistaken.

It is important to issue a warning that this read can potentially be triggering for some individuals. The book delves into a topic that is extremely touchy, and I believe it was handled quite well. Overall, I did enjoy the book and the emotions that it evoked within me as I was reading it.

Nevertheless, it did feel a bit discombobulated with the inclusion of witchcraft in combination with a very serious and heavy topic. It seemed as if it was attempting far too hard to be the new "Crucible," but unfortunately, it did so in a rather poor manner.

In my opinion, removing the witchcraft from the storyline would have significantly enhanced the story and brought a greater sense of seriousness to the issue that was being addressed.

Overall, it was a good read, although I wouldn't read it again. However, it wouldn't prevent me from reading more of Jodi Picoult's works in the future.

This is a captivating and fluent reading book!

However, the half-star that is missing is mainly because there were some points in the story (especially in the past) that I wished were more closely connected and contributed more to the story of the present. Sometimes, I didn't see the reason for their existence.

Overall, it is still a great book that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. The plot is interesting and the characters are well-developed.

The writing style is easy to follow and makes the reading experience enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this book to others who are looking for a good read.

Despite the few不足之处, it is still a book that is worth reading and I look forward to seeing what the author has in store for us in the future.

I have a profound love for the way Jodi Picoult writes.

She has an extraordinary talent for delving into the most difficult and complex topics.

What makes her work truly remarkable is how skillfully she does it.

She doesn't just skim the surface but instead shows the intricate nuances that can exist within these situations.

Her stories are like deep dives into the human experience, exploring the gray areas that often get overlooked.

Whether it's about ethical dilemmas, family secrets, or social issues, Jodi Picoult manages to bring these topics to life in a way that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

Her writing forces us to confront our own beliefs and biases, and to see the world from different perspectives.

In a world where so much of what we see and hear is black and white, Jodi Picoult's work is a refreshing reminder that there is often much more to a story than meets the eye.

Jack is accused of sexually abusing a minor and, after serving his sentence, attempts to start a new life in the village of Salem Falls. He ends up falling in love with Addie, a bitter woman due to the loss of her daughter and her past. A few months after the first accusation, Jack is again accused of rape, this time by Gillian, a popular and beautiful seventeen-year-old girl who is part of a group of witches with three other friends, who hide several secrets.

This book didn't bring anything new to me, contrary to all the other books of Jodi, which demonstrate knowledge about a given subject. I didn't like the fact that it addressed spells, witchcraft, and rituals, which made me lose interest as it becomes too unrealistic. In addition, the book is too long and doesn't explore some issues, leaving several loose ends.

Despite everything, the reading is smooth, simple, and captivating, although it wasn't one of my favorite books by the author. It had its moments of interest, but overall, it didn't quite meet my expectations. Maybe for those who enjoy stories involving the supernatural and a bit of mystery, it could be a more enjoyable read. However, for me, it just didn't have that special something that would make it stand out among the other works of Jodi Picoult.