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My fifth book by this author, following “Mad Honey”, and it is by far my favorite to date. This particular book was released in 2004, and its movie adaptation came out in 2009. I never watched the movie as I’m not a fan of Cameron Diaz. I heard that it was quite different from the book and not in a good way. Anyway, let me be brief. As soon as I began reading this book, I was completely hooked. It’s truly riveting! The topic is thought-provoking, and it’s told by a brilliant storyteller. I adored the concept, the development of the storyline, and the courtroom scenes were simply outstanding. I also enjoyed the multiple points of view and the timeline structure, as well as the characters’ development. Some of the side stories weren’t really necessary, but I didn’t mind as I was completely focused on the main story. Perhaps Anna was a bit too eloquent for a 13-year-old girl, but I still liked her immensely. The whole thing is heartbreaking. I didn’t expect that ending. Maybe the author was manipulating our emotions, but I found it plausible. I’m sure that many readers, especially young ones, may have hated or will hate that conclusion. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook while reading the book. I thought the audiobook was excellent and I highly recommend it. At first, I wasn’t happy with Anna’s voice, but as the story progressed, I was so enthralled that I didn’t mind the narrator’s voice. Hardcover by Atria Books, 2004 (borrowed from the library): 423 pages. ebook (Kobo): 474 pages (default), 129k words. Audiobook: 13.7 hours (at normal speed) narrated by Richard Poe, Julia Gibson, Barbara McCulloh, Tom Stechschulte, Carol Monda, Jennifer Ikeda, Andy Paris.