Saturday, July 2, 2011

Book Review: Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult


I have read almost every Jodi Picoult book published. Although I do not always agree with or even like the endings, I enjoy her writing as it is easy to read and gives my brain a break from having to work too hard. The most recent novel, Sing You Home, is a far cry from her norm.
Besides the fact that there are gaping holes in the story big enough to jump through, you are given two very extreme sides to a hot topic: homosexual marriage and same-sex parenting. This story paints the anti-homosexual Christians as the oppressive right wing, narrow-minded, unsympathetic, and intolerant extremists while the homosexuals are portrayed as bullied, persecuted and loving heroes.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of Tolerance is sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own. Doesn’t that mean that you have to be tolerant of me just as I am tolerant of you? Even if I believe that same sex marriage should not be legal? I am a Conservative, go to church every Sunday, am opposed to birth control and abortion and think sex outside of marriage is a sin. When was the last time someone celebrated my diversity?
I think this book was written hastily to satisfy an agenda since the story is so poorly developed. Unless you proudly fly your rainbow flag for the world to see, you will be better off skipping this book.