A story about whom we love
Who we are
And how we define a family
Jodi Picoult has done it again. She takes an issue, looks at it from a number of different angles, and sensitively tells a story that is captivating and educational. The usual Picoult formula is there, but not unpleasantly so, with different characters telling the story from their perspectives, something medical, a legal battle, and then there is a surprise at the end.
Sing You Home is about gay rights in America and she captures many sides of the debate. Her son actually ‘came out’ to her while she was writing the book, which enhanced the reading for me. Here is Picoult on how that came about.
This book comes with a whole CD of songs written to accompany the novel. Picoult wrote the songs but her friend performs them as if it is the main character Zoe singing them. Zoe is a music therapist and it is like she is sharing her art and skill in her work in this way. Music therapy is a remarkable profession that I knew very little about, and I enjoyed learning more. There was also a lot of information about IVF and what a stressful process that can be. And there is the question of what is a family in our world today? With the reality of blended families created by divorce and remarriage, same-sex marriage and adoption, there may be more variations of family than we have traditionally seen.
No matter where you stand on the issue of gay rights, it is the personal stories of people whom you know that make all the difference. When you get away from politics and religion, you realize that it is simply about people who want the things that most of us want: a home, a family, and a loving relationship. Therefore, I will not say anything more and let you discover the story as it unfolds.
After you read the book and would like to know more, Jodi has an extensive conversation which I have included here as background information. It is long but very, very well written, explaining where the ideas for the book originated and explaining how she did her research.
The story behind Sing You Home
Joanne's Reading Blog 