Second Glance

Took me 2 tries to start, a lot of characters and a lot going on. Once I figured out who was who I was able to enjoy, but a lot was going on and this book has many many characters.

I did something with this book that I rarely ever do. I quit reading it a little more than halfway through. I felt there were too many characters to hold my interest since I could never really get to know one much less all of them. The way she kept going from one character to another was confusing to me. I could never get into one character before she switched to another. I've read other books by this author which were okay but this book was not for me.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to pick up a book and it hold my attention from start to finish. This one definitely did! I read it in 2 days! I am a huge fan of Jodi Picoult and she did not disappoint! The way she went into such detail you feel like you know the characters. And her transition from one world to the next was seamless. I also have to say I learned some things about not just Vermont but our country’s past laws I had no idea about which I found shocking and kind of scary.

Second Glance is an amazing novel, which careens across genre boundaries so energetically that it's difficult to describe (or design a cover for, judging by the results). It is undeniably a ghost story, and a murder mystery with strong police procedural elements, as well as a romance or two, plus a fascinating slab of historical novel about one of the lesser-known real horrors of 1930s America. Even if you don't normally enjoy any of these types of book, you may want to read this just for Picoult's skill at creating fascinating characters.Beginning with a great first line - "Ross Wakeman succeeded the first time he killed himself, but not the second or third." - Second Glance introduces so many characters so quickly that you may find yourself having to take notes before the first chapter is done. Ross is an investigator of alleged hauntings, who has given up suicide because he suspects he's invincible. An ancient professor hears a baby crying in an old people's home. A cop rousts teenagers from a cemetery as it snows rose petals. Ghostly flies spell out a Native American word for 'baby'. A mother with a nine-year-old son fatally allergic to ultraviolet light has exchanged day for night, and has nightmares while she's awake. Slowly, these threads and others begin to weave themselves into an intricate tapestry. As a supernatural thriller, Second Glance is on a par with The Sixth Sense or The Others, or one of Stephen King's novels without the more visceral elements. Running parallel to the ghost story is an equally well constructed scientific detective story, complete with coroner's reports and detailed DNA charts. The real strength, though, is the troubled but likeable characters - Ross, Ethan, Shelby, Eli, Cecilia, and others.Second Glance is not without flaws. The plot occasionally hinges on coincidences which verge on the miraculous. Some of the clues might as well have neon signs attached, so some of the 'surprises' aren't particularly surprising. Picoult's children seem too mature for their age - much less convincing than those in Stephen King's It or The Body. There are inconsistencies in the timeline, such as a character in 2001 having newspaper clippings from 2002. And the romance subplots and writing become a little mawkish in places, especially near the end. On the whole, though, this is a thoroughly intriguing novel which should appeal to a wide variety of reading tastes.

I have read all of Jodi Picoult's books and I must say that Second Glance was not a disappointment at all. Although this book, unlike her others, holds no court room scenes, the story that Picoult has to tell is just as rich. It's a ghost story that really makes you believe that there really could be such a thing as ghosts. There are also some small details that make the story extra great if you can catch onto them. I recommend Second Glance, as well as any of her other books to anyone. Once you read one you have to read them all!

I've read and enjoyed all of Jodi Picoult's books and I must say, this is one of her finest. Historical fiction based on fact, moving from present to past and back again; quirky, likeable characters; elements of magical realism (reminiscent of Alice Hoffman); and the serious and controversial topics of genocide and genetic selection, are all seamlessly woven into this story about love and second chances.Unlike several of her previous novels, Second Glance does not include courtroom drama, but Picoult fans will enjoy her usual plot twists and signature "wow" ending. And as expected, readers will find themselves thinking and questioning their views long after they've turned the last page.Highly recommended for book discussion groups.