If any author can write a story that immediately hooks you, reels you in, and keeps you on the line until the very last word, it’s Jodi Picoult. “Small Great Things” is no exception. The plot, on its own, is wonderfully crafted, pulling a reader forward with speed and intensity. The characters, too are so well developed, each with unique motivations, traits, values, and back stories.
The Synopsis, from Amazon: Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years’ experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she’s been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don’t want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?
Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy’s counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family—especially her teenage son—as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other’s trust, and come to see that what they’ve been taught their whole lives about others—and themselves—might be wrong.
With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice, and compassion—and doesn’t offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game.
My Take: As I mentioned earlier, this novel hooked me right away. I wanted to know how Ruth’s story would unfold. Ms. Picoult is an expert at writing characters. She makes most of them likable, and even in the cases of the ones who aren’t, I could understand their motivations. She’s also a master at plotting, unraveling a little at a time so the reading experience is at once satisfying and engrossing. This one was difficult to put down!
Ms. Picoult switches points of view throughout the story, and this in several cases made the reading both uncomfortable and eye-opening. Reading about the (fictional) firsthand experience of an African American woman, a white supremacist, and a criminal defense attorney definitely offered some perspective!
This one goes deep, taking the reader through the entire spectrum of emotion, from deep, heart wrenching despair to the refreshing feeling of hope.
Bottom Line: Read it … and expect some big feelings. In keeping with most of Ms. Picoult’s books, “Small Great Things” tackles a big issue and isn’t for the faint of heart. It was an experience, which is what I look for in books!