I just got finished with Jodi Picoult's "Keeping Faith". It is a book about a 7 year old who is having conversations with God. Throughout her experiences the family is dragged into a media circus. This type of scenario is common with Mrs. Picoult's novels. Usually it involves some grand controversy with a child in the family (this is the same author as "My Sister's Keeper").
The things I enjoyed about the book were the ruminations on what it means to be a mother, exploration of mental illness & the effects of religious hysteria. These are all topics that can stimulate conversation at any coffee table. The book also makes you think about your values, belief in the here-after & a supreme being. On the whole I recommend this book for those looking for something to entertain their brain. I would not say that this book is crazy intellectual or anything. It feeds more of the emotional centers than the logical ones. This is true of a lot of Picoult's novels.
The writing is passable and reasonably entertaining if not a little bit repetitive (example: this writer loves to use the phrase, "the hell of it is.." this phrase must be said at least 100 times in the book). I would like to see Picoult branch out if possible to a book or series of books that do not involve controversy in the family revolving around one female character. I do wonder if Mrs. Picoult has had issues with her maternal figures when most of the books I read delve very deeply into the mother-daughter relationship.
I give this book 3/5 stars! Great bedtime reading with emphasis on emotional bonds of family.
