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Summary: Powerful gripping family suspense drama
Review: She turned her back on love two decades ago because she neededto prove to herself that she could do it alone by climbing to the topof a prestigious law firm. Philadelphia attorney Ellie Hathaway obtains an acquittal for her client, which earns her a job offer from one of the legal elite firms. However, instead of elation, Ellie feels guilty for gaining freedom for a pediophile who molested at least six children. Ellie walks out on her lover of eight years, seeking sanctuary with her aunt in the heart of Amish Country in East Paradise, Lancaster County. Shortly after her arrival, Ellie is asked to take on the case of eighteen-year-old Amish woman Katie Fisher, accused of killing her newborn child. Katie hid her pregnancy before she went to the family barn to give birth by herself. She wrapped her baby in a shirt and fell asleep. When the teen awakened, the infant was gone. Later the dead child was found and Katie was accused of smothering the baby. Ellie agrees to take on an "Old Order" client that the lawyer thinks might be guilty in an English court. Judy Picoult is a gifted storyteller whose compelling works profoundly impact her audience. Anyone who wants a glimpse at the Amish culture will want to read PLAIN TRUTH. The complex charcaters appear more like multi-dimensional people who capture a niche in the reader's heart. If justice is served, Ms. Picoult will become a best-selling author for this warm insightful novel.
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Summary: This book is a treat!
Review: Jodi Picoult's "Plain Truth" is a gem of a story. I had a great sense of enjoyment as I read it. Her characters seem real and believable and the plot is well crafted. Katie and Ellie, as well as all the other characters, were likable, and acted like we might all act under the circumstances. The relationship between Katie and Samuel was sweet and touching. Underneath it all runs the thread of a tragedy that has affected the entire Fisher family. There could not have been a better ending...grounded in reality instead of implausible heroics. I enjoyed the setting amid the Amish culture. Ms. Picoult obviously researched her topic thoroughly, to be able to give her readers such a detailed view of their world. I look forward to reading other books by the author. I am starting "Harvesting the Heart" very soon!
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Summary: This is the first book that I read from this author
Review: I thought this book was great. It was a great story with layers and layers of interesting facts, intertwined with the complex story line. Katie who is an 18 year old Amish girl has a baby out of wedlock
and can't remember what happens next after giving birth. She passes out, and the baby appears suffocated. She doesn't rememeber the birth or how the baby died. The DA wants to prosecute her for murder. Her lawyer gets "custody" of her and has to live in her home to keep an eye on her so that she doesn't skip bail. The lawyer, Ellie learns of the Amish ways. This story goes into great detail of the Amish ways and also the trial reads likes you could be a juror and you are making the judgement against Katie. The medical terms are alittle hard to understand or pronounce the words, but the author then
describes them so you can understand them. I totally recommend this book to everyone. I really reads very quickly and it makes you think.
Rating:
Summary: Jodi Picoult Never Disappoints
Review: This is just one of several books that I have read by Ms. Picoult and I must say that each one has been as good or better than the last. I read this one a while ago but the story and the characters are still with me. I became entwined in the Amish way of life and the characters were like real people to me. This is a story that doesn't just report what's going on...it delves into weighty issues and leaves the reader with a different perspective and greater unserstanding. This immensely readable novel is also a study of the bonds of love, family, how far a mother will go to protect her child and some of the most complex choices one can make. I take great comfort in knowing that each and every time I pick up a Jodi Picoult book, it will be the best of reading experiences!
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Summary: Nothing "Plain" About This Novel
Review: I am a tremendous fan of Jodi Picoult's. She is the queen of the surprise ending. I am amazed everytime I finish one of her novels by the way I feel about the characters she created. Her writing style is warm and familiar, like a favorite blanket. I found the plot to be fascinating and could not put this novel down. I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: A not so "plain" book
Review: "Plain Truth" is a heart wrenching novel that makes you feel for the ciminals and victims both. The story is about a young Amish girl, about to be baptised into her church, going astray from her faith and having a child with a man out of wedlock. Katie Fisher hides her pregnancy, the delivery, and her lawyer, Ellie Hathaway, thinks she is hiding the murder. The twists and turns take this book beyond what I thought was going to happen. The good Amish facing one of their own going away to a cold, dark prison for a murder she may or may not have commited. With Ellie Hathaway, the lawyer, living with the Fisher family things get more out of control during the trial and hearings. All of this boils down to faith and hope.
Rating: 
Summary: Riddled with factual errors
Review: I was disappointed with this offering by Jodi Picoult. I had hoped to learn something more about the Amish, but instead was distracted by numerous factual errors about the setting that made me doubt everything else she wrote. For instance, she writes about taking a train to State College, PA, when there is no passenger train service to that area; she has court officials us the term "state of Pennsylvania", when it is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; she has a weak understanding of criminal law and court procedure; she talks about an Amish girl's surprise at seeing her brother's shaven face when only married Amish men wear beards. These errors could easily have been eliminated with just a little bit of research. The lack of research on these small details took me out of the story, and made me less willing to trust other details she presents. The rest of the book is okay at best. Character development is weak, and plot is predictable. I'd pass on this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Easier to Handle
Review: I just finished with this book not even two mintues ago, and I absolutely had to write a review. After reading my first Picoult novel, My Sister's Keeper, Plain Truth sounded like a pretty dismal book to read, even though it's by the same author. However, after the first chapter I was caught up in it, especially with how she changes the narrator in every chapter, which is a great way to keep a reader on his/her toes, if you ask me. Anyway, I really enjoyed the book because it just kept having twists. Katie would lie or misdirect her lawyer, Ellie, about something, and things rarely ended up as I expected. The thing i was most suprized about was the ending. I was on the third-to-last page when I thought, "Okay, this is definitely easier to handle than My Sister's Keeper," but then I finished and I was left somewhat shocked. It was sort of like when I saw the "horror" movie Valentine, starring David Boreanaz. When I found out who he really was in the movie, I was shocked, but it didn't ruin my whole day because it was so heartbreaking. My point, anyway, was that the book was really good save for the relationship between Ellie and Coop, which I thought was just pointless and added nothing but fluff and more background to Ellie. Don't be mislead by the whole Amish thing, it was really very interesting.
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Summary: Another winner from Jodi Picoult
Review: This is a wonderful book. No surprise coming from me when Jodi Picoult is the author, but this comes with something added: a setting in the Amish country of Pennsylvania and a wealth of information about the Amish and other "Pennsylvania Dutch" communities. As usual, the author did meticulous research, including staying on an Amish farm as her character Ellie does. This was a unique opportunity, but she made the most of it. You can see it with the attention to detail and the determination to get things right. While I had learned a few basics about the Amish during a family vacation (over 40 years ago!), I became so interested that I started looking up web links to the Amish communities, religion and culture. I came away with a great respect for people that stick to their way of life and beliefs in a world that is getting more and more removed from them. The author dispels a lot of myths and misconceptions about the Amish as well. I particularly liked the character of Katie, who was trying to bridge the gap between the two worlds. In addition, this book may have been the forerunner of Second Glance, which I loved. One of the people in Plain Truth is a ghost hunter and several people have paranormal experiences. The author actually went out on ghost hunts to make this authentic. She works hard at creating a book, and she has excellent credibility. There isn't one of her books I havent liked, and I look forward to picking up the next one.
Rating:
Summary: Keeping the Faith
Review: Another excellent book by Jodi Picoult that is hard to put down. Intriguing moral dilemma and good courtroom action.
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