The young author Jodi Picoult is making a name for herself due to the interesting twist she puts on the stories she tells. She deals with important issues, bringing to light thought-provoking and often disturbing questions. House Rules, released in March 2010, is the seventeenth novel to date for this 43 year old award-winning author. One of her books, My Sister's Keeper, has even been made into a movie.
House Rules is a story about Jacob Hunt, a young boy with Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. Children who are diagnosed with this condition often have unusual traits such as a lack of empathy or connection to people or situations, an inability to read social clues, and usually some nervous ticks. However, they tend to be highly intelligent, often excelling in subjects like math. When Jacob's tutor is mysteriously murdered, these unusual tendencies look like guilt to the police. It is up to Jacob's mother, who has supported him and stood up for him all his life, to come to his rescue. But, can she, herself, believe in her son's innocence? And, will the justice system work for a child who can't communicate in the normal way?
Told from the perspective of different family members, as well as Jacob himself, each chapter bears one of the character's names. In this way, it is easy to connect with each family member's point of view as well as to experience how Jacob's condition has personally affected their lives. It is not an easy road but one that requires immense courage, determination and understanding. Will the family be able to band together to help Jacob? From reading some of Picoult's other works, I fully expect the ending to be surprising, unexpected and emotionally charged.
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