The Pact

Jodi Picoult's 5th novel, 'The Pact,' is based about teenage suicide and love. Popular high-school swimming athlete Chris Harte and talented artist Emily Gold, bonded as infants; their parents have been next door neighbors and best friends for 18 years. When they realized they were in love, everyone is gleeful. That is, everyone except for Emily, who feels as though sex with Chris is almost incestuous. The plot thickens as Emily holds a secret that leads to depression, despair and a desire for suicide. Readers are thrown off guard when Emily insists that Chris prove his love by pulling the trigger to end her life.

The book opens with a lot of adrenaline because the gun is fired in the first paragraph. Although Picoult steers away from how the parents respond to the tragedy, she provides flashbacks that reveal their relationships and the personalities of the two couples. She also sensitively explores the question of how well parents can ever know their children.

Picoult is an author known to write about trials in her novels. 'The Pact' focuses on Chris being accused of murder and jailed. The court room scenes are well-paced and filled with suspense and detail. While reading, some may question the fact why Chris wouldn't seek help for Emily, his one true love. Regardless, Picoult writes a fascinating book that even at 400 pages can be read in a quick read. With a serious subject matter, 'The Pact' promises to satisfy any reader.