I was initially drawn into Ruth's character, excited to plunge into this book. The cliches quickly took over and made it difficult to complete the book. Of course Turk becomes the savior. Of course Kennedy has an awakening. Of course Brit is half black. The author's note felt belittling and smacked of the subtle racism she explains thru Kennedy in the closing arguments.

Too often, it felt like Picoult's excuse to speak the racism she feels under the guise of "raising awareness." It felt little more than a sweet peachy band-aid to make her white reader's feel shocked and better about themselves. I mean, at least they aren't Turk! But wait! He turns out to be the hero. Gross.