Book Review: Jodi Picoult's "The Pact"


Just finished reading "The Pact" by Jodi Picoult. Jodi writes about relationships, families, of love, hurt, longing, human emotions, and many more such themes. A friend suggested I pick up one of her books. I did, but forgot the name of the author when I reached the library. I searched all the Js but did not chance upon her books. When I was about to give up, I saw a rack full of Jodi's books. Delightedly, I picked one up, randomly. I informed my friend that I had my hands on one and would giver her my feedback. 

 Here is what I think: 

 Jodi is a fantastic writer. I happened to read her interviews in the media and her blog. I also read the comments from her male contemporaries. 

The Pact is about two teenagers, Chris and Emily and their love. The story unfolds in a restaurant where the two families, the Golds and Hartes are meeting up over a meal. Gus and James Harte and Michael and Mel Gold are friends for over eighteen years. 

 Their kids Chris Harte and Emily Gold grew up together and are inseparable. The adults have seen the kids together and are fine with their budding romance, even acknowledging the blossoming of teenage love. In the midst of all this, Chris and Emily begin a new journey, a journey into unknown pleasures, of forbidden desires, with sex, they find a new way of bonding. Sex fuses Chris to Emily forever. But, pushes Emily further into herself. Compelling her to obsess about the changing relationship with Chris. Unable to bear the burden of Chris' affection and expectations from her parents, Emily starts thinking of suicide. 
Emily also has a dark abusive secret hidden deep in her heart and wants to flee from the doting Chris. As she keeps mulling over the suicidal thoughts again and again, she feels obsessed about doing something. That is when she discovers she is pregnant. She tells no one. 

 Chris feels Emily's pain and he loves her so much that he would go to any lengths to ease her sorrow, even put a gun to her head and shoot her. Mel Gold accuses Chris of murder and does not buy the idea of a double suicide pact. The inseparable friends go their separate ways. 

 Chris is hauled into jail. He stays there for seven months, as his case goes to trial, the distraught parents fight tooth and nail along with a smart ass lawyer, Jordan McAfee. 

On the final day, Chris asks to be out on the stand and with conviction tells his story. The jury, moved by the boy's truth set him free. 

 The Pact is about the two lovers and forces you to think: do we actually, really know our loved ones? Would they react in the way we think they would in the face of adversity? 

 There are questions that may trouble you. The story unfolds in layers, each layer deeper and darker than the previous one. 

 Rating: 4/5

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