Book # 10

House Rules

By Jodi Picoult

This wasn't supposed to be book #10. I was reading another book and I made the mistake of checking this book out when I was half finished with the other one. A friend told me about it, and I was curious because the main character has Asperger's Syndrome, which is a form of autism. She, bearing the brunt of much of my anguish over my recently dissolved marriage, called me up one day, insisting that my ex must have Asperger's. I must admit, it was a thought that had already crossed my mind. So, I picked it up when I saw it at the library, and once I picked it up I could not put it down!  Ask my kids....did I make my bed yesterday....do any Saturday cleaning....do anything fun with them....go grocery shopping....do laundry???  Thank goodness I finished it! Now life can get back to normal. BTW...did you wonder why I am reading mostly non-fiction? That is why. lol

The story revolves around Jacob-- 18 years old, handsome, extremely intelligent, obsessed with forensic science and sadly the boy with Aspergers. His mother is Emma, single parent since Jacob was 3, and advice columnist with the pen name of Auntie Em. Jacob's younger brother Theo, is 15 and hates being part of a family that he feels is so abnormal. He has a bad habit of breaking into homes, when the owner isn't there, and pretending that he is a part of their normal, happy family, where he gets his fair share of attention. Jacob is tutored in social skills by a compassionate young woman named Jess, who has a rotten boyfriend named Mark.  Also part of the story are Rich, the police captain; and Oliver, the brand new lawyer, who appear in the story when Jacob is suddenly and traumatically charged with murder.

I feel this book was well written. Very entertaining, and full of information about Aspergers and forensic science. I liked how each chapter was told through a different character's point of view, and also began with a true story of a crime that was committed and solved through forensic science,  I would recommend it to anyone who wants a good read. However, (and I know this will make me sound prudish) but I didn't appreciate the frequent F bomb. I guess when you have a story about teenage boys, it seems inevitable.  Well, I sure hope my boys don't talk like that. Is that wishful thinking?

Until next time ;o)