Small Great Things

A kind library user reminded me it was past time to write another blog post the other day. When she said she had enjoyed the subject of one of my previous posts, I told her I knew exactly which book I would profile next. I try to select books that impact me either because of their literary quality or subject matter, and Jodie Picoult’s latest is a winner on both counts. The writing in Small Great Things is solid – the story is told from the perspectives of the three main characters, who are all truly fleshed out. The history of each character is revealed in pieces as the reader moves through the current riveting story, so that each character is fully realized, even if one of them is despicable. The plot moves along at a brisk pace, keeping those pages turning. But, it was the subject that nailed me between the eyes. Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse with 20 years’ experience who is told she cannot attend to the hospital’s newest patient because his white supremasist parents don’t want an African American to touch their child. Naturally a huge conflict unfolds, and the reader is able to experience prejudice, hatred, and confusion through the lives of Ruth, Turk, and Kennedy. I was personally challenged on issues of race, prejudice, compassion, privilege, and justice through this too-true work of fiction. Highly recommended! (By the way, the audiobook is fantastic, with three different actors reading the main characters’ sections.)