The Pact

By: Jodi Picoult

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 16 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

The Hartes and the Golds have been neighbors for 18 years and are very close. So when Chris and Emily's friendship reaches the next level, nobody is surprised. Then one night, the hospital calls. Seventeen-year-old Emily is dead - shot in the head by a gun Chris took from his father's cabinet. One bullet remains in the chamber, and Chris tells of his suicide pact with Emily. But the police have questions, and soon Chris is on trial for murder.

©2007 Jodi Picoult (P)2007 Recorded Books, LLC

Excellent Story, but Too Long

What did you like best about The Pact? What did you like least?

I loved the story behind The Pact. I loved the hot topic issue, how Picoult is always pushing ideas that are controversial. I even loved the ending! I also thought the narrator did an excellent job. What did I like least? The length. I thought this book was just too long. I feel the author could have done some editing and trimmed down a good bit to make a nicer, neater, tighter novel.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I think the most interesting aspect of the story was the trial. The expert witnesses that testified to how children and teens can express thoughts of suicide and depression. Least interesting? The repetition that seemed to occur in the description of Emily and Chris.

Which character – as performed by George Guidall – was your favorite?

I loved Jordan. I loved his confidence, his attitude, his knowledge of strengths and how to use them.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

This book is a movie, and yes, I have already gotten it. It is sitting on my kitchen table right now waiting on me to finish the book. I plan on watching tonight!

My first Audible review

The Pact by Jodie Piccoult was a heart wrenching story. I found my self resentful of Emily’s character. What a horrible, selfish girl. Suicide is always selfish…but to put your true love through that was awful. The narrator, I thought could have done better. He sounded like Nathan Lane from the Birdcage and was a little too flamboyant for most if the characters. Not my top 5…but I love Jodie Piccoult and Audible is truly a life saver and a wonderful stress reliever.

Good but a little drawn out for me

At the end it feels like there are unanswered questions and a storyline that I’m having trouble buying. But I did enjoy the first part of the story.

Amazing love story

I didn’t want this to end! I generally don’t like the novels but this one really sucked me in. Great performance.

Insanely Good!

This story was a heartbreaker. As a parent I would never want to go through something like this. It broke my heart. I could never imagine what I understood as depression from one girl to lead to such harsh decisions. The love of her soul mate allowed him to do something so insane. But when you love someone so much would you do anything for them? I guess that is the big question.

This book left a huge impression on me, and even years after I read it it's still fresh in my mind.

AMAZING

I loved this book it had my full attention the whole time I never wanted to stop reading!

The Pact

Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors. In fact, this book secures her position on this list. The Pact is a book that haunts the readers long after he or she puts it down. The characters come alive within the pages. As a mother, I relate to the characters and their situations. As with all of Picoult's books, it keeps the readers wanting more and uneasy while considering what will happen next. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an emotional read. It is not a simple or relaxing story. In contrast, it is thought provoking and, at times, disturbing.

wow

My heart was full of love and breaking with pain all at the same time, while reading this.

Wrenching and vivid

I’m not really qualified to critique the writing of anyone over the age of 12. I can say that I enjoyed The Pact and had a hard time “putting it down.” The way the author describes emotions were very vivid to me. I found myself feeling and laughing and crying. Having been abused myself as a child and contemplated suicide I identified very strongly with Emily and found myself feeling fortunate that I pushed past my own suicidal ideations. This is my first Picoult book but I’m excited to explore more of her stories.

Somewhat unbelievable

Chris - one of the main characters - is unbelievable in his naiveté. His behavior borders on just plain stupidity. While Miss Picout is a great story teller and often deals with difficult subjects, this one didn't have the ring of truth. I agree with some of the reviewers who believed the book needed some serious editing.