The Body in Question

A Novel

By: Jill Ciment

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

Length: 5 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times 100 Notable Books of the Year

From the author of Heroic Measures (“Smart and funny and completely surprising...I loved every page”, Ann Patchett), Act of God (“A feat of literary magic”, Booklist) and, with Amy Hempel, The Hand That Feeds You (“An unnerving, elegant page-turner”, Vanity Fair), a spare, masterful novel.

The place: central Florida. The situation: a sensational murder trial, set in a courthouse more Soviet than Le Corbusier; a rich, white teenage girl - a twin - on trial for murdering her toddler brother.

Two of the jurors: Hannah, a married 52-year-old former Rolling Stone and Interview Magazine photographer of rock stars and socialites (she began to photograph animals when she realized she saw people “as a species”), and Graham, a 41-year-old anatomy professor. Both are sequestered (she, juror C-2; he, F-17) along with the other jurors at the Econo Lodge off I-75. As the shocking and numbing details of the crime are revealed during a string of days and courtroom hours, and the nights play out in a series of court-financed meals at Outback Steak House (the state isn’t paying for their drinks) and Red Lobster, Hannah and Graham fall into a furtive affair, keeping their oath as jurors never to discuss the trial. During deliberations the lovers learn that they are on opposing sides of the case. Suddenly they look at one another through an altogether different lens, as things become more complicated....

After the verdict, Hannah returns home to her much older husband, but the case ignites once again and Hannah’s “one last dalliance before she is too old” takes on profoundly personal and moral consequences as The Body in Question moves to its affecting, powerful, and surprising conclusion.

©2019 Jill Ciment (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A fantastic rendering of female desire.... Few writers can tackle the bedroom - or female libido...but Ciment is a master: in exquisitely spare prose, she nails it.” (Penelope Green, The New York Times)

“[The] deft orchestration of absurdity and existential dread distinguishes Ciment's style. That's why the situation of Ciment's latest novel, The Body in Question, is so perfectly suited to her powers as a novelist...incisive...a profound story about mortality and the mysteries of human behavior...smart and disturbing.” (Maureen Corrigan, NPR)

“Engaging, empathetic.... This honest, mature look at life and love adds to a growing body of evidence leading to a decisive verdict: Ciment is an author well worth reading.” (Kirkus, starred review)

Interesting characters.

Held my interest. Enjoyed the characters. Thought that the plot could be more involved. Overall, an enjoyable read.

Points of View

A woman with an elderly unwell, older husband becomes a jurur for a trial for an unspeakable crime. She gets involved with another juror. The story is about the main characters' ever changing point of view on the trial, her marriage, the affair. Very interesting

A sophisticated and complex psychological study

A very solid 3.5. Don’t think of it as a thriller, despite the fact that it is a murder trial that serves as the center of the story. Rather, it’s a sophisticated psychological study of need, love, compulsion, and desire. Fun to think about where your sympathies should lie, what the titular "body in question" really is, and what -- about ourselves and others -- is truly knowable and forgivable. I can't add more without risking spoilers. Definitely a cut above.

Narrator Hillary Huber does a splendid job in bringing the story to life.

Pretty good, until the last hour or so

The ending!! I'm so mad. I hope there is a sequel coming, because otherwise, this may be the worst ending I've read in a long time.

As for the actual story- I like it, but I think if there is a sequel I would like to find out what really happened, because I don't agree with the majority on their decision regarding the verdict. I really think something else happened, and as a reader I would like to see that part of the story.

must read

This is perhaps my favorite book of all time, so we'll written, such a good pay off. I am a writer as well, literally no notes, a perfect book. Can't wait to relisten.

What drivel!

How did anyone find this book the least interesting. I’m either very shallow or brilliant! None of the characters had one redeeming quality. What’s the damn point?!

Thankfully not longer

Interesting but depressing story. Nice discussion of careers and their (stereotypical) impact on relationships. I did not enjoy the narration - particularly the men’s voices.

Interesting

Enjoyed the Cougar story line and Murder mystery. It is interesting and yes I would suggest to friends

Juicy court drama!

I loved this book. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves true crime and/or scandalous romance.

The Bodies in Question

There is more than one body in this multi-layered novel. First, there is the body of a toddler, the victim of arson; there are the bodies of the two jurors who engage in a passionate sexual affair, and the aging body of the adulteress' husband. A lot happens during the short 6 hour narrative. The prose is discriptive and concise. I liked this, but the characters were strangely flat to me...
perhaps intended since most of the time they are nameless members of a jury. Hillary Huber is always a reliable narrator.