The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

I am going to admit right at the beginning of this review that I have historically not been a fan of Jodi Picoult. I read a couple of her books years ago and didn't enjoy them and so swore off anything by her in the future. It is the reason I was so reluctant to read this book, The Storyteller, for so long. I saw all the good reviews from friends and finally decided to give it a try.

I am so glad I did.

Sage is a baker who keeps mostly to herself while still overwhelmed with grief after the death of her mother three years previous. When she unexpectedly becomes friends with a nonagenarian named Josef in her grief counseling group, she begins to open up a little more to the world. When he confesses the most heinous secret possible, she has to decide if she should tell or grant him the unusual favor he asks of her. How many years must pass before we are no longer the person who committed a crime? Can the good we do ever outweigh the bad? These are the questions Sage has to answer.

As hard as I try to avoid spoilers in my reviews, it is simply not possible today so please read on at your own risk.

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This book is told in three parts. The first and last sections are Sage's story and her dilemma, but the middle part focuses on the harrowing experiences of Sage's grandmother, Minka, during the holocaust. As heartbreaking and difficult as Minka's story is to read, it is beautifully and compellingly written. I couldn't stop reading; I couldn't look away. There were, however, several moments when I had to put the book in my lap and sob. Picoult doesn't shy away from describing the horrors experienced in the concentration camps. She delivers the blows with merciless precision, as well she should. When atrocities such as these are part of reality, it is our responsibility to genuinely and honestly look at how they happened so as to watch for risks of repeat in the future.

Minka's story was my favorite part of this book, but the sections told from Sage's point of view aren't as enjoyable. I didn't care for her character very much. I also didn't really care for the ending. It left so much to be desired. Unfortunately, these sections force me to drop rating from five to four stars, which I think is still pretty good considering. This book was wonderful. I'm so glad I read it.