Book Review: Vanishing Acts By Jodi Picoult
Posted by Jessica on January 16, 2012
Delia Hopkins has led a charmed life. Raised in rural New Hampshire by her beloved, widowed father, she now has a young daughter, a handsome fiancé, and her own search-and-rescue bloodhound, which she uses to find missing persons. But as Delia plans her wedding, she is plagued by flashbacks of a life she can’t recall. Then, out of the blue, Delia’s world is turned upside-down. The police arrive on her doorstep with a warrant to arrest her father for the abduction of a child … Delia herself.
Told in the first person from the viewpoints of the five main characters, the novel takes the reader on an emotional journey, following Delia’s struggle to come to terms with the past and her father’s actions, her relationship with her fiancé and best friend, and her reunion with the mother she believed was dead. Each of the protagonists had his or her own distinct voice, as well as a unique take on the situation. Once again, Jodi Picoult handles a sensitive subject with skill, and in a way that enables the reader to understand every side of the argument.
If I have any criticism of this novel at all, it’s that there are perhaps a couple too many subplots jostling for position. Jodi Picoult deals with a number of issues from love in all its complex forms, to alcoholism and identity, all of which she weaves seamlessly together to create an intriguing and powerful plot. However, when it came to the introduction of Native American Mysticism, and Delia’s father’s experiences of prison conditions, I felt these only served as a distraction from the story as a whole. This said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have no qualms whatsoever in recommending it.
As ever, I’d love to hear from you. Have you read this or any of Picoult’s other novels? What did you think? Do you have a favourite? Anything in particular you think I should be reading next? Any and all comments welcome!
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