I have often been of two minds about Picoult: she is an amazing storyteller whose formula is obvious but constantly renewed in a fresh an interesting way; I would even say that it has become her signature. Her conclusions, however, tended to be cowardly - a slight of hand to get her out of the complicated moral situation she had adroitly described.

In this novel, she accomplishes both: a breath-taking story in which she is able to expose the horrors of the war and the points of view of the various characters while coming up with a brilliant and heart-wrenching conclusion. Even though I had guessed the ending, it came as a double edged sword: bringing peace and justice on the one hand, shock and vengeance on the other. In my view, one of Picoult's best.

This copy bought at the Ottawa Airport

to an avid reader