Format: Hardcover, 532 pages
Skomomma's Rating: 4 out of 5
I've read other books by this author in the past and I've enjoyed them, but I hadn't read anything from her since "Nineteen Minutes" was published a few years back. I think it was because I found her books to be, well, a little depressing. I happened to see "House Rules" on the new book shelf at the library and decided I would try another of her works. I am glad that I did. The story was excellent and thought-provoking. In "House Rules" we are pulled into the story of Emma and her sons Theo and Jacob. Jacob has Asperger's Syndrome which is a form of autism. He is accused and stands trial for the murder of his tutor, Jess.
I learned a ton about autism and Asperger's by reading this story - even though it is a work of fiction. Picoult isn't afraid to tackle the subject of autism including theories on how it is contracted, the characteristics of people with autism, the effects that autism has on family members, the difficulties that society has with understanding autism, and even treatments for autism. All of this information is packed around a fascinating story of a young man embroiled in the death of his tutor. One of the things I love about Picoult is her story-telling format. The story is told by each of the primary characters in the story - a wonderful way to develop an understanding of each person and their perspective.
This is a wonderful story and I really enjoyed it .... I think I'll go back and grab another Picoult book off the shelf without hesitation.
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