Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult– 480 pages
ARC courtesy of Ballantine and Netgalley
Book Blurb:
A woman and her husband admitted to a hospital to have a baby requests that their nurse be reassigned – they are white supremacists and don’t want Ruth, who is black, to touch their baby. The hospital complies, but the baby later goes into cardiac distress when Ruth is on duty. She hesitates before rushing in to perform CPR. When her indecision ends in tragedy, Ruth finds herself on trial, represented by a white public defender who warns against bringing race into a courtroom. As the two come to develop a truer understanding of each other’s lives, they begin to doubt the beliefs they each hold most dear.
My Review: 4.5
Jodi Picoult is back with this page-turner about the role race plays in the workplace, the courtroom, schools and just about every other situation. The book’s title, Small Great Things, is referenced from Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King’s infamous quote, “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” Had she not explained this in her author’s note, I’d have no clue where the title came from, but after completion of the book, it makes perfect sense.
This novel makes us think about our own prejudices and racial awareness and even makes us feel uncomfortable at times as we see nuances of ourselves in these characters. I imagine this had to be a hard book to research, develop and put to paper in an eloquent and thoughtful manner without crossing any lines in the racism and reverse-racism arena.
Picoult’s writing takes the reader into what she is best at: a tension filled situation, characters we love, while some we hate, and a drama packed legal battle. Yes, many of her books are formulaic and I don’t pick them up as readily as I used to, but at the end of the day, her formula works! This book and the prevalence of racism that exists in the US makes it an important book to read. I wasn’t aware of passive racism vs active racism but I came to understand it. I really had no clue how she would wrap up this book and was pleased with its conclusion. This book would make for an excellent book club discussion!
Quotes I liked:
Anger, it turns out, is a renewable source of fuel.”
-“A mother has nine months to get used to sharing the space where her heart is; for a father it comes on sudden, like a storm that changes the landscape.”
-“What no one told me about grief is how lonely it is. No matter who else is mourning, you’re in your won little cell.”
-The piano keys are black and white but they sound like a million colors in your mind.” Maria Cristina Mena
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