Sing You Home

A Novel

By: Jodi Picoult

Narrated by: Thérèse Plummer, Brian Hutchison, Mia Barrow, Michele O’Medlin

From the award-winning, number one New York Times best-selling author whom USA Today calls a “master of the page-turner” comes the spectacular story of a woman’s complex quest to form a family.

Every life has a soundtrack. All you have to do is listen.

Music has set the tone for most of Zoe Baxter’s life. There’s the melody that reminds her of the summer she spent rubbing baby oil on her stomach in pursuit of the perfect tan. A dance beat that makes her think of using a fake ID to slip into a nightclub. A dirge that marked the years she spent trying to get pregnant.

For better or for worse, music is the language of memory. It is also the language of love.

In the aftermath of a series of personal tragedies, Zoe throws herself into her career as a music therapist. When an unexpected friendship slowly blossoms into love, she makes plans for a new life, but to her shock and inevitable rage, some people - even those she loves and trusts most - don’t want that to happen.

Sing You Home is about identity, love, marriage, and parenthood. It’s about people wanting to do the right thing for the greater good, even as they work to fulfill their own personal desires and dreams. And it’s about what happens when the outside world brutally calls into question the very thing closest to our hearts: family.

©2011 Jodi Picoult (P)2019 Simon & Schuster

Hard to get through

I don’t blame the author but this story was a hard read for me. The stereotypical Christians make me crazy and I found myself disgusted with the characters in this book because I know so many people like them. Overall the story was good, a little drawn out before getting to the point but it wraps up nicely and I’m actually glad it’s over. Did not enjoy the musical pieces but that is just a personal distaste for that type of music.

Excellent

This book touched me... I related a lot to the character Zoe. I listened to it every chance I had until it was finished.

Another Great One from Jodi.

I really loved this story. I was actually getting pretty heated because the story telling and narrative was so good.

Difficult issue; Loving Treatment

Everyone shld read or listen to this book. Somehow The author navigated a difficult and polarizing issue and helps the readers understand that it is not “either/or” and that there are no “sides” to be taken. One can relate to the thinking and hearts of all characters but not necessarily agree with them.

Disappointed in the author

I have read most of Jodi Picoult’s novels and have enjoyed every one of them until this book. I have always been impressed by the way she has humanized both sides of controversial issues, how even if it did not change your opinion on an issue, the reader walked away with a better understanding of the opposition. As in real life, the color used to paint the topics were done in shades of grays rather than black and white. That nuance and skill was left out of this book completely. Christianity is portrayed as only shades of black. The Christian characters that are the most sympathetic, have these likable moments only when they are acting outside of what the church favors. The Westboro Church and it’s fictional counterpart in this story are far from the Church that most Christians recognize. They are so full of hate that it makes it hard to share any similarity and be referred to by the same identity. If this is Ms. Picoult’s only experience with Christians, I am so very sorry. Jesus said that his followers should be known by their love. I’m sorry that so much hate has been done in His name.

Fabulous

You know it's a good book when you get mad at the characters! You know it's a good book when you laugh, yell and cry!

From beginning to end

I absolutely LOVED it! The book kept me engaged. Kept me giggling and laughing. I had ZERO preconceived notions and was not sure what the ending could be but am thoroughly pleased the way it ended. Also I thought the singing was a great complement to the story. The author even tells you why you should pay attention to the songs. All around awesome to me.

Good read

Great story but I could have done with out the singing …
Karma caught up to Clive !!
Great ending !!! 🤗🤗

Meh. Too formulaic. Sound recording made the already abysmal music worse

Meh. Too formulaic. Sound recording made the already abysmal worse.

Jodi Picoult is being allowed to get away with substandard stories and editing because of her fame. Too long, the characters and story are waaay too predictable. I tried. I really tried to listen to the music. But it just got to be too awful. I was skipping it by the end. And the awful sound recording didn't help.

Where’s Lucy?

This is another great story tackling difficult subjects, only like Jodi Picoult can. The voices of Zoe, Vanessa and Max were very well executed.
Like others, I did not enjoy the singing voice that began new chapters, and after the second one just fast-forwarded through the music. The lyrics were meaningful to the story, but I wish they had been spoken by Zoe’s character.
There have been criticisms that the Christian Church in the story was overplayed, exaggerated and its members cast as villains for the sake of the story. I can tell you that I have met the essence of these characters in real life, and they are true, as is the havoc they wreak on people in the “name of God”.
I wish Lucy’s story had closure. She became an important element in the plot and character development, and then just disappeared after a life-changing crisis. I imagine the horrible things that could have happened to her after losing Zoe.
It was a thoughtful read, but not my favorite Jodi Picoult.