Change of Heart - Chelsea Colby

Title: Change of Heart
Author: Jodi Picoult
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Pages: 447
Rating: 8 out of 10

The year is 1996 in New Hampshire and a twenty year old man shows up at the household of Kurt and June Nealon looking for odd jobs. Shay, that twenty year old mentally challenged man, is in the processing of building the nursery for the couple’s second child on the way, who will be the little sister of Elizabeth. June then comes home to find blue lights flashing and her family dead at the hands of Shay. Twenty year old Michael is part of the jury that finds Shay guilty and decides he will be New Hampshire’s first capital punishment case in over a hundred years. Eleven years later Shay is still on death row and June wants justice in the case. Claire, born shortly after the murders of her sister and father, is now dying and is in dire need of a heart transplant. Shay wishes to be the donor but will be unable to give his heart if he is killed through lethal injection as planned. Shay’s lawyer, Maggie, is working diligently to change the law to allow Shay to be killed through hanging instead of lethal injection allowing the heart to be used upon his death. In order for this motion to be considered legitimate in the court, Father Michael, who acts as Shay’s spiritual advisor, must prove that donating his heart is part of Shay’s religion. The trial brings about many shocking discoveries involving the murder from over a decade earlier. The definition of murder will be questioned, family ties will be challenged, and God will be put to the test. The legality and morality of the situation will determine whether two people will die or if one is to be saved by the murderer of half her family.

I have never been involved in a trial, I have never been to court, and have never dealt with murder or even the loss of a parent or sibling. I can only imagine how crippling and life altering these events must be. I have no life experiences to relate them to but I do connect this with a very powerful movie, “John Q”. The father was willing to do anything, even take his own life, in order for his son to receive a heart. June wants a heart for Claire more than anything but in order for this to occur she needs to let go of the hatred she feels for Shay. Shay is also willing to give his heart to save the life of the little girl. This story is a difficult one to personally relate with but is very well written. I had trouble getting into the plot in the first few chapters but the intensity soon picks up. Jodi Picoult’s alternating narrative perspective keeps you reading into the wee hours of the morning trying to get through one chapter in order to get back to another character. I would recommend this book highly but warn you that there are multiple religious views expressed in this text and there are some heady, philosophical passages that must be reread to ensure comprehension. Hope you enjoy!