Small Great Things

Last updated

Small Great Things
Small Great Things.jpg
First edition (US)
Author Jodi Picoult
LanguageEnglish
Genre Novel
PublishedOctober 11, 2016
Publisher Ballantine Books (US)
Hodder & Stoughton (UK)
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (Hardcover and Paperback)
ISBN 9780345544971
Followed by A Spark of Light  

Small Great Things (2016) is the twenty-fifth novel by American author Jodi Picoult. The book focuses on race in America and revolves around the protagonist, a delivery nurse, named Ruth Jefferson. [1] Small Great Things is being adapted into a film starring Viola Davis and Julia Roberts. [2] This is Picoult's first novel with an African American protagonist. [3]

Contents

Synopsis

The story concentrates on an African-American labor/delivery (L&D) nurse, Ruth Jefferson, in charge of newborns at a fictional Connecticut hospital. Ruth is ordered not to touch or go near the baby of a white supremacist couple. After the baby dies in her care, Ruth is charged with murder, and taken to court. [4]

Narrative style

The story is told from the complex multiple racial perspectives of the principal characters, including the nurse, Ruth, Turk Bauer, the white supremacist father of the baby, and Kennedy McQuarrie, Ruth's attorney. [5] Picoult frequently employs an alternating multi-perspective narrative style in her novels, including My Sister's Keeper, Songs of the Humpback Whale, Sing You Home, Handle With Care, Change of Heart, House Rules, Lone Wolf, and The Storyteller.

Characters

Minor characters

Critical reception

The novel received positive and mixed reviews. [6] [7] [8] [9] Eleanor Brown of The Washington Post wrote that, "'Small Great Things' is the most important novel Jodi Picoult has ever written. Frank, uncomfortably introspective and right on the day’s headlines, it will challenge her readers", although she felt that the book is "overly long, with a meandering middle, a tendency toward melodrama and a rushed ending that feels glib." [10] Whereas, Roxane Gay, writing for the New York Times thought Turk, the white supremacist character, was well-written; though also found that the protagonist and African American character, Ruth, to be the least believable: "The more we see of Ruth and her family, the more their characterization feels like black-people bingo — as if Picoult is working through a checklist of issues in an attempt to say everything about race in one book." Gay found it a "flawed novel" but felt "generous" toward the book and gave her "a lot of credit for trying, and for supporting her attempt with rigorous research, good intentions and an awareness of her fallibility". Gay further wrote: "The novel is messy, but so is our racial climate." [11]

References

  1. Clark, Alex (December 23, 2016). "Jodi Picoult: 'Trump supporters need my book'". the Guardian. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  2. McNary, Dave (January 30, 2017). "Viola Davis, Julia Roberts to Star in Drama 'Small Great Things'". Variety. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  3. Taylor, James. "Jodi Picoult: Small Great Things". Jodi Picoult. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  4. "Small Great Things Movie (Development): Feb. 1, 2017 - added drama as a genre - Movie Insider". Movie Insider. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  5. "SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult | Kirkus Reviews" . Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  6. "Jodi Picoult - Small Great Things - Book Review". BookPage.com. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  7. "Small Great Things | Bookreporter.com" . Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  8. "Jodi Picoult "Small Great Things"- book review". litcritpop. February 7, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  9. "Book Marks reviews of Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult". Book Marks. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  10. Brown, Eleanor (October 13, 2016). "Small Great Things is the most important novel Jodi Picoult has ever written". The Washington Post.
  11. Gay, Roxane (October 11, 2016). "Jodi Picoult's New Novel Reviewed by Roxane Gay". The New York Times. Retrieved March 16, 2018.