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Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Picoult ( Songs of the Humpback Whales ) brings her considerable talents to this contemporary story of a young woman in search of her identity. Abandoned by her mother when she was five years old, Paige O'Toole has been left with painful doubts about her self-worth. She leaves her Chicago home for Cambridge, Mass., at 18 to fulfill herself as an artist, but must work in a diner because she can't afford art school. When she marries Harvard medical student Nicholas Prescott, his parents disown him, disapproving of their Irish Catholic daughter-in-law. Again Paige is forced to sideline her creative needs and work as a waitress in order to support Nicholas until he is able to establish his career as a cardiac surgeon. Paige is soon overwhelmed by the demands of Nicholas's socially sophisticated world, and after the birth of their son, Max, she becomes emotionally and physically exhausted. Unable to communicate her terrors about herself to Nicholas, she leaves him to search for her mother, who may hold the answers to her life. Told in flashbacks, this is a realistic story of childhood and adolescence, the demands of motherhood, the hard paths of personal growth and the generosity of spirit required by love. Picoult's imagery is startling and brilliant; her characters move credibly through this affecting drama.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
In her second novel, the author of Songs of the Humpback Whale ( LJ 5/15/92) recounts with power and grace a young woman's efforts to achieve "grandeur... andthe ability to be comfortable in the world." Paige O'Toole Prescott, a gifted portraitist, sets aside her art to support her husband, Nicholas, during his medical training. His wealthy parents reject Paige, who already suffers from self-doubt after being abandoned by her mother. Despite Nicholas's success as a surgeon and the young couple's love for each other, the birth of their son catapults them into emotional crisis. Paige's resulting quest for courage and self-confidence forces Nicholas, her parents, and her in-laws to reevaluate their attitudes, standards, and behavior. Picoult considers various forces that can unite or fracture families and examines the complexities of the human heart both literally and figuratively. Highly recommended.
- Jane S. Bakerman, Indiana State Univ., Terre Haute
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Jane S. Bakerman, Indiana State Univ., Terre Haute
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
Nicholas won't let me into my own house, but I have been watching my family from a distance. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Nicholas won't let me into my own house, but I have been watching my family from a distance. Read the first page
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
I am a huge Jodi Picoult fan.,
By J. N Sandell "So many books, so little time" (Maplewood, MN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Harvesting the Heart: A Novel (Paperback)
I have now read three novels by Jodi Picoult and have loved every one. This is a good book about relationships, motherhood and the choices we make. The book centers around Paige and Nicholas Prescott. Paige is a co-dependent mother who has recently given birth to a son, but who seriously doubts her abilities as a parent. So, she leaves her son with his father for a time and goes off in search of answers about herself, her mother and her life. As we as the reader travel with Paige throughout this journey of self discovery, we find out that Paige is indeed a strong woman in her own right. Nicholas Prescott is a Cardiologist at the top of his game, he is very stoic however and has a bit of a God complex. He goes through a transformation of his own and soon we are able to get a glimpse at what at his good qualities as well and also see what agood father he is. This is a good book to curl up with on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Ms. Picoult is a masterful writer who gets the reader involved in the lives of her characters and really makes you care about them. More than once since finishing this book, I have wondered how Nicholas and Paige are doing.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
novel of codependency,
By
This review is from: Harvesting the Heart: A Novel (Paperback)
After reading the many glowing reviews of this book, i feel compelled to say "i disagree". I found this book disturbing and unsettling and feel Paige, the story's protagonist, was treated very abusively by her husband. What unfolds throughout this novel is a tale of co-dependency,despite the appearance of recovery at the denouement--motherless young woman runs away from home after an abortion only to marry and becomes pregnant by a stoic surgeon. When post partum depression strikes, she abandons her child and husband and sets off to find her mother. the two reconnect during a 3mo visit in which paige develops self respect and realizes she has to love herself if she is to truly love others.Armed with new self awareness, she returns to her baby and husband, but is rudely rebuffed. at this point, i felt the character development COMPLETELY fell apart on ALL LEVELS making me lose interest in how the book would end; however, i kept slogging through, hoping she'd see the light (and a lawyer) to file for divorce and custody...Unfortunately, neither happens---she allows herself to be treated EXTREMELY disrespectfully by her husband, who slams doors (both literal and figurative) in her face, speaks harshly, and is emotionally abusive. In short, he is the same person he was before she left, while she is not. A real woman, armed with newfound self esteem would NOT tolerate these things, or say "i'll do whatever it takes to make him love me again", that a female author would write this type of ending, disturbs me. harvesting the heart COULD have been a wonderful piece of women's literature--the writing style was excellent and structurally it was sound--but it sunk to romance novel level with this very weak cliche-ridden ending. not at all what i've come to expect from penquin press.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unsettling and brilliant,
By A Customer
This review is from: Harvesting the Heart: A Novel (Paperback)
How could ANYONE not like every book this author has written? Granted I've only read three of her works, but if the others are as good as this one and SECOND GLANCE, I'll be coming back for more. If you like well-thought out and well-written books; books such as THE BARK OF THE DOGWOOD and MIDDLESEX--books which aren't afraid to "go there," then you'll love this one. What a brave author Picoult is--brave in that she's not afraid to let you "into" the story. She doesn't overly filter her work for the sake of commercialism and correctness. I love this author!
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