"Small Great Things" Review

“Small Great Things” by Jodi Picoult

Published by Ballantine Books

Finished 9/30/16 – 5/5 stars

I am a huge fan of Jodi Picoult.  Every year she does extensive research on a topic and puts out a fabulous book based on that topic.  When I heard her next book was going to be about racism, I was intrigued.  It’s quite the hot topic – would she be able to pull it off seeing as how she’s a rich white woman?  I’d have to wait and see.  And then I start reading the book itself and found it to be written in the perspective of a professional black woman.  I said to myself “how on earth is she going to pull this off?”  Could she do it without a backlash from the African American communities?  Not that I don’t think authors can write in the perspective of another race, they do it all the time so that’s not an issue.  But could you truly understand them enough to be able to portray their thoughts and feelings regarding racism having never been in their shoes?  And then comes the next chapter and it is being told in the perspective of a white supremest.   Another challenge, but I knew she’d be able to pull that off – after all, she wrote a book in the perspective of a Nazi soldier at a prison camp (my absolute favorite Jodi Picoult book – The Storyteller).  So, how did she do?  Fabulous!!!  I loved this book!  Not only was the storyline great, but it makes you look within yourself.  I’ve always considered myself a non-racist but then this book points out the little things that make me stop and think – do I do that or how would I react to that if it were me?  As I said before……I love a book that makes me think.

Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.