Small Great Things - Jodi Picoult

I absolutely adored this book. I read it within about a week, mostly on public transport on my commute to and from work. I had read mixed reviews about this novel, and heard that Picoult's style is an acquired taste. It is my first Picoult novel but now that I have read one, I can't wait to explore her writing more.

The book begins with the death of a newborn baby (no spoilers here as this is on the blurb!), and the impending trial of the African-American delivery nurse who is ultimately blamed for his death. The book has three narrators: the nurse, Ruth Jefferson, who is banned from caring for the newborn due to her race; the father of the newborn, Turk Bauer, who is a white supremacist and has requested this ban; and the defence attorney, Kennedy McQuarrie, who is representing Ruth in court after she is blamed for the child's death. 

The novel deals with the shocking reality of the prejudiced views of Turk and Brittany Bauer, who are both white supremacists (Turk has both a swastika and a confederate flag tattooed on his body); and their blind hatred for Ruth due to the colour of her skin. Their inability to see past this characteristic and accept that Ruth is merely doing her job, as she does every day, ultimately results in her brutal arrest and charge of murder. It is interesting how Picoult creates empathy for Turk Bauer despite his hatred and prejudice; although as a reader you often despise him, you are also able to feel sympathy for him through his narration as a grieving father.

A large portion of the novel is dedicated to focusing on the trail of Ruth, which may put some readers off as typically trial scenes can drag on; however Picoult's writing remains gripping from the start of the novel to the end. This is a gripping and poignant story of survival and coming together against adversity - I cried many times during its course! It highlights the issue of racial prejudice which is still unfortunately widespread nowadays; and also highlights the fact that many of us casually exhibit this prejudice in the simple choices we make every day, without even realising it. A truly uplifting and life-changing novel!