Second Glance
by Jodi Picoult
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This breathtaking novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult asks: Do we love across time, or in spite of it?"Sometimes I wonder....Can a ghost find you, if she wants to?"
An intricate tale of love, haunting memories, and renewal, Second Glance begins in current-day Vermont, where an old man puts a piece of land up for sale and unintentionally raises protest from the local Abenaki Indian tribe, who insist it's a burial ground. When odd, supernatural events plague the town show more of Comtosook, a ghost hunter is hired by the developer to help convince the residents that there's nothing spiritual about the property.
Enter Ross Wakeman, a suicidal drifter who has put himself in mortal danger time and again. He's driven his car off a bridge into a lake. He's been mugged in New York City and struck by lightning in a calm country field. Yet despite his best efforts, life clings to him and pulls him ever deeper into the empty existence he cannot bear since his fiancée's death in a car crash eight years ago. Ross now lives only for the moment he might once again encounter the woman he loves. But in Comtosook, the only discovery Ross can lay claim to is that of Lia Beaumont, a skittish, mysterious woman who, like Ross, is on a search for something beyond the boundary separating life and death. Thus begins Jodi Picoult's enthralling and ultimately astonishing story of love, fate, and a crime of passion.
Hailed by critics as a "master" storyteller (The Washington Post), Picoult once again "pushes herself, and consequently the reader, to think about the unthinkable" (Denver Post). Second Glance, her eeriest and most engrossing work yet, delves into a virtually unknown chapter of American history—Vermont's eugenics project of the 1920s and 30s—to provide a compelling study of the things that come back to haunt us—literally and figuratively. Do we love across time, or in spite of it? show less
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It's not that much a of well-known historical fact, but the eugenics agendas set up by the Nazis (of which the Holocaust was only a part of and a 'by-product' of sort) was mostly inspired by the sterilizations programs which had been in place in the USA, starting from the 1920s. Here's a dirty and shameful past, then, which had been (*cough*) conveniently swept under the rug for decades after the war (especially given American's role in vanquishing the Third Reich!) yet which has been resurfacing recently in various part of academia, leading to a more than necessary reckoning when it comes to bad ideas gone mad. As such (then too) it was only expected that fiction authors otherwise not shying away from (another *cough*) 'difficult' and show more 'controversial' topics would take the subject onboard. Jodi Picoult, one such daring authors, does just that here: confronting the eugenics history of the USA, by stirring the dirt surrounding its racist past and selective (genocidal?) legislations.
Now, to be honest, I haven't read anything from Jodi Picoult prior to this. In fact, I rarely read fiction books, and I came to pick this only because, as a care support worker passionate about my job, I have an interest in mental illnesses, learning disabilities, and, most importantly, how 'neurodivergent' people (as the terminology goes these days...) have been perceived throughout history including by the eugenics movement. As such, then, if many other readers reviewing this here have expressed their disappointment compared to most of her other works, I personally cannot judge since this is the only thing I have read from her so far. What about it?
There are other great reads out there tackling the topic of forced sterilizations. For example, Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain is one that I read recently, and that I highly recommend too. The thing that differentiate Judi Picoult's, thought, is that she goes beyond telling a story involving people who were victims of such abject policies to tap into the supranatural to drive her narrative. It's a welcome twist, as it makes for an enthralling plot where history clashes with the present through forgotten ghosts, each coming to haunt our days solely as to remind us of a past that we would be more than happy to keep as buried as the ghosts in question should remain.
Sure: it's not perfect. Because the author attaches a great deal of importance to her characters' biographies, there are some lengthy passages (at times) to help built up their persona and help the reader better understand them. Characterisation-wise, of course, this is far from being a bad thing! But, reading it, it surely feels like the book could have been chopped off by a substantial % without the story to have suffered any one bit.
What I particularly like, though, are the parallels she drew between the past and the present. For instance, we see the granddaughter of a key eugenicist working as a geneticist, screening embryos for potential diseases to help prospective parents decide if they should give birth or not. Does it mean that the author is linking reproductive technologies and genetic diagnoses to eugenics programs of days supposedly gone-by? It's hard to say, but it will surely leave the reader thoughtful, if not stirring strong reactions!
All in all, then, here's a enthralling, very engrossing story (despite its tedious lengths at time) intelligently portraying how eugenics can destroy lives while an understanding of genetics can put us on an edge. The resort to supernatural twists (something I would personally have considered lazy and uncreative in any other work) just add to the haunting atmosphere of a shameful past, still lingering with us all (in the USA and elsewhere). show less
Now, to be honest, I haven't read anything from Jodi Picoult prior to this. In fact, I rarely read fiction books, and I came to pick this only because, as a care support worker passionate about my job, I have an interest in mental illnesses, learning disabilities, and, most importantly, how 'neurodivergent' people (as the terminology goes these days...) have been perceived throughout history including by the eugenics movement. As such, then, if many other readers reviewing this here have expressed their disappointment compared to most of her other works, I personally cannot judge since this is the only thing I have read from her so far. What about it?
There are other great reads out there tackling the topic of forced sterilizations. For example, Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain is one that I read recently, and that I highly recommend too. The thing that differentiate Judi Picoult's, thought, is that she goes beyond telling a story involving people who were victims of such abject policies to tap into the supranatural to drive her narrative. It's a welcome twist, as it makes for an enthralling plot where history clashes with the present through forgotten ghosts, each coming to haunt our days solely as to remind us of a past that we would be more than happy to keep as buried as the ghosts in question should remain.
Sure: it's not perfect. Because the author attaches a great deal of importance to her characters' biographies, there are some lengthy passages (at times) to help built up their persona and help the reader better understand them. Characterisation-wise, of course, this is far from being a bad thing! But, reading it, it surely feels like the book could have been chopped off by a substantial % without the story to have suffered any one bit.
What I particularly like, though, are the parallels she drew between the past and the present. For instance, we see the granddaughter of a key eugenicist working as a geneticist, screening embryos for potential diseases to help prospective parents decide if they should give birth or not. Does it mean that the author is linking reproductive technologies and genetic diagnoses to eugenics programs of days supposedly gone-by? It's hard to say, but it will surely leave the reader thoughtful, if not stirring strong reactions!
All in all, then, here's a enthralling, very engrossing story (despite its tedious lengths at time) intelligently portraying how eugenics can destroy lives while an understanding of genetics can put us on an edge. The resort to supernatural twists (something I would personally have considered lazy and uncreative in any other work) just add to the haunting atmosphere of a shameful past, still lingering with us all (in the USA and elsewhere). show less
My mom gave me this book years ago and it’s been sitting on my TBR shelf ever since. As far as books go, we rarely see eye-to-eye, and so I cast it into a state of perpetual ignore until she reminded me of it the other day. So then I actually read the description and thought it could be interesting, but expected it to be mushy, histrionic and overly sentimental. I don’t know why I had this idea in my head, but I did and I was wrong. Is it a perfect book? No, but it’s far from the sap-fest I thought it would be.
A few reviews I read say there’s too many characters to keep track of. Not being a simpleton, I wasn’t put off by this (and after reading Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series, come on, bring it with your show more characters). Sure, there are several, but they’re distinct and Picoult gives a lot of back story and set up for each one. The set up, is long and she doesn’t set the hook until just after 100 pages, but what a hook it is. Before you know it you’re turning the pages faster and faster to connect the dots you suspect join up. When they do (in expected and unexpected ways), it’s a little jolt of joy for exposing the sinister underpinnings of this quaint little Vermont town.
Since she is a New England resident, I think it’s natural that Picoult set her story in a New England location and frankly, there are few of them that qualify as big, so the haunted little town cliche hits the bullseye. The characters who live in it chafe against it and even decry the prejudices of the “big city folk” who come through. While I did enjoy the story and the way it was told, not a lot of it was surprising. I figured out a lot of the relationships, circumstances and secrets along the way. Not because I’m overly insightful or brilliant, but because Picoult wanted me to. She divulged everything precisely and in a way that rewards the reader for putting the clues together. It’s a feel-good novel in that sense.
Much of the goings on however are far from feel-good. Racism, misogyny, corruption, cover-ups, murder and eugenics create a miasma of unease, disgust and righteous indignation. As far as characters go, I felt Ross was a bit of a pathetic individual, but he tried to rise above. I didn’t understand Cecelia much, but her final scene was pretty heartbreaking. Everything comes together neatly and there is resolution which was expected given how the novel was constructed. Now I’ve gotten over my Jodi Picoult prejudice, I think I’ll be reading more. show less
A few reviews I read say there’s too many characters to keep track of. Not being a simpleton, I wasn’t put off by this (and after reading Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series, come on, bring it with your show more characters). Sure, there are several, but they’re distinct and Picoult gives a lot of back story and set up for each one. The set up, is long and she doesn’t set the hook until just after 100 pages, but what a hook it is. Before you know it you’re turning the pages faster and faster to connect the dots you suspect join up. When they do (in expected and unexpected ways), it’s a little jolt of joy for exposing the sinister underpinnings of this quaint little Vermont town.
Since she is a New England resident, I think it’s natural that Picoult set her story in a New England location and frankly, there are few of them that qualify as big, so the haunted little town cliche hits the bullseye. The characters who live in it chafe against it and even decry the prejudices of the “big city folk” who come through. While I did enjoy the story and the way it was told, not a lot of it was surprising. I figured out a lot of the relationships, circumstances and secrets along the way. Not because I’m overly insightful or brilliant, but because Picoult wanted me to. She divulged everything precisely and in a way that rewards the reader for putting the clues together. It’s a feel-good novel in that sense.
Much of the goings on however are far from feel-good. Racism, misogyny, corruption, cover-ups, murder and eugenics create a miasma of unease, disgust and righteous indignation. As far as characters go, I felt Ross was a bit of a pathetic individual, but he tried to rise above. I didn’t understand Cecelia much, but her final scene was pretty heartbreaking. Everything comes together neatly and there is resolution which was expected given how the novel was constructed. Now I’ve gotten over my Jodi Picoult prejudice, I think I’ll be reading more. show less
My favorite JP book. Perhaps the setting resonated with the Vermonter in me; the Abnaki, in particular, to the Northern Vermonter in me. Or that it's a ghost story subtle and true and ethereal as smoke. Or that it is about families and communities that walk that fine line between love/hate, right/wrong, life/death. But I suspect it's the writing itself. This is an early work of Picoult's, and she was at her rawest - and finest.
I don't believe in ghosts and generally don't care for supernatural themed stories but I found Second Glance to be a surprise. The story follows multiple characters, most of them damaged in some sort of way. Ross Wakeman lost his fiancee in a crash and longs to find her again. Multiple suicide attempts have convinced him that he just can't die. He meets a strange and beautiful woman named Lia, who seems to appear and disappear at will. Ross has been working with a “ghost hunter” and is offered an opportunity to investigate a string of events involving an old house. He knows this might finally be his opportunity to communicate with his late fiancee.
Picoult has done a wonderful job of creating a fairly wide range of characters and show more making their interactions believable. It's a combination of ghost story, murder mystery, and historical fiction. The book is quite long at almost 500 pages but I still found it incredibly readable. I'm a long time Jodi Picoult fan but this is one I long avoided because I just didn't have any interest in ghost stories. I'm glad I finally had a chance to read and enjoy this fascinating book. show less
Picoult has done a wonderful job of creating a fairly wide range of characters and show more making their interactions believable. It's a combination of ghost story, murder mystery, and historical fiction. The book is quite long at almost 500 pages but I still found it incredibly readable. I'm a long time Jodi Picoult fan but this is one I long avoided because I just didn't have any interest in ghost stories. I'm glad I finally had a chance to read and enjoy this fascinating book. show less
I knew as I was sitting in a crowd of over 200 Jodi Picoult fans listening to her recount her field research for this book, it was going to be a novel that would have me looking over my shoulder taking a Second Glance for paranormal presence.
This intricately layered novel does a perfect job of demonstrating Picoult's fantastical writing abilities. She is a master at her craft, and Second Glance has proven once again that Picoult can take on any subject matter, objectively present the facts for both sides, and challenge the reader to question their belief system. Absolutely brilliant!
To even begin to attempt to describe this novel, I have to say, I will not give it the justice it deserves. So, at its basic level, Second Glance takes show more the reader on a journey to show how love can travel through time and maybe... just maybe there are supernatural forces out there ensuring it travels safely. The story also blends the controversial subject of eugenics in the mix; and as a reader you can't help but wonder the possibilities of genetic diagnosis and replacement therapy with a proper blend of government and ethical organizational involvement.
Picoult takes a myriad of subjects and ideas and wraps it around a paranormal theme; and despite the odd mix it blends just perfectly and challenges the reader to not discount the possibilities. Once again… absolutely brilliant.
This was a perfect choice for a book club discussion as it offered the avenue to discuss ghost stories, genetic testing, boundaries and possibilities. As a disclaimer, I must note, this is probably one of Picoult's more complex reads, but if you're already a fan, I can say with certainty, you will not be disappointed. show less
This intricately layered novel does a perfect job of demonstrating Picoult's fantastical writing abilities. She is a master at her craft, and Second Glance has proven once again that Picoult can take on any subject matter, objectively present the facts for both sides, and challenge the reader to question their belief system. Absolutely brilliant!
To even begin to attempt to describe this novel, I have to say, I will not give it the justice it deserves. So, at its basic level, Second Glance takes show more the reader on a journey to show how love can travel through time and maybe... just maybe there are supernatural forces out there ensuring it travels safely. The story also blends the controversial subject of eugenics in the mix; and as a reader you can't help but wonder the possibilities of genetic diagnosis and replacement therapy with a proper blend of government and ethical organizational involvement.
Picoult takes a myriad of subjects and ideas and wraps it around a paranormal theme; and despite the odd mix it blends just perfectly and challenges the reader to not discount the possibilities. Once again… absolutely brilliant.
This was a perfect choice for a book club discussion as it offered the avenue to discuss ghost stories, genetic testing, boundaries and possibilities. As a disclaimer, I must note, this is probably one of Picoult's more complex reads, but if you're already a fan, I can say with certainty, you will not be disappointed. show less
I was sceptical about reading this book because it has ghosts in it. But Jodi Picoult is a good writer, and she pulled off a story that dealt with real people and real issues in spite of the odd ghost.
This is the story of Ross Wakeman, who lost his fiancee in a car accident and hopes that ghosts exist so that he can find her again. It's also the story of Lia Pike, whose husband and father are prominent in the eugenics movement of the 1930s in Vermont, which saw many "undesirables" sterilized involuntarily. I like the way Ms. Picoult deals with complex issues in her novels, and that is what made this book work for me: eugenics in the 1930s to embryo DNA screening in the 21st century.
This is the story of Ross Wakeman, who lost his fiancee in a car accident and hopes that ghosts exist so that he can find her again. It's also the story of Lia Pike, whose husband and father are prominent in the eugenics movement of the 1930s in Vermont, which saw many "undesirables" sterilized involuntarily. I like the way Ms. Picoult deals with complex issues in her novels, and that is what made this book work for me: eugenics in the 1930s to embryo DNA screening in the 21st century.
Picoult is fun reading, but even in a ghost story she manages to raise issues that will get you thinking. The hot topic in this book is genetic engineering, interwoven with life-after-death, love, and the true nature of family, among other ideas. I enjoyed it.
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Jodi Picoult was born in Nesconset, New York on May 19, 1966. She received a degree in creative writing from Princeton University in 1987 and a master's degree in education from Harvard University. She published two short stories in Seventeen magazine while still in college. Immediately after graduation, she landed a variety of jobs, ranging from show more editing textbooks to teaching eighth-grade English. Her first book, Songs of the Humpback Whale, was published in 1992. Her other works include Picture Perfect, Mercy, The Pact, Salem Falls, The Tenth Circle, Nineteen Minutes, Change of Heart, Handle with Care, House Rules, Sing You Home, Lone Wolf, Leaving Time, and Small Great Things. My Sister's Keeper was made into a movie starring Cameron Diaz. She received the New England Bookseller Award for fiction in 2003. She also wrote five issues of the Wonder Woman comic book series for DC Comics. She writes young adult novels with her daughter Samantha van Leer including Between the Lines and Off the Page. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Piper (7190)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Second Glance
- Original title
- Second glance
- Original publication date
- 2003
- People/Characters
- Ross Wakeman; Spencer Pike; Shelby Wakeman; Eli Rochert; Ethan Wakeman; Meredith Olivier (show all 19); Cecilia Pike; Ruby Weber; John Delacour; Lucy Olivier; Rod van Vleet; Curtis Warburton; Frankie Martine; Winks Smiling Fox Champigny; Aimee; Harry Beaumont; Chief Follensbee; Maylene Warburton; Abe Huppinworth
- Important places
- Vermont, USA
- Epigraph
- What if you slept?
And what if in your sleep, you dreamed?
And what if in your dream, you went to heaven
and there plucked a strange and beautiful flower?
And what if, when you woke, you had the flower in your han... (show all)d?
Ah! What then? - Samuel Taylor Coleridge - Dedication
- For Sammy, who is both a reader and a writer. I love you to the moon and back. XOXO, Mom.
- First words
- Ross Wakeman succeeded the first time he killed himself, but not the second or the third.
- Quotations
- Love's not a because, it's a no matter what.
This is my land, and frankly I don't care if it's owned by retarded bald eagles in wheelchairs - I paid for it, fair and square. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)After all, once you know that part of something exists, it stands to reason that the rest of it is somewhere out there, too.
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