Comments on: The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult

By: Rachel hartwig

Rachel hartwig — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 06:07:13 +0000

I just finished the book and although some of u think trixi was annoying, I don’t think picoult was far off on making her character very realistic. It’s hard to imagine that at 28 I still have awful flashbacks of highschool cruelty. I mean kids are really cruel and although some of you feel that trixi deserved what she got, I disagree. No one I repeat deserves to get that kind of punishment! Think back to when u were fourteen and the world seemed 100 times more sensitive to you. Everyone who was a normal well adjusted 14 year old had extreme paranoyia. Add a first love in the mix and bamb u got trixi. Her character seems a little far fetched but then again It would at my age because we tend to reflect and chock it up to silly adolesence. We grew up and learned. But to a 14 year old in the here and now he/ she wouldn’t know any better. I feel in love with a 17 year old at 14 and like trixi I got my heart broken. It could be three months but it seems like a lifetime at 14. Thank god I didn’t lose my virginity to him or do anything like the rainbow game as my friends had! It does happen and like some of the post I read, Jodi picoult’s talent on making fiction seem like reality is what makes her able to conntect to reader and is why we are able to have this discussion in the first place….

By: Graeme

Graeme — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 21:09:55 +0000

Sprinter- I disagree with some of your comments. First of all, she wasn’t exactly raped. She had consumed drugs, and she wasn’t aware of the situation, only that she wanted it Jason to stop. Also, most parents would be fine with a 14 year old going to a sleep over, and they wouldn’t need to check with the parents, unless they were extremely overprotective. And they definetly would not assume that 14 year olds’ without parents would have wild parties with alcohol, drugs or sex games. Other than that, I agree. Trixie was way too dramatic about her breakup, and the whole town seemed unrealistic. They didn’t know the circumstances, so they should not have been so quick to judge her. Even if they knew Jason to be a good guy, it seems like the whole town hated her, and now they had some sort of demented reason why. And her classmates were especially rude.
Furthermore, Daniel Stone seemed to have changed too much from his past. He goes from a teenage rebel to a family man. As well, Trixie went from being head over heels in love with Jason, even when the feelings were not mutual, to falling for this new character, Willie, who she just met. The book was good, it was just too unrealistic and it seemed like the book droned on for most of it, and all our questions are answered in less than one chapter.

By: Sprinter

Sprinter — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:16:14 +0000

I found the book to be very annoying, mainly Trixie.
First off, I thought she was way too dramatic over the breakup. They were together 3 months and she was acting like she just divorced her husband of 30 years. Yes, I know that first love can be intense, but nobody I know has acted like Trixie after a breakup.
However, what really ruined it for me was the party. While I’m only 18 myself, I strongly disagree with drinking, drugs and disgusting sex games, especially done by 14 year olds. While no one deserves to be raped, people like Trixie that do those games and play strip poker definitely are asking for it. Then she has the nerve to call her MOTHER a slut for having an affair.
The parents were kinda stupid too. I mean, come on, a 14 year old going to an all night slumber party? Not very likely. They should have called her friend’s parents to make sure, and if they weren’t home, use your head, parents not home + friends=wild drunken/drug party.

However, despite all that, I still did hate how Trixie was treated by the rest of the town. After all, unlike the reader, they didn’t know the circumstances, all they knew is that she got raped.

By: Lexi

Lexi — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:56:29 +0000

I am fourteen, and the “games” also disturbed me greatly. I have heard of teenagers doing that type of thing before in other books, and it makes me sick. I have gone to a private school all my life, and am firm in my faith of God. I have heard some pretty crazy stories about some kids at other shcools, so the games didn’t really shock me. I think that parents need to take the time to talk to their kids about sex to try and prevent these terrible things from happening to them. It’s very easy for us to believe that it is no big deal when everyone around us is doing it and no one has ever told us otherwise. Parents need to be active in their children’s lives and have an open relationship with them. So, Natasha, you don’t need to freak out about your kids going through this kind of stuff. Parents who are completely clueless about this type of stuff happening to their children obviously aren’t very good parents.

By: Maleah

Maleah — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 03:05:01 +0000

I don’t understand why the sex games are such a big deal. Jodi Picoult writes about the truth. Just because you don’t write about something doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. It’s better to see what the world really is like rather than pretend everything is perfect. In today’s society the ‘appropriate’ barrier has been broken. The novel is not just some porno, it goes with the emotions of what it’s like to be a hard core teenager. Cutting, sex, and drinking happen EVERYDAY. It’s brave for her to explore such a hushed up topic. It didn’t matter if the ending in your mind was predictable, the point of the novel was the EMOTION. The bonds of family, the pain life can cause you, and the mistakes that lead you there. Jodi Picoult will always be my favorite author.

By: Gabbie

Gabbie — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:20:30 +0000

i thought jodi picoults books were amazing! i’m 16 and ive read all of them except for her newest one. i definetly think the characters in her book especilly the young ones shouldn’t be having sex like that. but i love how in her book Nineteen Minutes, she showed that sex isn’t just fun and games. That you can get hurt by messing around like that.i am also a person that has never really been “popular” and i’ve been bullied before (don’t worry i’m not gunna shoot up my school!) but i liked how she gave bullied victims a voice and told my story and the story of sooooo many other people!!!!!!!

By: sam

sam — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:05:31 +0000

oh i forgot i did figure out the letters
“Nothing is easier than self-deceit for what each man wishes that he also believes to be true-Demonsthenes”
Go me =]

By: sam

sam — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:02:32 +0000

okay so im 14.
we have parties.
we drink…alot
and i have smoked quite a bit
we play games like rainbow and we have one where you go in the closet with a random and do it
but who cares your only a teenager once
god and losing your virginity at 14 isnt that bad
okay the book was good but i totally like keeping faith and vanishing acts better

By: nonie miller

nonie miller — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:48:21 +0000

I love every thing Jodi Picoult has written and I think I have read them all. What is coming next? I can hardly wait. Her books are think makers. You never know for sure what the outcome will be. I cannot imagine the hours she devotes in order to know all the terminology she uses.She is a genius.

By: Kailey

Kailey — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:39:24 +0000

Hey,
I’m around Trixie’s age and am proud to say that none of that is happening to anybody my age. I’ve never heard of the Rainbow game before in our grade, and only a few friends of mine have heard of strip poker. None of us have done it, any of it – lost our virginity, played those games, done drugs, drank, smoked, or cut. Sure, there may be a few out there who do – but trust me, it’s very obvious. For all the parents out there, you would probably know if it was happening to your children.

Though, I love how Jodi takes a look at things that people are overlooking these days and digs deeper into the problem then most people are willing to see. Kudos to her!