Book Review: The Tenth Circle

Jodi Picoult’s thirteenth
novel, The Tenth
Circle is possibly one of
the most vivid and gripping
novels I have ever read. It
explores many different
topics that any teenager can
relate to. The novel illustrates
a tale of the teenage
world that scarcely contains
any innocence. The world
of drugs, wild parties, date
rape, sex, and random hook
ups is provocatively questioned
by Picoult through
the story of Trixie Stone.
Trixie, a high school freshman
has a seemingly perfect
life in Maine. Her 17-
year-old boyfriend, Jason
Underhill, is the love of her
life. But when he breaks
up with Trixie and later
rapes her, Trixie’s whole
world seems to break down
around her.
The book includes
Trixie’s point of view,
as well as multiple other
characters such as her father,
and mother. Daniel
Stone, Trixie’s father is a
graphic novel artist, while
her mother, Laura is a college
professor. One of the
books Laura teaches about
is Dante’s Inferno. Inferno
talks about the division of
hell into nine circles. Each
circle contains sinners of
different levels. Picoult
expresses that Dante may
have left out one of the
worst sins to ever commit:
lying to oneself. These lies
are what Picoult describes
as the “tenth circle.” We all
know we
have lied
to ourselves
at
least once
and the
realization
of these
lies is what
makes the
novel so
fascinating.
It is very
successful
in quest
i o n i n g
innocence
in the world. The novel
switches back and forth
through point of views,
which helps depict that no
one is truly as innocent as
they seem
This book really
gives everyone something
to think about. I could not
put this book down once I
started it. But the most riveting
thing about the novel is
that we can all identify with
different situations presented
in one way or another.
As teenagers, we can all
relate to trying to cope with
the problems portrayed in
The Tenth Circle. I’m sure
once you read this book
and think about it, you will
find yourself
recons
i d e r i n g
your own
values and
morals.
P i c o u l t
skillfully
dives into
mu l t i p l e
w o r l d s ;
that of promiscuous
teenagers,
date rape,
and family
problems.
And I don’t
think this
book could get any better.
The Tenth Circle, without
a doubt, is very powerful in
exploring the mistakes we
make, and whether these
mistakes can ever be fully
redeemed, along the way
of telling us the story of
the Stone family. So all in
all, this book is definitely