A review by booksbytheglass
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

okay I wanted to love this wayyyyy more than I actually did 🙃 jodi picoult always writes the most intriguing and heart-wrenching stories! 

this story was split into two timelines: one in present day about an aspiring screenwriter struggling with the daily pressures and sexism of the business, and her ancestor in the 1600s following the same path in poetry. and as much as I appreciated the research that jodi put into this story, I definitely think most of the story should have been set in present day, when it was actually the opposite…

the present day text was stronger for me because it fleshed out more of the side characters and back stories, while the past timeline threw more details in the reader’s face and relied more on telling rather than showing

the part that I loved and appreciated most was the concept of feminism presenting in different ways, and how truly sexism hasn’t changed that much over 400 years as much as everyone claims! and jodi was the perfect author to tackle that discussion!

thank you to netgalley and penguin random house for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: left bank bordeaux