Marcia says:

I recently listened to Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult and enjoyed it just as much as her other novels. Once again I was captivated by Picoult’s choice of current hot topics that challenge the reader’s belief systems.  In Change of Heart, Shay Bourne, a death row prisoner, is convicted of murdering a woman’s family and will soon be lethally injected.  One challenge is convincing the woman to accept Shay’s final wish for atonement by donating his heart to her daughter who is dying of heart failure. Another challenge is convincing the court system to change the method of his death to enable the transplant to take place. Throughout it all, listeners/readers may be challenged by examining not only their beliefs in capital punishment, but also the separation of church and state.  I always am intrigued by Picoult’s choice of themes and how she focuses on her character’s development while dealing with these issues.