The Tenth Circle - Hardcover

Bestselling author Jodi Picoult's The Tenth Circle is a metaphorical journey through Dante's Inferno, told through the eyes of a small Maine family whose hidden demons haunt every aspect of their seemingly peaceful existence. Woven throughout the novel are a series of dramatic illustrations that pay homage to the family's patriarch (comic book artist Daniel Stone), and add a unique twist to this gripping, yet somewhat rhetorical tale.

Trixie Stone is an imaginative, perceptive 14 year old whose life begins to unravel when Jason Underhill, Bethel High's star hockey player, breaks up with her, leaving a void that can only be filled by the blood spilled during shameful self-mutilations in the girls' bathroom. While Trixie's dad Daniel notices his daughter's recent change in demeanor, he turns a blind eye, just as he does to the obvious affair his wife Laura, a college professor, is barely trying to conceal. When Trixie gets raped at a friend's party, Daniel and Laura are forced to deal not only with the consequences of their daughter's physical and emotional trauma, but with their own transgressions as well. For Daniel, that means reflecting on a childhood spent as the only white kid in a native Alaskan village, where isolation and loneliness turned him into a recluse, only to be born again after falling in love with his wife. Laura, who blames her family's unraveling on her selfish affair, must decide how to reconcile her personal desires with her loved ones' needs.

The Tenth Circle is chock full of symbolism and allegory that at times can seem oppresive. Still, Picoult's fans will welcome this skillfully told story of betrayal and its many negative, and positive consequences. --Gisele Toueg

She is quite a find, in Anita Shreve territory, an author tackling gritty problems ... So watch out, she's well worth supporting (Sarah Broadhurst, Bookseller)

'This story of a flawed family on the brink of destruction grips from start to finish' (Publishers Weekly)

Picoult has an eye for detail and is a dab hand at plot twists (Suzie Doore, Waterstone's)

'Picoult is an amazing storyteller and as she weaves you deeper into the lives of her flawed families you'll be gripped by their traumas. A further level of narrative is added by Daniel's illustrations, which punctuate the chapters. A sad and complex, but ultimately enthralling read.' ***** (Heat)

Jodi Picoult is an author to watch (Ann Walker, Ottakar's)

'Picoult has been incredibly successful in dissecting the pain that family members go through when faced with sensitive and emotive issues . . . Any mother who has turned a blind eye to a too-short skirt or has backed down over unsuitable friends will find The Tenth Circle to be an honest reflection of the more difficult side of family life . . . a touching read and it easily merits a place in the bestseller lists.' (Daily Express)

'Jodi Picoult is not one to shy away from fictional controversy; in fact, the more tangled and messy a moral dilemma appears, the better she likes it. (Daily Mail)

'This wonderful, sensitive yet exciting tale can only augment Jodi Picoult's already impressive reputation as an author.' (Reviewing the Evidence (website))

Picoult offers a perfectly pitched take on the great mysteries of the heart (Kirkus Reviews)

'The themes are weighty: adultery, rape, violence and death. But Picoult deftly manoeuvres her way through the characters, taking pains to delve into the psyches of each one. . . Picoult's appreciation of teenage angst is exquisitely unwrapped . . . This book is a well-written, mature and entertaining study of sex, lies and love on family relationships. The Tenth Circle is Picoult's 12th novel, and on this form she's going to leave her readers impatient for more.' (Scotsman)