The Body in Question by Jill Ciment
1.5 stars
The Body in Question opens up follow an unnamed woman who we only know as Juror C-2. She is a juror on a high-profile case concerning the murder of a baby boy who is alleged to have been set on fire with his diaper by his older adopted sister who is autistic. C-2 has developed an interest in Juror F-17, a younger man who works with cadavers at the local university as a professor. He offers a more promising escape from her husband who is on the brink of death due to all of his aging health issues. This story centers around two plots: the trial case and deciding on the conviction of a suspect and the secret love affair between two jurors that can compromise the case. Ciment’s writing style holds a lot of promise and her overall writing was intriguing and gripping enough to capture me as a reader. Her character development is strong enough to carry a story while attaining a sense of allusiveness that prompts the reader to carry on reading about this chaotically twisted scenario. She is very talented, but this talent did not save the overall story itself because the story and the characters we follow is what lacks her. The writing for me really went downhill in the second act, mainly because we were not longer following secret jurors but openly horrendous people. The mystery was gone and the truth ruined the novel for me.
Whimsical Writing Scale: 2
I’ll be honest I was so intrigued by this novel at first. The story telling aspect of all of the identities of the jurors being secret from the reader in the first part and the case that we follow in the court room were fascinating. But this book made me angry. This book made me angry because it shows how incompetent our juror system is in the United States. How prone the jury is to bias as well as how easy it is for jurors to fall asleep or be caught up in their own lives instead of paying attention to the case. This court case was a mess held by an incompetent jury that was too focused on getting fed, laid, and having fun on the government’s dime. I walked away from this book annoyed and angry at the direction the book took in the final part. I really did not like the character direction of the C-2 and F-17 when their identities are revealed. I particularly hated the treatment of C-2’s husband. This woman was a stone-cold sociopath with little emotions towards others because her own personal gain was more enlightening and important. I won’t reveal the characters’ names or the cases important facts because I think those are fun to discover on your own (stay away from the synopsis).
Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 1
Swoon Worthy Scale: 1
Character Scale: 1.5
I was unimpressed with this novel. I wanted more and I expected more, but it didn’t live up to what I wanted (especially in the second act). Overall, if the concept intrigues you and you enjoy reading about court cases, then The Body in Question may be for you.
Plotastic Scale: 1.25
Cover Thoughts: I like the cover if I glance at it, but the longer I stare at it the more I don’t like it.
Thank you, Penguin’s First to Read program for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
You can purchase this book on Amazon here! (I'm an Amazon Associate and would get a small commission if you use this link to purchase anything on Amazon.)
1.5 stars
The Body in Question opens up follow an unnamed woman who we only know as Juror C-2. She is a juror on a high-profile case concerning the murder of a baby boy who is alleged to have been set on fire with his diaper by his older adopted sister who is autistic. C-2 has developed an interest in Juror F-17, a younger man who works with cadavers at the local university as a professor. He offers a more promising escape from her husband who is on the brink of death due to all of his aging health issues. This story centers around two plots: the trial case and deciding on the conviction of a suspect and the secret love affair between two jurors that can compromise the case. Ciment’s writing style holds a lot of promise and her overall writing was intriguing and gripping enough to capture me as a reader. Her character development is strong enough to carry a story while attaining a sense of allusiveness that prompts the reader to carry on reading about this chaotically twisted scenario. She is very talented, but this talent did not save the overall story itself because the story and the characters we follow is what lacks her. The writing for me really went downhill in the second act, mainly because we were not longer following secret jurors but openly horrendous people. The mystery was gone and the truth ruined the novel for me.
Whimsical Writing Scale: 2
I’ll be honest I was so intrigued by this novel at first. The story telling aspect of all of the identities of the jurors being secret from the reader in the first part and the case that we follow in the court room were fascinating. But this book made me angry. This book made me angry because it shows how incompetent our juror system is in the United States. How prone the jury is to bias as well as how easy it is for jurors to fall asleep or be caught up in their own lives instead of paying attention to the case. This court case was a mess held by an incompetent jury that was too focused on getting fed, laid, and having fun on the government’s dime. I walked away from this book annoyed and angry at the direction the book took in the final part. I really did not like the character direction of the C-2 and F-17 when their identities are revealed. I particularly hated the treatment of C-2’s husband. This woman was a stone-cold sociopath with little emotions towards others because her own personal gain was more enlightening and important. I won’t reveal the characters’ names or the cases important facts because I think those are fun to discover on your own (stay away from the synopsis).
Kick-Butt Heroine Scale: 1
Swoon Worthy Scale: 1
Character Scale: 1.5
I was unimpressed with this novel. I wanted more and I expected more, but it didn’t live up to what I wanted (especially in the second act). Overall, if the concept intrigues you and you enjoy reading about court cases, then The Body in Question may be for you.
Plotastic Scale: 1.25
Cover Thoughts: I like the cover if I glance at it, but the longer I stare at it the more I don’t like it.
Thank you, Penguin’s First to Read program for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
You can purchase this book on Amazon here! (I'm an Amazon Associate and would get a small commission if you use this link to purchase anything on Amazon.)
Have you read The Body in Question or have you heard of it? Are you interested in picking it up? Let me know down below in the comments!
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