Adult Fiction

While I do primarily read YA fiction these days I do enjoy some adult fiction every once in a while. This feature will look at some of the adult fiction I am reading and examine its appeal for those who prefer Young Adult literature.



The Pact by Jodi Picoult


Popular high-school swimming star Chris Harte and talented artist Em Gold bonded as infants; their parents have been next-door neighbours and best friends for 18 years. When they fall in love, everyone is ecstatic. Everyone, it turns out, except for Em, who finds that sex with Chris feels almost incestuous. Her emotional turmoil, compounded by pregnancy, which she keeps secret, leads to depression, despair and a desire for suicide, and she insists that Chris prove his love by pulling the trigger. The gun is fired in the first paragraph, and so the book opens with a jolt of adrenaline.



This is a good fit for those who enjoy YA novels that deal with heavy topics. The split narrative between Chris, Emily and their parents gives a well rounded look at how people are affected by suicide. The plot is compelling and engaging, but readers will most likely be drawn into the characters and the relationship between Chris and Emily, as it is ultimately a love story. The Pact shares many common elements with YA fiction (including YA protagonists), and while told in third person, readers should still be able to engage with the story.



YA Connection: Hate List by Jennifer Brown and Thirteen Reason’s Why by Jay Asher