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Cover of Change of Heart by Jodi PicoultChange of Heart
Modern · Fiction, Literature, Childrens

Change of Heart

by Jodi Picoult
2008 · 447 pages · Fiction
67.1Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 11 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Eleven years ago, June Nealon's husband and young daughter were murdered by Shay Bourne, now on death row in New Hampshire. Her other daughter, Claire, needs a heart transplant. Shay, who seems to be performing miracles in prison, wants to donate his heart to Claire after his execution. A priest, a lawyer and June all struggle with what is right.

Why it's worth reading

It hit #1 on the New York Times list. It's a moral dilemma about the death penalty, forgiveness and faith.

You'll love it if you liked

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Handle with CareJodi Picoult
Cover of House Rules by Jodi PicoultHouse Rules
House RulesJodi Picoult
Cover of The Green Mile by Stephen KingThe Green Mile
The Green MileStephen King

Good to know

It deals with child murder and execution. Its religious ideas, including the Gnostic gospels, are central.

By the numbers

67.1Must-Read Score
  • Readers33 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller69 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Bestseller
#1 New York Times bestseller (3 weeks at #1)18 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists since 2008

Reads as

Moving

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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House RulesJodi Picoult
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Handle with CareJodi Picoult

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2000sTop 25 · 490 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedScience fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Change of Heart worth reading?

Yes. It hit #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #1,642 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.1 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Change of Heart about?

Eleven years ago, June Nealon's husband and young daughter were murdered by Shay Bourne, now on death row in New Hampshire. Her other daughter, Claire, needs a heart transplant. Shay, who seems to be performing miracles in prison, wants to donate his heart to Claire after his execution. A priest, a lawyer and June all struggle with what is right.

How long does it take to read Change of Heart?

About 11 hours (447 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Change of Heart?

If you liked it, try Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult, House Rules by Jodi Picoult or The Green Mile by Stephen King.