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Overview

Delia Hopkins has led a charmed life. Raised in rural New Hampshire by her widowed father, Andrew, she now has a young daughter, a handsome fiancé, and her own search-and-rescue bloodhound, which she uses to find missing persons. But as Delia plans her wedding, she is plagued by flashbacks of a life she can't recall. And then a policeman knocks on her door, revealing a secret that changes the world as she knows it.

What happens when you learn you are not who you thought you were? When the people you've loved and trusted suddenly change before your eyes? When getting your deepest wish means giving up what you've always taken for granted? Vanishing Acts explores how life as we know it might not turn out the way we imagined; how doing the right thing could mean doing the wrong thing; and how the memory we thought had vanished could return as a threat.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Delia Hopkins was six years old when her father allowed her to be his assistant in the amateur magic act he performed at the local senior center's annual Christmas pageant. "I learned a lot that night," recalls Delia, who is now 32, at the start of Picoult's absorbing new novel (her 12th, after My Sister's Keeper). "That people don't vanish into thin air...." She has come to know this even better as an adult: she makes her living finding missing people with her own search-and-rescue bloodhound. As she prepares for her wedding, however, Delia has a flash of memory that is so vivid yet so wildly out-of-place among the other memories from her idyllic New Hampshire upbringing that she describes it to a childhood friend, who happens to be a reporter. Soon, her whole world and the world of the widowed father she adores is turned upside down. Her marriage to her toddler's father, a loving but still struggling recovering alcoholic, is put on hold as she is forced to conduct a search-and-rescue mission on her own past and identity. It will cut to the heart of what she holds to be true and good. As in previous novels, Picoult creates compelling, three-dimensional characters who tell a story in alternating voices about what it might mean to be a good parent and a good person, to be true to ourselves and those we love. Picoult weaves together plot and characterization in a landscape that is fleshed out in rich, journalistic detail, so that readers will come away with intriguing questions rather than pat answers. Author tour. (Mar.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Well-oiled Picoult sets her latest expertly devised search-and-rescue tale in rural New Hampshire, where a kidnapping case is uncovered 28 years too late. As usual, Picoult (My Sister's Keeper, 2004, etc.) spins a terrifically suspenseful tale by developing just the right human-interest elements to make a workable story. Single mom Delia Hopkins works with the local Wexton police and a bloodhound named Greta to find lost children. Delia's close relationship with her divorced, 60-ish father, Andrew, who runs a senior-citizens' home, grows strained when he's suddenly arrested on kidnapping charges. The victim is Delia herself, named Bethany Matthews before her father fled with her from a drunken Mexican mother in Arizona. For 28 of her 32 years, Delia has believed her mother was dead. With Andrew extradited to Phoenix, the strange history of the case unravels, complicated by the choice of Delia's fiance, Eric (father of daughter Sophie), as Andrew's lawyer and the assignment of her childhood buddy Fitz to cover the case for his newspaper. Picoult is a thorough, perceptive writer who deliberately presents alternating viewpoints, so that the truth seems constantly to be shifting. When Delia finally meets the attractive, remarried Elise Vasquez, she can't quite vilify a woman who has been sober for many years and works as a curandera (healer). Her father's story is both suspect and understandable, especially in light of his horrific treatment in prison, caught up in the violence of rival gangs. The magnetic Eric is a recovering alcoholic who falls off the wagon when stressed, while dependable, silent lover Fitz waits in the wings for his chance. Meanwhile, Delia and Sophie make a fascinatingdigression into the mythical world of the local Hopi tribe. At times, Picoult goes over the top, allowing Sophie to get lost so that Greta can find her and, at the eleventh hour, inserting into the trial the possibility of Delia's sexual abuse . An experienced novelist takes her sweet time to rich rewards: overall, an affecting saga, nicely handled. Author tour. Agent: Laura Gross

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780743454551
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Publication date: 11/15/2005
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 448
Sales rank: 59,289
Lexile: 830L (what's this?)
Product dimensions: 5.31 (w) x 8.25 (h) x 1.12 (d)

Meet the Author

Jodi Picoult

Known for expertly blending provocative themes with family conflicts and difficult moral choices, Jodi Picoult keeps her readers riveted with heartfelt yet impeccably researched novels, like the richly suspenseful Second Glance and the poignant and controversial family drama My Sister's Keeper.

Biography

Born on Long Island, New York, Jodi Picoult was convinced that the tranquil, suburban setting offered no real inspiration to her for being a writer. There was no drama; just the daily grind of families living their lives. Eventually, though, the story of this challenge became the core of Picoult's bestselling novels.

Picoult studied creative writing at Princeton, and before she graduated, she had two short stories published in Seventeen magazine. This early success inspired Picoult to devote her life to writing. After college, she paid the bills with a series of copywriting and editing jobs, and she even taught eighth grade English. Marriage and children soon followed, and while she was pregnant with her first child, she wrote her first novel, Songs of the Humpback Whale, a remarkable tale told from five different points of view that heralded a bold new voice in fiction.

In subsequent novels—including phenomenal bestsellers like My Sister's Keeper (2004) and Nineteen Minutes (2007)—Picoult has mined the complex mysteries of everyday life: love, marriage, career, family. Faced with difficult, often painful moral choices, her characters struggle to find balance in an off-kilter world fraught with danger and shattered by terrible sociological ills like domestic violence, sexual abuse, and teen suicide. Though page-turners of the highest order, Picoult's stories avoid easy solutions and provoke thoughtful reading and animated discussion. Unsurprisingly, they are a favorite choice for book clubs.

From her web site, Picoult talks about the relationship between her family and her writing. "It took me a while to find the balance," Picoult says, "but I'm a better mother because I have my writing…and I'm a better writer because of the experiences I've had as a parent that continually remind me how far we are willing to go for the people we love the most."

Good To Know

"I've gone skydiving," she told us, "and I'd do it again—if I didn't have kids.

Picoult and her family own two Jersey calves, named Decalf and Coffee.

On her official web site, Picoult reveals some fun and fascinating facts about herself, including:

Before becoming a novelist, Picoult worked at a two-person ad agency, where her main responsibility was "to keep the owner's wife from finding out he was sleeping with the freelance art director."

If she could invite anyone, living or dead, to a dinner party, Picoult's guest list would include Ernest Hemingway, Alice Hoffman, William Shakespeare, Mel Gibson, and Emeril Lagasse.

Other than writing, other talents of Picoult's include making Linzer tortes and broccoli soup, and childbirth. "I'm awfully good at giving birth—quickly, no drugs, etc.—though that definitely has a limited appeal," she quips.

1. Hometown:
  
  Hanover, New Hampshire
1. Date of Birth:
  
  May 19, 1966
2. Place of Birth:
  
  Nesconset, Long Island, NY
1. Education:
  
  A.B. in Creative Writing, Princeton University; M.A. in Education, Harvard University
2. Website:
  
  http://www.jodipicoult.com/

Read an Excerpt

Prologue

I was six years old the first time I disappeared.

My father was working on a magic act for the annual Christmas show at the senior center, and his assistant, the receptionist who had a real gold tooth and false eyelashes as thick as spiders, got the flu. I was fully prepared to beg my father to be part of the act, but he asked, as if I were the one who would be doing him a favor.

Like I said, I was six, and I still believed that my father truly could pull coins out of my ear and find a bouquet of flowers in the folds of Mrs. Kleban's chenille housecoat and make Mr. van Looen's false teeth disappear. He did these little tricks all the time for the elderly folks who came to play bingo or do chair aerobics or watch old black-and-white movies with soundtracks that crackled like flame. I knew some parts of the act were fake -- his fiddlehead mustache, for example, and the quarter with two heads -- but I was one hundred percent sure that his magic wand had the ability to transport me into some limbo zone, until he saw fit to call me back.

On the night of the Christmas show, the residents of three different assisted-living communities in our town braved the cold and the snow to be bused to the senior center. They sat in a semicircle watching my father while I waited backstage. When he announced me -- the Amazing Cordelia! -- I stepped out wearing the sequined leotard I usually kept in my dress-up bin.

I learned a lot that night. For example, that part of being the magician's assistant means coming face-to-face with illusion. That invisibility is really just knotting your body in a certain way and letting the black curtain fall over you. That people don't vanish into thin air; that when you can't find someone, it's because you've been misdirected to look elsewhere.

First Chapter

Vanishing Acts

By Jodi Picoult

Atria

Copyright © 2005 Jodi Picoult
All right reserved.
ISBN: 0-7434-5454-5

Prologue

I was six years old the first time I disappeared.

Like I said, I was six, and I still believed that my father truly could pull coins out of my ear and find a bouquet of flowers in the folds of Mrs. Kleban's chenille housecoat and make Mr. van Looen's false teeth disappear. He did these little tricks all the time for the elderly folks who came to play bingo or do chair aerobics or watch old black-and-white movies with soundtracks that crackled like flame. I knew some parts of the act were fake - his fiddlehead mustache, for example, and the quarter with two heads - but I was one hundred percent sure that his magic wand had the ability to transport me into some limbo zone, until he saw fit to call me back.

On the night of the Christmas show, the residents of three different assisted-living communities in our town braved the cold and the snow to be bused to the senior center. They sat in a semicircle watching my father while I waited backstage. When he announced me - the Amazing Cordelia! - I stepped out wearing the sequined leotard I usually kept in my dress-up bin.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult Copyright © 2005 by Jodi Picoult. Excerpted by permission.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Introduction

VANISHING ACTS

Jodi Picoult

Questions & Topics for Discussion

1. When she learns she was kidnapped as a child, Delia's choice of profession takes on a new significance. What motivated Delia to pursue a career in search-and-rescue? Does she view it differently once she knows about her past?

2. Delia says that as children she, Fitz, and Eric each had their roles: "Fitz was the dreamer; I was the practical tactician. Eric, on the other hand, was the front man: the one who could charm adults or other kids with equal ease." Have they continued these roles into adulthood? How so? Is each one comfortable in his or her role, or is there a longing to be something different?

3. In one instance Eric muses that "there are people in this world who have done worse things than Andrew Hopkins." What is your opinion of what Andrew did—taking Delia away from her mother and creating a new life for the two of them? From a legal standpoint, is he guilty of a crime? How about from a moral standpoint?

4. Andrew himself says, "Does it really matter why I did it? By now, you've already formed your impression. You believe that an act committed a lifetime ago defines a man, or you believe that a person's past has nothing to do with his future." A person cannot change his or her past actions, but can they make up for the hurt they've caused by helping others? Does the good that Andrew has done for the town of Wexton and for the senior citizens in his care—not to mention the happy childhood he gave Delia—make up for or excuse his taking his daughter? What do you make of Elise's remark to Andrew that Delia "turned out absolutely perfect"?

5. Eric believes thathe does not have "the experience or the wits or the confidence" to represent Andrew. Why then does he agree to take on the case? Why does he continue to act as Andrew's attorney even when it causes tension between him and Delia?

6. In one instance Delia says to Fitz about meeting her mother for the first time, "I want this to be perfect. I want her to be perfect. But what if she's not? What if I'm not?" How does the reality measure up when she finally meets her mother? What kind of understanding do Delia and Elise come to? Why does Elise give Delia the "spell"—is it to help Andrew or her daughter?

7. Delia believes "it takes two people to make a lie work: the person who tells it, and the one who believes it." How do the characters in the novel, including Delia herself, prove this to be true?

8. During the trial, Eric tells the court he is an alcoholic. What does the exchange between Eric and Delia while he is questioning her on the witness stand reveal about their relationship? Do they view each other differently after this exchange? As two people who love alcoholics, how does Delia's treatment of Eric differ from Andrew's treatment of Elise? Whose actions and reactions, given their partner's disease, do you support?

9. Eric says to Andrew, "Everyone deserves a second chance." How does the idea of second chances play out in Vanishing Acts? Are there any characters who deserve a second chance and don't get one? And, conversely - are there any characters who do get a second chance - and squander it?

10. Elise tells Delia, "If you had grown up with me, this is one of the things I would have tried to teach you: marry a man who loves you more than you love him. Because I have done both now, and when it is the other way around, there is no spell in the world that can even out the balance." Discuss this in terms of Delia's relationships with both Eric and Fitz. Which man do you think Delia should be with, and why?

11. Both Delia and Sophie quickly develop a close relationship with Ruthann. When Ruthann commits suicide, Delia is there to witness it. Why does she not try to stop Ruthann? What does Delia come to realize about herself from this experience?

12. Many of the chapters told from Andrew's point of view occur while he is in prison, "where everyone reinvents himself." What do these scenes, which depict in graphic detail the harsh realities of life behind bars, reveal about Andrew? What do they add to the overall storyline?

13. Right versus wrong is a dominant theme in Vanishing Acts—whether Andrew was right or wrong to kidnap Delia, whether Eric is right or wrong to hide his continued drinking from Delia, whether Delia is right or wrong not to stop Ruthann. How do the multiple perspectives in the story blur these lines and show how two people can view the same situation completely different? Were there any instances where you changed your mind about something in the story after reading a different character's viewpoint?

14. Fitz tells Delia, "I think you're angry at yourself, for not being smart enough to figure this out all on your own...If you don't want someone to change your life for you again, Dee, you've got to change it yourself." How do Fitz's words make Delia see her circumstances differently?

15. Ruthann introduces Delia to the Hopi creation myth, which suggests that humans have outgrown the world four times already, and are about to inhabit a fifth. Do most people outgrow their origins? Is reinvention part of the human experience? How do each of the characters' actions support or disprove this?

16. At one point, we learn that Fitz has not been writing about Andrew's trial, but about Delia. In fact, when he reads the first few pages to her, we can recognize them as the first few pages of this book. How does this affect the story you read? Is Fitz a reliable narrator?

17. Much is made of the nature of memory - whether it is stored physically, whether it can be conjured at will, whether it can be organically triggered or planted. Ultimately, do you believe Delia's recovered memories at the end of the book? Why or why not?

18. How are each of the main characters—Delia, Fitz, Eric, Andrew, and Elise—most changed by the events that take place? Where do you envision the characters five years from now?

Reading Group Guide

VANISHING ACTS

Jodi Picoult

Questions & Topics for Discussion

3. In one instance Eric muses that "there are people in this world who have done worse things than Andrew Hopkins." What is your opinion of what Andrew did--taking Delia away from her mother and creating a new life for the two of them? From a legal standpoint, is he guilty of a crime? How about from a moral standpoint?

4. Andrew himself says, "Does it really matter why I did it? By now, you've already formed your impression. You believe that an act committed a lifetime ago defines a man, or you believe that a person's past has nothing to do with his future." A person cannot change his or her past actions, but can they make up for the hurt they've caused by helping others? Does the good that Andrew has done for the town of Wexton and for the senior citizens in his care--not to mention the happy childhood he gave Delia--make up for or excuse his taking his daughter? What do you make of Elise's remark to Andrew that Delia "turned out absolutely perfect"?

5. Eric believes that he does not have "the experience or the wits or the confidence" to represent Andrew. Why then does he agree to take on the case? Why does he continue to act as Andrew's attorney even when it causes tension between him and Delia?

7. Delia believes "it takes two people to make a lie work: the person who tells it, and the one who believes it." How do the characters in the novel, including Delia herself, prove this to be true?

13. Right versus wrong is a dominant theme in Vanishing Acts--whether Andrew was right or wrong to kidnap Delia, whether Eric is right or wrong to hide his continued drinking from Delia, whether Delia is right or wrong not to stop Ruthann. How do the multiple perspectives in the story blur these lines and show how two people can view the same situation completely different? Were there any instances where you changed your mind about something in the story after reading a different character's viewpoint?

18. How are each of the main characters--Delia, Fitz, Eric, Andrew, and Elise--most changed by the events that take place? Where do you envision the characters five years from now?

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4

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5774980

Posted January 2, 2011

please dont ruin it for others

with the person 2 reviews down from me giving everything away, why bother buying the book? please dont do that. youre doing a real disservice to the author and to those of us who would have liked to find out what happened ourselves. a review tells what you thought of it, it doesnt retell the story and ruin it for others. thanks.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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bookworm2694

Posted May 6, 2010

I Also Recommend:

Not the Greatest

After reading the back cover of this book I was intrigued. It sounded like an adult version of Face on the Milk Carton which I loved. It turned out to be nothing like this. I felt that the plot line ended up being confusing and not very interesting. She wasted a lot of time writing about Indian folklore that had nothing to do with the plot. The main character was unlikable, stringing along two men throughout the entire book and her personality was unrealistic. The plot twist at the end also was very rushed and didn't seem to fit in with the novel at all. Overall not one of Picoult's best books. I would not suggest reading this book unless you wanted a frivolous non stimulating novel for the beach. Nineteen Minutes and My Sister's Keeper were MUCH better.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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CeCeSG

Posted July 8, 2011

more from this reviewer

If you've not read Jodi Picoult before, start here!

Wow! This is one book that left me feeling so deeply, it's almost hard to put into words. Its the first time I've read a book by Ms. Picoult. I read it for my book club, and it's not one I would have normaly selected to read on my own... and I would have missed out. So many things stand out to me about this book. The presentation of the story from several of the character's perspective is nothing short of literary genius. It affords you the reader a fuller, broader, more well rounded story because it's all in the first person. The second thing that stands out for me was the amount of research that went into this story. Kudos to Ms. Picoult for a job exceptionally done. It added to the vibrant fabric of this well crafted story in such a natural way that it only enhanced the experience of reading it. And of course there was the story itself. I could talk about the story, the characters, the revelations. But honestly all I can think of is love. The love of a father for his daughter. The bond that such a love can create. It's about when your life is put on trial and under the microscope, what realizations, enlightenments do you come away with. If you haven't read a Ms. Picoult book start here. STATS: EBook pagers (Nook):359

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted June 8, 2010

I Also Recommend:

Loved it!

I loved this book by Jodi! Even though the other reviews say its unrealistic, i think its something you dont really expect. You should read it anyways! You be the judge of this book (:

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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mcfly2392

Posted September 28, 2009

more from this reviewer

I Also Recommend:

Very Good!! Thought Provoking!

This book was very good. Once again Jodi Piccoult takes what one would think of as a black and white issue and she leads you through all of the grey areas. I loved it!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted September 12, 2009

Amazing book

I orginally bought this as a gift for my daughter, she loved it. She gave it to me afterwards. We both love Jodi Picoult and have read several of her books. Would highly recommend!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Pandanne

Posted July 18, 2009

Great Summer Read

I was given a copy of this book to read and have just fallen in love with the authors style of writing. If you are looking for a great book to spend a few hours reading, I highly reccommend this one! I look forward to reading other books that she has written.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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jpoling13

Posted May 24, 2009

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Not my favorite Picoult...

I didn't even bother finishing this one. I have loved every other Jodi Picoult book I've read, but this one. There was something about the main character (Delia) that got on my nerves. And everyone else in the book was so in love with her. I say skip this one and pick up another one of Picoult's awesome books instead.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted April 26, 2005

A good read!

I liked this book and it's characters. I sometimes got sick of the narrators switching each chapter, but I liked the Dee and Andrew chapters a lot. I also felt as if there was too much history on the Native American ways. Overall I enjoyed the plot and would recommend this book. I have already started 'My Sister's Keeper' by Picoult.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted December 31, 2011

One of my favorites by picoult!

This is great book
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8308218

Posted May 17, 2011

Read it!

I wasn't sure if i would like it that much, but once i got into the book by a few chapters, i couldn't put it down! I have yet to read a book by Picoult that isn't awesome!
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5998369

Posted May 16, 2011

Another Good Read!!

Loved it!
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Avid_Reader_TC

Posted May 6, 2011

more from this reviewer

WOW!

Can't stop reading . . . Incredible read!
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7471751

Posted February 24, 2011

great book!

this was definately worth reading, it covered all emotions.. i cried got angry ect. makes you think about the difficult decissions people have to face every day and how they are able to cope with the cards they've been dealt.
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mommof2

Posted February 15, 2011

Highly recommend

Excellent book. Causes one to wonder what you'd do given the same circumstances.
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kkc822

Posted January 17, 2011

awesome

coudnt put this book down, i think it is one of her bests!!!
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6651229

Posted December 31, 2010

Great Book

Jodi has done it this time. You should read it, it's a 'Great Book'
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Anonymous

Posted October 19, 2010

Great book, not so great ending

I thought this was a really good book. The main reason I read it was because I read My Sisters Keeper and I really liked the writing style Jody Picoult uses. In each chapter a different person speaks and changes it up from one persons point of perspective to being able to read the story from more than just the main characters point of view. One of the other reasons I chose this book because Jody Picoult always seems to put a twist in the story when you're not expecting it. She has a way of keeping the reader enthralled in the story. I also enjoy the kind of books where it takes you through the procedures of the court to decide what is justified and what isn't. The thing I didn't like to much about this book was how much sexually content in the book and how detailed it was. And how many people died when it was unnecessary. The people that died were usually the people that you would just barely get to know and have a soft spot for so when they died it was extremely sad. It was pretty surprising to me they decided in Vanishing Acts. I didn't think the jury would decide that a father kidnapping his own child to get her away from an alcoholic mother. I think what he did was right though; I would do the same thing if I were in that position. And then when Andrew, the father, told the whole court that he caught Victor, Delia's step-father, sexually abusing his daughter, Delia, it totally surprised me. This book had a lot of twists in it and I think that's what made me want to keep reading it. The most surprising thing in this story I thought was when Delia had a perfect fiancé and had a daughter with him already and she went of and had an affair with her best friend! And then she kissed him right in front of Eric right after they had won the case because of Eric. Another twist that surprised me was finding out that Ruthanne had cancer and she was refusing to do chemo. Then she and Delia went to the Indian Reservation for a family reunion and she went to a place where all Indians go when they're about to die. She was a great character that I don't think she needed to die but it added more depth to the story and more of an understanding of how fragile life really is. Overall I thought this was a great book and I would definitely recommend it to someone who doesn't have a hard time following a story that jumps from character to character. It had so many different twists and turns to it that it made it hard to put it down. If you're the kind of person who enjoys reading about the court system through a story of many perspectives then I would think that you would be the type of person that would be interested in reading this book.
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hermioneNM

Posted July 28, 2010

I Also Recommend:

Interesting

As with all of Jodi Picoult's books, the topic was intriguing. However, as the book progressed, I thought it became too mystical and lacked storyline and drama. This remains the only downfall of Jodi Picoult's writing. She often gets carried away by Native American magic and folklore, that few would find interesting, and only serve as a backdrop and don't really have anything to do with the story. I am often tempted to skip entire sections in order to get back to the story. This was not one of my favorites of her's.
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danadee12

Posted June 29, 2010

i could not put this one down!!

i loved this book, it was passed on to me from a friend! it was suspenseful, i just could not stop!
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Vanishing Acts

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Meet the Author

Jodi Picoult

Biography

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Read an Excerpt

First Chapter

Vanishing Acts

Atria

Prologue

Introduction

Reading Group Guide

Rating Distribution

please dont ruin it for others

Not the Greatest

If you've not read Jodi Picoult before, start here!

Loved it!

Very Good!! Thought Provoking!

Amazing book

Great Summer Read

Not my favorite Picoult...

A good read!

One of my favorites by picoult!

Read it!

Another Good Read!!

WOW!

great book!

Highly recommend

awesome

Great Book

Great book, not so great ending

Interesting

i could not put this one down!!