House Rules

Written by Rachel Sontag

Narrated by Nicole Poole

Author Rachel Sontag recounts her dysfunctional childhood in this shocking memoir. On the surface, Rachel's physician father seemed perfect. He was well liked and equally respected in suburban Chicago. But home life was far different. An obsessive and manipulative man, he exercised complete control over everything, including the length of Rachel's hair and fingernails. Eventually, Rachel fought to break free and make some sense of her damaged life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 3, 2008
• ISBN: 9781436133029

Rachel Sontag

Rachel Sontag was born and raised in Evanston, Illinois. She received her MFA in creative writing from the New School. She lives in New York City.

Reviews for House Rules

[fitrun77 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

She goes on way too long. Repetitive. She also never says what happens in her life after the final visit

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This story is told from five points of view and they are woven together to talk about the time Jacob Hunt is accused of murder. Jacob is eighteen years old and is most notable for having Asperger's. He is currently obsessed with forensics. He watches and takes notes on a television program called Crimebusters and treasures his police scanner. He sets up crime scenes for his mother to analyze. He has no friends but does have relationship with college graduate student Jess Ogilvy who has been hired to help teach Jacob how to get along in social situations.Jacob's mother Emma also tells us about Jacob and her life in the sections that in her point of view. She clearly shows that having a son with Asperger's and advocating for him is more than a full time job. She loves her son but she also realizes how much caring for him has changed her life.Jacob's younger brother Theo also shares his point of view. He shares his frustration with having Jacob as a brother. His needs always come second in their household and he resents that someday he will be the one who has to take care of his brother. He has developed a recent "hobby" of wandering into other people's homes and taking small souvenirs. I felt really sorry for him as I was reading because I could easily see how difficult his life with Jacob was.The fourth point of view is from Detective Rich Matson who is called in when murder victim Jess Ogilvy is thought to be a missing person. He has interacted with Jacob when Jacob showed up at a crime scene of a man who died of hypothermia. He is the divorced father of a seven year old daughter. He doesn't know anything about Asperger's when the story begins and treats Jacob as he would any normal person.The final viewpoint character in Oliver Bond. Oliver is a new lawyer who is hired by Emma when Jacob is arrested for the murder of Jess Ogilvy. Oliver has never handled a murder case but he is determined to do his best for Jacob.Each viewpoint character has a very distinct voice. Together all the viewpoints tell the story but, even so, it wasn't until the very end of the book that the reader finds out what actually happened when Jess dies.The story was compellingly readable. I couldn't put it down because I was so involved with Jacob and Emma. This was an entertaining mystery with a unique main character.

[merrittfamily1990 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was definitely not my favorite Jodi Picoult book. Two words: split infinitives! They were everywhere throughout the book. Since each chapter is told from a different character's perspective, I thought maybe she used these on purpose to sound more like the characters would if they were really doing the talking; however, I realized that couldn't be the case, when, by the end of the book, every character had employed a split infinitive at least once! (including the main character, Jacob, who has Asperger's Syndrome. I couldn't believe that character would actually speak that way because he was supposedly extremely intelligent, and an ardent "rule follower").

All that aside, I was also bothered by a few inconsistencies in the characters that others have also mentioned, such as the fact that Jacob is described at the beginning of the book as having military short hair, but later in the book, the mother speaks of having to wipe the hair away from his eyes.

I figured out early on what had actually happened, but figured I must be wrong, because surely the character who had played such a pivotal role in another character's death would speak up and at least have a conversation with one (or more!) of the other characters somewhere throughout the story about the nature of his involvement! (sorry -- I'm trying not to give away any key aspects of the mystery!) It didn't seem genuine to me that this particular character would actually behave this way, considering he is also very bright, AND he isn't hindered by the behavioral issues associated with Asperger's. I think he would have had an intrinsic need to stand up for his brother as he was being accused of murder because he is saddled with the empathy that so-called "normal" people are prone to, but that his brother was incapable of experiencing. But, then again, if that had happened, the book would have probably been a lot shorter!

[wellreadsoutherner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

And another one of hers that hooked me from the start. On this one I kind of saw the end coming and so it was a little uneventful at the end compared to some others for me. However, I really was fascinated by the inside look into a family with a child that has Asperger's.

[shellyq-532126 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

`This is my first book by Jodi Picoult and it definitely won't be my last! I thoroughly enjoyed reading and unraveling the mystery behind the murder of Jacob's tutor. I especially liked how this book was written from every characters point of view. I found it interesting learning more about Asperger's syndrome and the complexities of living with this illness.The main character is Jacob Hunt who is a teenager with Asperger's syndrome. He is in high school and although his is brilliant, his social skills are nil. His mother Emma hires Jacob a tutor. Jess starts to work with Jacob and they get along great. But, when Jess goes missing and then shows up murdered Jacob becomes the number one suspect.The plot keeps you guessing through the trial and your heart strings definitely get pulled. I would highly recommend this book.

[jonimfisher · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I suppose Jodi Picoult’s House Rules could be a domestic or family drama, but I am listing it as suspense. A 631-page stunning tale of family dynamics with a memorable special-needs son and the effect of his Asperger’s on the family, the community, and the legal system. The reader gets mesmerizing insights from the various characters caught up in the family nightmare.
I adore Picoult's realistically-drawn characters. Their personal views and interpretations deepen this story. It lingers with the reader long after the reading is done.

[carolee888 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is my favorite of Jodi Picoult's books! I grew up with a younger brother who is severely autistic. He grew up in the 1950's when not much was known about the spectrum. I was really interested in what Jacob Hunt had available to him. It gave more information about Asperger's too. Jacob Hunt was accused of murdering his tutor in social interaction. His fixation with Criminal Investigation and crime scenes never bored me. I am glad the author choose that area, an area that I am familiar with. It seemed weird that an unexperienced attorney would take on the defense without any previous experience instead referring it. But he was an interesting character so I just relaxed and told myself that it was fiction. Jacob's mother world spun around him. I can understand that, my mother was the same way. I was never jealous of all her time and energy spent on trying to help my brother. As and older sibling, I just wanted to help. His younger brother had a different experience than I did but that makes sense too. Jacob's parents did not have their marriage survive. That is the norm. My parent's marriage broke under the enormous strain of having an autistic child. The funny thing is that I knew the answer to murder mystery right away so even though the trial and everything that lead up to Jacob's arrest were interesting. I wanted to step in and show them that the police were not understanding why they were not handing the case right. But I did enjoy the book so much. Listening to Jacob's story taught me more about my brother and I felt sad that he never had a wonderful place to go to de-stress when he was growing, If you are sibling of someone on the spectrum, I think you would very much enjoy this book too.

[yhgail · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The more I think about this book the less I like it. It's at a 3 minus, probably should be a 2.

The author's technique - spend an endless amount of time on items that she feels secure about. Fast gloss when the author didn't figure out anything reasonable.

And I just did not like the characters.

[daniel.malcor · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Julie and Robin got me started here. Reading on the Kindle App on the iPad/iPhone

[annie24_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Predictable

[ddjtj1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

HOUSE RULES BY JODI PICOULT: Believe me when I tell you I would have never chosen to read a book from this author but it was my "blind date" book from my local library so I picked it and I read it. I did not read all of it because the middle part of the "mystery" was the trial which drug on and on. Needless to say I was very surprised that what sections I did read I enjoyed. I enjoyed the characters they were well rounded and very believable, from Emma the mother to Oliver the attorney the author created a pretty well rounded story. If only the murder trial had not slugged its way thru most of the book it would have gotten higher ratings from me.

[bereanna · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wanted to keep reading this book because I wanted to find out "who done it." The details were a little overdone for me, but it had authentic-feeling actions and descriptions of the lead character, an 18-year-old with autism. I believe that this one was a little stretched and could not really happen in real life, but the autistic behaviors were teaching moments for me and that part I loved.

[schoolnurse_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed the audio version of this book. I listened to it while driving to our vacation spot earlier this summer. My husband was forced to hear parts of this book while I drove and he has never experienced an audio book before. We both work in education and enjoyed this book a lot! The writing and speaking voice of Jacob who has Asperger's was spot on and very believable. We even quote parts of this book to each other at times. Although I didn't care to much for the ending and there were no big surprise twists, it was still a great book and one of my favorite Picoult books.

[mtlkch-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Repetitive and I was very disappointed in the ending.

[heatherlinc · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's been a long time since I've read a really good book by Picoult, but thankfully this one delivers. It is a real page turner and, although it doesn't have the twist that most of Jodi's books have, it would have to be one of my favourites by this author. I particularly loved the voices of Jacob, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome and becomes so frustrated trying to make 'normal' people understand him and Emma, who gives a wonderful insight into raising a child with Asperger's. A great read!

[carmenmilligan · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The cover of this book is very deceiving in that the boy on the cover is NOT the main character. As a matter of fact, the boy on the cover doesn't even make an appearance in the book. Jacob is eighteen years old, over 6 ft tall, and weighs 185 pounds. A formidable man. His younger brother is Theo, a 15-year-old on the cusp of getting his driving permit. The boy on the cover, I suppose is a red herring.

Emma is the mother of these two. Caught in the world of being a single parent to a special-needs child who doesn't look so special needs, and a "normal" teenager who is constantly bearing the brunt of broken promises, unmet expectations, and hurt feelings. All through no fault of his own.

The story is riveting, following the characters through their own chapters of first-person narration. As is usual for Picoult, the tale is timely and hard to put down. I found myself pulling for each character, even the hard-boiled police detective; Henry, the absentee father; and, Oliver, the fresh-from-school attorney Emma happens upon because he's open on Sunday.

The ending, however, leaves me in a quandary. Without giving away any spoilers, we find what happened to our victim, who is responsible, and ... well ... that's about it. There is no other resolution, no moving forward. It just kind of ends. Because this is not the first Picoult book I've read, I have to assume that this was a tactic that she chose intentionally, and have thought through how she intended this to add to the reading experience.

And that is why I am giving 3 looks instead of 4. Because I could not figure out what it was.

Recommended.

[mirrani_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

First of all, the performance of this book was really very good. Each character is narrated by a different person, making the story easy to follow and quick to suck you in. This is the type of reading where not only is each character portrayed by a different reader, but each reader uses voice intonations when quoting other characters in the section they are reading. This is fine, except for the times when someone forgets and whoever was editing didn't notice the slip, which can throw the listener off for a second or two.The story itself is told from the point of view of several different people, including each of the family members and some of the people they come in contact with. The mother has two sons, one with Asperger's and one without. We follow the family through their regular lives until a murder mystery appears and the older son, Jacob, becomes involved because of his obsession with forensics. His Asperger's traits end up putting him on trial for the murder and the readers are left to work though the crime along with the characters. Did he do it, or didn't he? The book is as much a study of autism as it is an actual mystery.Admittedly, I was able to work out the case fairly early on, but that is something I do quite frequently. Other readers might have more difficulty and ride along with the characters on their interesting tale of suspicion up to the very end. I don't think you have to be kept in the dark about what happened in order to enjoy this story, though. The writing was excellent, the characters where strong and the storytelling superb. Like Jacob, I could probably go through this crime story again and again without ever getting bored.

[emblue-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyed this -- couldn't put it down and wanted to just keep reading. (Wasn't thrilled with the ending, but after reading an interview with Jodi Picoult giving her thoughts about what happened in the end, I'm better with it.)

[kebets_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Picoult continues to provide something to think and think and think about. How does she do that?? This was our March book club book and I am just finishing it right now...I know a little slow, but it was well worth it!This is the story of Jacob, his mother Emma and his younger brother Theo. It is also the story of how a family copes with an all-consuming, life altering, diagnosis. Jacob has Asperger's. He is brilliant and unable to connect, obsessed and childlike all at the precise moment. His meltdowns span of shirts with buttons and eating the wrong colored food on a specific day and have torn apart his family. Mom is ultra-focused on Jacob and Theo breaks into 'normal' family houses.Into this mix come Jess Oglivy. She is Jacob's social skills tutor and the object of Jacob's love. She is also found dead in a culvert behind the house she was staying in wrapped in Jacob's quilt.I do have to say I had this figured out way before the end - I think Picoult wanted you do to that though. The purpose of the book was not figuring out what happened to Jess - instead it was figuring out what happens to a family who suspects one of their own. The story is about the trial of Jacob for Jess's murder.How does a parent who has forfeited her life handle the idea her son may be a murderer? What about the father who deserted them? How does the legal system deal with an man with Asperger's on the stand - one who needs sensory breaks and can't stand loose hair around a woman's shoulder or the sound and sight of a crumpled paper?In typical Picoult fashion the reader is drawn into a world too painful to really understand, one where surprising moments of pure joy and peace appear and the bad guys are not always the bad guys.

[sraelling · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Not my favorite Picoult story. I had it figured out within the first 100 pages (rarely happens). Mom was responsible for many of her problems, all by herself.

[angelswing_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is such an unusual book. As with all of Jodi Picoult's books that I've read it's also about family dynamics and the complex relationships involved. This is a mystery that will keep you guessing till the very end. I highly recommend it. Lone Wolf is also a great book by Picoult. Check them out.

[feenie1010 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Liked the book up till the end of it; then it just fell flat. Like a few other readers stated predictable & just fell flat. Truly disappointed in the ending.

[olegalca · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

With Jodi Picoult, it's often "hit and miss" with regards to whether or not I'll enjoy one of her books. This one was a hit.

[judithdcollins · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

By far one of Jodi's best thus far - have read all... A Must Read! "

[wassilissa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jacon ist Asperger-Autist, 18 Jahre alt und besessen von Polizeiarbeit. Er wird des Mordes an seiner Tutorin Jess verdächtigt, denn "in den Augen der anderen" weist alles auf ihn als Täter hin. Der Roman ist aus verschiedenen Perspektiven dargestellt, Jacob selbst, seine alleinerziehende Mutter, sein Bruder, der ermittelnde Polizist und der Anwalt sind die Erzähler.Das Buch ist interessant. Besonders am Ende, wenn man dann weiß, wie alles abgelaufen ist, gibt die Geschichte und Jacobs Handeln sehr viel Sinn. Unterwegs ist das Buch etwas langatmig. Im Gegensatz zu Picoults anderen Büchern (etwa dem großartigen "19 Minuten", an das es vom Aufbau und den Personen her durchaus erinnert) ist es mir fast zu sehr nach Strickmuster gefertigt und etwas uninspiriert geschrieben. Doch Picoult wäre nicht Picoult, wenn sie nicht auch aus einem etwas uninspirierten Buch etwas Tolles machen würde: Das Buch hat sehr eindrucksvolle Szenen, die einen lange beschäftigen und bedrücken.Mich als Inklusionsforscherin hat auch die geschilderte und wohl realistische Schule sehr beschäftigt: Jacob geht in eine inklusive Schule - doch Ausgrenzung und Exklusion sind an der Tagesordnung. Es ist halt nicht damit getan, wenn man nur die Kinder zusammenbringt.Ich muss allerdings sagen, dass ich das Thema Asperger-Autismus bald nicht mehr hören/lesen kann. Es ist einfach allgegenwärtig, fast immer in der hochfunktionellen Form (was ja bei wenigen Autisten der Fall ist). Das ist jetzt innerhalb weniger Wochen schon das dritte Buch, das ich zufällig lese, in dem dieses (Mode-?)Thema eine Rolle spielt.

[slothybooks · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This book was so bad it deserved an account being created just to encourage people to never, ever read it. Being Picoult, who I normally love, I stuck with it in anticipation of the huge twist. Nope, didn't happen. She's really become a lazy author, I guess when you're so famous that all it takes is a ''controversial'' topic to publish, why bother trying? Here we see a watered down, poorly attempted summery of pretty much every other book she writes. we have a 'neglected' sibling, the one with all the issues, a beautiful 'fierce' mother, undeveloped inappropriate romance and a long drawn out boring trial in which the state is evil and OBVIOUSLY the defendant is right. Yup, pretty much My Sister's Keeper without all the writing skill and character development that made that book so beautiful.

I found her take on Asperges (I'd love to see how many times that word comes up in the book)incorrect, unrealistic and at times downright insulting. Although I do appreciate how she was trying to illustrate the effects Asperges has not only on the individual but the family also, she went WAY too far- Theo blaming it for the reason he has no friends? Come on! I'm not sure if she was actually trying to lead her audience into hating anyone with this condition or if she was challenging us to be clever enough to ignore her but either way, I am unimpressed. The self awareness Jacob demonstrates is completely inconsistent with how she attempts to portray him and similarly each and every character displays similar flaws; from Emma, the perfect mom who ignores her younger son, theo who's constantly fighting between criminality and 'just wanting a normal family....' the lawyer who falls madly in love with his client's mom in about 24 hours... the whole thing's ridiculous. Even the trial seemed unrealistic, which is surprising as in court scenes Picoult usually astounds me with a perfect balance between in-depth knowledge and expertly written fiction.

Anyway, enough of this. I have not completely given up on her as an author as this is the first bad book of hers I've read. Hopefully it will be the jolt she needs to stop taking her fame for granted and go back to writing the amazing stories that were Mercy and My Sister's Keeper.

[shouldireadit · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jacob has been accused of murdering his Social Skills teacher Jess. No one can believe Jacob would do such a thing because he never breaks rules and loved Jess. However, when he confesses he did it because it was the right thing to do, it seems he's sealed his own fate in the eyes of the law and is arrested. Oliver, working his first criminal law case, tries to pull out all the stops to get him acquitted, but Jacob's Asperger's keeps getting in the way. Picoult weaves a family story of a teen boy involved in a murder he may or may not have committed, his younger brother, Theo, who wishes his life and brother could just be normal, and a mother who has dedicated her entire life to Jacob - sometimes forgetting all about Theo in the process of helping Jacob. Readers learn a great deal about autism, Asperger's, and how this disorder affects not only the person with it, but his/her family members. Hopefully, this knowledge will translate to more compassion and understanding towards those on the Asperger Spectrum.

[kraysaulis · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

wonderful book! Two issues 1) I couldn't put it down long enough to enjoy the rest of the world. I was completely captivated for 6 full hours pausing only long enough to refill my water glass. And 2) I figured out the ending too soon and simply found myself waiting to be proven right. I prefer to be surprised by an ending, but this was a little too easy to figure out.

However, as I head into a career working with children on the spectrum I found this to be an incredible insight into the high-functioning autistic mind.

[pat_f. · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Used-Car Saleswoman of an Author

This is the second book of hers I've read that starts with an awesome premise--in the first, My Sister's Keeper, it's the ethics of having a kid simply to supply body parts for an older sister, and what happens when said kid has had enough; in this book, it's about whether a kid with Asperger's should be convicted of a crime if he/she truly cannot appreciate that the act was wrong.

The problem with Picoult's books is that after presenting the awesome hook, getting you invested in the characters, and making it so you're dying to see how she's going to pull it off, she *never actually addresses the question.* There's some "clever" plot twist at the end that makes the rest of the book irrelevant, and the characters never have to deal with the implications of the original situation. SO frustrating.

I won't fall for this bait-and-switch tactic again. Not recommended.

[she_climber · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Maybe one of my favorite Picoult books so far. It wasn't the huge moral dilemma than always seem to end in heartache like her other books. I found it a really interesting look into the world of Asperger's, and it has made me curious to find out more which is always a sign of a good work of fiction to me. This read more as a mystery or thriller to me, although I was pretty sure I knew the "whodunit" before the author led us there and I was correct.