Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult Summary

Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult follows thirteen-year-old Jenna Metcalf as she searches for her mother Alice, who vanished from an elephant sanctuary ten years earlier. Jenna recruits an unlikely team—Serenity Jones, a psychic who lost her abilities, and Virgil Stanhope, a former detective—to uncover the truth. The mystery unfolds through alternating perspectives, revealing family secrets, an affair, and a shocking supernatural twist that redefines everything readers thought they knew about the story.

Leaving Time appeals to readers who enjoy psychological mysteries with emotional depth and unexpected plot twists. This book is perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult's character-driven narratives, those interested in mother-daughter relationships, and readers fascinated by elephant behavior and cognition. Anyone who appreciates stories exploring grief, memory, and healing will find this novel compelling, though readers should be prepared for extensive elephant research woven throughout the narrative and paranormal elements that may divide opinion.

Leaving Time is worth reading for those who appreciate Jodi Picoult's storytelling mastery and don't mind a slower-paced mystery. The Boston Globe praised the novel, noting "Picoult does her homework, and her main themes are thoroughly researched and engrossingly presented." While reviews are mixed—some found it slow or confusing—most readers agree the surprise ending and emotional exploration of grief make it memorable. The extensive elephant research adds unique depth, though it may not appeal to every reader seeking pure suspense.

The shocking twist in Leaving Time reveals that Jenna and Virgil are actually ghosts who have been dead for ten years without realizing it. Jenna was killed as a three-year-old by Nevvie, who smashed her head with a rock in revenge for her daughter Grace's suicide. Virgil died by suicide after failing to solve the case originally. The revelation that both narrators have been deceased throughout their investigation reframes the entire story, explaining why Serenity couldn't connect with the spirit world—she was already surrounded by ghosts.

Elephants serve as both setting and powerful symbolism in Leaving Time, with the story unfolding at an elephant sanctuary where Alice Metcalf researched elephant grief behavior. Jodi Picoult extensively researched elephant cognition and mourning rituals, drawing parallels between how elephants grieve their dead and Jenna's longing for her mother. The elephants' capacity for memory and maternal bonding mirrors the mother-daughter themes, with one elephant even covering Jenna's body with dirt—a mourning ritual—after her death. This elephant research provides thematic depth while educating readers about these sensitive creatures.

Leaving Time explores grief and healing as its central themes, examining how loss affects both humans and animals. The novel investigates mother-daughter bonds, showing how love and memory transcend time and even death. Other themes include the nature of memory and its involuntary influence on the present, redemption and second chances, and the resilience of the human spirit. Jodi Picoult weaves together science and spirituality, questioning the boundaries between the physical and spirit worlds while addressing infidelity, mental illness, suicide, and the search for truth.

Leaving Time features three primary narrators who drive the investigation. Jenna Metcalf is the determined thirteen-year-old protagonist searching for her missing mother Alice, a researcher who studied elephant grief before disappearing. Serenity Jones is a once-famous psychic who doubts her abilities after a case went wrong. Virgil Stanhope is a jaded private detective and former cop struggling with alcoholism and guilt over the original investigation. Alice Metcalf appears through journal entries and flashbacks, revealing her research and personal struggles at the sanctuary.

• "The problem with time is that it goes both ways" captures the novel's exploration of how memory blurs past and present.
• This quote from Alice Metcalf highlights the non-linear nature of grief and remembrance central to Leaving Time.
• Another powerful line, "You don't get to choose what you remember," reflects Jenna's struggle to reconstruct her mother's life from fragmented memories.
• The quote "Grief is a ghost that visits you, whether you want it or not" takes on deeper meaning given the novel's supernatural twist, emphasizing grief's persistent, uninvited presence.

Jodi Picoult employs a dual narrative structure in Leaving Time, alternating between Jenna's present-day investigation and Alice's past experiences through journal entries. The story unfolds through three distinct viewpoints—Jenna, Serenity, and Virgil—offering different angles on the same events and gradually revealing information. This multi-perspective approach creates suspense and allows readers to piece together the mystery alongside the characters. The technique proves especially effective for the plot twist, as the unreliable narration conceals that Jenna and Virgil are ghosts until the revelation.

Common criticisms of Leaving Time include slow pacing that some readers found tedious and confusing narrative structure. Many reviewers felt the extensive elephant research, while well-researched, overwhelmed the plot and slowed momentum. The psychic elements proved divisive, with some readers finding Serenity's character unconvincing or the paranormal aspects jarring. Some critics argued the twist ending, though surprising, felt gimmicky or required too much suspension of disbelief. Despite these criticisms, most reviewers acknowledged the novel's emotional depth and Jodi Picoult's thorough research, even if Leaving Time wasn't their favorite of her works.

The ending of Leaving Time reveals that Alice didn't abandon her family but acts as a living character dealing with profound grief and guilt. After discovering her daughter's body has been found, Alice returns to the United States for Jenna's burial, finally achieving closure when Serenity contacts her with proof of communication from Jenna's spirit. The ending emphasizes the enduring power of maternal bonds and memory's ability to transcend death. Both Jenna and Virgil transition to the spirit realm, finding peace and redemption, while demonstrating that Serenity never truly lost her psychic abilities.

Leaving Time stands out among Jodi Picoult's works for its supernatural elements and focus on animal behavior research, distinguishing it from her typical courtroom dramas. The Globe and Mail noted "this is Picoult at the top of her game," suggesting it represents her storytelling strengths. Like her other novels, Leaving Time features meticulously researched subject matter, complex moral questions, and a signature twist ending. However, the paranormal aspects and heavy elephant content make it more divisive than straightforward Picoult novels. Readers who prefer her legal thrillers may find this departure unusual, while those appreciating emotional family dramas will recognize her trademark character development and thematic depth.