Katie Lashier

Dear Jodi Piccoult,

I read one of your novels, The Tenth Circle when I was in eighth grade and it has literally
changed me. There were numerous lessons this book has taught me. I've always been a bit of a
'Daddy's Girl' and this book was showing how far a parent would go to protect their child,
especially her dad. All my life I've never doubted that my parents loved me and would do
anything to keep me safe, but this book showed me something different. The main character of
this novel didn't really listen to her parents at the start of the book and got herself into a complete
mess of trouble. Towards the end of the book she listened, nearly hung on her fathers every word,
and trusted her parent's advice. That taught me that all the advice my parents give one any subject means something. I know now they aren't just saying it to hear themselves talk, they're saying it because they're looking out for me.

The Tenth Circle helped me out in more ways than one. In the book a daughter and father have a
really strong relationship. My dad and I have always had a strong relationship but there were a
few years I drifted a little away from him. There really wasn't a distinct reason we drifted, and it
didn't just happen in one day either. It just slowly seemed like I was becoming a teenager who
doesn't like to talk to her parents as much, and think she knows better for herself than they do.
This book sort of brought me back to him, and I'm really thankful for that. In the years I wasn't
as close to him we use to not talk about a lot, then we took a trip to St. Louis just the two of us.
The trip was for soccer but that doesn't mean we didn't get to spend a lot of time together. (Juring
the six hour car ride we listened to Oldies and talked about anything and everything under the
sun. It's one of my favorite memories of him and me. We took this trip a little while after I read
The Tenth Circle. and since I'd read that book I'd made a conscious effort to be close with my
dad again. Since I've read your novel I've maintained strong relationships with both parents,
stronger than they've ever been. I've listened to them more too, and have probably kept myself out of some trouble. I appreciate them a lot more now too, and I make sure and tell them how
much they mean to me each and everyday. So thank you for creating this novel. Your writing
styles spoke straight to my heart.

Sincerely,
Katie Lashier