Picoult has this way of handling tough subjects with complete care and I think that's really rare and important. Ultimately, what I take away from this more than anything else is this:
Nothing has changed. A school shooting occurred while I read this. It wasn't the first and it won't be the last. Nothing has changed since I was in high school, since Columbine. In fact, it's escalated. And although I did wish I got just a little more out of stone of the characters, this is a must read. For everyone.