A Minute Before Friday

The main character Jonna in Jo Kadlecek's novel A Minute Before Friday exemplifies some good and bad habits of journalism. It is clear that she has an obligation to the truth and a loyalty to the citizens. She persists with the story and doesn't give up, despite some dead ends. She gets multiple, reliable sources for a well-balanced, unbiased story. She is always prepared and professional in her reporting, and has a natural curiosity to the discover the truth and become a voice for the voiceless. She does run into conflict, however, when she lets her personal life and feelings for David interfere with the story. That's a big no-no for journalism, and while journalists are human, they have to put those human emotions behind them as they write their story.