My Sister's Keeper
by Jodi Picoult
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Book Reviews of My Sister's Keeper
Book Review: Finished it in 3 Days !
Summary: 4 Stars
So for some reason I wanted to read this book before I saw the movie, which opens on June 26, 2009, only a few days away, I bought the book on June 20th, a Saturday and started reading, by the end of the day I was already almost 200 Pages into it, and thought I may actually finish it within the week, and I did. 3 Days, a record for me really for a book that is just shy of 500 pages. Here is my take on the book:
The book is kind of set in a series of flashbacks, which I wonder if the movie will follow the same sort of pattern. It helps develop the characters well and gives us a Present day and then a flashback to kind of let us know how they got up to the point where they are and why people have made decisions they have.
After reading the book, i'm still torn as to the ethics of Anna's conception. As someone who has undergone numerous medical procedures, I don't know that I would "want to", if I didn't "have to". I can understand Anna's frustration how she kind of feels used and invisible that she is just there for her sister, and how no one has really taken up for her and what is in HER best interests, which kind of resolves itself at the end, in a unexpected way.
It was a really good book, a nice story about family, love, sacrifice and how we become who we are and how it's important for us to find out who we are, otherwise someone else may decide that for us.
Can't wait for the Movie, at least now I'll be prepared for what will happen.
Book Review: Three Strikes and It's Out
Summary: 1 Stars
This book was selected by my book club to read for this month. I tried to get through it, for no other reason than I felt obligated to; but I couldn't. The first turn-off was the topic. It's a book about a 13 yr-old girl, Anna, who only exists to be a perpetual medical doner to her cancer ridden older sister, Kate. With Kate going to die soon, whether Anna donates more of herself or not, Anna makes the decision to sue her parents for medical emancipation. She wants to right to refuse to donate anymore of herself. It's a difficult decision, because she loves her sister, who is her best and only friend in life. Anna was conceived and lives only for Kate. She struggles to find her own place in the world, and not lose the people she cares most about. I don't know how it ends, but I assume Kate dies her innevitable death and Anna's family (mom especially) learns to love Anna as her own person, not just as the means to keep her sister alive.
Even though I objected to the story line (strike one) I kept reading. What finally was the last straw was the continual bad language (strike two) and crude/innapropriate comments (strike three). I made it to page 126 and couldn't take anymore. I shut the book and returned it to the person I borrowed it from (thank goodness I didn't purchase it!). I wouldn't recommend this to anyone, and I won't be reading anything else by this author.
Book Review: What would you do?
Summary: 5 Stars
Anna Fitzgerald is an average every day 13 year old girl. She attends school, she plays hockey, and she likes boys. In addition to all of her activities, Anna has sued her parents for rights to her body. She was genetically engineered as a perfectly matched donor for her sister, Kate, 16, who suffers from a rare form of leukemia. Winning her law suit would mean that Anna would not have to donate a kidney to her sister who is experiencing renal failure.
Her parents have very different reactions to the law suit. Her mother, a lawyer, is desperate at all costs to save her eldest daughter, while her father, Brian, a firefighter, understands the inner anguish that Anna has been going through.
In the entire mix of family struggle, you are introduced to Anna's brother, Jesse, who deals with his sister's cancer through rebellions, Campbell, Anna's attorney who has a special needs dog with no outward disability, and Julia, a bleeding heart guardian ad litum.
The story has a provocative and exceptional insight into the struggles and bonds of families and the moral implications of law and medicine.
While a serious topic, Jodi Picoult has written in light hearted humour into the plot which makes the story not only flow from page to page, but which keeps you glued to the book.
www.fraichebleu.com
Book Review: Good example of popular literature
Summary: 4 Stars
I wanted to check this novel out before seeing the movie version starring Cameron Diaz, as well as being intrigued by the subject matter. Amazon's description and many other reviewers have described the plot, so I shall not repeat those descriptions here. I was impressed with Ms. Picoult's handling of the multiple points of view (complete with different type fonts for different characters--a lovely touch), and she certainly has mastered the tricky first-person present narration.
As for the controversial surprise ending--while I thought it was awkward and unnecessary, I expect the author tossed it in because she didn't really know else how to resolve the impossible situation she created. So I'll give her a pass on it. On the other hand, I give her props for tackling the subject at all, and (as I gather from her acknowledgments) Ms. Picoult knows the subject she's written about first-hand.
Regardless, Ms. Picoult's tale is a quality example of what a "popular" novel should be. It is meant to attract a large audience, entertain and inform that audience, and provide a satisfying read. In all of those things it succeeds admirably. To ask it to do more is to be unfair. Ms. Picoult isn't Jayne Anne Phillips ("Lark and Termite," "Machine Dreams," etc.), and I doubt she wants to be.
Book Review: Powerful!
Summary: 5 Stars
This was such a powerful book! I'm not sure why I waited so long to read it. It's been sitting on my shelf for over a year, and I just kept putting it off and putting it off. I wanted to see the movie, and figured that I should probably read the book first.
Jodi Picoult did a wonderful job of exploring a topic that has so many sides and opinions. It was a book that truly made you question and think about things. But she never pushed you to agree with one viewpoint or another. Instead, she did an amazing job of showing so many different sides of the story so that you could decide for yourself what you feel was right or wrong in the situation.
Without giving away any spoilers, I just have to say that I really liked the way that she chose to end the book. I know that there is some debate over the ending, but personally, I think that it made a fantastic point. Perfect!
I listened to the audiobook. And for fans of audiobooks, I recommend it. I loved having different people reading the sections told from each persons point of view. One caution though is that there are some real tear jerker sections, so you probably don't want to be listening to it anywhere that you would be embarrassed to start crying!
This was an all around amazing read!