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What are readers saying about My Sister's Keeper?
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-06-12 11:33:13.
(Language: English)
  
For the record, this book had been recommended to me and highly rated by a number of friends. When a book or movie or television show is given too much hype, the result is often sky-high expectations that fail to be met by a mediocre piece of work. This novel is no exception. While I appreciate Picoult's personal attachment to the subject matter and the fact that her novel calls attention to the necessity for continued efforts in stem-cell research, I cannot applaud the book itself. The voice never seems to change, despite the fact that the story is narrated by no fewer than six different characters, all of whom are so grossly exaggerated in their traits (and flaws) that they come across as caricatures of what the author originally intended them to be. In other words, the narrative is not particularly well-written or convincing. If nothing else, this book made me appreciate my own sister that much more and effectively distracted me from an otherwise grueling 9 hours of air travel.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-06-24 08:18:50.
(Language: English)
This book raises an extreme ethical dilemma of our era; more and more frequently parents are having children (and sometimes aborting them for the stem cells) in order to "save" their other child. My Sister's Keeper raises the question: what happens to the life long donnor, the anna's of this world? This is truly an amazing novel in which a teenage girl's quest to find herself may result in her beloved sister's death.I finished the book in one night, it was such a page turner. Filled with memorable and flawed characters, My Sister's Keeper holds surprises and an ending you will never see coming. I have NEVER cried at the end of a book but I balled like a baby at the end of this novel. This is a novel every modern day person needs to read to understand the pyschological consequences of overstepping moral bounds in science, of making choices that hurt the people you love the most, and a healthy degree of self sacrifice along the way.
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Helen posted a review at 2009-09-27 04:13:02.
(Language: English)
I liked the way the chapters were written, from the view point of each family member and the other adults involved. It's an excellent way to get to know the characters well and I felt quite attached to most of them, although not Sara so much. However her address after she drops her papers in court and speaks from the heart moved me. I could relate to the medical procedures and symptoms, the need for a sense of humour as well as the fear involved, having had a sibling with leukaemia. The end I wasn't expecting at all...but whilst it certainly shook the story up I felt it was a more intelligent way for the novel to go. Both ironic and shocking making us think right up until the last about how precious life is and how easily it can be unexpectedly snuffed out. How one of the characters worried about the expected...only to have the unexpected happen and lose something equally precious to them that they'd never even considered in jeopardy.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-10 10:42:30.
(Language: English)
this is a very a great book to read..i cry a lot for this one.. hehehheseru banget,, jadi ceritanya dalam satu keluarga terdiri dari anna , katie, jesse, anak2nya, dan brian sama ibunya(lupa namanya. hehehe). Anna ngerasa kalo dia dilahirin for her sister's purpose,, kakaknya, kate menderita leukimia, dan ibunya anna cerita kalo anna dilahirin untuk membantu kakaknya kalau2 membutuhkan sesuatu dari badannya, entah itu plasentanya, leukositnya, sum2nya, dan sampe puncaknya, waktu anna disuruh mendonor ginjalnya untuk kate, anna memberontak untu mendapatkan emansipasi medis secara hukum,, yang berarti dia ke pengacara buat ngajuin gugatan,,buku ini bakalan bikin kita pusing sama who's side we're on,, soalnya,, di satu sisi lo ngedukung anna, atpi di sisi lain,, lo berpikiran bahwa nyokapnya itu bener. dan masalah keluarganya juga diperparah sama jesse, yang tukang mabok, dan ngedrugs,, semata2 untuk diperhatiin sama ortunya.yang bikin nyesek,, setelah anna keluar dari court room, dia udah menang kasusnya,, ternyata dia harus meninggal karena kecelakaan,, dan ujungnya ginjalnya didonorkan ke kate.tapi yang seru,, kate bisa hidup normal karena ginjalnya anna. seru banget!!
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-06-23 04:59:14.
(Language: English)
This is a copy pasted review directly over from my LJ, with a few added notes for the rating. Obviously this is not an objective review since it is 4 AM and I just finished the book, but here's what I got for it, spoiler free. Okay. The book is My Sister's Keeper, and it is by Jodi Picoult. It's about a genetically designed child. One embryo poked out of a petri dish specifically chosen because it matches the DNA of the parents' other daughter---Kate, who has a severe version of leukemia. It is about this child, Anna, who chooses to sue her parents when asked to give her sister a kidney at the age of 13. She sues her parents for medical emancipation, which means that she would get to make her own medical decisions. Obviously, this is a novel that deals with very modern and difficult issues. And surprisingly, it doesn't turn political. Rather, it's about a family that's torn apart in a matter of two weeks (but with a history that shows this was in the making for thirteen years), and is rebuilt again somehow shakily after. It's in a rather confusing format---every chapter is told in a different voice. The voices: Anna, the main character. Sara, the mother. Brian, the father. Campbell, the lawyer (representing Anna. Sara represents herself) Jesse, Anna and Kate's delinquent older brother. This makes for a very confusing narrative at first, but then the story itself is confusing. I think this is one of my only gripes with the book though, because once you as a reader settles into the form of the narrative, the book itself is well constructed, well planned, and endlessly drawing and provocative. Anyway, I won't give the story away, but I definitely recommend it. Thanks, Sherry, for recommending it to me. And for warning me not to read the ending. Yeah, everyone else, don't read the ending until you actually get there. This is a no-no with this book. That's about it. The only reason this is not a five star book is because of the slightly confusing narrative towards the beginning, and the tearjerker ending. I don't deal well with tearjerkers because they tend to be really obvious and grabby, which this was. I was a little disappointed, but I did cry a lot. But that doesn't mean it's a convincing or well-written ending.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-03-19 04:26:01.
(Language: English)
This phenomenal novel by Jodi Picoult has left me speechless. However after the shock of it all I cannot hold back but retell the tale to anyone who is interested to know. The themes that were presented in My Sister’s Keeper were controversial. Picoult challenges the reader to be in the mind of all her characters. She didn’t only let us feel for the unfortunate family, but has given other characters such as Julia and Campbell to take the lime light as well and how I love them. From the sickly Kate who had been diagnosed since 2 years old, to the mother—Sara—that could only be the picture of a brave warrior wanting to protect her daughter. There was Jesse the oldest son who gives a tough persona but wears his heart on his sleeve, not to miss Brian the father who tries to hold everything together. Lastly, there’s Anna the daughter of Sara and Brian that was born for a reason. Picoult takes us on an emotional ride through what is really right for our children and are we really thinking for all of their benefits equally? As well as the mocking transience of time and how we are mistaken by what we think is right is in fact wrong, or vice versa. A book that is not to be missed by the highly acclaimed international best seller Jodi Picoult. The author truly dares her reader to go into her world of all the “What ifs†and put them in a spot of asking themselves, “What would I do if I was in this position?â€
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-12-31 12:39:55.
(Language: English)
That was heavy. This book kept me spellbound with its unique stlye and interesting plotline. I loved this book for its thought-provoking nature, its ethical questions. What is truth? What is right and wrong? Is there a definite line? And can we answer these questions? Jodi Picoult masterfully adresses the issues rising to the forefront of philosophical minds today and attaches these issues to a beautifully-weaved storyline. I so enjoyed watching a family discover the depths of love. I also truly enjoyed the irony infused into the end of Picoult's work. She forced me to consider the sort of backwards reality of life; sometimes things don't turn out like they do in the fairytales. The girl with cancer doesn't always get to say those beautiful last words on her dying breath; sometimes life doesn't work that way. Sometimes we have to laugh a little at what we thought was to happen, and cry a little at what actually did happen. So,thank you, Ms. Picoult, for gifting me with that realization. Your work is a true masterpiece. My only objections are an overabundance of curse words that jarred me away from the story and the somewhat choppy nature of Picoult's style of incorporating each character's point of view in alternating chapters. Although this was an interesting way of writing (and I am glad she wrote it that way), I still found myself getting a bit confused.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-03-03 06:24:28.
(Language: English)
This story is life itself. It has the formula we all know and live by but can’t figure out the solution to or the meaning of. This story reminds us that past events and present choices indeed define us and how it is still possible to try to change and find the courage to do so. Picoult writes characters that you can feel empathy for, sympathize with, relate to, love or hate. She creates six different voices to tell the same story which is simply amazing and only a true writer could ever achieve such a feat. Even the font shares characteristics with the person it is assigned too. Words have double meanings and some sentences are so powerful they make you stop and reflect. The reader can take out fatal illness and insert their own family struggles and see how closely the Fitzgerald’s lives are exactly like yours. Hard decisions have to be made almost every day, fights will occur even with the ones you love the most, disappointment and joy go hand-in-hand, and paths will constantly change even though you are positive you know where it is going. Everything boils down to little moments and trying to hold onto them with a tight grip. If I ever have to recommend a book that hits you right in the heart and clenches your insides to the point you have to cry even though you’re reading this in public, My Sister’s Keeper is it. In my opinion, it is a book everyone should read at least once to remind us what is important and what should definitely take priority in one’s life.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-02-06 01:07:24.
(Language: English)
This book made me cry on so many occasions! By the end of the book, there had been so many twists and turns, I was truly surprised at the outcome. A sorrowful tale of the bond between sisters and a pact that they make. One of my favorite books.This book was amazing and I enjoyed almost every twist it took. The characters are real and could be anyone you know. They have their own strong opinions and problems as they try to fit into and around the family of a dying girl. The bond between sisters is electrified in this story as a lawyer/mother fights against one daughter for the other daughter's life. It's very controversial... the youngest of the children was basically a test-tube-baby, conceived and raised to be a matching donor for the cancer-infected sibling. You can understand all the inside thoughts of the family... especially the heartbreak of a mother losing her daughter and a baby sister tired of being the guinea pig, wanting the affection of her family for WHO she is and not WHAT she is, (and keeping a secret of her own). If books make you cry, you'll need tissues for this one. And buy them ahead of time, because you won't be able to put it down!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-29 05:29:35.
(Language: English)
This was an excellent book -- a fast read, but one that gripped me from the beginning...it was SO hard to put down and if I had a full day without interruptions....I would never have put it down, but would have read straight through! The format of the book is cool -- at first it was a little hard to follow the chronology....but eventually it becomes much easier to determine where in the timeline you are. I like how the book is written entirely in first-person, but from the perspective of all the major characters. It was a very emotional story -- I was actually reading it sitting at a Dr. appt with my daughter and had to close it, put it in my bag, and start thinking of naked men to get the tears out of my eyes FAST, LOL. This is the kind of book that I love, also, because there is SO much symbolism and pretty much every detail that is given has a connection to the overall themes in the story. I think the geek in me also liked the ethics/research topics that were dealt with in the book too. Do not allow yourself to peek ahead in this one at all....you will spoil the last 1/4 of the book for yourself completely if you do! Keep the Kleenex nearby! If you read it....I'd like to know, if you are a parent, how you feel about the characters of Brian, and especially Sara. This would be an excellent pick for a book club or discussion group!
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-01-04 06:04:17.
(Language: English)
MY SISTER’S KEEPER is a passionate, heart-wrenching and extremely powerful novel by Jodi Picoult. This 423-page contemporary realistic work of fiction tells the story of the Fitzgerald family. The family is united by their devotion for each other, however divided by the un-answered question as to where their love should stop. The author wrote this novel based on a personal experience. When her son was only a few years old, he developed a serious ear infection, which turned out to be a severe illness that required several 5-hour surgeries to correct. There was also the risk that he would permanently loose his hearing. Over the course of three years, her son had ten operations. Amazingly, he kept his hearing. Picoult also did research on stem-cells. Although she believes the research is beneficial, she also believes that we need to be careful with our use of the research. Set in present-day suburban United States, the Fitzgeralds have the perfect family life. Brian is a firefighter and closet astronomer, and Sara is an ex-lawyer and a stay-at-home mom. Their life changes drastically however, when their daughter, Kate is diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) – an antagonist – at the early age of two. The family learns that the only way of increasing Kate’s chance of surviving this rare form of leukemia is to find a perfectly matched donor. Jesse, their other child – who is a troubled drug-addict–, is not a match. Anna, a third child, is the product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis and is conceived as a flawless genetic and bone-marrow match for Kate. As a young child, Anna obediently steps in whenever Kate needs leukocytes or stem cells or bone marrow; if Kate is hospitalized, Anna almost always is, too. Until she was thirteen, Anna – the protagonist – has never questioned her role in life. Now, though, the only remaining way to save Kate is a kidney transplant from Anna. It seems that to Sara – another antagonist – saving Kate is more important than anything or anyone else in life. She feels that because Anna has already done so much for her sister without question, donating a kidney will not be a big deal. Anna, however, feels differently. She feels invisible, and that nobody – not even her family – cares for her – that it is only Kate they love. I believe that Anna feels her family only pretends to love her, and that is only because she is capable of helping save Kate. Although Anna loves her sister with all her heart, the prospect of such severe surgery that will be required to remove an major organ from her body helps her make a decision – a decision that will tear apart her family. After raising as much money as she possibly can – a mere $136.87 – she hires Campbell Alexander as her lawyer to help her sue her parents for “rights to [her] own bodyâ€(pg. 19), or medical emancipation.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-07-20 12:57:40.
(Language: English)
An author I never heard of. A non-bestseller book. Pages of miniscule words that make me pass lifetimes before turning a page. But maybe you should just skip to the next comment I am about to make: A refreshingly GOOD read.Now, does everyone live for a reason? For Anna, all her life, she's been living for a reason. Anna is a perfect genetic match for her sister, Kate who has acute promyelocytic leukemia, and it was engineered before she was born so she could be a blood donor for Kate. Transfusions and surgeries make up her daily life right up to her now 13 years of age. Is there anything her parents see in her besides a transfusion that can alleviate Kate's symptoms? Then one day, Anna takes the biggest step of her life, and sues her parents for the rights to her own body.Picoult spaces on issues of the family.How sometimes parents make mistakes, even for what they feel is right.How children sometimes see the clearer picture. And how love, ultimately, keep the family together.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-09-06 02:17:38.
(Language: English)
finished reading this while on my 6-hr roundtrip commute between fontainebleau and versailles rive droite yesterday. i have say this was the main reason why i managed to stay awake after a 16 hr flight (and not missed any of the stops where i had to switch trains twice each way). the story itself was controversial enough, and the characters were so lively where i can sort of relate to. it's also very thought provoking that in between lines i couldnt help but to think, what would i think, say, react, feel and do if I was just any of the characters!? i also love the fact that it wasn't until the end that kate had actually "spoken out", a completely different angle and helped make sense of the whole story. the only few parts that i didnt like as much was campbell & julia's story... was that necessary? or Jodi was just trying to make a good plot out of a sad story? also about jesse, i could easily follow how he had become the way he was up until the very end... can someone actually chagne that drastically? anyways, this is a great read if you are in the mood of some serious thinking about morals, ethics, laws, family love etc, and how much they are closely related to but also contradicts with one and other. this is more than one of those shopaholics books that you just read to spend your sunday afternoon with.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-11-25 11:13:41.
(Language: English)
Another one of my favourite authors. She does not consistently produce 100% must read but nearly all are award worthy. My Sister's Keeper is about Anna (she's 13) suing her parents for the rights to her own body. Before you pass judgment on her thinking her selfish and want to enhance her boobs or something, think again. She was at first 'created' to help her sister, Kate, who has leukaemia because she has the required cells etc. By the time she is thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions and injections rivaling her sick sister. This story is told through the perspective of various parties, Anna, Kate, the mother, father, brother, defending lawyer and guardian ad litem (person who has a big influence on the judge's decision). It covers so many perspectives that you just don't know black from white. That's life... how different people have to take different perspectives into account until you can't tell which is black or white. This book will make your heart go on a roller coaster ride and if it does not, no book ever will.
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Valeria posted a review at 2010-01-18 12:48:19.
(Language: English)
I enjoyed this book very much. I had high expectations about it because I became a Jodi Picoult fan after reading Plain Truth, and I wasn't disappointed. Although I knew a twist was coming, since this is Ms. Picoult's specialty, never in a million years would have I imagined what happened. The characters are well developed and their motivations are complex and ambiguous, as they would be in real life. There are no easy answers for the dilemmas posed in this book and we go back and forth between our loyalties with different characters as their points of view are presented. I also commend the author for chosing such a contemporary and controversial topic. I look forward to reading other books by the same author.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-01-13 02:58:23.
(Language: English)
When you read your first Jodi Picoult’s book, you start thinking, "Oh! A lot of things seem to have fit quite well. What a coincidence!" It is not until you read another book of hers before you can conclude, "She is really thoughtful" "My Sister's Keeper" is well-planned and well-narrated. The main storyline, a 13-year-old girl filing a lawsuit against her parents, fighting for autonomy over her own body, is being told from different perspectives, Anna's, her mother's, her father's, her brother's, the lawyer's, the guardian ad litem's. The sister, Kate, who is dying seems to have been left out as no one ever sees from her point-of-view even though she is the starting point of the whole story. It is not until the post-story that you get to hear her voice. Fire, ashes, flame, stars. All the burning or burnt things are nicely connected to the story. I'm not sure if I like the ending that much, but I personally can't think of a better one. So, I can only take it!
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-08-05 10:00:20.
(Language: English)
Somehow, Picoult managed to pull of a book that is moving, emotional, poetic, personal, and still somehow very easy to read. The characters are, for the most part, very real and believable (with possible exceptions being Sara's total disregard of Anna and the extent of Campbell's overwhelming embarrassment). Those minor points aside, I would have to rate this as the best book I've ever read. The simply-laid prose is elegant and poetic; it's the type of book where every sentence is perfectly crafted and potent. The moral questions posed are relevant and very well addressed, the voices of all the narrators are distinct enough that, even without the chapter's narrator header, it would only take a moment to tell who's doing the talking. Finally, there are several nice plot twists and the ending (while some may see it as a bit contrived), is in my opinion flawless and with a careful re-reading of particular passages becomes even more satisfying and meaning-laden. My Sister's Keeper is certainly a tear-jerker (being the only book I've ever cried over), but one that both men and women and people of all different tastes can appreciate. Even if you're not a realistic fiction lover, you'd be doing yourself a great disservice by not reading this book. Sit down, light some candles, and enjoy! =)
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-11-18 06:34:48.
(Language: English)
This is a lovely book and Picoult does a nice job using multiple first person narration, which is a tough trick. There are a few lapses here and there (e.g., the 13 year old sometimes uses adult vocabulary and concepts in ways that stretch the imagination), and the father (Brian) is not as richly drawn as the other characters, and the son (Jesse) was not as pyromaniacally motivated as I would have liked -- but overall, the characterization is strong (as always with Picoult). Obviously she did a lot of research on the medical front. I could have had more of the relationship with the dishy cancer-stricken boy -- it provided welcome relief from unending misery -- but overall a nice read. The ending was a bit too "pat" for me; on the other hand, she gets extra credit for raising important ethical issues. One thing that annoyed me was how much "memory" there was in the book versus actual plot. It seemed at times that once a page someone was remembering some poignant event from years before -- this got tiring. There were also too many car accidents for my taste, but then again I have driven in New England, and it's a jungle out there... Chris
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-08-06 08:26:11.
(Language: English)
This isn’t the first book that has infuriated me to pieces. It is, however, the first book to infuriate me all the way to the end and yet still end up being one of my favorite books. It got me worked up for several reasons. One being, the points of view from several of the characters made it hard for me to decide how I personally felt about the issues in the plot. For instance, there were times when I hated the mother and thought she was such a beast for showing favoritism. But then, the book would switch to her point of view and I would feel sorry for her and understand a little of where she was coming from. I feel that Jodi Picoult did an awesome job writing this novel. The character development, plot, memories, medical talk, flashbacks, unexpected twists, ending, and epilogue were absolutely incredible. You can tell that it took a lot of time, effort, and work to create this novel. One thing, in fact, that I love about this book is the author constantly switching to different characters points of view, because it shows the confusion, the expected and unexpected results, and the assumed thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of the plot and characters. In short, it puts you in the setting of the story, making you feel confused about what to think and belief, and puts you at a loss for words on how to describe it. The book was very different from the movie, but I honestly don’t really care. I think the book was amazing, as well as the movie. I think of them as two separate things, because the two endings, both being extremely depressing yet heartwarming, gave closure and a sense of peace even if they were completely different in every aspect of the word.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-11-02 10:56:13.
(Language: English)
This is quite possibly the worst book I have ever read. It is a work bloated with Halmark card sentimentality and fortune cookie wisdom. The story jumps between SIX different narrators, who all have, more or less, the same voice (and changing fonts to disntinguish narrators is a cheap parlour trick). Several characters could have been cut and many of the story lines are uninteresting and extraneous (who didn't shed a tear during the lawyer's flashback to childhood where his rich daddy was yelling at him on the yacht? I know I sure as hell didn't.) Stories like these are the reason I turn off the television and this is a movie of the week, at best. I have heard from several people how well researched this book is, but the writing is lazy and many of the little details are very sloppy (ie: Brian mentions if one travels in space for three years, 400 years will pass on earth - not true, Christopher Columbus didn't launch the satellites in space, nor is one of the cheif concerns of the Mars mission the 'fact' that 800 years will pass by the time they get back. One has to travel close to the speed of light for that. Or how about when a woman shows up in an octopus costume, raises 'one arm and eight others move along with it,' meaning that the costume had ten arms, or eighteen arms (2 real and 8 tied to strings on either side). Or when Julie says she got her Guatemalan bag (Central America), that she witnessed the weaving of, on her trip to South America? Or when the hispanic lady comes out the fire yelling 'Mija!' (which means nothing) which should really be "Mi hija!" (my daughter) I could go on all day, really). By the end I didn't care what happened.Everything wrapped up in such a way I could imagine myself in front of the television watching the characters go about their business and then become frozen, mid action, while a little blurb tells us their fate. So, if greeting cards make you cry and if the things you read on fortune cookies resonate deep within you, then you will love this book.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-07-21 06:05:34.
(Language: English)
With another drama ripped from the headlines, Picoult weaves a complicated tale of the implications of genetically engineering a baby in order to save another child's life. Kate has leukemia. Her sister, Anna, (now 13) was conceived to provide a donor match for procedures that become more and more invasive. When her parents decide that Anna will donate a kidney to save her sister's life, Anna hires a lawyer so that she can sue her parents for medical emancipation. Meanwhile, Jesse, the oldest child, feels neglected. His parents completely ignore him because he is not a suitable donor for Kate. To express his anger, he starts setting fires that his father, a firefighter, puts out. The story is told through multiple viewpoints, which mostly works well. The resolution of Jesse's part of the story wasn't entirely believable, but the unexpected plot twist at the book's conclusion will leave readers gasping.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-11-24 10:02:52.
(Language: English)
I am about halfway through by now and i find this to be one of the saddest stories i have ever read- i have to leave it for awhile and go onto LM Mongomery's The Blythes are Quoted just to regain my sense of well being. I just don't understand how parents could put thier kids through an ordeal like that- it not only affected Anna ( the donor) but her brother and her siseter who was the recipeint of the many transplants and whatever else was needed . All in all a good read. It raises issues on morality, ethics and just plain good parenting.This book will make you t hink before you blindly accept what the world of medicine has to offer us in the guise of benefitting mankind. Read it and you will see what i mean...
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-12-21 05:58:21.
(Language: English)
he ending was a cop out. Things wrapped up much too neatly, which was really disappointing since what I enjoyed most about this book was that nothing was neat and tidy and easy. The ongoing tension and the moral tug-of-war that Picoult developed through most of the book were wonderful. The ending totally burst that bubble in an unsatisfying way. Like some others, I felt the relationship between Campbell and Julia added nothing to the story. It felt like excess baggage and I didn't see the point of including it. Still, after all that criticism, I really enjoyed this book. Picoult took a very difficult topic and had me struggling through the moral dilemmas right along with the characters. The differing perspectives added to the story, though I would have liked to hear more from Jesse and less from Julia/Campbell. I found it interesting that we didn't hear Kate's voice much, except as seen through other people's eyes. I think that was effective though, since everyone else was so focused on her. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The writing was powerful and it was a quick read. Now if Picoult would rewrite the ending, I'd give it higher marks!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-06-03 04:59:57.
(Language: English)
okay. even though I loved the controversal subject, and still cannot believe the ending, this book certainly contain flaws. for one, my godness that book seemed twice longer than it was. there was a lot of stuff that I would have prefered left out such as the constant "when I was eleven years old" or ten or 5 years old " in the middle of each darn chapters. most of the time it wasnt even that relevant (some where extremely though...but only a few were so) but it was too much for nothing I thought. plus, I felt this book kinda cheesy and girly, even though it is about an important and serious issue. Also, even though I completely got the importance (or at least the somewhat relevance) of the characters of campbell and julia, I found those parts boring. I almost always wanted to skip it everytime it was their point of view. only campbell would have been more than enough. That said, I found the story and the other characters completely realistic. and as for the 'controversy' itself, I think it was trully iteresting to point out the issues that it brings out. Im still not sure what I would have done at the end, but it absolutely made me reflect on it. so if you like a dramatic somewhat girlie story, but with realistic characters and important issues, read it.(53)
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-02-12 11:15:39.
(Language: English)
(Warning: This review contains a spoiler. If you haven't read the book--it may be best not to read this review) This is a fantastic idea for a story but a little lean on character development. There are so many fascinating characters and not enough time spent understanding them. The sub-plot involving a romance between the lawyer and Anna's guardian is a little annoying and just seem to distract from the real story. The dynamics of a family struggling with more than its share of moral and ethical issues makes for a compelling story. I would have liked to see more emphasis on the son, Jesse, who seems to be forgotten at many important points in the book. It's an easy read but I really didn't like the ending. It makes the whole thing seem pointless (does anyone even mention whether Anna signed her organ donor card??) Raises some fascinating issues and is a fast-paced story, but there are too many characters and not enough meaningful exploration of the primary relationships (i.e. the son is totally glossed over).
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