Book Review #4: \"My Sister\'s Keeper\" by Jodi Picoult

My first foray into the world of Jodi Picoult. I had heard a great deal about her books, but had not had the opportunity to read any until now. Sent by my loving mother (who also thought to include a little blue post-it note that read, "Enjoy! Love, Mom," remensicient of so many elementary school lunches), this novel will be released as a major motion picture later this summer.  Since my husband has already guaranteed me he will not (read: never) watch this movie, I figured it was best to read the novel if I ever wanted to learn what happens. Books are always better than the movies, anyways.

FYI: my wheelchair was delivered earlier this week, making the occasional outing possible. We've only used it to go to hospital baby classes, but I'm hoping to bust it out in real-world Vegas shortly. Look out, Town Center!

In "My Sister's Keeper," you meet the Fitzgerald family; Brian (Dad) is a level-headed firefighter, Sara (Mom) is an attorney-turned-stay-at-home-mom with the spirit of a protective moutain lion, Jesse, the oldest and only boy with a thick streak of delinquency, Kate, the middle child striken with a rare and difficult to treat cancer, and finally, Anna, the youngest daughter in the family. Anna was conceived and genetically engineered to be a perfect match for Kate after her sister's diagnosis at the age of two. What seemed like a good idea 13 years ago has now worn thin on little Anna; she is tired of being 'spare parts' for her sister, and seeks medical emancipation from her parents. She hires an attorney (the dark-haired, morally-ambiguous Campbell Alexander) and to the shock of everyone around her, begins the court process.

Picoult seamlessly weaves between narrators; just as you get comfortable with Anna's first person point-of-view, the book (and font) will switch to another party. All characters are well represented, save the mysterious (and ailing) Kate.  The moral, ethical, and legal questions are endlessly fascinating; it is nearly impossible to read this book without thinking, "What would I do?" And by the book ends, the only thing I could focus on is, "What is Anna going to do?"

And the ending does not disappoint.

My only regret while reading this book is that I just tossed out all of our information on cord-blood banking. The horror and unbelievable stress of having a child with cancer was not glossed over by Picoult; she took a measured (and appropriate) systems approach to acknowledge how each member of the family was affected by Kate's diagnosis, highlighting the roles people play in the face of crisis.

I'm a little nervous to discuss this book with my own mother, for fear she might break into her 'You love your children more than your own life, Kimmy' speech. (I don't disagree with this statement, I've just been hearing it since the age of eleven, and now she gets a little weepy as she says it, completely throwing me off-kilter because then I get weepy and well, that's just not a good thing.) I may not technically be a mother yet, but just the thought of anything happening to our little 29-week old fetus (who already has a name, a personality, and litany of hopes and dreams) is enough to make me sick to my stomach with anguish.

Eleven weeks of bed rest doesn't seem so bad anymore.

Grade: solid A