May 23, 2009

My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult

Okay, so i think i may be the last person on the planet to have read this book. I don't know what took me so long, but i never really had any desire to read it. I had many friends tell me it was worth the read, but i just never really got around to it. Then a few weekends ago, i saw a copy of "My Sister's Keeper" in the Symphony Used Book and Music Sale for two dollars, so i decided to give it a go.

I realize that this book has probably already been reviewed umpteen times on this site, and on others. Sixteen year old Kate is dying from Kidney failure as a result of aggressive treatments for her rare form of lukemia, her thirteen year old sister Anna (who was concieved and genetically engineered for the sole reason of prolonging her sister's life) has been asked to donate her kidney to her dying sister and is now suing for Medical Emancipation from her family, and the rights to her own body.

What did it for me was this: It brought back that feeling of the need to devour a book from cover to cover! Since my son was born 10 1/2 months ago, i haven't had the time, nor the inclination to really read a book. Oh sure, i have read a few books during this time, but only in the stolen moments during nap time.

Reading, for me, has taken a back burner position in my life at the moment. Then, i saw this trailer for the movie:



I'm always wary of books that are made into movies, but after watching the ad i really wanted to see it. That's when i decided i had better read the book first; i remembered buying the book at the sale and i rummaged through my bookshelf to find it, picked it up and was taken away.

I was intrigued by Picoult's writing device of multiple narrators. When i went in, i thought she wouldn't be able to pull off so many characters effectively and was pleasantly surprised. Her writing style is very free and easy, you feel almost comfortable in the words... like a really comfy chair, and before i knew it i had read over half the book the first night, and believe me, if i didn't know i would be waking up in a few hours to feed my son i would have kept on going.

The theme of morality and ethics not being black and white, how there isn't always a clear line drawn in the sand, really causes the reader to think about what's going on. I know i did, especially as a new mother, and i found myself sympathising with both sides and placing myself in those impossible situations and wondering how on earth the author was going to resolve things.

She kept me guessing until the very bitter end, and while i do prefer a fairy tale ending, the end to this book was sweetly written and will leave you with a lump in your throat the size of Texas.

I would read this again, and for that reason i give it 5 stars.

3 comments:

  1. This was my first of many Jodi Picoult books and is what hooked me onto her writing. I've read and reviewed probably five of her books on this blog including this one and there's only one that I really didn't like. Overall, I think she's a great writer.

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  2. i'm perusing some of her other works... she is making her way up my "Must read" list.

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  3. Did you see the movie yet?

    I prefer the book ;)

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