Title: My Sister’s Keeper
Author: Jodi Picoult
ISBN: 13: 9781416549148
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre/Pages: Fiction/500
Very surprising that I had not read any Jodi Picoult before this. I have heard of her but somehow missed reading her books. I picked two of her books yesterday and started reading ‘My Sister’s Keeper’ as soon as I got home. It kept me hooked until the end.
Anna was conceived meticulously with a genetic match for her sister Kate, who is diagnosed with APL, a fatal kind of leukaemia. By the time she is thirteen, she has undergone numerous surgeries, transfusion etc for her older sister. She had no say in those. Now, she questions her parents’ decision and wants to lead a normal life apart from her sister. She goes and hires a lawyer, Campbell Alexander to represent her.
From there starts the conflict. Her decision affects her family, her mother Sara, father Brian, Brother Jesse and of course her sister Kate. In a way, Anna is defined in terms of Kate. All are torn apart. Brian somewhat understands her predicament but Sara cannot see beyond Kate. Jesse has been ignored for as long as he remembers.
The most important question asked here is that do parents have the right to decide on behalf of a minor to donate her/his organs for her/his sibling? Does she/he have any say in the matter? With a sick child, who needs constant care, the other children are neglected. There is lack of time, money and patience to give attention to the other kids in the family. In a way, Anna is lucky because without her support, Kate cannot survive. Jesse is taken for a gone case. He is totally ignored as he is of no use to Kate. Despite all this, we see him feeling greatly for both his sisters even though he is helpless.
This novel has asked question, which are difficult to answer. Parents torn apart by the choices they have to make to save their children. Do they love their children equally? Or do they favour one or the other? These are few of the questions; no parent would like to be asked. Although it is a fact that they tend to tilt one way or the other. They just do not want the responsibility to say it aloud.
This book makes us think. It wants us to weigh the pros and cons before any decision is taken. How the case is decided is very important but more important is, the way the story ends…
I find that this is one novel, which stays in mind long after one puts it down. In fact, I wanted to re-read it as soon as I finished it. That is indeed very strange.
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Comments: 14
I'd recommend also The Pact by Jodi Picoult. I think that was my 2nd favorites of her book, and still a top favorite overall. Both were "can't put it down" books for me.