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Tracing the story of teenage Anna - conceived as a perfect medical match for her sister, Kate, who is slowly dying of a rare form of leukemia - readers of My Sister's Keeper are in for an emotional roller coaster that is replete with incredibly difficult ethical considerations to which there are, simply put, no wrong or right answers. You will find yourself empathizing with every single member of this highly troubled family, and you will emerge from this remarkable novel with a greatly enhanced awareness of the terribly anti-absolutist, morally gray nature of end-of-life dilemmas.Sure to foster heated book club debates and drive intense personal reflection on some of life's most ethically difficult issues, My Sister's Keeper is a contemporary masterpiece with the potential to fundamentally shift society's "black and white" view of end-of-life issues, particularly as they relate to families. I would agree with many reviewers here that Picoult's My Sister's Keeper can, at times, literally drip with melodrama. Throughout the book, you will find yourself asking questions such as "Were Anna's parents right to conceive her for the purpose of saving her sister.", "Was Anna morally justified in suing her parents for the rights to her own body.", and most difficult of all, "What would I have done, as a parent or as Anna, in this situation."Most readers will discover - as I did - that there are simply no easy answers to these questions, if there are any answers available at all. It is not to be missed. The ending, in particular, almost seems to do harm to the overall credibility and emotional depth of the story. However, those are small flaws to what is an immensely fascinating and involved story and the most profound exploration of the vagaries of medical ethics that I have ever read.
While I like dogs, I felt the plot revolving around the dog was a waste of pages, detracting from the main issue. And obviously the other lawyer should have objected on the grounds of relevance, but no we get to her her reminisce with her husband, instead of, yah know, working on the case and using the law/spirit of the law to prove her point. We've got a 13 year old girl, Anna, who is basically born as spare parts for her sister, Kate, who has leukemia. I think Anna's voice was the most developed, she felt the most real, albeit she felt more adult than the adult characters. I promptly had to complain to my boyfriend after word.
The book builds up to this one thing, keeps building around Anna's choice. They are fast reads and quite action-packed. For example here's Campbell's plot line "Hey mister why do you have puppy." "It's not a puppy, it's a service dog" "What's wrong with you." "Insert witty one-liner pertaining to a disability here." It was funny the first two times, but after that just became drawn out. Anna was the only character I really cared about in this book. Speaking of manipulation, let me talk about the ending, by dancing around some spoilers. The writing isn't too terrible. I may not be a lawyer in real life, but I watch Law & Order, I took a Constitutional Law class, and hah, I can't believe how horrible of a lawyer she was. Yes, requisite eye roll goes here.
Some of her narration had me reduced to a blubbering mess, however, this means nothing as I also tear up over jewelry commercials, hallmark commercials, and many other sentimental things. Again, the character of Jesse could have been developed beyond his acting out, but really, his parts had me bored. Instead of being relevant while questioning witnesses she launches into these irritating stories about her family. I love me some melodrama, absolutely love it. Okay, the end made me want to chuck this book across the room, despite my bawling all the way through it. However, I'm not sure that I am a fan The plot had such huge potential. Brian fights fires, Jesse starts them.
Especially when the melodrama results in gasps, and anger, and tears. Then, agh, the end what a huge cop out. Oh, and there's a lot of subplots, some which added to the story, some which I questioned the purpose. Anna's lawyer, Campbell has his own subplot where he romances a social worker and has a service dog. I think some of it was complete cliched (Brian/Jesse subplot I am looking at you). They do make you think.
My jury is still out on My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. I know many will disagree with me, which is fine, we don't need to love/hate the same books. Well, Anna's mother is a former lawyer so she chooses to represent herself. I know so many people love Picoult's books and I can understand. But, I finished the book in two days and did cry a few times while reading it. Seriously without a doubt the worst ending I have ever read. "She's all pity me, pity me I hate my other kids, leukemia kid is the only one who matters." Also, you know how this book centers around Anna's trial.
Yes, yes, it's super mature to complain about a fictional book, but agh, I just invested so much time and emotions into the characters, and for it to end that way was a huge let down. I felt the other points-of-view included were flat. Honestly, though, I thought the ending was just like on a tv show where all this stuff happens to the main character, and you find out it was just a dream, which to me is taking the easy way out. Well, Anna does not enjoy being harvested, so she initiates a lawsuit to be medically emancipated from her parents so she won't be obligated to be spare parts anymore. Granted, I do feel as though my emotions were manipulated. Anna's mother was a horrible parent. Oh, and for the other subplot, there is Anna's father Brian and her pain in the butt brother, Jesse.
Go figure.
Loved it. This is my first novel I have read from Jodi Picoult and it did not disapoint me. It keep me from begining to end.
I can't wait to see if the movie compares at all. I have not yet seen the movie but I wanted to read the book first. This is a great read for anyone. This story is so compelling. I had a very hard time putting it down.
Much better than the movie. This is a book that grabs your heart, and doesn't let go. I highly reccomend it.
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