My Sister’s Keeper (2004), by Jodi Picoult, is a novel about a young girl who sues her parents for the right to make her own decisions about how her body is used when a kidney transplant is planned in order to save her older sister's life. The main themes surrounding this novel are family and bioethics.
Anna came into the world via in vitro fertilization, so that she would be a genetic match for her older sister Kate, who was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia when she was 2 years old. When Anna was born, her cord blood was donated to Kate, but when the leukemia returned, Anna then had to donate blood and bone marrow. When Kate's kidneys fail, Anna is expected to donate one of her own, but she hires a lawyer to be medically emancipated from her parents and gain the right to make the decision herself. Her lawyer, Campbell Alexander, works for her pro bono.
I really liked this book - it had me spell bound. Being a mother and a daughter I can really appreciate all the drama that would ensue when health issues arise in a family. Not necessarily a happy summer read, it is definitely worth reading and discussing in a book review format.
8 comments:
I liked it too. I don't even want to see the movie after reading about the different ending...
Wow. That would weigh on you your whole life - being born for the purpose of saving someone else's life. That would really mess with you... sounds like an interesting book.
I read this book a few years ago and it really, really got me. It was an intense page turner and it had twists and turns that I didn't see coming (which is rare for me).
It also made my bawl my eyes out, but I would still highly recommend it too.
I'm really looking forward to reading this book.
I read this book a few years ago and still haven't recovered from the emotional roller coaster ride and the sucker punch ending. Excellent book - sometimes the tough stuff is worth it.
By the way - we linked to you in this evening's post which will be up shortly.
Haven't read this one yet, but heard it was great. I just noticed there is a movie at the theaters based on this book. Can't wait to see it.
Hey! I just gave you an award on my blog :)
And I'm waiting to see you post up some pictures from...ah...my daughter's birthday party! :D
Hi! I just wanted to drop by and thank you for being one of the few who stuck around and continued to visit my blog during the past three months when I was working such long hours I rarely got to post anything (except my Flashback Fridays, which I worked extra hard to try to keep up on....even though sometimes I let those slip too). Thanks to people like you, my blog didn't *die* during that time. I'm back now and active again - and I intend to keep going. Thanks again!
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