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Review: "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult


From Goodreads:  Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged...until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister -- and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves. My Sister's Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life, even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less? Should you follow your own heart, or let others lead you? Once again, in My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult tackles a controversial real-life subject with grace, wisdom, and sensitivity.

My Thoughts:  I read this book in one day because I could not put it down.  The story was amazing; one sister, Kate, dying of cancer and another sister, Anna, brought into this world to save Kate.  The story centers around Anna's decision to petition for medical emancipation so she does not have to donate her kidney to her sister whose kidneys are failing.  This creates all kind of drama in her family especially with her mother, who has devoted her whole life to saving Kate.  I actually hated the mom in this story.  I know she did everything to save Kate but is was completely at the expense of the happiness of her other children.  She was extremely self-absorbed and really got on my nerves.  I loved all of the other characters in the story, especially Jesse who was Kate and Anna's brother.  He was very well-developed and I felt really bad for him.  All of this being said, as much as I loved this book, the end was AWFUL.  All I can say is WTF?????  The end of the story completely ruined the whole book for me and left me incredibly angry at the author and in tears.  I cannot believe that was the best ending she could come up with and now I am not sure if I want to read another Jodi Picoult book (this was my first).  2 stars.

Comments

  1. "All I can say is WTF?????"
    Heeeee. That made me laugh. ;D

    I'm sorry it upset you so much. I've never read any Jodi Picoult, but I would hope that maybe this one was just an anomaly? Everyone seems to enjoy her books so much. Anyway, I don't think I'll be picking this one up!

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  2. That ending does really stink. Have you watched the movie? I have not. I heard it has so many differences in it.

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  3. I hated the ending too, I think I vaguely get in though I think the Picoult did really think it was right SPOILER for Ana's actions to 'cause' Kate's death, only problem with that is that it was Kate's choice.

    I've read most Picoult and this was my first too, I didn't let the ending spoil it for me and I'm glad because I've loved most of her other books. My favourite is Handle with Care, although the end of that is wonky too.

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