Prepare to have you heart wrenched, you feelings conflicted and to thank God for your healthy family. Anna, a thirteen year old girl sues her parents for medical emancipation. The reason: she doesn't want to be made to donate a kidney to her sister, Kate, who is dying from renal failure due to complications from a lifelong struggle with a rare form of leukemia. The catch or modern take, is that Anna was created, or designed to be a perfect match to her sister, who had leukemia at a very young age. She has been a donor to her sister their whole lives.The family dynamics, including older brother Jesse, a verifiable delinquent crying out for attention, and the mother and dad are played out using different point of views for each chapter. Everyone, including the lawyer and a court appointed guardian tell the story. I knew from the first chapter that this would be a difficult book to read, because how do you chose between your children? How can the parents and the children ever make the 'right' decision?
Picoult tells a wonderful story, however difficult is was to read. I was sobbing by the end, always my judge of an excellent story, because I grew to care about the characters and was thinking how I would deal with a situation. I was transported into the novel. I would definately look for another Picoult novel. This was my third Chunkster for the Chunkster Challege.
This is the only Picoult book I have read, but I will be reading more. I too was sobbing at the end...although this is one book you don't want to read the end of before you get there!
ReplyDeleteI just finished this on Sunday! I haven't written a review yet for it, though. I cried at the end, too.
ReplyDeleteI have just started it, after many years of pressure to read it. About a third of the way in and the writing is fantastic. So far an excellent book.
ReplyDeleteSo far this is my favorite Picoult book (with The Pact being a close second). She really gets at those sticky questions that don't have an easy answer. This book hit especially close to home as my sister (5 years ago at 18yo) had kidney failure and received a kidney from my mom. I liked how Picoult was able to portray the perspective of the siblings going through this crisis.
ReplyDeleteThis one made me sob, but if you haven't read it already, The Time Traveler's Wife also made me cry a lot (as did The Pact by Picoult).