I believe my friend recommended this book to me long before she recommended How I Live Now, and my faith in her taste of books diminished slightly. She only “leant” me the book recently, because “Ann, can you take one of these books, my bag is full”. Out of all the books she was carrying around with her, one of the best choices I’ve ever made was to take this one.
On the face of it, this book could simply be a novel about an interesting ethical question. It could turn out really trashy, or it could be under-written and explored. If there is one thing that this book is not though, it is under-exploring the issue – but it is not overdoing it either. Rather, the author presents the situation, lets you form your own ideas and opinions, and then ever so subtly (or not so, as it draws to the end) writes in something new; a new emotion from someone you didn’t expect, a different reaction, turning what you have decided on it’s head.
What is the situation? Kate is diagnosed as having a rare form of leukaemia. Since nobody in the family is a matching organ type, her parents conceive a match for Kate, Anna, so that she can be – temporarily – saved. While Anna is growing up, they take various things such as bone marrow from her, until she is 13 and has to donate a kidney. Anna then refuses, and hires a lawyer so she can sue her parents for rights to her own body.
The book is set out so that it is broken into days of the week, covering in total a week and a half. Within each day, most of the characters have a chapter written from their perspective (but not covering the same time, the story is still told). This is really effective, as it lets you get right inside each character’s head, and make judgements (or so you think) on their decisions. Personally, I decided that Sara, the mother, was a manipulative bitch who didn’t love Anna, Campbell the lawyer was an unfeeling old man who only took the case for the publicity, Brian the father was a nondescript character, and Jesse and Julia, Anna’s older brother and guardian ad litem were misunderstood (LOL) and unhappy. I found it very difficult forming an opinion on Anna, being torn between what I would decide personally (that there was no point to the case and wouldn’t make me happier) and understanding that maybe this was the only way forward for her. Interestingly, Julia and Jesse were the only people whose characters I didn’t change my opinion on.
Once I was about half-way through the book, and Sara began narrating in the present time (most of her earlier chapters are taken up with her describing the past), I began to see that maybe she wasn’t such a monster for forcing Anna through all the transplants, and maybe she did love her daughter. Brian was a loving and wonderful dad, and as the sub plot between Campbell and Julia furthered, he was just a heartbroken, unhappy man who you could see being transformed into his former self.
As I began to change my mind on the people, I had to change my opinions on what I thought of what Anna was doing, and this is what I think makes the book so interesting. The author makes you see the issue from all possible points of view, so you can’t come to a conclusion of what is right. The ending is very sad (as I was reading it I told someone that I couldn’t see an ending that was sadder than the one I’d been expecting from the beginning, and although it isn’t much sadder, it is unexpected and again, forces you to reconsider the whole issue) and as you come close to the ending, a lot of things are revealed which changes your perspective on the whole issue, and whether you would do the same as Anna. Interestingly, Kate never narrates her own chapter until the end.
There were particularly heartbreaking bits, such as when Kate falls in love, and funny bits like Julia frequenting a gay bar in her despair. The book is brilliantly written, and is a great read, I would definitely say that it is one you must read in your lifetime.
Incidentally, I’ve just leaned that the movie is coming out this year, with the cute little kid that played Bo in Signs as Anna. This could make a dreadful film, but never mind. And – what?! No Julia? Do romantic (or otherwise) sub-plots between not-so-main characters not exist in films any more? Cameron Diaz as Sara? I don’t hold out much hope, but the book is more than enough to satisfy me.
Tags: book, jodi picoult, my sister's keeper, Review
I loved this book
I thought it was quite sad, but I still loved it to bits…
Emsz’s last blog post..Regrets
I loved this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat. In fact, I love all of her books.
Aisling’s last blog post..I don’t know what to say…
It’s weird, I’ve heard about this book a lot but I never had any idea what it was about. I always thought it seemed boring but the story sounds REALLY interesting
I’ll definitely have to check it out now.
*teenie moment* jodipicoultjodipicoultjodipicoult!!
MSK is awesome, isn’t it? Definitely not her best book (not that I’ve read them all) but, all the same, an absolutely brilliant and thought-provoking read. I’m so glad you liked it. =]
I love how you call Sara a ‘manipulative bitch’. That’s exactly what I thought. =P I also thought Jesse was seriously understood and longed to have him in my arms (lol) however I hated Julia to no end. No idea why, haha. Campbell grew on me as the book progressed, Brian stayed stagnant all the way through. I just didn’t get him.
If you haven’t done so yet, please go and check out more of Picoult’s work. She is seriously amazing. I’d recommend “Second Glance” first, just because it deals with a similar subject yet is completely different in the way of storytelling. You won’t regret it, promise. If you loved MSK, you’ll adore the rest of her novels. =]
I thought they were including Julia in the film? Joan Cusack springs to mind.. something may have changed though. I’m not really following it. Since I found out about Cameron Diaz I’ve lost all faith.
Aimee’s last blog post..Isn’t he a cutie?
This is definitely going on my reading list!
Regina’s last blog post..If I Wanted To Skate, I’d Go To A Rink
I think Cameron Diaz gets too much negativity. Have you seen her in “In Her Shoes”? She is PERFECTLY capable of playing a powerful role now that she is older. People should give her a chance.
Anyway, I remembered another book by Jodi that I loved– Plain Truth. It’s about an Amish girl and her community after a baby is found, potentially murdered.
Aisling’s last blog post..I hate elevators.
Aimee: I can’t honestly say whether Julia is in it or not, it may just have been a rumour.
Aisling: I’ve never seen In Her Shoes, I’ll see if I can check it out. I don’t think she’s a bad actress, I’ve just never seen her in demanding roles like Sara’s, maybe she can do it. Every single time I hear her voice I think “Princess Fiona” though…
Ooh, I love Jodi Picoult. I have read almost all of her books, except for two or three of her earlier works. My Sister’s Keeper definitely ranks as one of her favorite books for me, together with The Pact and Nineteen Minutes. I would say Nineteen Minutes is really great, if you haven’t read it you should! I love The Pact but the ending is disappointing
As for MSK the Movie, I am shocked that they chose Cameron Diaz to play Sara. That must be the miscast of the century. I cannot see how she is going to fit into the role. Ugh.
Wendy’s last blog post..Happy Chinese New Year!
Wow, this sounds like a really interesting book. I might just have to pick it up, considering I need to read new things that a) aren’t graphic novels and b) aren’t by Stephen King.
I can tell by your review that my mind will be split in several sections already, because different points of view make it even harder for me to form my own. Everything is so multifaceted it’s not funny!
Amber’s last blog post..I need a new hobby
I think that I’m going to have to read this one. I don’t usually read books that aren’t sci-fi(ish), but this one looks like a corker
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