Release Date: May 2004
Publisher: Hodder
Price (UK Pound): £7.99
Genre: Adult
Series: None
No. Pages: 432
My sister keeper is probably Jodi Picoults most successful book, which recently was turned into film which is an emotional, passionate, sad and heart wrenching story, which follows the Fitzgerald’s story, a family who love each other very much, but divide when it comes to the boundaries of family sacrifice.
The middle child Kate was diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of 2. Five years later Kate’s body explodes with runaway cancer cells, she desperately needs a bone marrow transplant. Her mother Sara is determined to keep her daughter alive and persuaded her husband to let them make a genetically engineered daughter, Anna.
The story is mainly based around Anna who at 13 knows that her soul purpose in life and the only reason for her birth was to save her older sister, but now she’s expected to give up a kidney, and her mother is so intent of saving Kate she doesn’t see it as a big deal. But now Anna has had enough and hires a lawyer, to help her sue her parents over the rights of her body.
I bought this book just as the film was being released, and I had promised myself before I watch the film I will read the book. Which I did.
The book really lived up to my expectations, and better.
Jodi Picoult really did a good job at presenting the dilemma, and related to her own experiences with her son Jake who, who fortunately was not in a life-threatening situation.
The book shows how far a mother would go in an attempt to save a child, even if it means hurting the people around her, but sometimes a mother, doctor or others know what’s best, they just do what they can to save the patient in question.
Whilst reading this book I couldn’t help but hate the mother, Sara who thought it was ok to bring another child into the world, to save another, who thought that putting one of her daughters life at risk was ok as long as the other was saved. But then again wouldn’t most mothers do whatever they could if it means saving there child, even if it was just for a few more days. And the moment Anna came up to her mum and told her she no longer wanted to be forced, but wanted to choose if she was going to go through any more medical practises to save her older sister, I just wanted to strangle her.
Then there’s Anna, the girl who the story revolves around, obviously knowing her only meaning in life was to save her sister. Who more than likely thinks that her mother doesn’t love her as much as Kate, and makes the heart rendering decision to sue her parents, just so she has the chance to live a normal life, where she isn’t in hospitals with wires sticking out of her arm every other day, but instead wants to go to school, have friends and have a future, that’s not just putting her life at risk in an attempt to save another.
Brian the father, who is stuck between the tension of his wife, and daughter. Not being able to pick a side because he knows each are right in there own way, and refuses to choose.
Jesse, the older brother, who was unfortunately not a match to Kate. Jesse, was always left out in the family, with his mother and father being obsessed with the health of one daughter, and taking care of the other. Jesse was never properly cared for once his sister was diagnosed with cancer, so he started to rebel and getting slightly into trouble in a way of getting attention for once.
And then there’s Kate, the girl who everyone is obsessed with every time something slightly bad happens. Who just wants everything to end, to get rid of the tension in the house, and let her mum finally live on with her life.
My Sister’s Keeper is a very amazing book, which I recommend to everyone.
I give this book:
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