My Sister's Keeper

by Jodi Picoult

"A major decision about me is being made, and no one's bothered to ask the one person who most deserves it to speak her opinion." The only reason Anna was born was to donate her cord blood cells to her older sister. And though Anna is not sick, she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since she was a child. Anna was born for this purpose, her parents tell her, which is why they love her even more. But now that she has reached an age of physical awareness, she can't help but long for control over her own body and respite from the constant flow of her own blood seeping into her sister's veins. And so she makes a decision that for most would be too difficult to bear, at any time and at any age. She decides to sue her parents for the rights to her own body.

• ISBN10: 0340835451
• ISBN13: 9780340835456
• Publish Date: 11 October 2004 (first published 1 April 2004)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 8 June 2006
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
• Imprint: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 416
• Language: English

Reviews

This was intense. I don't even really know where to start because this book tackles the controversial issue of how far you'll go to save someone you love - even if it's at the expense of another loved one. Is it fair to ask Anna to dedicate her entire life to being the backup plan for Kate? No. Do I understand why her mum did it? Yes. But I don't think I could make the same choices. And as much as I was determined to know what happens - I don't know that I could say this book is good. It's long. Too long. 400+ pages that could have been condensed because I don't know that half the words added anything to the story. I was interested to know what happens but I didn't particularly like any of the characters and I wasn't emotionally invested in them. And the ending (show spoiler)[??? Seriously? I don't know how I wanted it to end but it seemed too abrupt (like oh crap, I should've finished five chapters ago but I wrote more and now I have to sum it up in two paragraphs type thing). It felt very random. Although I guess it kind of wrapped everything up in a neat little bow. ] (hide spoiler) .

It was an interesting topic but overall fell flat in execution. 2 stars.

[Jyc]

★★★★★ // very well-written and easily lets you empathize with the characters, even the less likeable ones. has an unexpected ending that is equally shocking and all sorts of heartbreaking.

[boghunden]

I wanted to give this book 5 stars. Until the ending. The ending proves to me, that this is fiction. I hate the ending. I just don't know how to rate this book... Maybe I'll change the rating later on.

[girlinthepages]

I feel as though the ending was an unnecessary tragedy for readers who finished the emotionally charged novel. Though highly critically acclaimed, I feel as though Picoult has written other novels that are much better that get far too little attention.

[mitabird]

My Sister's Keeper was one of the most heart wrenching stories I've ever read. Anna's sister, Kate, is dying from a rare form of leukemia. She was conceived as a genetic match to help save her sister's life. It was supposed to be a one-time deal, but over the course of her 13 years, Anna has donated multiple times. Her sister is in need of a kidney and Anna's decided she's had enough of being told how to use her body. She decides to sue her parents for medical emancipation and refuses to give up her kidney. She knows the possible consequences of her actions, but she wants to be the one to make the choice, not her parents. What follows is a harrowing tale told in the view of six people affected by Anna's decision. I really can't say too much else without giving anything away, but this is a must read, albeit an emotional one.

[mbtc]

This book had my attention and I read it quickly. I knew there would be a twist at the end, but I didn't know what it would be. I didn't like the twist at all (personally) and it kind of ruined the book for me. And the whole thing seemed a little drawn out to me as well.

[violetpeanut]

This was an amazing book! I'm a new mom myself, so this book had a whole new meaning to me. I'm not usually one to cry at books and movies, but this was definitely a tear jerker. Had me crying more than once! This was a wonderfully written story about an impossible situation. It's told from multiple points of view and each one is entirely believeable. I highly recommend this one.

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

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.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. One of the main characters has epilepsy and being epileptic myself I had some problems with the accuracy of Campbell's seizure activity.

In the novel, Campbell, Anna's lawyer, has a dog that goes everywhere with him and later the reader learns it is a seizure dog. I have friend who has a seizure dog and had to go through many tests and paperwork to be accepted into the program and must produce this documentation to any future school or employer. I also was surprised that Campbell drove so soon after having a seizure in court as there is usually a waiting period before getting back behind the wheel, and is usually 6 months to a year depending on the state -- not 6 hours! Also, Jodi Picoult never clarified what the cause of the accident was. Did Campbell have a seizure behind the wheel, which is not that uncommon, or was it just a freak accident?

I don't think Jodi Picoult completed her homework in the medical sense; but unfortunately, I think unless you have some connection to the disorder you may not be as quick to catch on. Overall, I enjoyed My Sister's Keeper, but that lack of information was a huge negative for me.