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The difficult choices a family must make when a child is diagnosed with a serious disease are explored with pathos and understanding in this 11th novel by Picoult (Second Glance, etc.). The author, who has taken on such controversial subjects as euthanasia (Mercy), teen suicide (The Pact) and sterilization laws (Second Glance), turns her gaze on genetic planning, the prospect of creating babies for health purposes and the ethical and moral fallout that results. Kate Fitzgerald has a rare form of leukemia. Her sister, Anna, was conceived to provide a donor match for procedures that become increasingly invasive. At 13, Anna hires a lawyer so that she can sue her parents for the right to make her own decisions about how her body is used when a kidney transplant is planned. Meanwhile, Jesse, the neglected oldest child of the family, is out setting fires, which his firefighter father, Brian, inevitably puts out. Picoult uses multiple viewpoints to reveal each character's intentions and observations, but she doesn't manage her transitions as gracefully as usual; a series of flashbacks are abrupt. Nor is Sara, the children's mother, as well developed and three-dimensional as previous Picoult protagonists. Her devotion to Kate is understandable, but her complete lack of sympathy for Anna's predicament until the trial does not ring true, nor can we buy that Sara would dust off her law degree and represent herself in such a complicated case. Nevertheless, Picoult ably explores a complex subject with bravado and clarity, and comes up with a heart-wrenching, unexpected plot twist at the book's conclusion.Copyright ? Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Adult/High School - Anna was genetically engineered to be a perfect match for her cancer-ridden older sister. Since birth, the 13-year-old has donated platelets, blood, her umbilical cord, and bone marrow as part of her family's struggle to lengthen Kate's life. Anna is now being considered as a kidney donor in a last-ditch attempt to save her 16-year-old sister. As this compelling story opens, Anna has hired a lawyer to represent her in a medical emancipation suit to allow her to have control over her own body. Picoult skillfully relates the ensuing drama from the points of view of the parents; Anna; Cambell, the self-absorbed lawyer; Julia, the court-appointed guardian ad litem; and Jesse, the troubled oldest child in the family. Everyone's quandary is explicated and each of the characters is fully developed. There seems to be no easy answer, and readers are likely to be sympathetic to all sides of the case. This is a real page-turner and frighteningly thought-provoking. The story shows evidence of thorough research and the unexpected twist at the end will surprise almost everyone. The novel does not answer many questions, but it sure raises some and will have teens thinking about possible answers long after they have finished the book. - Susan H. Woodcock, Fairfax County Public Library, Chantilly, VA
Copyright ? Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
*Starred Review* Expect to be kept up all night by Picoult's latest novel, but it's much more than a page-turner; it's a fascinating character study framed by a complex, gripping story. Thirteen-year-old Anna Fitzgerald walks into the office of lawyer Campbell Alexander and announces she wants to sue her parents for the rights to her own body. Anna was conceived after her older sister, Kate, developed a rare form of leukemia at the age of two, and has donated bone marrow and blood to her sister. Now she has been asked to donate a kidney, and she intends to refuse. Campbell is a jaded young man who nevertheless decides to take her case pro bono. Anna's parents are shocked when they learn of her lawsuit, and her mother, a former civil defense attorney, decides to represent them. Anna refuses to budge on her position despite the fact that she clearly loves her sister and longs for her family's happiness. As the gripping court case builds, the story takes a shocking turn. Told in alternating perspectives by the engaging, fascinating cast of characters, Picoult's novel grabs the reader from the first page and never lets go. This is a beautiful, heartbreaking, controversial, and honest book. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
'This is not just a great page-turning unputdownable read - it deals with sensitive intelligence with one of the major ethical issues of the day' - Claire Rayner"Rarely have I read such an eloquent portrayal of the family in crisis.Every character: real.Every situation: true.Picoult defies you to put this novel down once you've begun it.I do the same." -- Elizabeth George"[My Sister's Keeper] is a brilliant presentation of the kinds of dilemmas often engendered by the very gifts of modern medicine... The clear, true voices of [Jodi Picoult's] characters offer just the right mix, allowing moments of comfort, love and humor to lighten the heavy emotions brought into play when there is no single 'right' answer to a question of life and death. And the interplay of story elements allows for constant, compelling surprises, leading up to the greatest surprise of all as the book ends. Do not expect a miracle. Do expect a powerfully poignant, page-turning read." --San Antonio Express-News'A remarkable achievement' - Poisoned Pen'brilliantly told' DAILY MIRROR'Anna's conflict between love for her sister ('without her, it's hard to remember who I am') and the desire for her own freedom is well portrayed.And Picoult writes with an evident understanding of the damage serious illness can do to a family.' -- DAILY MAIL'The difficult choices a family must make when a child is diagnosed with a serious disease are explored with pathos and understanding in this 11th novel by Picoult (Second Glance, etc.). The author, who has taken on such controversial subjects as euthanasia (Mercy), teen suicide (The Pact) and sterilization laws (Second Glance), turns her gaze on genetic planning, the prospect of creating babies for health purposes and the ethical and moral fallout that results ...Picoult ably explores a complex subject with bravado and clarity, and comes up with a heart-wrenching, unexpected plot twist at the book's conclusion.' -- Publishers Weekly'*Starred Review* Expect to be kept up all night by Picoult's latest novel, but it's much more than a page-turner; it's a fascinating character study framed by a complex, gripping story. Thirteen-year-old Anna Fitzgerald walks into the office of lawyer Campbell Alexander and announces she wants to sue her parents for the rights to her own body. Anna was conceived after her older sister, Kate, developed a rare form of leukemia at the age of two, and has donated bone marrow and blood to her sister. Now she has been asked to donate a kidney, and she intends to refuse. Campbell is a jaded young man who nevertheless decides to take her case pro bono. Anna's parents are shocked when they learn of her lawsuit, and her mother, a former civil defense attorney, decides to represent them. Anna refuses to budge on her position despite the fact that she clearly loves her sister and longs for her family's happiness. As the gripping court case builds, the story takes a shocking turn. Told in alternating perspectives by the engaging, fascinating cast of characters, Picoult's novel grabs the reader from the first page and never lets go. This is a beautiful, heartbreaking, controversial, and honest book.' -- Booklist"Picoult's timely and compelling novel will appeal to anyone who has thought about the morality of medical decision making and any parent who must balance the needs of different children. Highly recommended." --Library Journal'This astonishing novel is beautifully and thoughtfully written, and focuses on difficult moral choices.' -Good Housekeeping"Picoult is known for writing fictional page-turners that address controversial issues, and her latest novel is no exception... My Sister's Keeper is a thrill to read." --Washington Post"My Sister's Keeper is a terrific book... [It] is full of insight, inspiration and heartbreak." --San Jose Mercury News (California)"My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult is the amazing, gut-wrenching, sad, funny, insightful, moving and thought-provoking story of this American family. This new novel is by far her best achievement and a leap forward in her literary oeuvre... In a graceful portrait, masterfully written in high-pitched prose, Picoult raises the ethical, moral, constitutional, personal and mostly unanswerable questions about how anyone can make a life-or-death decision about a terminally ill loved one for whom extreme measures must be taken to play for more time. Where does the patient's right to stay alive infringe upon the life of someone else (in this case, a sister)?" -BookReporter.com"My Sister's Keeper is a bravely topical novel." -The Advertiser (Australia)"My Sister's Keeper has the emotional tenacity to fuel tears and talk as it becomes a book club must-read." -New York Daily News"Picoult has a real gift for clear, straightforward prose, but she's also quite adept at creating unforced, natural-sounding dialogue." --The Kansas City Star"My Sister's Keeper is a thrill to read." -Chicago Sun-Times"Here, the author of Salem Falls and other works gives readers a thrilling and intelligent book that entertains, educates and addresses the medical, ethical and moral problems of a family engaged in the support of a terminally ill child... It is difficult to find a book combining a timely moral dilemma with well-drawn characters for whom one cares. Picoult has written such a book." -The Boston Herald"[My Sister's Keeper] skillfully examines life's most sacred relationships." -- Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI)"With a strong, topical theme, Picoult gets into the heads of her well-developed characters." --The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, Australia)'My Sister's Keeper is a real page-turner ... The ethical issues of parents versus children and moral dilemmas of producing children to harvest them for the greater good seems an unlikely plot for a novel, but Picoult's storytelling skill meshes it all together into an absorbing and thought-provoking tear-jerker with a "wow" ending.' Daily News (New Plymouth, New Zealand)'Picoult has hit upon a bioethical nerve and raises several provocative questions.' - Calgary Herald (Alberta, Canada)"[Jodi Picoult] has created something of a trademark among her 10 other novels about mother-child relationships." --Courier Mail (Queensland, Australia)"This one is not light reading, but Picoult, in her 11th novel, has the knack of holding her readers to the end." -Hartford Courant'Author Jodi Picoult has been called a clairvoyant for choosing soon-to-be cutting edge topics for her novels. She hits a new societal nerve in My Sister's Keeper ... compelling and believable.'- Richmond Times Dispatch'[Jodi Picoult] vividly evokes the physical and psychic toll a desperately sick child imposes on a family, even a close and loving one like the Fitzgeralds... There may be no easy outcomes in a tale about individual autonomy clashing with a sibling's right to life, but Picoult thwarts our expectations in unexpected ways... a telling portrait of a profoundly stressed family.' --Kirkus Reviews'This beautifully crafted novel will grab readers with its stunning topic ... the tightly woven tale seamlessly bounces from past to present... Picoult's style borders on the poetic' -- People Magazine'It is not every day that I thank Richard and Judy but I am indebted to their book club for bringing to my attention MY SISTER'S KEEPER ... Picoult's rich characterisation means the Fitzgeralds become more than a fictional family.The scientific debate gets personal ... MY SISTER'S KEEPER is emotionally riveting and will test your tear ducts to the limit - particularly the final, gut-wrenching twist ... Picoult tackles a controversial subject head on with a sense of wisdom and sensitivity. If there's only one book you read this year, make it this one.' * * * * *review -- Daily Express'Very compelling.' -- Heat'Gripping, thought-provoking, heart-breaking, MY SISTER'S KEEPER is a novel absolutely of our times.' -- Wrexham Leader 20050311'A real tear-jerker...It's an absolutely wonderful book.' -- Sophie Anderson, Sunday Express 20050311'The drama unfolds through the eyes of the main characters in a gripping, compulsive, intriguing read with a great ethical dilemma at its heart.' -- Stevenage Comet 20050331'Terrific ... bringing us these issues from the point of view of a 13 year old girl is a great idea' -- Dr John Marsden 20050331'I loved it, I read it in two nights ... Absolutely no argument is left unturned' -- Amanda Donahoe 20050331'Fascinating and highly topical ... I found it a real page turner ... Every scene is powerful ... A dramatic ending ... shocking and made me cry' -- Richard Madeley 20050331'Picoult has become a master - almost a clairvoyant - at targeting hot issues and writing highly readable page-turners about them ... [[I]t is impossible not to be held spellbound by the way she forces us to think, hard, about right and wrong.' -- Washington Post'This beautifully crafted novel will grab readers with its stunning topic ... the tightly woven tale seamlessly bounces from past to present ... Picoult's style borders on the poetic' -- People Magazine"Rarely have I read such an eloquent portrayal of the family in crisis.Every character: real.Every situation: true.Picoult defies you to put this novel down once you've begun it.I do the same." -- Elizabeth George 20040920'This astonishing novel is beautifully and thoughtfully written, and focuses on difficult moral choices.' -- Good Housekeeping 20040920'This is not just a great page-turning unputdownable read - it deals with sensitive intelligence with one of the major ethical issues of the day' -- Claire Rayner 20040920'A real tear-jerker...It's an absolutely wonderful book.' -- Sophie Anderson, Sunday Express 20040920'Brilliantly told' -- Daily Mirror 20040920'*Starred Review* Expect to be kept up all night by Picoult's latest novel, but it's much more than a page-turner; it's a fascinating character study framed by a complex, gripping story... Told in alternating perspectives by the engaging, fascinating cast of characters, Picoult's novel grabs the reader from the first page and never lets go. This is a beautiful, hear...--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Booklist (Starred Review)My Sister's Keeper is a beautiful, heartbreaking, controversial, and honest book.
People (Critic's Choice)[Second Glance] is a fast-paced, densely layered exploration of love, the pull of family and the power of both to transcend time.
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)A spellbinding suspense novel.
USA TodayPicoult's characters are so compelling that the reader hopes this won't be the last time we meet.
Washington PostPicoult has become a master -- almost a clairvoyant -- at targeting hot issues and writing highly readable page-turners about them....
The Boston GlobePicoult writes with a fine touch, a sharp eye for detail, and a firm grasp of the delicacy and complexity of human relationships.
