What a great book!

I just finished reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. This is our book club's April selection. OH MY GOD! What a fantastic book! In short, Anna is born to be a cord blood donor for her older sister Kate who has a rare form of leukemia. Thirteen years of donating this and that, from platelets to bone marrow, leads to one big impending donation....a kidney. Instead, Anna decides to request medical emancipation...the right to make her own decisions about her body. Her parents are shocked and, as they head to court, more of the story unfolds, each chapter through another character's eyes.

Initially, I was incredulous...how could the mother essentially sacrifice one child for another? But, as I learned more, I became more sympathetic to her predicament. I'm not sure I would have acted the same way she did, but I know that the situation called for strength and the ability to make very difficult decisions very quickly. Her emotions and instinct seemed to rule, rather than intellect.


This book caused me to really evaluate the decisions I make, or might have to someday make, as a parent. In Sara's (the mother) case, she did what was best for Kate, always. She never stopped to think if it was in Anna's best interest. Do I do that? Do I put one child's needs ahead of the others? Oh, how careful we must be as parents! Our choices are not one size fits all!

I'm interested in reading more of her books now...I've heard great things about The 10th Circle, so I might do that next. This one really challenged me and stretched my thinking, which is the hallmark of good literature. I can't wait to see what her other books hold in store!