I'm guessing everyone has read this book - but maybe not??? When I saw another GR's post, she just read it... and it was one of the most disturbing books she ever read. I can relate.

WAY before this movie came out... (with its different ending)..... I couldn't move at one point while reading.

I was on my way to the gym that early morning... but I was just a wreck - crying just too hard at the house alone... (not knowing anyone who had read this book at the time). I didn't get off the 'floor'... I was in shock.

**For years later... This became one of the most talked about books... with valuable discussions. It seems that this book has had a profound impact on many people. The disturbing content within it has left a lasting impression. The fact that it could reduce me to such a state of emotional turmoil on that fateful morning is a testament to its power. Even years after that initial reading, it continues to be a topic of great interest and debate. People discuss the various themes, the characters, and the overall message of the book. It has truly become a classic in the literary world, and its influence shows no signs of waning.

My third book this month, and I'm simply bawling my eyes out.

It's a truly great work of fiction, and one that is utterly heartbreaking. "My Sister's Keeper" is simply unforgettable!

But what I truly admire about this book is the remarkable ingenuity in creating a story that forces us to grapple with the disparity in our justice system between what is legal and what is moral.

Can parents really be blamed for saving their disease-stricken child at the expense of another child? Or can a child be emancipated to decide what to do with his or her own body when it comes to medical procedures or needs?

As a lawyer, I know that this is not an easy question, and life is far from as stable as we might wish it to be.

Also, consent is not a simple black or white, yes or no matter. It's infinitely more complicated than that.

This book, written almost a decade ago, resonates more powerfully today than ever before, especially as genetic engineering and editing are becoming a reality far beyond what was once imagined.

Jodi Picoult's prose is simply unbelievable, and she is a bestseller because she is that good, truly outstanding.

She knows exactly how to navigate the story, when to maintain the pace and when to accelerate, when to hold back and when to let go.

I can't wait to devour more of her works.

Well, I have just completed reading the book, and I am plunged into a state of profound depression. This story has to be among the most controversial ones I have ever come across. I am truly in a dilemma. Did I love it or did I hate it?

I believe the book is founded on an outstanding premise, and Picoult's writing is impeccable. However, the chapters narrated by Julia and Campbell were extremely distracting and should have been omitted. So, although I relished Picoult's writing, I simply cannot disregard my emotions.

God, I was so enraged while reading this. I almost despise Anna's mother. What a stupid woman! Some individuals simply should not become parents. I am not a parent myself, so I couldn't possibly understand the feeling, and perhaps I shouldn't be critiquing parental decisions. But I completely identified with Anna, and I can tell you that what her parents did to her was just horribly wrong! So very wrong! When I read the final chapter, I burst into tears. Seriously, did anyone else think that the ending couldn't be more idiotic and unjust?

In a nutshell, I would not recommend this book for the simple reason that it made me feel like a bad person. Page after page, all I could think about was that Anna should not donate her kidney to her sister if she doesn't want to. :(

To save your daughter, you must sacrifice her sister.

If I had to describe My Sister’s Keeper in one word, it would be ‘confusing’. It’s a typical Jodi Picoult novel, dealing with a highly controversial topic. There are so many contrasts and extremely good arguments that make you firmly support one side at one moment, only to have you completely switch to the opposite side the next. The same goes for the characters. Just when you think you don't like a particular character, they do something amazing and you find yourself smiling. Then, in the next instant, you might hate them again. And of course, there's always that shocking ending that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Kate Fitzgerald was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia at the tender age of two. With no suitable donor in the family, her prognosis was dire. Her parents, Sara and Brian Fitzgerald, faced a heart-wrenching decision. They decided to have another baby, a ‘design baby’ named Anna, who would be the perfect donor for Kate. Anna has been donating blood, stem cells, and bone marrow to Kate throughout her life. However, now that Kate is relapsing and in need of a kidney transplant, Anna has had enough. She hires a lawyer and sues her parents for medical emancipation, as she no longer wants to be a donor.

Jodi Picoult's topics are always so heavy, and this book is no exception. Her novels are never a light read. It really depends on your mood. While it may be challenging to get through, it is also a novel filled with love, both within the family and outside of it. It delves into other serious issues such as alcoholism, drug abuse, and arson, as well as lighter topics like first crushes, first kisses, and the little things in life that make you laugh and keep you going. The story weaves together the decline of Kate's health with charming little memories that give you a peek into how the Fitzgeralds have lived together over the years. It also showcases the lives of the judges involved in the lawsuit.

Anna's lawyer, Campbell Alexander, was my favorite character. At the beginning of the story, he came across as a jerk. But as the story progressed, he underwent a significant transformation. Somewhere along the way, he started to care. I loved how he would give a different explanation every time someone asked him why he had a service dog. He would say things like “I am colour-blind, he tells me when the traffic lights change”, “He’s a chick magnet”, or “I have an iron lung”. He did this to amuse himself and because he had never shared the truth about his condition with anyone before.

Sara Fitzgerald is a complex character to evaluate. I had mixed feelings about her. As a former lawyer, she represents herself in the lawsuit, and it's clear that she will do anything to save Kate. On one hand, it's only natural for a parent to do everything in their power to save their child. On the other hand, is that a valid reason to neglect their other children? It's a controversial issue because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to raising children. It's obvious that Sara and Brian love all of their children, but they have chosen to prioritize Kate because of her illness. You can never truly know how you would act in such a situation until you're actually in it.

My Sister’s Keeper is not for everyone. When reading Jodi Picoult, you need to approach it with an open mind and consider all the possible scenarios. Think about everything that could happen and how it would impact each character. And just when you think you've made up your mind, turn the page and be prepared to have the story surprise you all over again.

My first encounter with a book written by Jodi Picoult (born 1966) left me with a complex mix of emotions. I found myself in a quandary, not sure if I despised or adored it, which led me to rate it with 2 stars on Goodreads, signifying It's okay.

I have a colleague who is a die-hard Jodi Picoult fan. She urged me to read this book a couple of years ago as an introduction to Picoult's literary world. I took the book home, read the first 10 pages, then closed it and returned it to her the next morning. My issue? I couldn't stomach the idea of the 13-year-old Anna suing her parents for emancipation. In my humble opinion, suing one's parents is completely un-Filipino. I don't believe such a situation could occur in the Philippines because Filipinos are raised to be God-fearing and respectful of their parents, as commanded by God. This aspect felt highly unrealistic and something I couldn't relate to.

However, last month, the Filipinos group on Goodreads selected this book as our bestseller read. I made another attempt to read it within the allotted time, but once again, I got stuck in the first few pages. I still couldn't come to terms with the suing part. Nevertheless, I persevered and continued reading. But when I came across the backstory about Anna's conception solely to be the perfect donor for her older sister Kate, I recoiled once more. This, too, seemed like an unrealistic point. Couples typically have children out of love for each other, and children are a testament to that love. They are not created to serve as organ donors, unless we are in the world of Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go.

Thankfully, during the long weekend, I had the opportunity to finish some of the books that had been sitting unfinished in my currently-reading folder, including this one. I'm glad I completed it. It was still worth the time.

The book is beautifully written, with multiple narrators and points of view, lovely metaphors, memorable quotes, and a nice play on words. Any novel centered around family is high on my list. However, the characters and the situations they found themselves in felt overly contrived, almost as if they were designed solely to tug at the readers' heartstrings and perhaps even make them work overtime. I admire Picoult's efforts to make her story both interesting and educational by incorporating numerous details about leukemia, APL, fire-fighting, kidney transplant, bone marrow extraction, and more. She gets an \\"A\\" for effort, but I think the plot is overwritten to the point of being too manipulative for my taste. This is why I generally avoid watching TV teleseryes, unless my mom is in town and I want to bond with her by watching her soap operas.

But contrary to most of my friends' reviews on Goodreads, I adored the ending of the book. I believe it is the right conclusion, serving as a reminder to parents not to take their children for granted. Of course, it's quite different in the movie adaptation for an obvious reason: viewers usually prefer a happier ending. Maybe the director of the movie sided with Sarah since mothers often hold the purse strings and are the ones who pay for the movie tickets.

I definitely have no regrets about reading this book. However, I don't think I'll pick up another Picoult. For me, reading Picoult is like bungee jumping – once is enough.

My Sister's Keeper is an incredibly thought-provoking story that has left a lasting impression on me.

The moral messages it presents are profound and stay with you for a long time. The concept of a parent having to make the impossible choice of one child over another is truly heart-wrenching.

And then there's the girl who simply desires her voice to be heard, which adds another layer of complexity to the narrative.

I find myself drawn to the moral dilemma at the heart of the story. It forces you to question your own beliefs and values.

The ending, in particular, is just heart-breaking. It leaves you with a sense of sadness and a realization of the harsh realities of life.

Overall, I would rate this story 4 stars. It's a must-read for anyone who enjoys a story that challenges their emotions and makes them think.

\\n  **3.5 stars**

“If you have a sister and she dies, do you stop saying you have one? Or are you always a sister, even when the other half of the equation is gone?”\\n

This is my initial encounter with Jodi Picoult, and it will surely not be the last. Young Adult (YA) fiction has never been my top choice. However, this book was penned in 2005, a time when the market hadn't witnessed the exponential growth of YA melodrama. Moreover, from the synopsis, it's evident that the family dynamics here are often intertwined with legal drama involving some highly ambiguous and significant subject matters.

Despite containing all the elements I dreaded, in the end, it is a rather impactful tale of a family you would be relieved not to be a part of. Nevertheless, it does have its flaws.

There are certain parts or elements that the story didn't require, and without which the tale would have been far more readable from a literary standpoint. These elements definitely don't include the medical terminologies, as they were crucial to the plot. Nor do they include the extravaganza that is the interior monologues or the struggle to understand the reasons for so much pain. Without them, most readers would consider the story heartless.

The parts I'm referring to are those where the narrator attempts to draw references from their pasts to maximize the impact of the storytelling. We understand that it's one of the safest strategies, but most of the time, they don't have the desired effect. And when they do, they frequently put the tale at risk of becoming overly melodramatic. This occurs a few times. It's forgivable, of course, considering the subject matter the novel deals with.

Also, as previously mentioned, there are some cliched plot elements. Unsolicited romantic angles and similar tropes that it could have done without. But then again, it has the excuse that it was written in 2005.

Surprisingly, the pace quickens towards the end. And the ending was truly effective, not in any outlandish or shocking way. Also impressive was the shift in perspectives. It followed a pattern that was kind of cool. The narrative of each chapter makes you guess who the next chapter will be dedicated to.

\\n  “In the English language there are orphans and widows, but there is no word for the parents who lose a child.”\\n

Now, I was contemplating writing more about the moral questions the story raises but decided against it. Firstly, there are quite a number of them. And if you decide to read this story, they may not spoil the story, but they essentially sum up all the positives of the novel. So, that's that.

There's no doubt that Jodi Picoult can construct a decent story with an engaging storyline. But if she invests a bit more in editing and reduces the theatricality, it can reach its fullest potential. However, at the end of the day, it left an impression. And that's all that truly matters.

\\n  “See, as much as you want to hold on to the bitter sore memory that someone has left this world, you are still in it.”\\n

My Sister's Keeper is an extremely heart-wrenching story that delves deep into a family's struggle with cancer.

When an illness strikes one family member, it's not just that individual who endures the pain and suffering. The entire family is affected, and this book beautifully showcases how each member copes in their own unique way.

Kate is diagnosed with cancer, and her sister Anna selflessly donates blood and marrow to help Kate survive. However, the situation takes a more complex turn when Anna is required to have a surgery to donate a kidney, which she doesn't want to go through. This leads to a legal battle that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat.

I found myself really liking Anna and felt the most sorry for her. She is put in a difficult position, having to make a tough decision about her own body. All the other characters in the story are also very well-developed and add to the overall richness of the narrative.

While this book was a real page turner, I have to admit that I didn't like the ending. I felt that it didn't do justice to Anna or to me as a reader. It left me with a sense of dissatisfaction and a feeling that there could have been a more fulfilling resolution.

Overall, though, My Sister's Keeper is a good emotional story that explores the themes of family, sacrifice, and the difficult choices we have to make in life. I would rate it 3 stars.

I just can't seem to make up my mind about how I'm feeling at this very moment. It's a complex and rather confusing state of being. There's this overwhelming sense that something truly heart-wrenching and deeply saddening has occurred.

Maybe it's a recent event that has left me feeling this way. Or perhaps it's a culmination of smaller disappointments and setbacks that have gradually built up over time.

Whatever the cause, this feeling of heartache and sadness is palpable. It weighs on my heart and mind, making it difficult to focus on anything else. I find myself constantly thinking about it, trying to understand why it has affected me so deeply.

I know that I need to find a way to deal with these emotions, but for now, I'm just trying to come to terms with how I'm feeling.

I vividly remember the anticipation I had when the movie based on this story was set to be released. However, for some reason, I never managed to get around to watching it.

Thankfully, I had the opportunity to read the book instead, and I must say, it has been an absolute delight! This might just be the best book I've read by Jodi Picoult so far.

The ending completely took me by surprise. Just a few pages before the conclusion, I thought I had it all figured out and started to roll my eyes, assuming I knew where the story was headed. But boy, was I wrong! There were also several other unexpected twists and turns along the way that kept me on the edge of my seat.

While I could have done without the relationship between Campbell and Julia, it was still somewhat tolerable. And although I would have liked to see more of Jesse, I can overlook that.

The reason I can forgive these minor flaws is because the dynamic between the parents and sisters was so strong and engaging. It was enough to sustain the book and make up for any oversights or dings in the rest of the story.

This book has truly left a lasting impression on me, and I know I'll be thinking about it for a long time to come.

This book is truly amazing as it presents two sides of the story.

On one hand, saving Kate seems like a great idea when seen from Kate's perspective. However, when viewed from Anna's perspective, it is rather horrible that her parents are making her donate a kidney, which forces her to miss out on some very important sports and events that are a natural part of life.

The book also showcases everything from different viewpoints, giving readers an insight into how difficult it is to handle such a situation.

The only aspect that is a bit confusing in this book is the use of long medical terms that are hard to understand. Nevertheless, it is still very easy to enjoy the book. I never want to finish it because the book is simply incredible!

It keeps you engaged and makes you think about the complex issues presented in it. The different perspectives add depth to the story and make it a truly captivating read.

Overall, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a thought-provoking and engaging story.

Spoiler alert.

I'm giving this a mere 1 star simply because I managed to finish it. It has truly put me off ever reading anything else by this author. The entire premise struck me as highly offensive. OFFENSIVE!

Purposely having a child with the intention that it could be sacrificed (repeatedly, mind you) for another is just heinous. That couple should most definitely lose their children due to such blatant abuse. And the doctors? They should lose their licenses to practice for flagrantly violating their Hippocratic oaths.

Obviously, Picoult achieved the exact opposite emotional response from me than what she was likely hoping for. From a storytelling perspective, she fails miserably at the ending. She takes the easy way out (haha, yes, it's intended) to wrap things up, which completely undermines the entire narrative. It's a real disappointment and has left a sour taste in my mouth when it comes to her work.