Jodi Picoult
Contemporary Fiction
In an effort to save one of its own a Rhode Island family has lost its identity and way. The story revolves around Kate who has rare form of cancer and the effort to keep her alive by her family. However, the care and medical attention needed depends on the youngest child in the family, Anna. Her birth gave new life to her sick sister. Anna is a perfect genetic match to Kate. Anna has given everything to Kate from blood to bone marrow. Anna is told that she will give her kidney to her sister. However, Anna does not want to continue to be a guinea pig any longer. She decides that her parents have to look out for all their children not just Kate. Anna will take them to court if she must. This sets the stage for "My Sister's Keeper".
Jodi Picoult is a unique writer. Each chapter is from a different character's perspective making the story anything but onesided. Picoult reminds me of Alice McDermott.
Reading the book feels like sitting at a dining room table at a dinner party. Each guest taking a turn to tell you their side of the story.
The book as a whole works quite well. By changing the perspective every chapter the reader is allowed a full profile of the entire story. By employing this device Picoult allows you as the reader to be completely entrenched in the plotline.
All of the characters are believable but Sara who is the mother never is able to connect with me. I don't know if that was by design but it was disappointing that such a pivotal character never had an impact on me as the reader.
Picoult is the standard bearer for contemporary fiction today. She is the author of this generation.
Many consider "My Sister's Keeper" as the definitive Picoult novel. I disagree. This book is a wonderful read and I highly reccomend it. However, I think Picoult's "Nineteen Minutes" is her best work.
As I mentioned earlier Alice McDermott and her novels have some similarities to Piccoult's work. Tom Perrotta and Alice Sebold are two contemporaries of Picoult that have the ability to make their characters part of your life.
If you like this book, you will probably like....
"The Appeal" by John Grisham or "The Abstinence Teacher" by Tom Perrotta or "That Night" by Alice McDermott
If you hate this book, you will probably like....
"Coma" by Robin Cook and "The Stranger" by Albert Camus
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