Imagine that you have a terminally ill child and her prognosis is poor. Imagine that you can save her by having another child and using the cord blood to transplant stem cells. Would you do it?
Anna Fitzgerald’s life began because of her sister Kate’s illness. Diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia at age two, Kate is given three years to live. When her doctors offer her parents, Sara and Brian, another opportunity to save Kate, they jump at it. Using preimplantation genetic diagnosis, specialists help Sara and Brian conceive Anna, a perfect genetic match for Kate. Moments after her birth, Anna gives her cord blood to her sister. The stem cell transplant works, and Kate goes into remission.
It seems the perfect solution. Kate is healthy and the Fitzgerald’s have completed their family. Except that Kate relapses and Anna is called on again to help her sister…and again…and again…and again.
At the beginning of My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult, Anna is thirteen years old and her life has revolved around keeping her sister alive. The entire family’s existence, in fact, is defined by Kate’s remissions or relapses, chemo and emergencies. The Fitzgerald’s oldest child, Jesse, is shunted to the side in the face of Kate’s greater problems. Anna is not just Kate’s sister. She is a “designer baby” who would not have been born if Kate were healthy. Kate’s illness has progressed to the point where she needs a kidney transplant, and Anna is the most likely donor. Only Anna doesn’t want to give up a kidney.
Picoult did her research for this book. Her descriptions and medical jargon are accurate, almost painfully so. The reader feels almost like they are in the hospital room with the Fitzgeralds. Kate is more than a leukemia patient. Picoult paints the trials Kate goes through with shocking clarity. Never again will the reader think they understand what leukemia is. The author also gives insight into the legal system and the issue of bioethics and the question of where a parent’s control over their children ends and the rights of the children as humans take over. This book is not light reading, parts of it are highly upsetting, and the far-reaching tragedy that is terminal illness leaves the reader praying to never have a sick child. The ending was completely unexpected and dreadfully sad.
In her subject matter, Picoult raises provocative questions. Is it OK to use medical science to “design” babies, even if you’re choosing the composition of their bone marrow instead of eye color or IQ? Should science and ethics be intertwined? To what extent should a parent sacrifice a child for the sake of another child? To what extent would you, as a parent, go to in order to save the life of your child?
What I found most striking about this book was Picoult’s ability to create characters that you empathize with, but don’t particularly like. As a mother, I understand Sara’s unwillingness to say goodbye to her daughter and her single minded pursuit of a cure for Kate; I don’t understand how easily she gives up on Jesse, or how she can say some of the cruel things she says to Anna, who is just a child. I don’t doubt that she loves Anna, but sometimes I wonder if she loves Kate more. I understand why Anna doesn’t want to be used for more spare parts for Kate; on the other hand, I want to slap her and tell her to give up the kidney for her sister’s sake. I understand why Jesse acts out, after all, negative attention is better than no attention; at the same time, I wish he would get it together and stop being selfish. I understand why Brian retreats into his job to cope with the implosion of his life; I don’t understand why he lets Sara overrule his true feelings about what role Anna should play in Kate’s treatment, or why it takes him so long to realize how he has abandoned his son. I understand the toll Kate’s illness has had on her body and soul, but I wonder how much longer she will rely on her sister in order to live.
My Sister's Keeper is fictional, but brings to mind a lot of questions relevant to today's scientific society, and Picoult does a great job focusing on what to many parents is their greatest fear; a child's terminal illness.
Anna Fitzgerald’s life began because of her sister Kate’s illness. Diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia at age two, Kate is given three years to live. When her doctors offer her parents, Sara and Brian, another opportunity to save Kate, they jump at it. Using preimplantation genetic diagnosis, specialists help Sara and Brian conceive Anna, a perfect genetic match for Kate. Moments after her birth, Anna gives her cord blood to her sister. The stem cell transplant works, and Kate goes into remission.
It seems the perfect solution. Kate is healthy and the Fitzgerald’s have completed their family. Except that Kate relapses and Anna is called on again to help her sister…and again…and again…and again.
At the beginning of My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult, Anna is thirteen years old and her life has revolved around keeping her sister alive. The entire family’s existence, in fact, is defined by Kate’s remissions or relapses, chemo and emergencies. The Fitzgerald’s oldest child, Jesse, is shunted to the side in the face of Kate’s greater problems. Anna is not just Kate’s sister. She is a “designer baby” who would not have been born if Kate were healthy. Kate’s illness has progressed to the point where she needs a kidney transplant, and Anna is the most likely donor. Only Anna doesn’t want to give up a kidney.
Picoult did her research for this book. Her descriptions and medical jargon are accurate, almost painfully so. The reader feels almost like they are in the hospital room with the Fitzgeralds. Kate is more than a leukemia patient. Picoult paints the trials Kate goes through with shocking clarity. Never again will the reader think they understand what leukemia is. The author also gives insight into the legal system and the issue of bioethics and the question of where a parent’s control over their children ends and the rights of the children as humans take over. This book is not light reading, parts of it are highly upsetting, and the far-reaching tragedy that is terminal illness leaves the reader praying to never have a sick child. The ending was completely unexpected and dreadfully sad.
In her subject matter, Picoult raises provocative questions. Is it OK to use medical science to “design” babies, even if you’re choosing the composition of their bone marrow instead of eye color or IQ? Should science and ethics be intertwined? To what extent should a parent sacrifice a child for the sake of another child? To what extent would you, as a parent, go to in order to save the life of your child?
What I found most striking about this book was Picoult’s ability to create characters that you empathize with, but don’t particularly like. As a mother, I understand Sara’s unwillingness to say goodbye to her daughter and her single minded pursuit of a cure for Kate; I don’t understand how easily she gives up on Jesse, or how she can say some of the cruel things she says to Anna, who is just a child. I don’t doubt that she loves Anna, but sometimes I wonder if she loves Kate more. I understand why Anna doesn’t want to be used for more spare parts for Kate; on the other hand, I want to slap her and tell her to give up the kidney for her sister’s sake. I understand why Jesse acts out, after all, negative attention is better than no attention; at the same time, I wish he would get it together and stop being selfish. I understand why Brian retreats into his job to cope with the implosion of his life; I don’t understand why he lets Sara overrule his true feelings about what role Anna should play in Kate’s treatment, or why it takes him so long to realize how he has abandoned his son. I understand the toll Kate’s illness has had on her body and soul, but I wonder how much longer she will rely on her sister in order to live.
My Sister's Keeper is fictional, but brings to mind a lot of questions relevant to today's scientific society, and Picoult does a great job focusing on what to many parents is their greatest fear; a child's terminal illness.
This was the first book by Jodi Picoult that I have read, and I will definitely continue to read her work.
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10 comments:
This one has been on my list to read for awhile, thanks for a great review.
This was also the first book of her's the I read - and now I own her whole library! I also met her during a reading of "My Sister's Keeper" held by our public library system...she even signed a personal message in my copy of the book! I just love her.
Your review is great. Thank you for giving us such a great look into this book...
This is a definite must read for me. Thanks for your wonderful review of My Sister's Keeper.
Have a wonderful day filled with love and laughter!
Angela
Medical Ethics are always an interesting topic. But I have to wonder, is the real issue the ethics of designing a baby, or the parents expectations of what could happen? Your review seems to bring that out nicely.
Sounds like just the book to pick up next. Thanks K!
Sounds like an intriguing book! My friend's daughter was diagnosed with leukemia when she was three. In the midst of all the turmoil they found my friend was expecting again. The baby was not a designer baby but his cord blood was a perfect match. And, yes, the leukemia is in remission.
I loved this book, but I was disappointed with the ending. I thought it was too contrived, but what else could she have done? I read somewhere that Piccoult talked to many people about what the possible outcomes could be for the sister with Leukemia, and death was almost certain. I think that this book is one of Piccoult's strongest; I haven't been as impressed with other books by her as I was with this one. Great review!
Humm, I don't know. I have found that after having children of my own, I am too sensitive to books about childhood illness, etc. I don't like being hurt in my heart. Although this does sound like a beautiful tale. Maybe one day I will be ready for it.
Fascinating story! I haven't read any of her books, but this certainly sounds powerful.
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