My Sister's Keeper - A Book Review

I never felt compelled to read the book, even though I'd picked it up a number of times at the book store. The blurb on the back just didn't catch my attention, and I guess I didn't fully understand what it was supposed to be about. It wasn't until after my boss told me what the book was about that I decided that it might be worth the read, and so I went out and bought it.

Here's a quick synopsis of the story for you:
Twelve-year-old Anna has a sister, Kate (16), who is sick with a very rare form of leukemia (since age 4). Kate requires regular transplants in order to keep her alive. When Kate was first diagnosed it was found that none of her family members were compatible to be donors for her, and so her parents decided to go to a geneticist to engineer a baby that would be the perfect match for Kate; hence, Anna was born.
At age twelve, Anna decides that she doesn't want to be Kate's donor anymore. Well, perhaps that's bad phrasing - Anna wants to help Kate, but she wants to be medically emancipated to make her own decisions. The book is basically about the family's journey through some of the most difficult things that can happen to a family.

At first I found the book to be a bit confusing, because it changes between different people's points of view, and it's hard to follow when the characters are still new. After a while, however, I got used to the changing viewpoints and was able to really focus on the story. Despite the family dynamics being perhaps a little too elastic (meaning the parents way too understanding, some situations being way too easily solved, etc), I found the book to be very touching. It's difficult as the reader to not feel terrible for Kate, to not be confused by Anna, to not have some sort of relation to the parents with what they're facing. The book is filled with little pieces of stories and memories that each character possesses, and each story brings on a different viewpoint about all kinds of different situations.
The author, Jodi Picoult, has a deep understanding of the medical issues surrounding Kate (from her own personal experience), and is able to convey the emotions that accompany such an illness. She also introduces different twists and turns throughout the book that completely come together in the end, even when the reader least expects it.

I don't want to say much more for fear of ruining the story for someone else, but it really is a touching read if that kind of book is your thing. I suggest reading it when you have some privacy and a big box of tissues.