Book 16 Jan 2007 10:44 pm
Memory Keeper’s Daughter
Everyone has read this book it seems. Written by Kim Edwards, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is her first novel. As someone who has a brother with Down’s Syndrome, I was a little leary to read this book, having only heard snippets of the books subject. Hearing that the father gives the daughter born with Down’s away to an institution (which actually was an option for my own brother, luckily my parents did not go that route), without hearing the rest of the description, well you can probably guess why I waited so long to read it.
The book is told from two points of view. One is from David and Norah Jones and their son, and the other is Caroline Gill and her daughter. I preferred Caroline’s story, probably because (barring the nurse taking the baby part of the story line) the troubles that Caroline went through are so similar to what my mother had to go through with my brother.
To show you what I mean about the quality of the writing, I give you a quote, from the beginning of the story. This quote was taken from Edwards’ website and all copyrights go to her.
Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards
“I don’t know,†he said.
She laughed. “Why not?†she asked. “You’re the doctor.â€
“I’m just an orthopedic surgeon,†he reminded her. “I could tell you the ossification pattern for fetal bones, but that’s about it.â€
He lifted her foot, both delicate and swollen inside the light blue sock, and began to massage it gently: the powerful tarsal bone of her heel, the metatarsals and the phalanges, hidden beneath skin and densely layered muscles like a fan about to open.
Copyright 2006 Kim Edwards
I will be honest that this book did not grab me right from the beginning as it seems to have to other readers. I thought it was incredibly well-written, but I think the mere act of what the father did turned me off. When I read books, characters become alive for me (this is the author’s goal in most cases I believe) and although he regretted his choice, the choice to give away his daughter just did not sit well with me. Because of the father’s actions, it took longer for me to care about any of the characters. I do think that my favorite character was Paul, the son. I especially liked how the ending chapter or so was from his point of view. And, just because the book did not grab me does not mean I did not love and enjoy the book, and cry at the sad parts and smile and laugh at the happy parts. Have no fear, I definitely did.
It was a really interesting book and I would definitely recommend it. I can imagine some amazing discussions about the choices that these people make. At my own bookstore, it has been a “local” bestseller. Over the summer, Diane Rehm, chose it as her summer pick, which added to its press. Other excellent reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations put this book at the top of the bestseller list. Take the time to pick it up (at your local independent bookstore of course) and read the back. Maybe even read the first chapter. It really is an amazing story, and I am sure that it affects everyone a little bit differently.
Tell me, how has it affected you?
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on 22 Jan 2007 at 2:01 pm 1.Sara said …
I came from a very different perspective than Jenny. I had a baby 4 months ago. My baby is healthy and happy, and I am very grateful for that. Of course David’s decision was deplorable, but I identified more with Norah, as a woman who gave birth, and how it felt to have a new little person to take care of. I of course could not empathize with Norah’s feelings of loss and depression, but I had a much easier time picturing what she was going through. I found myself marveling at how drastically one decision affected so many lives. Then it made me think about my own life, and if any decisions I’ve made will have such a deep and widespread impact.
Also, while I was pregnant, my husband and I talked about what would happen if we were to have a baby with Down’s Syndrome. Many OB’s conduct the test early enough so that if a woman chooses, she can terminate a pregnancy if it is certain that her baby has Down’s. Ultimately, we decided not to worry until there was something to worry about, and there never was. However, it was a difficult discussion that I’m sure many couples have at that stage of pregnancy. Given that we had a discussion, and there was even an option to not have a Down’s baby, I can almost see David’s point of view, and I was not as angry at his decision as Jenny was. I do not agree with the decision – once can only imagine how much better all of their lives would have been if the twins had stayed together, but I can understand David’s fear, and his deep desire to keep his son safe and happy.
I loved this book, and it pulled me in much faster than it pulled Jenny in. The first chapter was a bit slow, since it’s mostly background on Norah and David, but then it shifts into the twin’s birth, and from there on, I had a hard time putting the book down (and finding time to read with a 4-month-old around is challenging enough!) I also highly recommend this book, and there is definitely some excellent potential for discussion and debate!