This is one of those books that I know I was supposed to like. And I really wanted to like it...I really wanted to like it, but I just could not. Ms. Edwards is desperately in need of an editor. It would have been such a better read if I did not have to trudge through so many paragraphs...pages...to get to the point. Great idea...just poorly executed. ( )

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memorable book because the story is so unique. Strongly drawn characters. ( )

It takes a lot of hard work on an author’s part to get me interested in family drama; characters have to be spot on, the drama worth sitting through, the pathos balanced with distanced narration. It’s not my preferred genre of fiction, and I have trouble with virtually every other book written by Jodi Picoult, while finding the ones that are good absolutely gripping. Her recommendation on the front cover of Kim Edwards’ The Memory Keeper’s Daughter put me in two minds whether to pick it up at all. I’m very glad I did, because the theme of memory, of personal history, the way the secret sits and channels everything from there on was utterly fascinating and handled with finesse.

It’s moving, too… I can handle that when a writer is not simply trying to play my emotions like a toy banjo; the decision to remove the Down’s Syndrome twin from the family unit without the mother’s knowledge was a monstrous act of compassion and the reader is involved in every consequence as half a dozen or so lives play out around it.

About three quarters of the way though, it dragged a little and then did a little skip, as though the author had just realised she was getting a bit entrenched… the end more than redeemed this slight flaw; the simple good nature of Phoebe, quite content with her life, set against the troubled background of her existence is beautiful, and Edwards uses that to shine a light across what might otherwise have been the bleak landscape of a shattered family.

Even if the ‘misery-lit’ feel of the subject initially turns you off, this is a gem of a read. If you were, like me, to only rarely put aside your dislike of exploring family dysfunction and secrets, this is the book to do it for. And if you like that sort of thing anyway… this is how it should be done. ( )

When the Memory Keeper’s Daughter came out on film, I knew I wanted to read it before I watched it. I’m a book before the movie kind of girl. But that put a lot of pressure on the book. I saw the movie on from time to time and had to force myself not to watch it, but I saw the characters so when I read it, I had a picture of them in my mind.

One thing I learned from this book is that I need to read light books. This had its light points, but was serious. After I’ve been at work all day dealing with shootings, missing people etc I need something light and silly to get me through.

I liked this book because it hit close to home. My brother was born a few months early and has learning disabilities, but I can never imagine my parents giving him up. That thought it just crazy. I know this book happened a few decades earlier when this happened a lot, but it still blows my mind.

I really like that this book covered an entire life span. A lot of the books I’ve been reading lately cover a week or a few months. This covers from the time the kids were born until they were in their late 20s. It’s nice to get to see someone grow up and the people they become.

I also like how you went back and forth from Paul’s life to Phoebe’s life. You got to keep up with both of them although they were miles and miles apart. I know that is the point of the story, but I thought Kim Edwards did it well.

I’ve been reading a lot of stories from New Jersey and London, but it was nice to read one from Louisville. It’s nice to read about places that are near home and nice to read about rivers I’ve heard of and places I’ve been to.

One of the things I least liked about this book was all the secrets. Things like this paranoy me. Michael would never do something like give away our child (David) or be unfaithful (Norah), but this book kind of makes me lose faith in honesty. I can’t imagine living a whole life with these secrets.

There were positives about this book, but I think the negatives override and I only give this book 3 bookmarks. It was just so-so. ( )

Compelling. How do you make up for a lifetime of loss? This is the main question driving the characters in this book. ( )

This book had potential, but the execution was mired in tedious introspective garbage. A big disappointment. ( )

Great novel. I wanted more! ( )

The writing in this book was decent, sure, but the content was lacking. While there was great potential contained in the story, the “climax” was premature and, well, anti-climatic. Although we learn more about the characters throughout the book, there was no real progression or development of them. This book left me feeling dissappointed and slightly bored. ( )

This is one of those books where so little happens in such a long time. You could have taken the 'major incidences' and made the book half as long. I love long books, and this is not a long book at all...but so little happens. The writing is not so outstanding that it makes every little moment interesting, as with Pillars Of The Earth. ( )

I am reviewing The Memory Keeper's Daughter, by Kim Edwards. I chose to read this book, because I had heard of it, and I knew it had been made into a movie on Lifetime. It sounded compelling and insightful. After reading the book, I felt very involved in the characters the author had created. The story dealt with seemingly realistic issues and vivid, complex, characters.
David Henry, for example is portrayed as a cold and cruel man based on a decision he makes in the beginning of the book. As the story develops, however, we learn enough about David and his past, to justify his actions. Norah Henry's ongoing depression is extremely real to the reader, and the plotline is addictive.
Overall, I really loved this book. It was intellectual, emotionally connected, and it kept me wanting to read it, no matter how many other things needed to be done. I picked it up thinking it would be an average, female-oriented novel, and I returned it feeling like I had gotten to know a family that is not even real. It not only met up to my expectations, it surpassed them. ( )

family, loss ( )

Acquired via BookCrossing 29 Aug 2009 (book swap game at Rugby)

Read this out of order (shock!) because I want to release it in the LUCIA challenge this month.

An OK read. It's one of those "issue" novels of course (man disposes of one twin; wife doesn't know her child is growing up with another woman; secrets will out - all of this on the back of the book) and as such much of the effort seems designed to fit the theme in and cover every aspect. Some of the stuff about Norah's life as representative of American Woman from the 60s to the 90s seems to just use her as an example rather than a flesh and blood character with a life of her own (dissatisfied housewife - check; takes up drinking - check; gets job - check; gets powerful career in the 80s - check) and while the descriptions of the struggles for education and other opportunities for Down's Syndrome people are worthwhile and valid, sometimes it seems a bit like the author is trying to fit in all her research and again misses the more individual aspects.

I am, as is my wont, over-criticising a perfectly decent novel that I enjoyed to a large extent, and lots of people have enjoyed to a greater extent. It's good book group stuff and does cover its subject with decency and perfectly adequate writing. I couldn't help but think what the same plot would be like if covered by a Jane Smiley or an Anne Tyler - but that's my problem, not the book's. ( )

I loved the premise of this book and bought it immediately after reading the back cover. It held my interest for the first half of the book. Towards the end it felt a little flat to me. It was a decent read but I was expecting more.

I recommend this book. Especially to people who like books that focus on the relationships between characters rather than events. Few of the characters are truly good or bad...lots of shades of grey.

The depiction of David and Norah was very interesting. It seemed plausible that these characters would grow/change during their marriage in the way that they did. The book jumps from year to year so some of the changes (particularly Norah's) can feel abrupt.

Caroline's romantic relationship was less well written, and frankly less important. However, Caroline's growth at the beginning of the book and once Phoebe is older are interesting. Paul also tackles some interesting issues as he becomes older.

I find this book good because it portrays true character growth/development which is interesting and provides some food for thought. ( )

I have seen this book in the bookstore for the past couple of years, but the description never seemed to grab me. Then I found it in my local library and decided to try it while on vacation. WOW. I was sucked into this thing and could not put it down. What a tangled web of love, deceit, betrayal, secrets and family...all the good stuff! I enjoyed the timeline that spanned 25 years. Although the last part of the book seemed a bit abrupt, I think it was just me not wanting it to end. I cannot wait for this author's next story. ( )

A very insightful book looking at the affects that keeping secrets can have on a family. It also looks at society's reactions to people with disabilities and their value. ( )

Loved it. Intense and tragic story about losing a child. ( )

It's the 60's and Norah Henry gives birth to twins, and her husband gives one away as she baby had Downs syndrome and tells her the baby died. Instead, it is taken by the nurse who raises it as her own. At the climax of the story, after the father's death the family is reunited.

I found this book overblown and entirely too melodramatic. The descriptions are entirely too owerblown and flowery. Through the entire book everyone seems to spend most of their time missing their baby and being UNFORFILLED! Norah can't stop imagining her daughter about her all the time which slowly tears apart her marriage and then she has to go out and have a career as she can't have any babies and learn to be a career woman and find forfillment that way as she can't get them through babies! For some reason, they tell the son he had a sister who died in the womb, and the son then spends the book mourning the lost sister he could never have known and being UNFORFILLED. The father becomes a sucessful photographer and dedicates his life to helping others but becasue of that one decision he's UNFORFILLED. I don't doubt that loosing a child has a dramatic impact on a family, but the way this book traces every tiny detail of their life from their sons chosen career to Norah having affaris to David's inability to hold his marriage together back to that incident was a little unrealistic. Especially the extent to which Paul seemed to focus on her.

Then we have the other family, the nurse who took Phoebie (the baby girl) who then finds a house and a husband and a forfilling career and who's life is full of happiness and joy and rewarding struggles and such. Because, you know, caring for a baby with downs syndrome is entirely rewarding all the time with very few down sides and people with downs syndrome are simple minded angels who brighten everyone's lives with their simple joys.

Then, at the end, the reunion scene, where Norah and her son meet her daughter and they can all begin to HEAL!

The plot was overblown, the writing was bad. I mean, there's a good idea under here, and some of the moments are nice, but I found it to be a treck and would have enjoyed a little realism in with my overblown fantasy about how rewarding and wonderful it is to raise a differently-abled child. ( )

Review located at http://pilethemon.blogspot.com/2008/0... ( )

This wasn't nearly as captivating the second time I read it. Captivating at the beginning, but took a bit of slogging to get to the end. ( )

all-around favorite with everyone in the group ( )

This was our first book club's choice. It was so so sad and a bit depressing. During a snow storm a doctor is forced to deliever his first child, a baby boy. He is shocked to discover twins and that the second child (a girl) has developmental problems. With only his nurse as witness, he tells his wife the child is dead and the nurse takes the very much alive child away. The doctor thinks the child doesn't have long to live but the nurse secrets her out of town and raises the child. This act obviously affects many many lives. It has a lot to do with marriage, secrets, love, trust, and forgiveness (and non-forgiveness). It was a great story and written very well but it was very depressing really. I guess I tend to go for lighter books. So this is just a warning: great book but very sad. ( )

Doctor gives away infant daughter with down's syndrome. ( )

Yawn. ( )