Book Review: My Sister’s Keeper

My Sister's Keeper
by Jodi Picoult
Published by Washington Square Press
Publication Date February 1, 2005
Genres: General Fiction
Goodreads

Anna is not sick, but she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her older sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since childhood. The product of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, Anna was conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate -- a life and a role that she has never challenged... until now. Like most teenagers, Anna is beginning to question who she truly is. But unlike most teenagers, she has always been defined in terms of her sister—and so Anna makes a decision that for most would be unthinkable, a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves.

A provocative novel that raises some important ethical issues, My Sister's Keeper is the story of one family's struggle for survival at all human costs and a stunning parable for all time.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. One of the main characters has epilepsy and being epileptic myself I had some problems with the accuracy of Campbell’s seizure activity.

In the novel, Campbell, Anna’s lawyer, has a dog that goes everywhere with him and later the reader learns it is a seizure dog. I have friend who has a seizure dog and had to go through many tests and paperwork to be accepted into the program and must produce this documentation to any future school or employer. I also was surprised that Campbell drove so soon after having a seizure in court as there is usually a waiting period before getting back behind the wheel, and is usually 6 months to a year depending on the state — not 6 hours! Also, Jodi Picoult never clarified what the cause of the accident was. Did Campbell have a seizure behind the wheel, which is not that uncommon, or was it just a freak accident?

I don’t think Jodi Picoult completed her homework in the medical sense; but unfortunately, I think unless you have some connection to the disorder you may not be as quick to catch on. Overall,  I enjoyed My Sister’s Keeper, but that lack of information was a huge negative for me.

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