The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Review Summary: A book that you'll think about after you've put it down...

Review:

The Memory Keeper's daughter is one of those books that you occasionally find yourself thinking about long after you've read it.

It tells the story of a woman who has a daughter with Down's and has 'no choice' but to give the baby up. She doesn't have a choice because it is what is expected of her as she gives birth in the 60's when there was less understanding of the different ways of dealing with disabilities.

The mother still thinks about her decision for many years afterwards and this is when the book really comes into its own - discussing the effects of the decision on different members of the family and the child.

The characters were well written and the book is an easy read.

Review Summary: Not the great read I was expecting!

Review:

I was recommended this book by a friend and on reading the cover it looked interesting enough. I'm always keen to try a different author so started reading with enthusiasm.

There are plenty of reviews here that cover the plot outline in detail so I'm not going to bore you with repeating them. The book started out well enough and I thoroughly enjoyed it up to the point where Caroline moves away from the area. But from there is just seemed to drag and not really go anywhere. Actually that's not true, it did go somewhere but it felt an effort getting there.

The story did have some redeeming moments, on the whole it's a very good story and it's not that I didn't like it, it was just 'OK' and I felt it could have been a lot better. I didn't warm to the characters and I suspect thats where I failed.

I wanted so much to like this book - if for no other reason than my friend raved about it and I just wish I could have shared her enthusiasm.

Review Summary: It left me feeling queasy.

Review:

"The Memory Keeper's Daughter" opens in March 1964, with Dr David Henry and his wife, Norah, soon to become parents. The couple, who live in Kentucky, had only met about a year previously - but were married within three months and quite clearly didn't hang about when it came to starting a family. Unfortunately, with a blizzard raging outside, Norah goes into labour - three weeks ahead of schedule. The couple manage to make it as far as David's own clinic - where David and one of his nurses, Caroline Gill, look after the delivery. However, where one child had been expected, two arrive - Paul, a perfectly healthy son, and Phoebe, who has Down's Syndrome. David's sister, June, had died when she was twelve due to a heart problem, and he is convinced his daughter's life will also be short. Remembering how June's death had broken his mother's heart, he decides to try and spare Norah the same grief. He hands his daughter to Caroline, and instructs her to bring Phoebe to an institution he knows of. She sets out to do as she's asked - but, on seeing the institution, she can't leave the newborn girl there. Instead, she does a runner to Pittsburgh and decides to raise Phoebe as her own daughter. "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" tells the story of both families - alternating between David, Norah and Paul on one side and Caroline and Phoebe on the other.

I have never had so much difficulty in getting through a book - but, if only I had read the blurb, I'd have known to avoid it like the plague. "A tale of regret and redemption...so lovely you have to re-read", Jodi Picoult comments, while Sue Monk Kidd warbles about "the entangled lives to two families and the devastating secret that shapes them both". The writing inside is even worse - page after page of nauseating froth. Handled properly, the story could well have been worth reading...but Edwards could only come up with genuinely awful cliches. If lines like "it was a moment real to only the two of them...an instant of communion" and "he says he's most alive when he's playing the guitar" sound like your idea of good time, you're in for a ball - otherwise, keep well away.

Review Summary: Hmmm....

Review:

I know this has had mixed reviews, and I can understand that some people found it quite slow moving but I personally quite enjoyed the book. The style is a bit different and so is the subject matter - which is refreshing. It does seem to plod along at times, hence I have only given it three stars, but overall whilst I wouldn't recommend you rush out and buy it I would say it's a worthy read if someone lends you a copy/you find it in your local library.

Review Summary: Misleading title

Review:

The title and description of the book lead me to believe that the story would focus mainly on the Phoebe, which is what lead me to read this book. I thought reading about the challenges that she faced in everyday life would have made a very interseting story. However, the book does not really focus on Phoebe at all, it focuses on David, Nora and Paul. Yet, the challenges of their lives and the parts which I wanted to read more on were skimmed over. We never really get to know the characters as 25 years is skimmed over in 400 pages with not enough detail on the more interesting aspects of the plot. I would still recommend this book as a light read as it is an interesting idea and still made me think about how a disability affects the family and not just the person but would advise people not to listen to the hype - if they do they will be disapointed