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My Sisters Keeper

by Jodi Picoult
My Sisters Keeper

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  • Synopses & Reviews
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ISBN13: 9780743454537
ISBN10: 0743454537
Condition: Standard


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Used Trade Paperback
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments

New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult is widely acclaimed for her keen insights into the hearts and minds of real people. Now she tells the emotionally riveting story of a family torn apart by conflicting needs and a passionate love that triumphs over human weakness.

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.

My Sister’s Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child’s life, even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less? Should you follow your own heart, or let others lead you? Once again, in My Sister’s Keeper, Jodi Picoult tackles a controversial real-life subject with grace, wisdom, and sensitivity.

Review

"Picoult ably explores a complex subject with bravado and clarity, and comes up with a heart-wrenching, unexpected plot twist at the book's conclusion." Publishers Weekly

Review

"Picoult's timely and compelling novel will appeal to anyone who has thought about the morality of medical decision making and any parent who must balance the needs of different children. Highly recommended." Library Journal

Review

"There can be no easy outcomes in a tale about individual autonomy clashing with a sibling's right to life, but Picoult thwarts our expectations in unexpected ways. Despite overplotting, then, a telling portrait of a profoundly stressed family." Kirkus Reviews

Review

"Expect to be kept up all night by Picoult's latest novel, but it's much more than a page-turner; it's a fascinating character study framed by a complex, gripping story....Picoult's novel grabs the reader from the first page and never lets go. This is a beautiful, heartbreaking, controversial, and honest book." Booklist (Starred Review)

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult is widely acclaimed for her keen insights into the hearts and minds of real people. Now she tells the emotionally riveting story of a family torn apart by conflicting needs and a passionate love that triumphs over human weakness.

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.

My Sister's Keeper examines what it means to be a good parent, a good sister, a good person. Is it morally correct to do whatever it takes to save a child's life, even if that means infringing upon the rights of another? Is it worth trying to discover who you really are, if that quest makes you like yourself less? Should you follow your own heart, or let others lead you? Once again, in My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult tackles a controversial real-life subject with grace, wisdom, and sensitivity.


About the Author

Jodi Picoult received an AB in creative writing from Princeton and a master’s degree in education from Harvard. The recipient of the 2003 New England Book Award for her entire body of work, she is the author of twenty-one novels, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers House Rules, Handle With Care, Change of Heart, and My Sister’s Keeper, for which she received the American Library Association’s Margaret Alexander Edwards Award. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three children. Visit her website at JodiPicoult.com.

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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating 4.3 (19 comments)

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Bianca G. , May 15, 2017
I am the type of person who doesn’t really enjoy reading books, but this book makes me want to read it over and over again. Reading this book is like a being in a roller coaster; at one point of the story everything is calm and normal, then just a few pages away everything turns depressing and makes the reader want to cry. I liked how it shows each character’s perspectives. To me, it was a bit hard to follow the story line because there wasn’t just one main character; each character had their own stories, also known as fillers. It also had a lot of plot twists which added suspense to the book’s plot. Overall, it was a really good read and I would recommend it to everyone.

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Bianca G. , May 15, 2017
My Sister’s Keeper is a novel written by Jodi Picoult in 2004. It’s about a thirteen year old girl named Anna, a designer baby who was brought into this world for a single purpose: to save her sister Kate who was diagnosed with APL, a rare type of leukemia. Since the first few seconds of Anna’s life, she has already started to become a donor for Kate. Through the course of her life, she has already donated bone marrow, lymphocytes, blood, cells, and so much more. Now that she is much older and has more control over her own thoughts, she begins to question who she is and what kind of role she plays in the life of her family. Once she has decided that she was tired of being used and has had enough, she sues her parents for the rights over her own body, also known as medical emancipation. This lawsuit might make her family understand her more, but it only gets worse as this lawsuit tears the Fitzgerald family apart and creates even bigger problems.

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Jones01 , May 11, 2017
My Sister’s Keeper is a heartbreaking realistic fiction novel for a heartfelt audience. It shows the multiple perspectives of a family coping with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Anna Fitzgerald’s sister, Kate, was diagnosed when she was just 3 years old. Ever since then, Anna’s purpose in life was to be Kate’s donor. Literally. Anna was born so her blood could be used to replace Kate’s bad blood. A few years later, Anna’s bone marrow became useful to Kate and a necessity for her to live. Now, Kate needs Anna’s kidney. Deciding she's tired of just being used and wants to live a normal life, Anna hires a lawyer and sues her parents, Sarah and Brian Fitzgerald. The lawsuit tears apart the Fitzgerald family, ruining the relationship between mother and daughter, son and parents, husband and wife. Jodi Picoult tells the story of the present and the past of each character, making the plot profound and suspenseful. This message hits the hearts of a widespread audience from young teens to adults. Although there is a film based off of this book, the plot is heartbreakingly different. If you liked the movie, you would absolutely love the book. Displaying symbolism, figurative language, and an amazing way of using words, the author makes this novel almost impossible to put down once you've picked it up. I would highly recommend My Sister’s Keeper to anyone looking for a superb, emotional read.

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Kitana Lynn , May 11, 2017
Anna is thrown into a life where all she is to her parents, is a body to take from. She gives blood, marrow, and cells to her sister Kate(who has Leukemia) just to keep her living another day. She lives a life where she is never heard, that is until she decides to make it happen. However, this book is not just about Anna and her struggles to gain independence. It's speaks of her brother Jesse who sets fires because it's a situation he can control, it's about her father the firefighter who is in love with the stars, and her mother who lives and breathes Kate. It's about Campbell her lawyer and the secrets behind his lies, and Julia her guardian who has a mess of a life. I would recommend this book to teens, as it contains many relatable issues any teenager can face. In it we dive deep into the family's struggles, and we see what living in a broken family could be like. We see what a terminal illness can do to a family and how pain was prevalent in their lives. I would recommend this book to anyone who fought their way out of a problem or experienced some form of pain. Yes, this book is emotional and could be considered depressing by some but, it also brings comfort. It shows you that life comes with sorrow and pain but, in the end everything is just as it should be.

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mayaflores , May 10, 2017
Say hello to Anna Fitzgerald, a young women that faces a tough decision at the age of thirteen that has the possibility to be disastrous.Throughout Anna’s thirteen years she has always known her purpose for why her parents had her. She consistently donates bone marrow, blood, and more to her sister who is dying of leukemia. Anna comes to the decision that she will not be her sister’s bone marrow match anymore. With always having to be around Kate for whenever she gets very ill again she doesn’t have time for friends or any activities. Even if Anna would want to do anything she knows that she has to be there for her sister. This causes for both Anna and Kate to become close and be best friends. They understand each other in ways you will soon find out. Soon enough Anna has to make a difficult decision that affects everyone. Her decision not only affects everyone but it could do harm to people. Thirteen year old Anna is very mature for her age and thinks about what she should do. My Sister’s Keeper is a story which makes you understand each and every character. This is a great book for all ages because it shows that everyone has reasons for the choices that they make. Their reasons can make you think a whole different way about them. This book makes you think about your own life and shows you how difficult some people have it. It definitely keeps you at the edge of your seat wondering what happens next.

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Mariana Rodriguez , May 10, 2017
Anna Fitzgerald was created to serve for her sister. I say created because her genetics were manipulated into being the exact same as her older sister Kate. Kate was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia when she was two. Kate has always been their parents priority and has caused the eldest, Jesse, to become somewhat of a lost cause. For the longest time Anna has gotten needles and tubes stuck in her for the good of her sister but everyone has their limits. Anna decides to sue her parents for rights to her own body when she's asked to donate a kidney. Going through this emotional roller coaster was one tough ride but in the end, it was definitely a good choice.

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Cal Kemist , May 10, 2017
Anna is a 13 year old girl just on the line of womanhood. She is the youngest in her family and is often overshadowed by her older sister Kate. Kate has cancer and the only thing keeping her alive are the blood and bone marrow cells Anna gives to her. When Kate's kidneys fail, she's in need of a new one and the first person set up to give her one is Anna. Although Anna loves her family and her sister, she files a case against her parents in court for medical emancipation for her kidney. She takes many steps for this case, often confusing readers on what she wants to do at times, but all through that Anna is strong and an amazing character. This multiple point of view novel is great for teens because of it’s relatable side plots and loveable characters. They all share their side of their story giving the readers mixed views about things. Many questions may flow through reader's heads during this book but all will be given at the end. This book is sad but touching. The lives of this family are shown and make readers wonder who is right in this case.

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Lizbeth , May 10, 2017
This book is very well written. You can see how Kate and her family deal with the struggles of her disease. We are able to see how Sara (mom) deals with this and makes decisions, how Brian (dad) is in conflict because he doesn't know how to deal with the situation, and how Jesse and Anna are feeling about the situation. The story isn't cliche in any way, and it manages to reel you in most of the story. Its a goood read and I recommend it to anyone who's in for a sad, yet interesting read.

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Joannie Wright , January 14, 2011 (view all comments by Joannie Wright)
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult -A Never-Thought-I-Could and Never-Moving-On Book. Do you have a reason to be here? You do but if you feel like don’t and believe it the real reasons will disappear “Because (when) it’s gone, so are you.” Anna Fitzgerald feels this way. Her sister Kate is dying and she was made to help her. “… Nearly every time Kate’s hospitalized, I wind up there, too.” As Anna goes through her court, hospitals, and tough times, she learns what it means to give and get. I believe this book could win awards and if the characters were real, they would win some, too. “See, unlike the rest of the free world, I didn’t get here by accident.” You start to feel things you have never felt before, but in a comfortable way. This book provides the experience of a life time and I loved it in every way; from beginning to end and every part in between. “‘What’s a four-letter word for vessel?’ she asks… ‘Anna,” I murmur. My mother turns. ‘What?’ ‘A four-letter word for vessel,’ I say, and I walk out of Kate’s room.” I praise Mrs. Picoult: Thanks. Vessel: a person regarded as a holder or receiver of something, esp. something nonmaterial

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chaseallen17 , December 01, 2009
It's a very well written novel. Anna who is thirteen puts her foot done and tells her parents in a lawsuit that she is done helping her sister and doesn't want to anymore. i mean its just crazy to think you could genetically mutate stem cells to be a perfect match in every way for another sibling. Anna's mother was totally out of line, but what got me was kate at the very end. what she had told her parents was just crazy. Very, Very good book. i would recomend it to everyone.

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Jena , August 29, 2009 (view all comments by Jena)
You know, I was really into this book until the end--I liked how there was no villain, there was no one you could really root for, because it was just a no-win situation no matter what. And even though I saw the ending coming, I really hoped I was wrong; it was the worst ending possible for the story.

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sf611 , March 31, 2008 (view all comments by sf611)
WOW!!! Fact: I do not cry or feel emotion over books. Contradiction:I do not cry or feel emotion over books EXCEPT for this fantastic book. I will say that girls might be more spellbound then boys, but both will greatly enjoy this thrilling novel.

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Rachael Dimond , September 23, 2007 (view all comments by Rachael Dimond)
This was the first Picoult book that I read. Some will love this book, others will hate it. It makes for a great book discussion though!

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stephanie , May 22, 2007 (view all comments by stephanie)
I thought this was a Young Adult title when I started it (recommended by a friend) but I ended up quite liking it. The end was a bit trite, but still, it would make a good 'After School Special' and it was a decent lunch-time read.

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S.Elliott , May 05, 2007 (view all comments by S.Elliott)
I really liked the concept of this book and I really wanted to love it. While the story was captivating, I'm not a fan of Picoult's writing style. It just seemed contrived at times (the ending especially seemed lazy -- a writer who doesn't know how to get out of the story she has created) and her dialogue isn't rich with nuance. This may sound snobby, but the woman cranks out books like nobody's business and I think it shows. She may have great ideas, but there doesn't seem to be any care taken in making the book a perfect piece of literature. I just hope Picoult understands her place in the world of authors and doesn't try to pretend that she's creating masterpieces here. WHICH is probably why this book is a great, quick, summer-on-the-beach read. There are enough interesting moments and the basic premise is engaging, so you can sit and read it quickly and just enjoy it for what it is. Even if it isn't challening, the narrative does read well and the device of hearing the story from different characters is a good addition. Everyone seems to really love this book and so there is a time and a place to just sit back and fly through fast-food literature.

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ciera93 , March 14, 2007 (view all comments by ciera93)
This was a really good book. Jodi Picoult is an amazing author who portrays the characters in many different ways. I really liked how she switched from character to charater, explaining each individual point of view.

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Mear , March 07, 2007
This books starts out with a lot of promise but gradually & untimately disappoints. After the first few chapters, I expected to recommend this book & pass on to others but I changed my mind. Maybe with some judicious editing and restructuring (and a more realistic - less contrived ending), this could have been a fine book. Too bad it missed.

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Avital Gad Cykman , January 14, 2007 (view all comments by Avital Gad Cykman)
This book deals with a painful question. what right do a sick child's parents have to have another baby to save their first? The book deals with it from all points of view without letting the reader relax into one of them.

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gunnercade , August 29, 2006 (view all comments by gunnercade)
This could have been an interesting story on issues of medical ethics, family obligations , disability and society. What a disappointment. Picoult gets off the hook with some highly implausible plot twist that will leave the philosophically-minded reader utterly unsatisfied. There is nothing to learn from this book about wisdom, ethics and family. This book is a promise not kept.

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Product Details

ISBN:
9780743454537
Binding:
Trade Paperback
Publication date:
02/01/2005
Publisher:
Pocket Books
Series info:
Wsp Readers Club
Language:
English
Edition:
Reprint
Pages:
423
Height:
8.00
Width:
5.25
Thickness:
1.25
LCCN:
bl2005003778
Grade Range:
General/trade
Number of Units:
1
Copyright Year:
2004
UPC Code:
2800743454539
Author:
Jodi Picoult
Subject:
Mothers and daughters
Subject:
Domestic fiction
Subject:
General Fiction
Subject:
Family life
Subject:
Literature-A to Z
Subject:
Teenage girls
Subject:
Sisters

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