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blowp0p's review against another edition
2.0
~This review is full of spoilers~
I liked that it seemed that Mrs. Picoult actually seemed to do some measure of research about the different forms of cancer and treatments for it. I like that Ana wins her case. That's about the extent of my likes on this book.
So, we all know parents are suppose to love their children equally but that it doesn't always happen. And that when that doesn't happen usually parents are fairly decent at hiding how much more they like kid a more than kid b. This doesn't happen in this book.
Jesse, the oldest is basically neglected and Sarah, the mother, outright says that she gave up on him.
Kate, the middle child has the world revolving around her and it's not hidden at all.
Ana, the youngest feels invisible and ignored.
Being a child of a 2 child family (and the oldest) I can't actually related to a 3 child family but from what I've heard of others who do live in families with 3 or more children, this is a fairly common structure for them. And it pisses me off. However, I can emphasise with how Kate and Ana are portrayed as my younger brother has a lot of medical issues and things revolve around him and at times I do feel invisible and ignored when I'm asked for my opinion on things. So I can understand how Ana feels on the front of having a sibling have a medical issue that everything revolves around (luckily my sibling doesn't have one that has him in the hospital often and is fairly manageable and hasn't required me to donate any part of my body towards).
Now, back to the book.
Jesse being neglected turns to arson in what seems to be a feeble attempt at getting his parents to give a shit or care. Ana is being pressured to donate a kidney to Kate that the doctors seem to think might not be the best possible thing for her because of how bad Kate's immune system is. Sarah doesn't seem to want to really listen to Ana. So, Ana in turn saves up money and sues her parents, Sarah and Brian, for medical emancipation.
There's a whole side story about her attorney and her guardian ad litem having a romantic past and blah blah blah. That really didn't make much of a difference to the story.
The end was the only part that really got any semblance of emotion other than anger from me but it also made me angry too because it felt like a cop-out. She spends the entire book fighting to not have to donate her kidney and then winds up in a car accident that she dies from and her kidney still gets donated regardless. And miraculously because it was a life for a life Kate winds up living well beyond doctor's expectations.
Read it or not that's on you. But I don't recommend it.
I liked that it seemed that Mrs. Picoult actually seemed to do some measure of research about the different forms of cancer and treatments for it. I like that Ana wins her case. That's about the extent of my likes on this book.
So, we all know parents are suppose to love their children equally but that it doesn't always happen. And that when that doesn't happen usually parents are fairly decent at hiding how much more they like kid a more than kid b. This doesn't happen in this book.
Jesse, the oldest is basically neglected and Sarah, the mother, outright says that she gave up on him.
Kate, the middle child has the world revolving around her and it's not hidden at all.
Ana, the youngest feels invisible and ignored.
Being a child of a 2 child family (and the oldest) I can't actually related to a 3 child family but from what I've heard of others who do live in families with 3 or more children, this is a fairly common structure for them. And it pisses me off. However, I can emphasise with how Kate and Ana are portrayed as my younger brother has a lot of medical issues and things revolve around him and at times I do feel invisible and ignored when I'm asked for my opinion on things. So I can understand how Ana feels on the front of having a sibling have a medical issue that everything revolves around (luckily my sibling doesn't have one that has him in the hospital often and is fairly manageable and hasn't required me to donate any part of my body towards).
Now, back to the book.
Jesse being neglected turns to arson in what seems to be a feeble attempt at getting his parents to give a shit or care. Ana is being pressured to donate a kidney to Kate that the doctors seem to think might not be the best possible thing for her because of how bad Kate's immune system is. Sarah doesn't seem to want to really listen to Ana. So, Ana in turn saves up money and sues her parents, Sarah and Brian, for medical emancipation.
There's a whole side story about her attorney and her guardian ad litem having a romantic past and blah blah blah. That really didn't make much of a difference to the story.
The end was the only part that really got any semblance of emotion other than anger from me but it also made me angry too because it felt like a cop-out. She spends the entire book fighting to not have to donate her kidney and then winds up in a car accident that she dies from and her kidney still gets donated regardless. And miraculously because it was a life for a life Kate winds up living well beyond doctor's expectations.
Read it or not that's on you. But I don't recommend it.
jaimeemorris's review against another edition
2.0
This book pissed me off.
I was made to get semi-invested in all the sub characters, I flip-flopped between absolutely LOATHING Sara. I got mad at Kate for not just fucking saying “enough is enough” and then when I finally thought justice had been served… Jodi kills Anna anyway, and Kate gets the kidney anyway.
Oh and lives happily (ish, I mean she was fairly sad about Anna dying) ever after.
Jesse, became a fucking cop. A decorated one at that.
Brian became an alcoholic but miraculously pulled himself out of that.
Anna went through a whole bunch of shit that no 13 year old should go through all because her sister couldn’t just speak her mind and then it was all for nothing anyway because wow, car accident that left her brain dead but that prime-realestate kidney was ripe for the taking.
Ugh.
I was made to get semi-invested in all the sub characters, I flip-flopped between absolutely LOATHING Sara. I got mad at Kate for not just fucking saying “enough is enough” and then when I finally thought justice had been served… Jodi kills Anna anyway, and Kate gets the kidney anyway.
Oh and lives happily (ish, I mean she was fairly sad about Anna dying) ever after.
Jesse, became a fucking cop. A decorated one at that.
Brian became an alcoholic but miraculously pulled himself out of that.
Anna went through a whole bunch of shit that no 13 year old should go through all because her sister couldn’t just speak her mind and then it was all for nothing anyway because wow, car accident that left her brain dead but that prime-realestate kidney was ripe for the taking.
Ugh.
emmakwilkinson's review against another edition
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer and Child death
Minor: Sexual content and Suicide attempt
meghang500's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
103115's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
arun74's review against another edition
2.0
For whatever reason, the story didnt draw my interest and the way it was laid out (each character speaking from their vantage point) didnt seem to help it either.
micaya's review against another edition
5.0
This book was terribly amazing.
Spoiler
The twist ending absolutely destroyed me. You will get absolutely emotionally invested in this book and then it will destroy you.saneyossarian's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
1.0
This book simply wasn't for me. While the themes of bodily autonomy, family relationships, and dealing with death were of interest to me, I found the execution of the narrative which explored these themes to be melodramatic.