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A review by elias_b
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I've always found that there exists some form of beauty in tragedy—that books which deal with inevitable tragedies are life lessons to us all, in some way or the other.
However, "My Sister's Keeper" was a let-down. Let me explain why:
1. Shifting narration: First-person POVs do a great job of bringing out a character's innermost thoughts, but it becomes a problem when there are too many POVs. Anna, Kate, Jesse, Brian, Sara, Julia, and Campbell are all interesting characters in their own right, but the shifting POVs were jarring at times and completely unnecessary.
2. The subplots: The crux of the issue is Anna's decision to go ahead with the lawsuit, so that she will not have to donate her kidney. However, the more you read, the more this fades into the background. Instead, we see glimpses of Campbell and Julia's shared history together, Jesse's troubled life, and etc.
You could argue that these subplots exist to make the characters seem more human—to establish that not everything is black-or-white, but all they did was distract me from Anna's case.
3. The ending: Hardly anything works out in our favour in the real world, and no matter what the outcome was, I expected a lose-lose situation. However, the ending made me wonder what point the author was trying to make here.
Anna lives in the shadow of her sister, and she spends her whole life making sacrifices for Kate. If not, her mother is convincing her to give in and do "one more thing" for Kate. As I read, I felt as though Anna was never able to become her own person. From her conception to the end, she's this safety plan just in case something happens to Kate.
And, this is where I spoil the ending:
It was a massive disservice to Anna as well as us readers when she was declared braindead from a car accident. Which, by the way, is Campbell's second one—so the man suffers from seizures ever since the first accident. Above all, it broke my heart that, just as Anna had begun to envision a future for herself, it was just ripped from her.
So, because of this, Kate receives her kidney and miraculously survives. The family moves on. I can't put my finger on it, but this ending certainly feels rushed.
It disappoints me to rate this 3.0 stars, especially since I looked forward to having a morality debate in my mind. After completing the book, all I feel is pity for Anna and a greater love for Campbell.
However, "My Sister's Keeper" was a let-down. Let me explain why:
1. Shifting narration: First-person POVs do a great job of bringing out a character's innermost thoughts, but it becomes a problem when there are too many POVs. Anna, Kate, Jesse, Brian, Sara, Julia, and Campbell are all interesting characters in their own right, but the shifting POVs were jarring at times and completely unnecessary.
2. The subplots: The crux of the issue is Anna's decision to go ahead with the lawsuit, so that she will not have to donate her kidney. However, the more you read, the more this fades into the background. Instead, we see glimpses of Campbell and Julia's shared history together, Jesse's troubled life, and etc.
You could argue that these subplots exist to make the characters seem more human—to establish that not everything is black-or-white, but all they did was distract me from Anna's case.
3. The ending: Hardly anything works out in our favour in the real world, and no matter what the outcome was, I expected a lose-lose situation. However, the ending made me wonder what point the author was trying to make here.
Anna lives in the shadow of her sister, and she spends her whole life making sacrifices for Kate. If not, her mother is convincing her to give in and do "one more thing" for Kate. As I read, I felt as though Anna was never able to become her own person. From her conception to the end, she's this safety plan just in case something happens to Kate.
And, this is where I spoil the ending:
So, because of this, Kate receives her kidney and miraculously survives. The family moves on. I can't put my finger on it, but this ending certainly feels rushed.
It disappoints me to rate this 3.0 stars, especially since I looked forward to having a morality debate in my mind. After completing the book, all I feel is pity for Anna and a greater love for Campbell.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Vomit