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 Product Description: Kim Edwards’s stunning family drama evokes the spirit of Sue Miller and Alice Sebold, articulating every mother’s silent fear: what would happen if you lost your child and she grew up without you? In 1964, when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own twins, he immediately recognizes that one of them has Down Syndrome and makes a split-second decision that will haunt all their lives forever. He asks his nurse to take the baby away to an institution and to keep her birth a secret. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child as her own. Compulsively readable and deeply moving, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is an astonishing tale of redemptive love. BACKCOVER: “Edwards is a born novelist. . . . Rich with psychological detail and the nuances of human connection.” —Chicago Tribune
“Unfolds from an absolutely gripping premise, drawing you deeply and irrevocably into the entangled lives of two families and the devastating secret that shaped them both. I loved this riveting story.” —Sue Monk Kidd
“Anyone would be struck by the extraordinary power and sympathy of The Memory Keeper’s Daughter.” —The Washington Post
“Kim Edwards has written a novel so mesmerizing that I devoured it. . . . The Memory Keeper’s Daughter has it all.” —Sena Jeter Naslund
“Kim Edwards has created a tale of regret and redemption, of honest emotion, of characters haunted by their past. This is simply a beautiful book.” —Jodi Picoult Customer Reviews: Rating:  Date: 2008-06-30 It wasn't the worst I've read I was expecting something better but all in all it was readable. It was a little more interesting than Zadie Smith's White Teeth which I couldn't even finish. It wasn't the kind of book that you can't put down and I wouldn't recommend it for a book club discussion as there are far better reads out there such as Glass Castle or The Other Boelyn Girl. Rating:  Date: 2008-06-29 How one decision can haunt us This book is about how one secret decision slowly but surely haunted everyone involved. It masterfully weaves a story of how a family's lives were changed after a tragedy, one shrouded by deceit and guilt. A decision is made by Dr. Henry to protect his family, but incidiously tears at each of them through the years.
While some may find this book to be tedious, I found it to thoroughly develop each character in a way that made me see exactly how each person was affected and identify with each of them. It's not a typical plot of conflict/climax/resolution but that's what fascinated me. It is one that makes the reader reflect and say "What in my life am I letting slip away that I could make right on?" and to realize that how we react to circumstances determines our courses.
In this book, you understand why Dr. Henry did what he did but you know it is not what you should really do. And I think Dr. Henry knows it too. I think he also knows that while he wanted to protect his family, a big part was out of selfishness. The guilt caused a chasm between he and his wife and their son grew up with parents that could not emotionally provide him a happy, loving family. I feel this book is essentially about accepting what you get and by making the best of it, and though hard, it is better than guilt and secrecy. You grieve for what this family could have been and what they instead became. Rating:  Date: 2008-06-28 Memorable and moving Usually, I am not moved by books. I may find one memorable and enjoyable but never moving. This one brought me extremely close to tears.
It depicts the desperation of timed choices and the consequences that follow. It's those consequences that leads to other desperate choices made for the wrong motives that hurts the people surrounding them.
Haunting and emotional. It is a book that is definitely worth reading. Rating:  Date: 2008-06-25 Medical Thoughts on Memory Keeper... The medical admonition "above all do no harm" was at the heart of the tragic elements of this book. David had violated a prime part of his professional honor. The act of giving away his disordered infant destroyed his marriage and injured most of his other
relationships.
Despite his efforts to redeem himself he never was able to face up and tell the truth.
There are lots real life stories like this, some equally sad, and it is hard to make them end happily. Kim Edwards did a pretty good job. pmc Rating:  Date: 2008-06-23 The Memory Keeper's Daughter I enjoyed this book and have recommended it to several people who also liked it. It's captivating twists and turns through the lives of three very intriguing characters, David and Norah Henry and Caroline Gill, made it hard to put down. I will say that I was left wanting more. I did not feel closure on certain matters. Without giving too much away, I wish that some relationships would have mended and others would have elaborated further. It is, however, true to life and gives a great lesson about how important it is to be honest with those we love regardless of the consequences. Edwards does an excellent job of describing each tiny detail which really gives you the feeling that you are in the room with each character. I also feel like the time period is accurately portrayed. It is interesting to see how each character and society changed over the course of 25 years. Overall, it is a good read. |