Tolog Review: My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper
by Jodi Picoult
reviewed by Mercedes De La Torre

Jodi Picoult’s “My sister’s keeper” analyzes just how precious life is and discusses the controversial idea about whether it is morally just for scientist to help a woman conceive a child to help save another. The story begins when Anna goes to see Mr. Campbell Alexander the “kid lawyer.” She states that she would like to file a lawsuit against her parents regarding her rights to her own body. Her sister Kate, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia at the age of two, needed a kidney transplant and Anna has decided that she should not have to give up her kidney, and that enough is enough. 

When Anna’s mother Sara first received the papers saying that she had been served she felt betrayed by her daughter and really couldn’t seem to understand why Anna would do this to her sister Kate. Throughout the book you can see how Anna and Sara’s mother daughter relationship strengthens. As the book progresses Sara becomes more understanding towards her daughter and ultimately realizes that it was Anna’s decision because it was her body and even though she loved her sister she knew things had reached their limits. This specific situation between Anna and her mother reminds me of many mother daughter relationships. Sometimes us teens feel as though our mom’s may not understand us and sometimes it may be hard for the mother to hear what were feeling because they mat not understand but one thing to always remember is that she will love you unconditionally. My mom always said that watching your child in pain is one of the hardest things a mother ever has to go through. When Kate was diagnosed with cancer at such a young age Sara’s maternal instincts kicked in and she was determined to do all that she could to save her baby. I feel that she was a bit too sidetracked in helping Kate in anyway she could that she may have not realized how it was affecting Anna. 

One thing I enjoyed but at the same time didn’t enjoy about Picoult’s choice I style of writing. For example, the very first chapter talks about how Anna goes in to see Mr. Alexander and it is written form her perspective but the very next chapter was from Mr. Alexander’s point of you. I enjoyed this because it was personal to exactly how each character was feeling in that specific situation but at the same time I felt as thought the book became repetitive and a bit slow. 

Overall, I truly did enjoy this book. It made me laugh, cry and wish I knew a boy as amazing as Taylor Ambrose all at once but most importantly made me value life. I realized how easy it can be to take the little things in life for granted but that we shouldn’t because things as simple as waking up and putting to feet on the ground could be someone’s dream out there somewhere in the world.