My Sister's Keeper( Don't Read This If You Haven't Read This Book, It May Spoil The Book For You)

[Ashley]

I recently read this book and thought it was an intensifyingly emotional book. I literally had to take a deep breath after I finished it. My favorite character was the father because he did whatever he could to keep peace in the family even though there were major events happening. My least favorite character was the mother. I think she was paying so much attention to Kate that she forgot she had two other kids, Anna and Jesse. Jesse was basically pretty much ignored. It was like he wasn't even there. Anna however, was just got attention when her parents needed her to give blood or bone marrow. Jesse, was the only character I felt sorry for because he was completely ignored. At first I thought the romance was unnecessary in the book but as I got further into the book, I thought it was a nice break from the emotional events that were happening with the family. The ending was totally unexpected. That was not how I pictured how the book would end. The ending is ironic if you think about it. Anna goes through all the trouble to get emancipation, to be able to make the medical decisions about her body and whether or not she would give a kidney and then in the end Kate ends up getting her sister's kidney anyway.

Tell me, what are your thoughts on the book? Who is your favorite character, least favorite character? What did you think about the romance within the story? What did you think of the ending?

[Kimberly]

The ending hit me like a Mack truck! I cried. I read teh book over a weekend and was totally absorbed in it. I dislike the mother intensely at first, but in the end I realized it was all of her kids that she was looking out for. This particularly struck me when the mom made Kate go to Anna's hockey game. I think maybe the whole point was that there is more to the story than meets the eye, and that none of the characters were as selfish as you think. I remember thinking when I read it, which was a year ago, that Anna only got emancipated so that it would be HER choice to give Kate her kidney, so neither her mother or Kate would feel guilty if something didn't go so well...

[Ashley]

Kimberly- I have to admit that at first I did hate the mother but when I got towards the end I cut the mother some slack. But what about Jesse? He was completely ignored throughout the events that took place. I didn't see any effort in trying to do anything with Jesse.

[Kimberly]

Very true about Jesse. I think I noticed it at first, and then even I gave up on him. I loved this book, or was at least absorbed by it, but after reading the Tenth Circle I wonder if JP is just not very good at developing certain aspects of a story, in this case, Jesse. You could argue, though, that the storyline itself is just about the sister's and mom...

[Ashley]

Yeah, everything did revolve around the sisters and the mother.

[Ashley]

One of my favorite things about the book is how Jodi wrote...the format she wrote it in. I liked how we got every character's perspective on the events and issues at hand. I just wish there were more of Kate's perspective on everything.

[Kimberly]

I thought that too. I liked the different perspectives..but I think I would skip ahead to Kate's!

[Maggie]

Oh GOD. I read this in an AFTERNOON! When I was done, I had to call one of my friends after I finished, I was so shocked :)

[TheReadingKnitter/]

I read this book a few years ago and loved it. I honestly liked the surprise yet ironic ending that it had. It shocked me to no end how the whole story changed at the ending. I like you did not care for the mother but felt sorry for Jesse too. This is probably my favorite book by her, this one and The Pact.

[Corina]

I sympithized with Jesse the most too, and just wanted to smack the mother, haha! This one is one my top favs, but i think the pact and Nineteen minutes were a tad better...

[Leena]

oh my god!! this book had a really sad ending!! i never expected it!! i am a big fan of this writer!

[Allison]

I heard that the movie doesn't have the same ending... that it's happier. I'm not sure which one I'd rather have! What do you guys think?

[Kathy]

Life isn't all rainbows and sunshine.....I think the book was realistic. I prefer the original ending to any possible "Hollywood" ending.

[Brittany]

I was stunned by the ending, and it obviously added a lot of drama to the story as a whole. But I do think there could have been more to it, more of a story line after she died.

[nina]

I was also really shocked by the ending... But I loved the way that little paragraph at the beginning of the book was actually Kate, when I was so sure it was Anna

[Leena]

yeah!

[[deleted user]]

I agree with ashley. the mom ignored the other two. i was like "i know one of your kids could die, but you have 2 others! they have feelings too!".

[Dara]

Rosemary, I think that is probably just typical life. As a parent you give and take of the one that needs it most at that moment. I don't think the mother even realized that she was doing that to her other kids. Sad but, unfortunately I think it probably happens in every day life, just not on this magnitude, for most of us.


dara

[Dara]

Brittany, I think that was the point of the story, that sometimes we put so much in to saving one child that we don't realize that no one is guaranteed a set amount of time in this life. I very much empathized with the mother, I think she started understanding what Kate was feeling thru the story but couldn't stop herself, but knowing that this was the only way that Anna would be able to live she was stuck in that rut of saving her.

[Allison]

I think Jodi Picoult writes her stories so that you can sympathize with every character on a certain level, and while I agree that the mother was definitely not a perfect mom, she was still a regular person who tried.

[Stacy]

Oh crap! I hate when i love a book so much and then the movie is different so it will bring in more money. I think they should keep the ending the same. The ending was a complete shocker, unexpected! I know it was sad but i thought it was brilliant of Picoult to do that.

[Stacy]

I didn't sympathize with the mother at all. Being a mom myself, i can't imagine pushing one of my children aside and putting all my focus on just one. I did too feel sorry for Jesse. Why was he there? I also felt for Anna, for her parents continually putting her through everything. The ending was such a shocker! I think it was a perfect twist though, done true Picoult style!

[Ashley (bookworm84)]

I hate that they are changing the ending as well! In my opinion, the ending in the book makes the book. I think it's a shame that they are altering it. It almost makes me not want to see the movie. MSK is my favourite Picoult book.

[Allison]

I think the ending made the book too - I can't imagine what they'll change. Also, I don't know how I'm going to be able to stay serious with Alec Baldwin as the lawyer - hopefully he's good enough to make me forget his Schweti balls SNL skit days...

[Jaime]

Awww....but those were the best days........

[Allison]

they totally were! but not appropriate for MSK, right?! haha.

[Jaime]

Yeah, I think not! lol

[Leena]

While I was reading that book, I was so excited to know the ending. So, I read the last chapter. I knew Anna died,but I didn't know how! And when I knew it, I almost cried! :""""""""(

[nina]

Gah! I can never do that!! Read the ending. It ruins the whole book! :(

[Allison]

I know I'd never be able to read the book after I knew the ending!

[Leena]

What can I do? I couldn't wait!!! looooool =)

[Caroline]

I cannot believe they are going to change the book's ending! The ending provides an ironic twist with life, since that is the struggle throughout the book. Who decides how others live or die? I loved this book. I actually cried at the end thinking of how I would act towards my sisters.

[Sarah A.]

SPOILERS
I read this book and i was upset about the ending. I liked the ending, dont get me wrong, its just that it was unbelievably sad. I was in a car when i read the last few pages of the book so that kind of freaked me out considereing what happened to Andremeda/ anna. I was upset how they changed the ending in the movie and they focused more on kate then on the case in court, like the book.

[Edwardluvsmemore]

haven't seen the movie. This is such a sad book! I mean, the whole thing about Anna being in the hospital most of her life? She barely even HAS a life, because she's almost never in school. And they way her parents treat her makes me want to scream. Do they not realize that Anna is their daughter as much as Kate is. Just because they made her to match Kate doesn't mean she's worth any less.

[Sarah A.]

I agree. They are both your children. Just because one is sick and needs your love, doesnt mean you need to neglect, injure, and ignore the other children. No wonder the brother was so messed up. Evveryone is focused on anna being ignored but the brother is also, he just didnt need to do all sorts of tests done too. they both should have been treated better.

[Rachel]

This was my least favorite book by Jodi Picoult..so far. I hated the ending..in fact I wanted to trash the book as soon as I was done with it.

[Courtney]

The ending was so sad. I can NOT believe Anna died. When the turned off the respirator or w/e I started crying. I couldn't see the page. My eyes blurred lol. I had to move to another room so my brother wouldn't see. He'd think I was retarded.

[Frances]

i just finished reading the book last night..... my jaw dropped instantly.... i was totally shocked.... at first i thought the car accident was going to have involved jesse being that he steals cars and all... just thought it would have been ironic if the one that got the least attention would have been the one to die... but anna!!?? it was a shock... this is my first jodi picoult book and i'm jonesing for more.... have to go get another good one tomorrow!

[Kim]

Ashley wrote: "Yeah, everything did revolve around the sisters and the mother. "

had there been more input from kate the reader would have known too early on it was kate that wanted anna to do all of this in the first place. the book was fantastic from beginning to end, though i did have to walk away from it for a few minutes after brian freed the dog. not good. however, i was hoping that whole scene would have been in the movie so i could cry like that again. no such luck, i wish i never had gone to see it.