Book Information
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ISBN-13: 9780143037149 - ISBN-10: 0143037145 Publication Date: 6/2006 Pages: 432 |
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Book Reviews of The Memory Keeper's Daughter
539 Book Reviews submitted by our Members
sorted by voted most helpful
80 member(s) found this review helpful.
I found this book, trite, predictable and overly wrought with sentimental platitudes. The story isn't that original or exciting, and the characters are shallow and easy to dislike. Although many others really enjoy this book-as it has been on the best sellers list, i just couldn't stand it. If you like the Hallmark channel and Little House on the Prairie, you'll probably like this.
Denise S. (
60 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book is a difficult read for those that don't remember times before we "mainstreamed" children with developmental and physical handicaps. The Memory Keeper's Daughter was a selection for my book club, and those younger than 40 found the storyline unbelievable.
Since I am 50+, I gave birth to my first child much like Norah did, drugged and delirious, although it was in a hospital. Someone could have told my my child died, and I couldn't have proven differently. I also remember as a child, friends and neighbors of my mothers who went to the hospital to have babies, and told people that they had stillborns, but there weren't funerals, and the whispers.
This is a well-written book about courage, and love, pain, grief and guilt and how different all that was in 1960.
Michelle R. (
52 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book started out fantastic and then abuptly slid downhill without hope for recovery. Don't read if the synopsis on the back cover intrigues you because it hints that the book it something it isn't. Not what I was expecting at all. Characters are two dimensional, prose is long and carried out. I had to force myself to finish this book. I rarely ever read a book I don't like, this just happens to fall into that minute category.
38 member(s) found this review helpful.
Although well received, I did not find this book very compelling. Full of predictable cliches, the book was a disappointment.
35 member(s) found this review helpful.
I had to force myself to keep picking this one up to finish it. I wanted to know what happened in the end, but I felt like it took forever to get there.
28 member(s) found this review helpful.
There was only one reason that I kept reading to the end - I wanted to find out if the biological mother would find out "the secret." I was bored with the details, I found myself skipping a few pages.
28 member(s) found this review helpful.
It probably doesn't matter what I write because this book is very much in demand. I liked it, but not as much as I thought I would.It is based on the premise that the death of a twin child at birth, never seen by the Mother, would affect all of the events of her and her family's lives for the rest of their lives. Norah is the mother and is not a real sympathetic character. I believe that her behavior makes more sense as a reaction to her cold,controlling, secretive husband than to the death of her child at birth.
It is very readable and much more likable if you go along with the motivations presented by the author rather than what makes sense to you(or in this case, me.)
23 member(s) found this review helpful.
I had no idea this novel would be so hard to put down -- the story is compelling, the characters are intensely real, and Edwards' writing offers great description and internal monologue of these characters keeping the reader guessing. She forces us to look from different perspectives and to really care about these people...it's a great book...
Marilyn F. (
20 member(s) found this review helpful.
Kim Edwards is a wonderful writer. Her discriptions make you feel like you are right there looking at the photographs or in the car driving along looking at the landscape. It was a heart renching story of a broken family due to one life changing decision. I would highly recommend this book.
20 member(s) found this review helpful.
After all the hype I really expected this to be a fantastic book, but it turned out to be only so-so. I liked it ok but I am a bit disappointed.
7 member(s) found this review helpful.
The story is a cautionary tale about family secrets and their destructive power even when the secret remains hidden. This is an amazing and uplifting story given the subject matter. I finished the book over two evenings. The ending was believable and satisfying. Edwards has a beautiful way with words. I was hooked on the story from the first page. Yes, it drags a bit in the middle but the details of the intervening years are important to understanding the characters.
7 member(s) found this review helpful.
Poignant read that will stay with me for a long time. Highly readable - even a page turner. I stayed up really late to finish it. Story in which there are no good solutions, and one man's actions affect his family forever.
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
I absolutely loved this book. It's one of the best that I have ever read. The story kept my attention from start to finish. It's sad to think that things like this actually happen, but it also lets us know that things do happen for a reason and the outcome is not always bad for everyone involved. Great read that I know you'll enjoy!
Glenda W. (
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
This story will pull on every emotion you possess. I think this would be an incredibly difficult story to tell yet Edwards pulls it off. You will come to know the characters and believe every move they make. Very well written.
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
I read this so fast I wanted to read it again. Very moving and touching story. Keeps you guessing what will be next. Wish other things had happened in the end but was a great book.
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
I really really wanted to like this book. It started out ok but I was really disappointed at some of the turns that the characters took. I guess I was hoping for everyone's lives to go in different directions than they did. It was well written just not something that I really enjoyed.
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Really great book! Kept me glued to the pages when I could squeeze in time to read it. Powerful, sad, insightful.
Honey N. (
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a NYT bestseller. A doctor in the sixties has to deliver his wife during a snowstorm. She has two babies - the first is perfect but the second has Down's Syndrome. He gives the second baby to the nurse and tells her to bring her to an institution. He tells his wife the baby has died. The nurse, however, decides to raise the baby as her own in another city.
This book is, quite simply, haunting. Over several decades, everyone's lives are changed by one person's unthinkable secret. I loved the way the author portrayed the internal lives of the characters. Four stars.
Leah (
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Character driven plot about a family. Lovely prose. This is not the sort of story that I usually like, but it was so well written that I enjoyed it just for the language.
I thought that it was touching and sad, but not too sad to be enjoyable. The characters were very realistic and I felt like I knew them by the end of the book.
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
One of the most outstanding and extrememly well-written books I have read in a long time. No wonder it was on the NYT best sellers list. Great psychological development of the characters and truly complelling. Great scope in feelings and plot.
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
I really enjoyed this book. It tells the story line of two families which are both affected by a doctors choice to give away his newborn daughter at birth because she has Downe's Syndrome. Then he lies to his family that the baby had died. This book really made me feel thankful and blessed to have my own children and family - but at the same time how insidious lies can be, even if we think they are well hidden.
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book touched my heart. I have a niece with down syndrome and have experienced the trials that this condition will put you through. I was touched by the way The nurse in the book accepted the disabilities of the wonderful child and fought to have her treated as any other person would expect to be. This book is full of love, trials, and heartache. It is a book that will touch your heart and make you appreciate the life you have.
Megan (
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
A young doctor gives up his daughter after she is not born the picture of health, without the knowledge of the mother, to his nursing assistant. She flees with the infant. The infant's mother struggles with this unidentifiable loss, and goes into a depression that makes the doctor regret his actions. I found this book to be sorely over-rated with its implausible story and flat characters. It doesn't leave much to think about afterwards.
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
I read this in one evening. Couldn't put it down. Beautifully written with compassion and feeling. I was mesmerized from the first page to the dramatic ending. Kim Edwards wrote a truly spectacular novel.
Kristine W. (
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a really great book. Very sad. Some parts had me crying, while other parts had me so frustrated I couldn't put the book down until I found out what happened next.
The writing is amazing and I can see why this book has been on the best seller list for so long.
You really get to know every single character in this book so much that every hurt they feel, you feel as well.
Kelly N. (
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
A beautiful story with a few tear-jerker chapters. Definitely recommended.
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a great book, you felt compelled to read to finish. Her writing kept you interested and was not too difficult to follow.
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a great book! Fast read it kept me very interested in it.
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not as good as I thought it was going to be. Book is slow but the story itself is interesting. Didn't get too involved with the writer's style because it was too simplistic for me.
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
I didn't really care for this book or the author's writing at all. The story started interesting enough but it was just page after page of poorly written whining for past mistakes. Too much detail on unimportant matters and not enough on those that were. I felt this book to be so scattered. Reminded me of a bad VC Andrews book.
Carly S. (
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
While this book was certainly engaging, I probably won't read it again. It had an interesting story that was written poorly. The writer tries to be very detailed and picturesque but it comes off as distracting after awhile and forced. A good book, but not a classic. I'm not sure why it's such a bestseller... I found it to be a subpar version of "The Lovely Bones."
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Pretty good but not unforgettable.
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
While the theme of the book was extremely interesting to me, I found that it was too slow paced and emotionally draining for me to feel as though I'd enjoyed the book. Instead it felt like an assignment, a task, that I felt it necessary to complete in order to move onto something more enjoyable.
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
I found this book to be well written, although predictable at times and a litte slow in parts.
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
I found this book a very slow read for me, not sure why because it was a very emotional storyline. The feelings of each character were very well developed. Very descriptive. Even though it was slow for me, I found myself returning to it, to find out what happened next. Had a couple very unexpected turns, that I found quite shocking. All in all, I would recommend it as a good book to read.
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
A well written story I just couldn't get into. It took me quite a few days to get through the first few chapters and I needed to find lighter reading.
Lisa N. (
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a wonderful book, very moving and thought provking. The actions of a family can cause a loss for a generation forward.
Katie W. (
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book was drawn out, unfulfilling, and worst of all, I didn't care.
There was very little action, and what little plot movement there was left me rolling my eyes. Then something would get built up and then skipped right past.
None of the characters were very interesting, nor were there lives.
Don't waste your time on this one.
Marianne S. (
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
This really is not that good of a book. I mean, I understand the era difference, but I don't think the story is that good. It is not well written, the idea is good, but it drags on forever, this book may have been okay at 230 pages, but at 401 it is a drag and it never gets better, mark it off of your TBR and find something else, I wish I would have!
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
I loved this book. One lie leads to two then a life time of lies. One lie ruins one marriage and then one family. I could see this actually happening and what a waste of a life living this lie would truely be. This book was easy for me to feel the heartbreak and power each character had. After reading you will be thinking about this book for awhile.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book is really great. There is no way you can figure it all out but the reader is sure engaged while you are reading. The author gets you to think about the awfulness of the husband at the same time you feel so much sympathy for his weakness as a man.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
I thought that this book was good but not great. I liked how it ended even though it was sad how Norah and the situation ended up. I would have so much anger if my spouse ever did something like Norah's husband did.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
I enjoyed this book. It's a tough story, but very heartfelt.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very melancholy- but also so real-you can feel the pain
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is an excellent book! I started reading it and couldnt put it down. It was really sad story in some parts though.. but a very good ending. Dont miss this one.
Susan (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I think of this book as a good beach read: it definitely kept my attention and was a page-turner, but I don't feel any desire to ever re-read it. I think it dealt very well with the issue of Down's syndrome, and treated the subject with respect while avoiding cloying sentimentality. The characters were interesting, although I sometimes found their reactions to be too melodramatic. Something about the ending seemed a bit abrupt and unsatisfying. It's a well-written and thought-provoking book that doesn't insult your intelligence like some beach reads. However, for me, it ultimately fell short of being a truly great book. Still, I would recommend it, particularly as a book club choice, since there is a lot to discuss.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
With all the hype of a bestseller, thought I would love this, but it bogged down and it was a struggle to get thru it.
Lyn H. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
It is hard to put this one down, you can't wait to find out what happens to the characters. Parallel stories over the years have you wondering what is goign on from the other perspective and anxious for an update. A compelling story and very realistic chracters. A great example of how a lie builds on another lie, builds on another lie.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book definetely wasn't what I was expecting, but was very good. I could hardly put it down. It shows the consequences of our life choices. And how they might affect not only ourselves, but everyone around us. It makes you realize that it's so much better to just be truthfull in life.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not spectacular. I found it boring. I understood that Norah was terribly impacted by the death of her daughter, but need it be mentioned every chapter? "Oh, Norah wished she could have just seen her, if only she could have rescued her. Oh the saddness" It's fine but not 13 times! It gets extremely repetitive. This book is overrated.
Margaret S. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I was excited at the premise of the book, but the actual story left me short. While I found most of it interesting, the characters were not likeable, even the ones I feel were supposed to be. It dragged at times, not a page turner (except the beginning). While other reviews said the book was overly sentimental, I did not agree. I did find the portrayal of the failing marriage to be well written. I liked the book, but did not love it. It COULD have been so much better, but I'd say it is worth reading.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I picked up this book as an airport read during a long cross-country flight, knowing nothing more than what I read on the back cover. I enjoyed the book for what it was - something to entertain me while I traveled. It wasn't as compelling as I'd hoped, but was interesting enough to finish. It started out stronger than it ended, eliciting strong emotions about how anyone can be so cruel, rejecting their own child. Once you realize where the story is going, there are few surprises. I do wish I'd gotten it as a trade rather than paying full price in an airport!
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I was mesmerized by the story during the first 100 pages, holding my breath to see what would happen with Norah's baby. After that, this book was simply a long, drawn out, uninteresting story about a bunch of depressed characters who can't have meaningful relationships with anyone. Everything that happens in the last 150 pages could have been cut out and it would have been just as well. I finished it anyway, but found myself wondering why the author kept writing. There were several repeated sentences, repeated phrases, and repeated cliche's. The plot was intriguing but the characters and events as they are told leave a lot to be desired.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I did not like this book at all. It was too hard to believe that someone could do what the main character did and not try and fix it at any point. I cannot believe this book is so popular.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book, although it came highly recommended and well-sold, was slow to unfold and the ending was such a let down. Perhaps I had hoped for a happier resolution, but it was apparent, toward the end of the story, that there was no way the author could create an neat tie-up.
Not sure how this book became a best-seller. I'm glad I just spent the cost of postage to read it.
(
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Having heard so much about this book, I was really looking forward to reading it, but I never made it past the first few chapters. I felt the style and pacing were somewhat lacking, and I wasn't interested in reading about these characters. This one was not for me.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
The subject matter is quite compelling and I enjoyed learning some medical history I was not aware of before. Unfortunately the characters were depressed & negative and seemed to stay that way most of the story. I was somewhat disappointed with the ending. Worth reading once.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Tolerable, but not great. This book had potential to be fantastic but I don't feel the writing lived up to story's potential. I think it's worth the read simply because so many people raved about it - it's one of those books you just have to read and form an opinion about yourself.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I had such high hopes for it and it just... blah! If I could have read the book strictly from Caroline's point of view, I may have liked it better... but everything seemed to revolve around Norah. What an awful character. Yes, the loss of a child shapes a mother greatly... but Norah had NO redeeming qualities. I felt like David was much more of a victim, a victim of his own terrible actions, but those actions were truly in the best interest of Phoebe... And Paul! Another cruddy character. One of the worst books I've ever read, terribly long-winded, filled with people you couldn't care less about. This book could have been SO much better. I wanted to know more about Caroline and Phoebe's actual life, their struggles, their hopes and dreams, how they made it... As another reviewer commented, it is NOTHING like the synopsis on the back. There's no actual plot, no real storyline... just... blah. Page after page of "This has got to be better..." and then, bam! The End! Ick!
Jessica H. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Shows how easily one lie will destroy lives. The book was OK but I would never read it again. The characters had no redeeming qualities.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I spent the entire book being angry. I found virtually all of the characters frustrating. What I wanted to hear about most - how the daughter grows up and manages through life - was hardly a part of this complicated novel. Not a book I'd reread, but I didn't hate it.
Angela D. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I was disappointed with this book. For a national bestseller, I would have hoped for more. I found the characters boring and shallow, and the story dragged on forever. I ended up skipping pages to get to the end quicker.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Blah. Another touchy feeling chick book. Could NOT relate with the spoiled, dramatic character of the mother - so the book lacked a certain (and probably necessary) sympathy with me. Wasn't impressed with her writing style either.
Linda S. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
During a snowstorm in 1964, Norah Henry goes into labor. Unable to reach the hospital, Norah’s husband meets his nurse at his orthopedic practice, and delivers his healthy son Paul into the world. A few minutes later a second child is born, a girl with Down’s syndrome. David Henry makes a split second decision, one that will haunt him all his life. He tells his nurse to take the child to an institution nearby. He then waits for his wife to awaken from the anesthesia, and tells her the child has died and been taken away for burial. Unbeknownst to David however, the nurse Caroline takes does not leave the baby at the institution. Carefully planning her disappearance, she leaves town and raises the child as her own.
A multi-layered look at the destruction lies and deception can take on a family, even when the lie is told with the best intentions. Following the lives of the two families, the Henry family, slowly being destroyed by a lie that only one of them knows, and Caroline’s struggles as a single mother raising a special needs child, Edwards adroitly weaves the two separate tales until the convergence of the story lines near the end of the book. Well written, if repetitive at times, I couldn’t stop reading until I found out what the end of the story would bring.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
The premise of this book was really intriguing and seemed there would be no way to mess it up. However, I was not really invested in the charachters and this was not a page-turner for me. It was a good story, but I just did't really feel involved or compelled to continue reading. I realize I may be in the minority here, but I am not overwhelmed by this book. A decent read, though.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I had heard such good things about this so was anxious to read it. I was a bit disappointed. I struggled to get through it and basically kept going because I wanted to see how the Norah found out about the baby, etc. I really wanted to like this one but felt it didn't live up to the hype I'd heard about it. I ended up skimming to get to the end, and to me, the ending was pretty anticlimactic. But that's just my opinion.....
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
When Dr. David Henry's wife goes into labor during a paralyzing winter storm he is forced to deliver his child. His wife, Norah, is under heavy sedation and he is assisted by Caroline, his nurse. Henry's joy is boundless when he delivers a healthy son and also discovers that he is to be the father of twins. With the birth of his second child, a daughter, he makes an immediate and fateful decision. The child is born with Down's Syndrome so believing that he will spare his wife pain he tells Caroline to immediately take the child to an institution and never reveal what she has done. He tells Nora that their son's fraternal twin died at birth.
Caroline is far too kind hearted to obey Henry's orders, so she flees to another city where she raises the daughter, Phoebe.
We can never know whether some decisions we make are for good or ill or what effect they will have upon the future lives of those we love. Author Edwards traces the story of this particular family over 25 years as Norah mourns the loss of her baby girl, and a long kept secret is revealed.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
This stunning novel begins on a winter night in 1964, when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy, but the doctor immediately recognizes that his daughter has Down's syndrome. For motives he tells himself are good, he makes a split-second decision that will haunt all their lives forever. He asks his nurse, Caroline, to take the baby away to an institution. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child as her own. Compulsively readable and deeply moving, The Memory Keeper's Daughter is a brilliantly crafted story of parallel lives, familial secrets, and the redemptive power of love.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I read this book for a book club. Everyone in the group loved the book.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I stayed up very late in the morning to finish this fantastic book. The interweaving of "the secret" in this story with the characters's lives was exquisite. It taught the age old proverb of "you reap what you sow". I loved it.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Interesting book if you like reading about married people having affairs.
Sharon C. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very engaging book. Amazingly told by the author.
Family secrets always make an interesting read ..it was like peeping through their windows at times. Wondering what would happen next.
Loved it!!
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
wonderfully written... the dialogue is superb... in the same style and feel of the secret life of bees... and the mermaid chair
Joan L. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
A beautiful story of love, loss, deception and catharsis. Well written and moving.
Debra R. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is very good read! Very touching story about the challenges of not having a perfect life and dealing with Disabilities and the publics attitude towards them, including parents.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not my cup of tea, but it was a well written story with believeable characters who face the consequences of their decisions.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
I had a hard time reading this book- It seemed pretty slow to me and as a mom with young kids, it was just hard to read emotionally. It was like driving by an accident- I wanted to stop reading, but I felt like I had to finish. I ended up skipping the last 1/4th of the book and just reading the end, which I NEVER do, but it was just a slow, kinda depressing book.
Liese S. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Rather even-toned (little plot) book, fair writing, but I didn't think much of this one.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
So depressing towards the end I said enough already and skimmed the last two chapters.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I loved this book! Even though you will not like, nor understand some of the characters, the book is extremely well written and will keep your interest. It is one of those books that will stay with you long after you've finished.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a very good book about a doctor who delivered his own twins. Afraid of his wife being terribly hurt by the Downs Syndrome with which one of the twins was born, he immediately gave the child to his nurse and asked her to take the baby to a home for retarded children. He told his wife the girl baby had died at birth.
The story follows both the family as the boy baby matures, and the nurse as she disappears and builds a life in another city, raising the girl baby as her own. There is the wall that rose between the doctor and his wife; her continuing sense of the girl's presence; the son's feeling that his father didn't love him; the doctor's obsession with photography, trying to capture each moment forever; and the development of the girl as the nurse eventually marries.
It is a realistic picture of the human condition, with redemption and hope at the end. Truly a book worth reading.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I couldn't start reading a chapter without finishing it. And even then, I couldn't keep my eyes open and I would keep reading.
Gayle E. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book is beautifully written, but I can't say I enjoyed it. It's one of the most heartbreaking stories I've ever read, and one I keep thinking about days after I completed it. It is incomprehensible to me that someone could give a way their own child in order to "save pain". And the book shows how the pain of this action haunts Dr. Henry for the rest of his life, ruining his marriage, his relationship with his son, and his own life. Very sad, very deeply emotional.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was such an incredible tale. Full of love and bad choices and acceptance of the unknown. Thoroughly enjoyed. The movie was very good but as always the book was better!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
An amazing book of triumph for a woman who decides to give her life to an "unwanted" child. Touching, amazingly realistic and so tender at times it will bring you to tears, but good tears.
Truly one of more favorite reads & one I think most any fiction lover would enjoy.
Kathy C. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
While I know that the subject matter isn't the happiest of subjects, the book was just too depressing and that made for a very slow read. Characters were so flat and showed no personality even from the beginning!.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Interesting, really makes you think.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book is one of my favorite all time books. What a great story with such a twist!! This book is sad and joyful all at once!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Great book I enjoyed it. I also just recently saw the TV version and it does this book no justice. The book is so much better, they left so much out of the TV show and changed it a lot. I glad I read the book first.
Katie K. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
It took me forever to get through this book. I wanted to get into it, but just couldn't. It also made me a little depressed when reading it! Everyone seemed miserable and on edge which made me miserable too!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
It was very interesting until the end, which became tiresome.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Well written although maybe somewhat unbelievable storyline. This was one of Oprah's picks a number of years ago. It was a good read but the story was sad and left me feeling a bit melancholy by then end.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
It dragged a little bit. I never felt like I really "got into" it...
Heather O.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I found this book to be a bit redundant. I was skimming through papagraphs because the author repeats many memories and senarios over and over. All in all it has a great story line, but it could have moved a lot faster for me.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I liked this book but didn't love it. It was depressing, but realistic, about the effect that one bad or questionable decision has ripple effects.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Amazing read!! I was shocked by the decisions in the book but it kept me page turning it even quicker! I couldn't put the book down!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
In my opinion, highly overrated. A slow-paced, wooden examination of a family with a secret. No particular evidence of character development over time - everyone stays exactly who they are through the course of the book and there is very little evidence about learning from one's mistakes. I found it whiney and preachy - not attributes that I care for very much.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
After reading so many disappointing reviews, I could not get excited about beginning this book. However, I soon found the sentiments and descriptions drew me into the story. Other than a few slow chapters about two-thirds of the way through, I could not put the book down.
Amy H. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
At times I found myself really frustrated with the father in this book wondering why he would not come clean already. Over all, I enjoyed this book very much.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Was very disappointed. The book was a best seller, but I personally thought it stunk.
Geneva T. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I loved this book. It was hard to read and at the same time hard to put down.
Kristin M. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I have a brother with Down's Syndrome who was born in '71 when my parents were told to institutionalize him because he'd "never amount to anything" and he'd "be a vegetable all his life". Knowing this, I could understand the mentality of the characters in this book, but it was still a bit hard to swallow. The best thing about this book was that it reminded me that doing the right thing in life requires strength and a lot of courage.
Jackie L. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was such a heart warming story. I seem the movie but the book is much better and more detailed. really a good book. The challenges of two families that intermingled was so simple but complicated and riviting.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is an amazing story. It is a must read.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book broke my heart and made me smile at the same time. It was so moving. I think it's one of the best books I've read in a long time.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very moving, and hard to put down!
Elizabeth C. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
One of the best books I have ever read - surprising from beginning to end...could not put it down!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Great book. Much better than the movie and I thought the movie was good!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a pretty good book. It was very detailed and descriptive in everything. Their thoughts, their feelings, their surroundings...everything! The story line wasn't too bad.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I loved this book. I was not sure that I was going to like it, but it captures your heart and sticks with you even after you are done with it. I loved the characters and the story brought back a lot of emotions of when I lost my sister at a young age. It really is a great book. Read it!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
After 120 pages, I still wasn't hooked. But, I pushed through and finished the book. I'm glad I did. It was a good story.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
To be honest, I haven't read the book yet, but I DID see the movie (with the same title)....and that was excellent!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book has a great story to it. Right from the beginning you find yourself hooked and wanting to know more. The details of a man's struggle with truth vs. lies is heart wrenching as he of course ends of regretting decisions made that last a lifetime. I really enjoyed this book and definitely found it worthwhile.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book was BORING. I only finished because I had to know how it ended.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book is worth reading. It was extremely sad at times and it was hard to believe that this could happen not that long ago.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Interesting story! Some parts seem to drag though
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book was a mesmerizing tale of the damage a secret can cause in a relationship and in a family. It also examined changing attitudes towards Down Syndrome children. I found it to be a bit sad, but intriguing. It made me examine my own life, my views, and my relationships through new eyes. I would definitely recommend this book.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Enjoyed this book immensely. Couldn't wait to find out how it ended. Of course, there was sadness and disappointment throughout the book, even futility. But the underlying beauty of the lesson to be kearned in simplicity made all of that worth the journey. As I struggle with what is impt and what is not, this book served as a guiding light. Sometimes life is only hard because we, in our humanity, make it that way. Read and enjoy!
Joyce C. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I had to question the wisdom of the husband. He meant well and the child was indeed fortunate. Great ending to a somewhat depressing story of guilt and love. Recommend this one for bookclub discussions.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I liked this story well enough to get through it enjoyably, but I probably would not re-read it. It's probably not for everyone, and might translate better to the older generation - the generation who grew up in the 50's and 60's that remembers a time when doctors were not always forthright with what was going on. The characters manage to be sympathetic despite their flaws, and when I reached the end, I found myself being very curious about what happened next, for all of them. A doctor delivers his own twins during a snowstorm (his wife is heavily drugged) and he immediately recognizes the signs of down syndrome in the little girl. He makes a snap decision, keeps the healthy boy twin, and sends the little girl off with the nurse to be institutionalized. He tells his wife that it was twins, and that the girl died at birth. One lie begets another, and we see the consequences wrought on all of their lives as a result of the doctor's initial lie. That's the one part of the story I didn't understand - if he was so determined to hide the down syndrome little girl from his wife, why say there were twins at all? In her haze, she would have believed that she'd just had the one healthy boy. I suppose, however, that without her characters' being haunted by the loss of her baby, the story would have been quite different. That was really my only objection. Otherwise, a pretty solidly interesting story. Not bad, not great.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A touching view of how a secret can like an insidious vine in relationships. Also a refreshing reminder of how our opinions of special needs children has evolved with time.
Leanne C.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book is very heartbreaking, mesmerizing and it really is a beautiful book. I think it can make you look at your life and the power of love. This book is rich with detail and I highly recommend it. I can't wait to see what Kim Edwards writes next.
Riley H. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I didn't care a whole lot for the book. I wanted to stop seeral times because I was bored and didn't like a lot of things being talked about such as lying and committing adultry and it being OK. But so many people have told me how great this book is so I wanted to finish it hoping that it would improve at the end. Let's just say I wasn't impressed with the book on the whole. However, I did think that the idea was interesting and I give the author props for being able to write about the emotions being shown in the book very well.
Elizabeth R. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I don't know why so many folks hated this book so much. I thought that it was enjoyable, especially for a debut novel. The characters were believable and engaging. Some of the writing is overly descriptive as though trying to be elegant, but this is a first novel so perhaps that is forgivable.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
“THE MEMORY KEEPER’S DAUGHTER unfolds from an absolutely mesmerizing premise, drawing you deeply and irrevocably into the entangled lives of two families and the devastating secret that shapes them both. I loved this riveting story with its intricate characters and beautiful language.”
—Sue Monk Kidd
This book was riveting from the moment I picked it up to the moment I set it down. My daughter just read it and felt the same way.
It is hard to let it go but I want another reader to experience this beautifully written book also.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
this book started out hopeful and intriguing but about a third or half way through it became monotonous and boring- i rarely do not finish a book but this one i decided to not finish
-characters are easy to dislike and i wasn't even interested in finding out what happens at the end, there was not insentive to keep me reading
i enjoyed reading about the down syndrom child and the nurse but there was very little written about them- three or four pages here and there- whereas most of the book was dedicated to the biological mother and i found her very boring and the father self centered (only because the wife was very hard to get along with)
i was not happy with this book
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I was enjoying this book, until the ending. I just found the resolution to be completely beyond reasonable belief.
Joy M. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
What a wonderful book! I love the way the writer uses word to evoke images. I have to read the book slowly, because sometimes it seems like poety to me. The story touches my heart. The basic plot is about twins born to a doctor and his wife. One of the twins has Downs Syndrome, and the doctor decides to send the baby to an institution. The nurse present at the birth decides to raise the baby herself. The rest of the story is about the parallel lives of the twins and their parents.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I liked the book okay, but I work with kids with developmental disabilities and read it more with a historic perspective. It was predictable, but intriguing at times.
Rachel P. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very realistic. It was tugging at my heart. As a mother and a wife myself, I kept asking myself what I would do in this situation. I like that the ending didn't offer the most cliché resolution, or even the best resolution. It was however, a very believable and realistic resolution. A great read!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
The story was engaging and interesting. I disliked the characters in the story - but disliked in a good way. You're supposed to feel an emotional response for characters, positive or negative, and the characters are unlovable. But that's what makes the story line intriguing!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book is one that everyone should read. Also, do not watch the movie first. It will make you laugh, cry, and overall feel a broad range of emotions. Read it to see what I mean.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A very thought provoking book, well written!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
One of the best books I have ever read!
Valerie (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Good, not great. The story definitely tugs at the heartstrings, so if you enjoy those kinds of books read this one. The story was not amazing but it kept my attention and I continued reading it with the eagerness I show for most good books I read.
Penny A. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Couldn't quite get into this one, very slow moving. Sounded like such a great plot but didn't have much pull.
Katy (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I really wanted to like this book. But the whole premise turned me off from the start. I just couldn't identify with the characters, and ended up skimming through parts of the book to get to the end.
Colleen A. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I found this book boring and contrived. I did read it all the way to the end because I figured I might as well see how it all turns out. As some other reviewers mentioned, there were too many details and they were details put in just to show that the author herself has good taste (in her mind). Drinking wine in France. Buying bread and cheese. Spare modern furniture in a loft with golden wood floors with accents of primary colors. I felt like I was reading about someone in the last 10 years who bought all their furniture from Crate & Barrel or Pottery Barn...not people in the 70's and 80's. Just contrived and pointless. These sorts of books are always so frustrating...reading the characters every meandering thought and how absolutely complicated everything they say and do tends to be. It's not reality...I realize it's a "story", but the best stories have touches of reality and you can live the story with them through that reality. These people just bored me stiff and I couldn't really picture a single one of them. But at least I knew they had good taste,eh?
Rachelle S. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
The book was intresting, but seemed a little far fetched.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A story of a Dr. who delivers his own twins, one, the boy, is OK, the little girl has Downs Syndrome. He tells his nurse to take the little baby girl to a "home," and tells his wife that she died at birth. The nurse cannot bring herself to leave the baby once she is at the "home" and decides to take her for herself and raise her.
The nurse leaves the Dr. practice and moves, raises the little girl and marries.
As the book progresses, secrets are discovered, lies revealed and the Dr. learns that his nurse has raised his daughter.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I read it in one sitting. The book is much better than the movie!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a MUST READ book, I could not put it down. It was compassionate, heartbreaking and truly unforgettable.
Michelle S. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
It starts out at a sprint and slows to a nice jog. All in all, a good read, though I was a little disappointed in a way that I cant really describe.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I quickly got absorbed in this story and was caught up in finding out how the families involved grew and changed over time. I found it to be a very compelling story, and also very interesting in terms of learning how medical care, education, etc. change through time.
Denise H. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I liked the book. My Grandmother worked for a state hospital and took us on visits there as children. I guess it was to keep us humble. I am 42 now. You wouldn't believe the numbers of Down Syndrome babies that was put into that place at birth. So in my opinion the book is accurate to the time period.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I really enjoyed this book. I found it very hard to put down once I began. It does seem to get a little slow in the third quarter of the book, but it is still an excellent story.
Leslie P. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Not worth the hype. Had so much potential but really fell flat.
Vicki W. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Overall, it was a good book. It started to drag for me about half way through, and it took me a while to finish this novel, but I give it 4 stars.
Shaina N. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
EXCELLENT BOOK!!! The lifetime movie was very true to the book, but you cannot capture the true emotional devotion behind the main male character unless you read the book. If you liked the movie, READ THE BOOK!! I loved this book. It was a little hard to get through... kind of tedious at times, and for me, it wasn't an easy read. However, it was very much worth it. As a Kentuckian, I had to support Kim Edwards, and the fact that it is set in KY... but as a reader, I have to applaud this book!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I thought this was a very good book.Held my attention.People quite often do crazy things that are not right because of their past experiences and their love for someone.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
My heart ached for the characters in the story.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I did not finish this book. It seemed to jump around too much for me. I do not have a lot of time to read and there may be long periods between chapters.. I often got lost and had to go back.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
this was a really good read. i enjoyed the story very much, weaving in and out of their lives.
Tracy P. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Hated it. Complete drivel.
L. G. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is possibly one of *the* worst books I have ever read. Great premise - terrible storyline and execution. Not only is the writing marginal, but the author re-uses the same hokey imagery over and over "quicksilver child", "thin hair, held back with barettes". There is little redeeming about the characters, and the subplots are simply unbelievable. Don't waste a credit or your time on this one. If I were the publisher, I'd be embarrassed.
Holly H. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Just as they say, 'Don't judge the book by their cover'. That's exactly the point here. It sounds good, but it just seemed to drag on. If you are a person who likes mild books, then you will like this one. But if you don't, I suggest that you don't. That's how it probably ended up on PBS, nobody wanted it. That's just MY honest opinion.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Loved it! Sort of Anita Shreve type writing. She develops her characters well and you can come to understand all of them. Even if you don't agree with what they do, you still get in their head and know why they did it!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Brilliant. Sad. Thought Provoking.
Brittany S. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Excellent. Definitely worth reading.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was an amazing book. It was emotional and postive. Great to see lifes negative turn out so positive.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I enjoyed reading this book while I was reading it - but you kind of expect more to happen. Kind of forgetable.
Kimberly W. - TX reviewed on 3/3/2008...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
While this book has a hard beginning for parents, it is a great read. It was refreshing to see how love has nothing to do with geneology.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A life changing moment happens when a Downs Syndrome child is born to a doctor and his young wife. In one unchangeable moment the doctor makes a decision that has consequences that profoundly affect the lives of not only the baby girl, but many other people as well. Very well written!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Great book. I found it intriguing and could not put it down.
Ella H. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Although this book was predictable and over-hyped, the writing was (for the most part) pretty good. The author has a tendency to use the same words to describe certain things (e.g. "the warmth and weight" of a baby) which causes the description to lose its meaning and impact. Good the first time though. Read it so you can talk trash about it with everyone else.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A very well written story. Wonderful Read, Highly recommend.
Stacey P. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I thought that this was a good book about how one person's life and decision can affect so many other lives.
Candy B. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Oh, I don't know. I don't know. I'm so conflicted about this book...
On one hand, the writing it beautiful. The prose is to die for. It's lyrical, yet not hard to comprehend. It's gorgeous. It's what writing should be.
On the other hand, there's the story. It started out slow, it was really really good in the middle and then the ending... well, the closure wasn't there for me. It was too abrupt, it didn't feel well thought out. Something... I don't know what... something was missing.
Having said that, I'm glad I read this one. I had heard so many things about it and I'm glad I gave it a whirl.
Andy R. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Bittersweet tale about a man who gives away his daughter at birth because she has Down's Syndrome.
At first I felt I had to wade through some of Kim Edward's florid prose, but by the section of the book called "1977" the story seemed to take off and move along at a smoother pace. As with all over-hyped books there were high expectations that I knew couldn't be met, so I read without trying to set myself up for disappointment. I got more interested in the story as it progressed and was surprised how much I enjoyed it overall. Being from Kentucky, it was a treat reading about settings of which I was familiar. I do recommend it with the caveat that story doesn't seem to take off until the middle.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
The book moved slowly at times, but the subject matter was very thought provoking... an implusive decision made by one man effects many lives.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I thought this book would be more suspenceful than it was, but it was rather slow. Also, it wrapped up quickly, almost as if the author was in a hurry to finish writing it.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I decided to read this book because it had gotten a lot of hype, which it deserved. The story is a very powerful one, very intriguing, and definitely keeps your attention. You wonder how something like this could happen, but at the same time you see how it so easily could. Definitely recommended. A beautiful realistic portrait of family life and of down syndrome.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Wonderfully written book about the choices we make, in this case the consequences of one's decision not only on himself but everyone involved. I could no put it down.
Chris R. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
My daughter was born with Down's Syndrome 36 years ago. So this story was a compelling read for me. I did enjoy the story and found it beautiful and more inspiring than I expected, as I've experienced the prejudice and misinformation regarding this disability. Nothing to be ashamed of in this story - Kim Edwards did a fine job.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a beautiful book. I love how this woman rights it is very flowing and easy to get sucked into. I was even reading it out loud one day and my husband got hooked until the end. Beautiful heartfelt story you almost ask yourself what you would have done in the same situation as this Doctor.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book was very well written, but sad. My copy is in good condition, but the front cover has a dog-eared corner.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Great book, very easy to read finished quickly to see what would happen. I would recommend this book!
Angela D. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book to me was slow at first, but then it picked up toward the middle. it has a surprising story line and good ending
Suzanne B. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A real page-turner, beautifully crafted, full of pain and regret, but also hope.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This stunning novel begins on a winter night in 1964, when a blizzard forces Dr. Henry to deliver his own twins. His son born first, is perfectly healthy, but the doctor immediately recogoizes that his daughter has Down's syndrome. For motives he tells himself are good, he makes a split-second decision that will haunt all their lives for-ever. He asks his nurse, Caroline, to take the baby away to an institution. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child as her own. Compulsively readable and deeply moving, The Memory Keeper's Daughter is a brilliantly crafted story of parallel lives, familial secrets, and the redemptive power of love.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
a steady read... kept me turning pages just to see how it would end.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A great book club book; we all enjoyed it. Very poignant.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Wonderful Book. Hard to stop reading...
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"a brilliantly crafted story of parallel lives, familial secrets, and the redemptive power of love."
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I thought the book was well written and beautiful. I enjoyed the book.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Beautifully written, sad but ending with hope....a book worth reading.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I loved this book.A one commentator states, this book is a tale of regret and redemption. Anyone who has a soft spot for the mentally disabled will enjoy this book. It's heart breaking and heart healing. Such a compassionate novel.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Honestly, this book was mediocre. The Time Traveler's Wife was similar in style and vastly better.
Laurie B. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Great GReat GREAT book
Joan V. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I found this to be very well-written; the characters were well-drawn, and the story was very compelling. The only flaw is that the author did not do her research into the true lives of professional musicians~ which as a musician I find annoying. Otherwise I loved the book!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
i loved this one
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This was a very good book about a doctor that delivers his twins and gives one away without his wife's knowing because it was not "normal". It is a tale of living with your choices.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
A little slow at times, but overall a good read.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a story about a man who makes a life-changing decision to give up his twin daughter with Down syndrome at birth. Handing the baby to a nurse to be taken away without his wife's knowledge, begins the raw, emotional and amazing journey affecting all the characters and the reader alike.
I really cared about each character and couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what happened next!
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very thought provolking. Great for a book club. I would have loved to discuss with others. Makes you stop and think.
Stacey D. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This husband in the book really bothered me with his decision and to forever lie about it. Back cover says, "This stunning novel begins on a winter night in 1964, when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy, but the doctor immediately recognizes that his daughter has Down's syndrome. For motives he tells himself are good, he makes a split-second decision that will haunt all their lives forever. He asks his nurse, Caroline, to take the baby away to an institution. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child as her own. Compulsively readable and deeply moving. The Memory Keeper's Daughter is a brilliantly crafted story of parallel lives, familial secrets, and the redemptive power of love."
I could not put this book down. It really has a positive side, but the underlying sadness of "forever" broke my heart. I really liked it.
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"This stunning novel begins on a winter night in 1964, when a blizzard forces Dr. David henry to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy, but the doctor immediately recognizes that his daughter has Down syndrome. For motives he tells himself are good, he makes a split-second decision that will haunt all their lives forever. He asks his nurse, Caroline, to take the baby away to an institution. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child as her own.
The Memory Keeper's Daughter is a brilliantly crafted story of parallel lives, familial secrets, and the redemptive power of love.
Lynn (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Story of a couple who has twins but one is mentally retarded and the Dad, a doctor, tells his wife, that twin died. The Dad tells the nurse to take her away to a home but instead the nurse keeps the child as her own. The story takes place in the 1960s where mentally retarded children were usually institutionalized. This story develops through the years as the twins grow under different circumstances and ends with the hidden secret being discovered by all. This is a very interesting and intriguing book.
Peggy L. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is quite the ambitious book, attempting to cover a wide range of deeply emotional themes- giving up a child for adoption, raising a child with Down's Syndrome, teenage angst, love affairs, cancer- in one encompassing story of a marriage is falling apart over a single life-defining moment of weakness. Was prepared to dislike certain characters based on the back cover synopsis but ended up feeling surprisingly sympathetic towards both husband and wife. Gets sort of messy tying up the loose knots at the end and runs out of steam, but I'm glad everything didn't just suddenly end up "happily ever after."
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
This book gives excellent insight on families of people with Downs Syndrome.
Jessica W. (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
I thought this was a very good book, although maybe not quite living up to its hype.
Lori (
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
What an amazing book.
I'll be honest, I only read about half the book. I did actually like the quality of the writing, but I did not like the story. It really was just too heart-wrenching for me to keep reading. It did not inspire any hope that the story could end well for any of the characters, and I just had to put it down.
This book was ok, not one of my favorites, but good enough to pass the time.
Catherine T. (I found this book to be almost identical to the movie that was on tv and I thought the movie boring . But the book did go into more detail.
I have no idea why this one was so popular. Not my most favorite book.
Excellent story! Well worth the time. A book I could not put down!
JoAnn T. (This was a good suspense story.
I beleive it was made into a movie, but I could be wrong.
Worth reading.
Sandra L. (Family saga, keeps you on edge. Seen movie, book is always better.
Heather S. (It is not the type of book I normally read, but the main characters struggle with the decisions they made was intriguing to me and left me wanting to know more. The ending, however, did not satisfy me, and I felt I was left hanging.
I think Edwards could have written the same story with about 100 fewer pages. The descriptions of feelings and places were poetic, but began to get tedious. Nevertheless, the story was good and I found the characters to be beleivable.
I own 3 copies of this book. Every time I read it, it touches my heart.
Diane (Fantastic book, The lifetime movie was not nearly as great!
Jodi C. (What a difference one decision will make on your entire life!!!
Shannon Y. (I was totally engrossed with this book but I was rather disappointed with the ending. It was not a terrible ending, I just expected much more. Other than that it was absolutely wonderful
Bernadette T. (Buddie W. reviewed on 11/5/2008...Lovely story. It was one of the sweetest books I have read in a long time. I highly recommend.
Michelle A. (This book definitely kept my attention that whole way through. What a tragedy to make the decision that the father made and to live the the resulting secret.
Was a decent book. A bit slow moving and not as heartfelt that was believed to be.
April K. (Liked this book well enough. it was definalty better then the movie they made
I really liked this book. Being a mother of a child with Down's I could understand and connect with the characters really well.
Kathy E. (I was really dissapointed with this book. The premise sounded so good, but the book fell flat. I kept reading because I thought it had to get better, but it didn't. I found the main characters irritating, they all seemed so self involved and self pitying.
I really enjoyed this book. There were some heartbreaking parts, but they were balanced with warm moments. I appreciated the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the struggles of a child growing up with Downs Syndrome.
(After all the hype, I found this terribly disappointing. Predictable from the first, no real suspense to make this worth reading.
Lynda C. (A young doctor makes a decision born of panic and trauma, and the repercussions echo through a quarter century, changing his life and his family's life forever.
Johnna S. (I am a fast reader and I could not get past page 15 of this book. It was boring! Didn't like it at all.
i read the book to finish it
in the middle it got boring and the summary on the back paints the book as something it is not
Ellen L. (This was a very touching story. It will make you emphatize with some of the characters and hate some of them. This book was very well-written and the story was captivating.
The first half was okay...after that it was just a big yawn. I couldn't even force myself to read anymore. Since it was on the bestsellers list, I thought I would give it a try but I definitely found it lacking in more ways than one.
Easy reading book, but found it pretty good. I haven't seen the movie.
Very engaging story; great character development. I enjoyed her writing style enough to seek out more of her work.
Brenna B. (After seeing the Lifetime movie, I had to read the book. It was a very compelling book; I kept squeaking out time to read it a few pages at a time and did read it in about a week and a half just a little at a time. It is about a man who gives his daughter away at birth because she had Down Syndrome. The story then focuses on the lives of Phoebe (the daughter given away), Paul (her 'normal' twin), Dr. Henry (the father), Norah (the mother), and Caroline Gil (the nurse who took Phoebe in when her father wanted her brought to an institution). I really enjoyed this book and found that the character of Norah reminds me of Nora from "A Doll's House."
Jennifer P. (I enjoyed this book alot. I hear they are making a movie based from the book, I dont see it being as well as the book. You experience the great journey of Dr David Henry and his secret. Great Book, fast read
Excellent read! Shows that the changes in educating these children can be rewarding!
Katherine T. 
Shanna V. (I began reading this book and just really couldn't finish it. It was very morbid in my opinion saw the movie on lifetime and then didn't want to read the book after i knew what happened...bittersweet ending
A little slow to start, but then I was enthralled, a great read!
At first I had a hard time getting into this book, but when I got to the middle, I couldn't put it down. At the beginning of the book it seemed as if David and Norah had a "perfect" life. All that changed in one moment with one decision. It made me realize how one decision changed the lives of five people forever. What would things have been like if Phoebe would have lived with David and Norah??? This book is a classic example of how guilt and holding things in can eat you alive from the inside out. David could never be close to Norah because the decision he made permanently built a wall between them. When David told his wife that her daughter had died, I really felt for her. Then as her character changed throughout the book, I found myself being mad at her for not fully giving herself to the family she had. Then I realized, this is what unresolved grief can do to a person. I felt like the book abruptly ended. Once David died and they found out about Phoebe, the story rushed to the end of the book. All in all, I enjoyed this book.
Great story, truly enjoyed. Heartbreaking. Lots of connections, depth, twists and turns.
Kim J. - Franklin, TN reviewed on 1/3/2008...Great book for a monthly book club. Quick read and very thought provoking.
Judy B. (A delightful, thought-provoking, stay-with-you-forever book. Dr. David Henry makes a life-changing decision that will stun you - and it changes everything. Very moving book. Highly recommended.
I really enjoyed reading this book! The characters are not strictly good or bad, but much more complex. The language was beautiful and I actually reread passages because they were so beautiful. Sometimes I skip over descriptive passages when I'm reading to get to the "action", but with this book, I devoured them!
This is the best book I've read this year. Excellent descriptions of events from different points of view. It really makes you think about the things that happen in your life and people's motives.
I was hooked from the start. Very moving story. Unexpected events throughout the book.
This is one of the best books I have ever read. Wonderful story! I could not put it down!
Jennifer L. (a story of secrets and regrets. a wonderful page-turner. highly recommend.
Awesome book!!! Enjoyed it and couldn't wait to read each chapter!
Renee' B. (This book was very well written, but sad. My copy is in good condition, but the front cover has a dog-eared corner.
From the back cover..."A tale of regret and redemption...of characters haunted by their past....simply a beautiful book." Yes, I agree...this is a really good book which I enjoyed very much.
A decision impacts so many lives in this novel. Well drawn sympathetic characters, degrees of redemption and a good view of how life has changed since 1964
The premise is intriguing but I found it overly sentimental & heavy-handed. Dialog often struck me as artificial.
A very good read...Twins separated at birth, with some surprising twists.
The story was very interesting. However, I found the middle section a little slow. The beginning and the last 100 pages or so were very good. Overall, a good read.
This book is very sad and heartbreaking, about how one man's decision changes everything in his life forever.
A blizzard in 1964 forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy. His daughter, the second born, suffers from Down's Syndrome. He makes a split second decision to have the baby taken away to an instituion. He then tells his wife that the daughter is dead. Great book telling of family secrets, parallel lives and the power of love.
Teresa S. (A doctor delivers his own set of twins, a healthy boy and a girl with Downs. This book spans the lives of the doctor, his family, the baby girl he gave a way and the nurse who raised her. This is an easy read.
I didn't really think I'd like this book, but I ended up being drawn in. It's a sad story, lives shattered, but an interesting story told well.
Cheryl (Toni) J. (This is an excellent book about a difficult topic, and the outcome of our decisions.
A haunting book. In some ways, rather unsatisfying, as you keep waiting and waiting for something to happen. But finally, it's a lot like our lives really are, time passing without our realizing all the details, all the things that have gotten to where we find ourselves one day. A lot of themes in this book, that provide food for thought. Still, I have to say that I found Norah a rather repellent character, much more so than David. And I never did understand Paul and his refusal to believe in his father's love.
A wonderful story of the choices people make and how it shapes their lives. Once I started to read it, I could not put it down.
Thought provoking- not your typical happy ending. Fictional exploration of the question- What happens to a couple that has twins and the husband (a doctor) delivers his children only to discover that one is normal and one will have developmental delays her entire life. Should he tell his wife about both children or let it go and tell her that the child with issues died? And is it possible to keep this secret from your spouse- and live with yourself?
I just finished this book today and it was great! It was sad in parts but still so good! I am posting it today, I want someone else to be able to read it and I hope enjoy it as much as I did!
Haunting novel about a family's horrible secrets that causes a lifetime of pain. Great characters, well written.
This was an easy quick read, but I didn't love it as much as the previous reviewers. I found myself annoyed by the main characters - they had ample opportunity to FIX the wrongs that were committed, and I felt they spent their entires lives whining about it. The mother, in particular, I found annoying.
Ok, I think I'm the only one on the planet who hasn't read this book! It's a Sal. Army find to share with others on PBS. There are so many reviews posted about this book I won't add another one! :o)
I loved this story. Start reading it on a Friday evening so you can spend the whole weekend reading it.
In 1964 during a Blizzard, a doctor delivers his own wife's twins. The boy is perfect, however he immediately notices the girl has Down's syndrome. He tells his nurse to bring the baby to an institution, instead she runs away with the child and raises it as her own.
This book was very well written and shows how lives can be forever intertwined with a spur of the moment decision.
Beautifully written....very satisfying all the way to the end.
I did not care for this book, but it did have a shocking twist at the end.
Excellent book. I thought it was very interesting and keep you wanting to know what would happen next.
A doctor gives away one of his newborn twins, born with Down's syndrome, telling his wife that the child died. The book shows how that decision affects his family and the woman who raises the child.
Katharine T. (A Doctor is forced to deliver his own twins in a blizzard. One of them is born with Down's Syndrome, and he makes a choice that forever alters his relationships, and the lives of many people.
I thought this book was excellent, but it's the kind of book I only want to read once or twice. I bought it because I remembered it was my book club reading the day before the meeting (I'm usually much more dilligent) and the library was closed.
Great book full of surprises. Its about how family isnt always blood.
A tale of regret and redemption...of characters haunted by their past.
Easy and engrossing read. Though it could be a bit shorter (better editing), it's still worth reading!
Chris H. (I had a difficult time with this one, for it didn't grab me and force me to want more. The characters are depressing.
This was perhaps one of the best books that I have ever read and I read a lot!
A poignant story. You are quickly drawn in, but then it moves kind of slowly. Everything turns out ok in the end, but it is still a sad situation. I liked the book, but I don't think it warrants all of the hype.
Fantastic! A young doctor has to deliver his wife's baby because of the snowstorm. The first one is a perfect son, the second, which was not expected, is a girl with Down's Syndrome. The wife is not told...but the secrets almost spoil the marriage.
Excellent book! Easy to read, characters are believable + instantly heartwarming! Now I have proof that you really truely never know someone...indeed very sad!
I was skeptical at first that this would be a book I'd enjoy. Was I ever wrong, I loved it! Kim Edwards has a great style of writing. Lots of detail and imagery without being overwhelming. I would definately recommend this book!:)
This was a quick read and very enjoyable. The characters, though a bit predictable, were very endearing and interesting. A good study on private lives and how a committed family can still be distant and secretive.
Edwards really gives the reader something to think about! A doctor's wife gives birth to twins, and while she is still under anesthesia, he decides to save her the pain of raising a mentally challenged child and gives her away! The story unfolds from there and keeps the reader riveted.
Kelly Jo G. (A great read. I couldn't put it down and finished it in a couple of days!
I can now understand all the excitement about this book. It was a wonderful read! Highly recommend!
Somewhat depressing since the book is full of inter-character tensions throughout the entire storyline. Excellent writing and character development.
Excellent book, beautifully written, and will stay with me for a long time as one of the best books I've ever read. The author's writing and imagery kept me turning pages all weekend until I finished it!
This was the biggest waste of my time. I'm not sure why this book was even written.
This book was ok. I read the book to see what all the hype was about and was a little disappointed.
I really enjoyed this book, but it almost seems as though the author thought of the plot as she wrote.
Bestselling story of how secrets come back to haunt us--a quick read with much insight into characters.
If you like Jodi Picoult you will love this hauntingly beautiful story of regret, healing and redemption. When a doctor makes a split-second decision to give away one of his newborn twin babies, it sets a chain of events in motion that he could never foresee.
#1 NY Times Best Seller. How a secret destroys a marriage, a family.
I had high expectations for this book and unfortunately did not enjoy this book as much as I hoped. The book, while a fantastic story concept, did not grab and hold my attention the way others have mentioned. However, the suspense of whether the two seperate worlds/families would meet kept me reading over time and the ending was good.
This is such a great book. Everyone should read it at some point.
A multilayered look at the impact of a sudden choice and decision on many lives. The study of how a secret has power more profound than any of the "facts" of our lives. This is a book that resonates on many levels and surprises us with its twists and turns. Not a book to be forgotten quickly.
I really liked this book. it had alot of twist and turns and kept you interested to the very end.
A physician delivers his twins during a snowstorm when they are unable to get to a hospital. He makes it to his clinic, where his son is born first, without any problems. However, he delivers a twin daughter who has Down's syndome, and tells his wife the baby was stillborn. He has his office nurse take the baby girl to an institution. Instead, she keeps the baby and moves away, without telling the doctor what she has done. The story follows the lives of both the nurse and the doctor, as well as the children as they grow up. I loved this book!
One of the most entrancing novels I have read in a while...some passages are so beautiful you will find yourself re-reading them again & again. The characters are incredibly alive, real & pulsating with inner fires. You feel as if you have entered their world as a spirit might. Beautiful, moving & true to life.
Brandy L. (Very touching and heartwarming story. Amazing how the author shows how one decision can change many lives forever. Excellent book!!
I enjoyed this book.. it is not a light hearted book.. but the story is captivating and interesting..
A great story, a little heart breaking and I simply loved it!
Great Story!!!! I was sad, angry, and happy for the characters throughout the book. It is a great story and very heartfelt.
One of the best books I have read in a long time. The intricate story of a family and how one secret can haunt them for decades, is so memorable that I could hardly take time out to do anything but read.
Very good read. Probably one of the best books I've read this year.
Quick easy read - kept my interest. A bit predictable but enjoyable
Very good read - I didn't want to put it down! Complex characters, great metaphors and very strong writing.
Slow at the start but engaging after you have been reading a while.
I loved this book...it pulled at my heart strings and made me really interested in the characters and how they made the decisions they did. Excellent read.
Took a bit to get into but ended up being pretty good...makes you really think about the choices you make in life.
A deeply moving book about the misinformed on Down's Syndrome and how a family deals with living together and sharing deep unshared secrets. This is a very good book worth reading more than once!
Interesting book, "This stunning novel begins on a winter night in 1964, when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own twins." The split second decision he makes to tell his wife that one twin was born dead rather than raise a child with Down Syndrome will haunt him forever. His nurse Caroline takes the baby and raises her as her own rather than put her in an institution. All lives are now touched by that one decision.
I'm not into novel reading.But this really got to me because of having a cousin who came into our lives in almost the same situation.
The decisions that were made,the institutions and the years are similar.It brought memories on how much a family secret can hurt, heal and learn to love..
A story of betrayal, secrets, and guilt. Dr David Henry delivers his own twins on a snowy night. His son is perfect and healthy. His daughter has Down's Syndrome. He gives his daughter to his nurse Caroline to put in an institution, and she disappears to raise the child as her own. Great book!
Excellent! Really well written story of secrets and regret.
An interesting story of the effects of a split-second decision, made with the best of intentions.
Maureen C. (What a story! Well written and captivating. One of those books that you'll just never forget.
A father makes a choice at the moment of his daughter's birth that has far reaching repercussions on the lives of his family and himself.It is both heartbradking and uplifitng,
A tragic tale of a family and the power of a secret. I wanted the story to end up a certain way but Kim Edwards tells a tale that is more true to life. A story that will stay with you.
In the style of effective women writers like Sue Monk Kidd and Jodie Picoult, this story is beautiful and heartbreaking. How a man's decision can effect the many people who are part of his life. Love this author!
I couldn't put this book down. The characters are fleshed out and it's hard to imagine how things will turn out. Not a book to read if you're having troubles in your own life.
This book reminded me of the way Anita Shreve writes. It started off great, it ended great, but the middle was a little cumbersome.
Melissa T. (I loved this book. Having a child with a disablility, I can only imagine what the father was thinking at the time of his daughters birth. Back then, kids didnt have a chance. This is a great tale of how the 2 siblings live seperate lives not knowing the other exists.
Very much enjoyed this story. Heartbreaking, real, excellent character development.
I have longed to read this book and am glad that I did. Never wanted to put it down and was always wishing I had more time to read.
Good night reading about a doctor who delivers his own twins and recognizes that one has down syndrome.
I almost didn't list this one on the trade site, as I loved it so much that I wanted to keep it on my bookcase. However, as I have learned from this swap site, books sitting in bookcases don't do anyone much good. This story is incredible, haunting, beautiful, majestic, and courageous.
This book really delves into the consequences of thoughtless action triggered by emotional response.
Idell H. (Because of a winter storm, Dr. David Henry must deliver his own twins. He realizes that one of the twins has Down's Syndrome, so he gives the baby to his nurse and asks her to place the baby and tell his wife that the baby died at birth. The story follows both children and the hole in their lives because of the secret. The marriage between the doctor and his wife unravels because of this secret. An excellent read.. and a thought provoking book about our treatment of children who are less than perfect.
One twin is born disables so Dr. dad takes matters into his own hands
Excellent story about how secrets can effect our lives, good and bad.
Very good read from first page to the end. A Dr. delivers his own twins giving one away.
Wow....a haunting story. He gives away his down's syndrome daughter to save his wife and son the heartache...only to be haunted by her existence...and what he has missed. He tried to save them from the pain...but only made matters worse. This book will give you a lot to discuss!
This book led to wonderful book club discussions about the corrosive power of secrecy.
Tiffany S. (Good, a slow read though.. It didn;t really deserve the hype.
This stunning novel begins on a winter night in 1964, when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own tiwns. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy, but the doctor immediately recognizes that his daughter has Down syndrome. For motive he tells himself are good, he makes a split-second decision that will haunt all their lives forever. He asks his nurse; Caroline; to take the baby away to an institution. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child as her own.
Characters haunted by their past-about reqret and redemption. Lovely.
Written in 2005--This story takes you through the lives of twins who were separated at birth and the repercussions that follow becuase of one man's and one woman's actions. I couldn't put this book down. It was a wonderful read.
The story is very good, it gets a bit tedious in the end, seems to drag on... It could've stopped 2-3 chapters before the end.
my book as been read by my book club and a few other friends so it is worn but in good condition....
Great book. Can be a tear jerker at time. Raises awareness of Down's syndrome.
Juli W. (I didn't enjoy this book at all. For me, the main characters had very few redeeming qualities at all. And, the story seemed very contrived and overly melodramatic. What was supposed to make me feel sympathetic was really just annoying.
excellent - The ending caught me off guard. It was also a good pick for our book group.
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
An amazing book. Unlike many of this sort, this isn't a feel good book. Like real life, it is full of bad choices, regrets, tears, fears along with love, life, and laughter. This also means there are unexpected twists and turns which always makes for engaging reading. I had a very hard time putting this one down!
I loved this book! Our book club read it and the ratings ranged from 6-9, with lots of 7's and 8's (really high for our group). The book raises several issues, not the least of which is whether it is ever justifiable to shield those closest to you from the truth.
Christy L. (It was an interesting story but for some reason it seemed to take me forever to read it, so I think that the writing was a little different for me than I'm use to. I would recommend it - it was an emotional story.
How can one bad decision effect the lives of one family over decades? This novel beautifully tells the story of a family. When a woman gives birth to twins, her husband recognizes right away that his new daughter has down syndrom. In a panic, he tells his nurse to take the child away and informs his wife that her daughter died in childbirth. The nurse decides to raise the child on her own, and his wife begins to decdend into depression.
The Memory Keeper's Daughter deserves all of the praise it recieves. The characters are flawed but interesting. The prose style is absolutely enchanting. I highly reccomend this novel.
Great story. I was a little skeptical at first since I usually read "chick lit" but I truly enjoyed this book.
Melissa M. (Good, but I had a hard time feeling connected to the characters.
Stacy J. (I loved this book! It starts on a snowy night when a doctor has to deliver what he thinks is his only baby. It turns out that his wife is having twins. The first born, a boy, is born perfectly healthy. The second baby, a girl, is born with Down's. He tells his nurse to take the baby away to an institution and then tells his wife the baby died. This is a very sad story about family secrets and what damage those secrets can cause.
Nancy M. (I really enjoyed this book. After the main event the story splits to tell of the 2 separate lives that are involved.
A good read.
Stephanie P. (while the story kept me wanting to find out what happened between all the characters, i wasn't thrilled by the pace of the book. i feel as though there was not enough excitement.
This book begins in 1964 when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own twins. His son is born perfectly healthy, but his daughter has Down's syndrome. He asks his nurse to take his daughter away to an institution. Instead she disappears into another city to raise the child as her own. This was a great book that I couldn't put down.
This was required reading, and much to my surprise, I found it to be substantial and a very good read.....I'm a better person for experiencing this author's work!
Melissa B. (Fabulous book! Beautifully written, this story manages to break the heart and warm the heart at the same time. Unique story that keeps one thinking long after reading the last word.
This book was/has been on various Best Sellers Lists over the past year or two.
The plot concerns a father's decision to give up his twin daughter at her birth, when he realizes she suffers from a birth defect. At the same time, he and is wife raise her twin brother, who is healthy.
The book explores the ramifications of his decision upon all involved -- himself, his wife, his son, the woman who cares for the daughter, etc. The writer wrote with clarity and compassion, while observing the inevitable conflicts in the family.
A very good book that was also thought provoking. I really enjoyed this book.
Sara M. (After resisting this in the bookstores for a number of months, I finally picked it up, and can wholeheartedly recommend it. 'Separated at birth' by their overly protective physician-father, a 'normal, healthy' boy grows up with his parents, whose marriage suffers because of the lie between them, while his Down syndrome twin sister- whom the father tells everyone was stillborn - is rescued from institutional care by a lonely nurse, and grows up healthy and happy, knowing nothing of her 'real' birth family. There is suffering, as well as joy, all around as the reader follows both families through the twins' childhoods and into young adulthood. The weight and toll of a lie at the center of a relationship is fully explored with sensitivity. And at the end there is hope for a sort of redemption.
Lots to think about in this story.
This was my book club selection for January. It is a very moving story. It made me realize how a split decision can change your life and others around in a split minute.
A story of a husband making a decision to give one of his twins away and how it impacts everyones life. A great and moving story.
Great read... Goes very fast... Can't wait to read more from this author... Enjoyed very much...
Beautiful language. Asks us if it's ever wise to keep a secret from people you love and shows us that the answer to that question isn't as easy as it seems. Looks at parenting issues, including the ties of birth parents vs. adoptive parents and what it means to care for a seriously disabled child. Very worthwhile reading.
It grabbed me in the beginning and then it got a little slow. It was an ok read.
A NY Times bestseller for months. A "tale of regret and redemption...of characters haunted by their past." Beautifully written. A beautiful book.
Kim Edwards first book was written with much pathos and understanding of complex relationships. Well, how many people wonder if they were adopted or had a sibling who was adopted or take a few minutes to reflect on why they were a single child. Sure, an old story. But not often do we read about a mother who does not know her child was taken away and that leaves us all stunned. Who could do that. Why? This was a good story.
...begins on a winter night in 1964 when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy, but the doctor immediately recognizes hs daughter has Down Syndrome. For motives he tells himself are good, he makes a split-second decison that will haunt all their lives for ever. He asks his nurse, Caroline, to take the baby away to an institution. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child as her own. A deeply mving story and beautifully written..
From Publishers Weekly
Edwards's assured but schematic debut novel (after her collection, The Secrets of a Fire King) hinges on the birth of fraternal twins, a healthy boy and a girl with Down syndrome, resulting in the father's disavowal of his newborn daughter. A snowstorm immobilizes Lexington, Ky., in 1964, and when young Norah Henry goes into labor, her husband, orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Henry, must deliver their babies himself, aided only by a nurse. Seeing his daughter's handicap, he instructs the nurse, Caroline Gill, to take her to a home and later tells Norah, who was drugged during labor, that their son Paul's twin died at birth. Instead of institutionalizing Phoebe, Caroline absconds with her to Pittsburgh. David's deception becomes the defining moment of the main characters' lives, and Phoebe's absence corrodes her birth family's core over the course of the next 25 years. David's undetected lie warps his marriage; he grapples with guilt; Norah mourns her lost child; and Paul not only deals with his parents' icy relationship but with his own yearnings for his sister as well. Though the impact of Phoebe's loss makes sense, Edwards's redundant handling of the trope robs it of credibility. This neatly structured story is a little too moist with compassion.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
This is a fantastic book, that will hook you from beginning to end
THIS IS A GREAT BOOK! I WAITED ALONG TIME TO READ IT AND I AM GLAD THAT I DID!
Regret and redemption told in a personal, touching story describing the effects of actions on different family members over years. Worth the read. The book creates a reflective mood. Has great value in educating the reader on certain moral, ethical issues.
Janette E. (Excellent book!! Beautifully written! This book is a must-read!
GREAT READ,I REALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK,COULDN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT EACH PAGE TOLD ABOUT THE CHARACTERS.
Interesting book. Stands on its head what you think about perfection and happiness.
This was a very good book. Kim Edwards has written a very thought provoking account of one man's split second decision to give up his daughter and how that decision's effect on the lives of others.
A good book for a discussion group, it is quite thought-provoking.
A woman delivers twins but one has Down's syndrome. Her husband who also delivered the twins spirits away the afflicted daughter. The rest of the tale is hypnotic.
Lori W. (I enjoyed this book, but it is depressing, at times. So much dysfunction and so many bad choices. I enjoyed the descriptive nature of Edwards's writing--easy to "get the picture" of her writing.
Amazing book. I could not put this one down. Can't wait for Kim Edwards to write another.
Being a nurse, I just liked the story and the psycological aspects of each character. It moved very fast for me and I could hardly put it down.
Sharron A. (This is an interesting book - hard to get into, then you can't put it down.
Enjoyed author's writing style. Story not totally plausible to me.
Maggie C. (The beginning and middle of this book were great. I just thought the author could have come to the conclusion much more quickly.
I really enjoyed this book. Not like the "easy reads" I'm use to, I am so glad I desided to read this one!!
Sheree
Anna W. (This is a wonderful story, I couldn't put the book down. The story of twins that are separated at their birth and the intervening years of their lives are compelling story telling.
This book was a slow in the beginning and hard to get into. It seemed to drag on. The ending was pretty good. But don't think it really warrants being a best seller.
What happens when one twin is given away at birth.....
This is a story of regret and redemption where the characters are haunted by their past. A Dr. delivers his own twins and then sends one away. Very moving!
I was very excited to read this book, I went out and bought it because I was tired of waiting for it on PBS! It was difficult to get into but then picked up after the first 100 pages-or-so. The narrative style was interesting and it read a lot like "the Time Travelers Wife," but it was linear. When I put it down I thought it was fantastic but some of the less positive reviews here do have good points, things that I didn't pay much attention to because I was swept up in the creativity of the story but when I took the time to reflect it wasn't as amazing as it first seemed. A great read for a cold winter afternoon in front of the fire because it is not very deep.
This is a wonderful book which illustrates how a mistake can affect many lives.
Jennie B. (Although somewhat ragged in parts, this novel also contains moments of breathtaking lyricism. A poignant tale of secrets, distance, love, loss and redemption.
A haunting story of how one bad choice can ruin a marriage, a family, and all connected lives. If nothing else, this story will leave you with a renewed realization to be honest and have courage in facing the unexpected. And, to have faith in those you love to be able to do the same.
(As someone who has worked with Down's children, I really appreciated the authenticity of this book. It was a very emotional read, and hard to put down.
a tale of regret and redemption of characters haunted by their past. A brilliantly crafted story of parallel lives, familial secrets and the redemptive power of love. I enjoyed this book
A very compelling novel which is both heart-breaking and heart healing. A doctor/father delivers his son and his daughter one snowy night. His son is fine, but is daughter is not perfect and the doctor/father has to make a decision as to what to do with his new born daughter.
I'm not much for contemporary fiction, but I thought it was well written. The characters were well developed. But I kept talking to the main character, David, to tell every one his secrets.
The ending was way too soon, but some of that was the expectation of more story on the last pages of the book. Instead the last 13 pages is a section called A Penquin Readers Guide to The Memory Keeper's Daughter.
Jennifer L. (I had really high hopes for this book, but I didn't love it. It's very long winded, but the story is nice. I read it on a trip, but it was the only book I'd brought. If I'd have read it at home, I'm not sure I would have finished it.
This was a quick read that hooked me right away. I was disappointed with the end.
This is, by far, the best book I've read in a very long time. It is poetic, but intriguing at the same time. I loved it.
What a wonderful, emotional, compassionate book! The detailed thoughts of the characters are so brilliant. A must read -- but bring the tissues!
Wonderful story, wonderful detailed characters. Very moving! I did wish to know a little more in the end.
What a great story. I stayed up late to finish it. Very moving.
I decided to buy this book after hearing all the hype that surrounded it. I was not disappointed. I read this book in less one day, it was impossible to put down.
It is a sad story of how a family disintegrates with lies and betrayal and the power of redemption.
"This stunning novel begins on a winter night in 1964, when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy but the doctor immediately recongizes that his daughter has Down's syndrome. For motives he tells himself are good, he makes a split-second decision that will haunt all their lives forever. He asks his nurse, Caroloine to take the baby away to an institution. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child as her own. Compulsively readable and deeply moving, the Memory Keepers Daughter is a brilliatntly crafted story of parallel lives, familial secrests, and the redemptive power of love."
Excellent novel. I have never read a book by this author, but I definitely will be checking out to see if she has written more books. Highly recommend.
Tish O. (The ending saves this book that is getting rave reviews and i'm not sure why.
In this book: choices, confusion, contempt and finally, clarity. Good book.
Well read by several of my book club members. We all enjoyed it!
A tale of regret and redemption...characters haunted by their past. A beautifully written page-turner. Loved it!
Donna H. (Beautifully written and moving. The best book I've read this year.
Such a wonderful book! I loved how the characters were so real and vital.
Maggie S. (The story of a family,and the walls they build to protect themselves from pain.It was a good read,not great,but I did enjoy it.
I enjoyed this book, but I expected more due to all the hype!
Anne D. (Wonderfull Book. A must read.It will keep you up reading late into the night.
An excellent, well written book. Very powerful and thought provoking. A fast read.
Interesting story line but very slow and somewhat lacking. I just expected so much more, it could have been great.
Kim N. (A very well written book. I thoroughly enjoyed this story right up until the end.
Rhonda (Great Book!! I really enjoyed this book. Twins born and one with Down's syndrome. The father hasthe child with Down's sent to an institution, forever changing the lives of everyone involved. It is the story of a secret that affects this family forever.
What a ride. This book was dark from the very beginning. Well written and a testament to how secrets can ruin a family.
Margaret (This is a remarkable book about how family secrets and lies can change the dynamics of a family. It is beautifully written.
Not the read I expected. Average story line and character development at best.
Excellent, absorbing. Really enjoyed this tale of how good intentions can destroy a family. This is a good story about the complications of love, between parents and children, siblings, and men and women.
Great book, read it in one day - barely since it is now 2am and I am sooo tired....
Tale "of characters haunted by their past." I could not put the book down.
Irina D. (Dr. Henry and his wife are expecting...unbeknownst to them, it is fraternal twins, one healthy boy and a girl with down syndrome. Dr. Henry has to deliver them due to a snow storm, and when he sees that his daughter has D.S., he hands her over to his nurse and asks her to bring her to an institution so as to save his wife from the heart ache. He proceeds to tell his wife that they had twins, but the girl passed away. The book progresses thru their lives, when at the end, the truth is unveiled. I enjoyed this book, although the author tends to be too descriptive at times.
A very interesting story with complex characters. The author draws some intriguing comparisons between photography and the nature of time.
Wonderful book, Kept my interest and was actually hard to put down.
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