The Memory Keeper’s Daughter (Book Review)
A while back, I was at Target shopping for a good book and this sweet woman (a fellow shopper) walked up to me and asked if she could give me a recommendation on a book. This has never happened to me before, but I certainly welcomed her input.
She suggested that I read The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards. She told me that it was the best book she’d ever read in her life. And, that every time she sees it at the store she wishes she could buy it and read it again for the first time.
Wow, that was a pretty powerful recommendation. I have books that I feel that way about, so I was very excited to potentially discover something really great.
I’ve been so busy lately it’s hard to find time to read, but finally, this past weekend, I completed The Memory Keeper’s Daughter and I can now officially review it for the SharpMoms!
It is a unique story like no other I’ve read. The book centers on the lives of Norah and her husband Dr. David Henry.
Shortly after the novel begins, Norah goes into labor during a horrible blizzard. Her husband, a doctor, is able to drive his wife to his office, and with the help of his nurse Caroline, he delivers his baby boy. But, to his surprise, there is a second child to be born, a little girl. Immediately after delivery, Dr. Henry recognizes that this twin, his daughter, suffers from Down’s Syndrome.
At this moment, David makes a quick, life-altering decision to have his nurse take the baby girl off to an institution. He decides to tell his wife that there was a second baby who died during delivery. He believes he’s doing this to protect his wife from the pain and hardship this child might bring.
However, in another incredible twist of events, rather than follow his instructions, his nurse decides to keep the baby and raise the child as her own. This is where the story really unfolds. The novel takes us on a 25-year journey through the parallel lives of Dr. David Henry, Norah and their son Paul and Caroline and Phoebe (the twin born with Down’s Syndrome).
It’s an unbelievably amazing “story.” The premise of the novel is fascinating. But, the journey the book takes you on is heart wrenching and depressing. Since I don’t have much time for reading, I like to keep it light and this book was anything but light. Again, it’s a one of a kind story, just be prepared for it!
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About SharpMom
Hi, I'm Katie. I’ve been successfully working at home and homeschooling my kids for the past 14 years, so I figured it’s time to get out there and start sharing what I’ve learned along the way. I'm glad you're here to join in the fun!
