Yet another repost. There'll be an explanatory post once I'm fully updated.
When Kate Fitzgerald was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia at the age of two, her family's life was turned upside down. While her father, Brian concentrates on holding the family together, as well as his job, as a firefighter, and his hobby, astronomy, her mother, Sara becomes almost obsessed with Kate's health.
When Kate's elder brother Jesse is found not to be a suitable match, Sara almost gives up hope. That is, until a doctor says that another sibling might be a better match; as Sara observes, he's referring to a child she never had and didn't plan for. In light of the new events, Sara and Brian do plan a child; plan harder than ever before, in fact, as they genetically engineer their third child to be a perfect match for Kate, with the objective of her performing as a donor for her sister.
At first, all that is required from Anna (Andromeda, named by her father, after the constellation which is known as the chained maiden in English) is stem cells from her umbilical cord. Until, that is, Kate relapses.
From that point on, both Anna and Kate are constantly in and out of hospital. As Anna observes, she herself is not sick, but she might as well be. Kate needs blood and bone marrow, and although, as Anna observes, she never gave her permission as she was never actually asked for it, she goes along with these procedures. Until, at the age of sixteen (Anna is thirteen) Kate's kidneys start to fail, and Anna is expected to donate one of hers.
Kidney donation is a relatively simple procedure. Compared to, for instance, open-heart surgery. You're given anesthesia (something that has been given to Anna in order to help Kate many times), the risks of which include strokes, heart attacks and lung problems. As for the actual operation, there's a one in three thousand chance of dying on the operating table. Afterwards, you are hospitalized for four to seven days, although it actually takes more like six weeks to recover. And the long term risks include a increased chance of high blood pressure, a risk of complications with pregnancy, and the need to refrain from activities which could damage the remaining kidney.
It is this which triggers Anna's decision to sue her parents for medical emancipation. In short, for the rights to her own body.
Certain that no court in the world would force Anna to give up her kidney, and that her parents will fold before it even goes to trial, the lawyer she approaches, Campbell Alexander, agrees to take on the case, in exchange for Anna's polishing the doorknobs in his office, since she is unable to pay.
However, Sara is unable to even consider giving up this, which may be Kate's last chance, and as a former lawyer, decides to represent herself in court.
The story is told in chapters told through the first-person view of various characters; Anna, Jesse, Sara, and Brian Fitzgerald, Campbell Alexander, and Julia Romano. Interestingly, Kate is the one character whose opinion isn't shown, despite her being the central figure of the novel.
The Fitzgerald family are all, for want of a better phrase, fucked up. Sara is obsessed with keeping her family whole to the extent that she no longer cares if they're happy. Her response to any of Anna or Jesse's problems is, essentially, "Kate has cancer, isn't that more important?" Sometimes, yes, but not collectively, not every single time.
I'm afraid that I didn't find Sara Fitzgerald a very sympathetic character. I'm not sure if I'd feel differently if I were a mother myself, but I can't empathize with he point of view. Her conviction, that she knows best for everyone, is irritating, and somewhat selfish. I'm not sure if it's any less selfish that the 'self' she is centred on is, in fact, her daughter. Still, all in all, I didn't find her an entirely likable character.
Brian, the father of the family is a firefighter. Most of his sections explore his obsession with fire, and the ways in which his seeking to control it is symbolic of his relationship with his family. He seeks to control fire because it's something he can control, almost like an anorexia victim's attitude to food.
His son, Jesse has a similar reaction. Yet, instead of seeking to control fire he uses it as a method of destruction. He's eighteen years old, and has, for several years, been living in an apartment over the garage, apart from the family, although he does still eat with them. He observes himself that Kate's illness has turned him into a rebel, but doesn't seek to change the status quo so dramatically as Anna does. Nonetheless, he supports her in it.
Anna is completely torn. More than anything, she does not want to give her sister her kidney, for many reasons, more of which are revealed as the book goes on. However, Kate is her best friend; neither of them have been healthy long enough to become close to other people, especially since girls their own age tend to be a little afraid of Kate's illness. She also has to live with her family, despite everything. Most of all, though, it's her relationship with Sara that changes.
Although Brian understands their youngest daughter's feelings, Sara is fixated on curing Kate, and is convinced that Anna is only trying to get some attention. Mother and daughter are unable to understand each others point of view; but Sara is still Anna's mommy, and the confusion and lack of black and white areas apparent in the relationship and decisions made are described wonderfully.
Then there's Campbell Alexander, the lawyer. At first, he's sure that it will be an simple case, and that a decision will be reached before it even gets to court. He soon realises that it's not that easy. As Campbell gets to know Anna and her family better, more of his own life is revealed. Campbell's a tricky character, who hates being tied down. Although he owns a service dog (named Judge - as he explains, what lawyer wouldn't want to put a Judge in a cage every so often?), every single explanation he gives for it is different. The situation is even more complicated by the fact that it's a small town, and everybody knows everybody. The judge assigned to the case is one who has known the Fitzgeralds, and Campbell for years. Even worse, the guardian ad litem assigned to Anna is Julia Romano, Campbell's ex-girlfriend.
Julia's job as a GAL is to look out for Anna's best interests, since she's a minor filing a case against her family. She's also someone who gets close to Anna, since younger people can sometimes have trouble expressing themselves, and, in Anna's case, resisting the pressure of her mothers wishes. In other words, it seems that she's mostly there to describe how Anna and the others come across, since that's not shown during during individual chapters. Her relationship and various problems with Campbell also form a sub-plot, which doesn't really impinge on the main story.
Picoult's writing style is absorbing, and her dialogue is snappy. The characters all have their own personalities and relationships with each other. Although the use of various characters to tell different parts of the story can be tricky to pull off, each of Picoult's characters has such a unique voice that the reader is rarely confused (unlike, for instance, Gregory Maguire's Mirror, which used a similar technique rather less successfully).
The portrayal of a family, and the complicated relationships and feelings between them is accurate and true to life. Although Anna doesn't want to be a donor all her life, and she wants to feel like more than spare parts for Kate, her desire for this is a betrayal for the mother and sister she both loves and hates. The books opens with the sentence; In my first memory, I am three years old, and I am trying to kill my sister. It then continues with; As we got older, I didn't seem to exist, except in relation to her.
It's true that love and hate are very closely tied together, and the relationship between Anna and Kate is one of the best examples in modern fiction of such a relationship.
In summary, this book is moving, and deals well with a difficult issue. It's a fairly good length, and keeps you gripped until the ending. The differing opinions in the book are well presented, and can often be empathized with even if they are not fully agreed with.
The only fault I can find is with the ending, which seems rather too neat. However, the use of Kate's silence is a nice touch throughout the novel, and Picoult's use of dramatic tension is spell-binding.
When Kate Fitzgerald was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia at the age of two, her family's life was turned upside down. While her father, Brian concentrates on holding the family together, as well as his job, as a firefighter, and his hobby, astronomy, her mother, Sara becomes almost obsessed with Kate's health.
When Kate's elder brother Jesse is found not to be a suitable match, Sara almost gives up hope. That is, until a doctor says that another sibling might be a better match; as Sara observes, he's referring to a child she never had and didn't plan for. In light of the new events, Sara and Brian do plan a child; plan harder than ever before, in fact, as they genetically engineer their third child to be a perfect match for Kate, with the objective of her performing as a donor for her sister.
At first, all that is required from Anna (Andromeda, named by her father, after the constellation which is known as the chained maiden in English) is stem cells from her umbilical cord. Until, that is, Kate relapses.
From that point on, both Anna and Kate are constantly in and out of hospital. As Anna observes, she herself is not sick, but she might as well be. Kate needs blood and bone marrow, and although, as Anna observes, she never gave her permission as she was never actually asked for it, she goes along with these procedures. Until, at the age of sixteen (Anna is thirteen) Kate's kidneys start to fail, and Anna is expected to donate one of hers.
Kidney donation is a relatively simple procedure. Compared to, for instance, open-heart surgery. You're given anesthesia (something that has been given to Anna in order to help Kate many times), the risks of which include strokes, heart attacks and lung problems. As for the actual operation, there's a one in three thousand chance of dying on the operating table. Afterwards, you are hospitalized for four to seven days, although it actually takes more like six weeks to recover. And the long term risks include a increased chance of high blood pressure, a risk of complications with pregnancy, and the need to refrain from activities which could damage the remaining kidney.
It is this which triggers Anna's decision to sue her parents for medical emancipation. In short, for the rights to her own body.
Certain that no court in the world would force Anna to give up her kidney, and that her parents will fold before it even goes to trial, the lawyer she approaches, Campbell Alexander, agrees to take on the case, in exchange for Anna's polishing the doorknobs in his office, since she is unable to pay.
However, Sara is unable to even consider giving up this, which may be Kate's last chance, and as a former lawyer, decides to represent herself in court.
The story is told in chapters told through the first-person view of various characters; Anna, Jesse, Sara, and Brian Fitzgerald, Campbell Alexander, and Julia Romano. Interestingly, Kate is the one character whose opinion isn't shown, despite her being the central figure of the novel.
The Fitzgerald family are all, for want of a better phrase, fucked up. Sara is obsessed with keeping her family whole to the extent that she no longer cares if they're happy. Her response to any of Anna or Jesse's problems is, essentially, "Kate has cancer, isn't that more important?" Sometimes, yes, but not collectively, not every single time.
I'm afraid that I didn't find Sara Fitzgerald a very sympathetic character. I'm not sure if I'd feel differently if I were a mother myself, but I can't empathize with he point of view. Her conviction, that she knows best for everyone, is irritating, and somewhat selfish. I'm not sure if it's any less selfish that the 'self' she is centred on is, in fact, her daughter. Still, all in all, I didn't find her an entirely likable character.
Brian, the father of the family is a firefighter. Most of his sections explore his obsession with fire, and the ways in which his seeking to control it is symbolic of his relationship with his family. He seeks to control fire because it's something he can control, almost like an anorexia victim's attitude to food.
His son, Jesse has a similar reaction. Yet, instead of seeking to control fire he uses it as a method of destruction. He's eighteen years old, and has, for several years, been living in an apartment over the garage, apart from the family, although he does still eat with them. He observes himself that Kate's illness has turned him into a rebel, but doesn't seek to change the status quo so dramatically as Anna does. Nonetheless, he supports her in it.
Anna is completely torn. More than anything, she does not want to give her sister her kidney, for many reasons, more of which are revealed as the book goes on. However, Kate is her best friend; neither of them have been healthy long enough to become close to other people, especially since girls their own age tend to be a little afraid of Kate's illness. She also has to live with her family, despite everything. Most of all, though, it's her relationship with Sara that changes.
Although Brian understands their youngest daughter's feelings, Sara is fixated on curing Kate, and is convinced that Anna is only trying to get some attention. Mother and daughter are unable to understand each others point of view; but Sara is still Anna's mommy, and the confusion and lack of black and white areas apparent in the relationship and decisions made are described wonderfully.
Then there's Campbell Alexander, the lawyer. At first, he's sure that it will be an simple case, and that a decision will be reached before it even gets to court. He soon realises that it's not that easy. As Campbell gets to know Anna and her family better, more of his own life is revealed. Campbell's a tricky character, who hates being tied down. Although he owns a service dog (named Judge - as he explains, what lawyer wouldn't want to put a Judge in a cage every so often?), every single explanation he gives for it is different. The situation is even more complicated by the fact that it's a small town, and everybody knows everybody. The judge assigned to the case is one who has known the Fitzgeralds, and Campbell for years. Even worse, the guardian ad litem assigned to Anna is Julia Romano, Campbell's ex-girlfriend.
Julia's job as a GAL is to look out for Anna's best interests, since she's a minor filing a case against her family. She's also someone who gets close to Anna, since younger people can sometimes have trouble expressing themselves, and, in Anna's case, resisting the pressure of her mothers wishes. In other words, it seems that she's mostly there to describe how Anna and the others come across, since that's not shown during during individual chapters. Her relationship and various problems with Campbell also form a sub-plot, which doesn't really impinge on the main story.
Picoult's writing style is absorbing, and her dialogue is snappy. The characters all have their own personalities and relationships with each other. Although the use of various characters to tell different parts of the story can be tricky to pull off, each of Picoult's characters has such a unique voice that the reader is rarely confused (unlike, for instance, Gregory Maguire's Mirror, which used a similar technique rather less successfully).
The portrayal of a family, and the complicated relationships and feelings between them is accurate and true to life. Although Anna doesn't want to be a donor all her life, and she wants to feel like more than spare parts for Kate, her desire for this is a betrayal for the mother and sister she both loves and hates. The books opens with the sentence; In my first memory, I am three years old, and I am trying to kill my sister. It then continues with; As we got older, I didn't seem to exist, except in relation to her.
It's true that love and hate are very closely tied together, and the relationship between Anna and Kate is one of the best examples in modern fiction of such a relationship.
In summary, this book is moving, and deals well with a difficult issue. It's a fairly good length, and keeps you gripped until the ending. The differing opinions in the book are well presented, and can often be empathized with even if they are not fully agreed with.
The only fault I can find is with the ending, which seems rather too neat. However, the use of Kate's silence is a nice touch throughout the novel, and Picoult's use of dramatic tension is spell-binding.
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