"The Memory Keeper's Daughter"

by Kim Edwards, AF, 2006, Playaway audio, 16.25hrs, rating=3.5

I'm glad I finally finished one!!  I've been in a reading slump.  Poor timing because this cold weather is just lovely for curling up with a book but I've been distracted with blog hopping and holiday preps.  Anyway, this book listened as a page turner.  Although it was long, the story telling was smooth and you get a feel of a love-hate relationship with the characters.  In that case, this was well written because it ignited a passionate emotion out of me.  This would make for an interesting book to discuss in a book club.

This was a sad tale rooted out of a father's fear and selfishness masked as a notion to protect his wife from hardship and heartache.  This is how it went down.  ~Amidst a snow storm in 1964, David, a doctor, had no choice but to deliver his twins.  First, a son, healthy and acceptable.  Then a daughter, obviously abnormal (physical traits of Down Syndrome).  While his wife, Nora was still hazy from gas and delivering, David made a decision to give their daughter away and to claim her dead in delivery.  But the nurse (Caroline) who was suppose to take Phoebe (the baby girl) to a facility ended up raising Phoebe instead.  Of course, lives abounding in lies and secrets become a recipe for a troublesome course.  Oh, so the horrid characters develop.  David because of his secret is distant.  Nora, pitiful at first then downright messed up and conceivably detestable.  Paul (their acceptable son), I wanted to smack a few times.  Then there were the likeable characters.  Caroline, benevolent and fought to give Phoebe equal rights.  Phoebe, gentle and lively.  And my favorite, Al, a solid, good head on his shoulder kind of man.  Hence, an array of drama and heartache happens and you're left with really no winners. 

So if you make a decision without thinking ahead of it's consequences or thereafter making an amends, then you're in for a sucky life!