Picoult's masterful writing called for the re-reading of some beautifully crafted passages. Take this one for example when two of the characters are watching shooting stars:
But Anna keeps her eyes glued to the upended bowl of the heavens. "I know you want to ask me why I'm doing all this."
You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."
Anna lies down, her head pillowed against my shoulder. Every second, another streak of silver glows: parentheses, exclamation points, commas - a whole grammar made of light, for words too hard to speak" (200).
In addition to powerful writing, the storyline is compelling and 423 pages slip by. To briefly summarize the story without giving away too much, it's about a family's journey as they cope with their child's terminal cancer. Kate was diagnosed with leukemic cancer at the age of 2, and Brian and Sarah, Kate's parents, decided to have a designer baby, Anna, who would be genetically identical to Kate in order to help Kate's body fight the cancer. From the moment of her birth, Anna's body was used to provide spare parts for Kate, and finally at the age of 13, Anna sues her parents and files for medical emancipation as they ask her to give Kate one of her kidneys, knowing that by refusing to give a kidney she is condemning her sister to die. Anna's decision causes the family and the court system to try to find the "right" answer in an unprecedented situation.
P.S. I watched the film adaptation after finishing the book. Consensus: Skip the movie and read the book. There is no comparison.
Practical Considerations:
The length of this book and the various points of view would make me cautious in recommending this book to middle school students or to high school readers who struggle. A different character narrates each chapter and the changing point of view could be challenging for young and/or struggling readers. The delicate topic also calls for mature readers.
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