My Sister's Keeper - Book review

My Sister's Keeepr
by Jodi Picoult
Simon & Schuster 2004
Authors Website
Movie Website

I went to see the movie yesterday afternoon. And I purchased the book off a book shelf at the same time. So I hadn't read the book when the movie ended.


I brought the book because on her website, Jodi says that the ending of the movie was different from the ending in the book.

Having now read the book and seen the movie, I understand why they changed the ending, and I actually do prefer the movie ending rather than the book ending. There were a number of other changes as well.

I dont want to spoil the movie for you so I will try not to put any spoilers in this review.

In the book you have the Fitzgerald family living in Rhode Island, In the movie they are living in California. The family consists of Brian Fitzgerald, a firefighter, his wife Sarah, who used to be a lawyer but has been a SAHM (stay at home mom) for the last 12 years. Their children are from oldest to youngest - son Jesse, and daughters Kate and Anna.

When Kate was 2 years old she was diagnosed with APL (acute promyelocytic leukemia). Her older brother Jesse was not a match for her. Neither were the parents. They were unable to donate any blood or bone marrow.

So Sarah decided to have another baby who was a perfect genetic match. This baby was named Anna and she is the main character of the book (and movie). Anne was a testtube baby - one of 4 embryo's who were genetically manipulated to have all the proteins required to be a perfect match to Kate.

Anna's cord blood was donated to Kate right after she was born, in the hopes that this might stop the disease. It did but only for 5 years. From then on Anna is subjected to more and more procedures just to help Kate stay alive.

The life span of an APL patient is usually 5 to 6 years. Sarah was desperate to save Kate, so she had Anna. Every time Kate was hospitalised, Anna was forced to drop whatever she was doing, and rush to the hospital to have contribute more blood or bone marrow to Kate. All the attention was on Kate. Anna was only in the lime light when she was required to donate more blood or bone marrow. Jesse is ignored altogether.

At age 14, Kate's body start shutting down. First her kidneys. Anna is told by Sarah, that of course Anna will donate a kidney. Anna revolts, hires a lawyer and demands medical emancipation from her parents. She takes her parents to court. She wants to stop being forced to be a donor, even if this means Kate will die.

There are several other major things that are in the book but not in the movie. One is the court appointed guardian for Anna which is not mentioned at all in the movie. The second is Jesse's activities. While Jesse is seen out by himself in the city, his activities are not shown.

The movie was powerful enough without the guardian or Jesse's activities. I really wanted to call Cameron Diaz (who plays Sarah) a bitch for spending all her time on ONE child at the expense of the other two kids. No parents should be like that. However I know that Cameron is just acting. She was so believable.

Also in the book the judge who is deciding the court case is a man. In the movie the judge is a woman. And in the movie, Kate gets to go to the beach. In the book she does not.

As to the ending, well one sister does die. You have to see the movie and read the book to find out which.

My MIL passed away this evening at 9.21 Eastern Time

Well she hung on until all her 4 of her sons could get to the hospital and say goodbye. (The last one came in from Calgary). And at 9.21 PM this evening my mother-in-law slipped away from the bonds of this earth.

Hubby called me 10 minutes later. I am sorry I couldn't be there to say goodbye, but hospital requirements mean that I must stay home and manage her youngest grandson. Today is exactly 13 days after my operation.

Had all my staples taken out today by the family doctor.

Update - wont be any new reviews for sometime

Am still not much in the mood for reading. Surprisingly enough I am not in any great pain. Tylenol#3 seems to cover this quite effectively.


Hubby's mother has taken a turn for the worse and is now back in hospital. She was undergoing radiation for lung cancer. Hubby is frantic with worry as our car starter mechanism is broken, and if we cant drive down to Niagara Falls, we cannot say good bye. He has already been strong and born the brunt of my operation very well. Now he wants to be the good eldest son and be able to say farewell to his mother as well.

So if we get any phone call tomorrow (Saturday) and I dont respond for several days, we could all be down in the Falls. Brother-in-law from Scarborough should be able to fit us into his minivan.

In all the 7 years I have been in Toronto, I have NEVER been to Niagara Falls.

Shelfari finally invents the widget & other news

Yaay, I have been posting my Books on Shelfari for the last 6 months or so, and this week they have FINALLY programmed a widget so you can see my library on my blog.

Other news this week - my Mother-in-law was admitted to Hospital this week with lesions in her lungs and her brain. The doctors suspect cancer, but can't do a biopsy until next week. She has been a heavy smoker for the last 50 years and she has been told that she MUST quit. Despite trying several times, it will very hard for her to go cold turkey.

And I am also scheduled for surgery in 3 weeks time at the end of July. I have a cyst in my brain. It is not a tumour and it is not malignant, but its position is dangerous. If everything goes well, I should be back home inside a week, but will be off work for at least 2 months, maybe more.

All the more time to read and blog.