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While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky

While My Sister Sleeps

by Barbara Delinsky

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  • Published:
  • Feb 2009, 336 pages
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There are currently 18 member reviews
for While My Sister Sleeps
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  • Linda (Palo Alto CA)
    Compelling Reading
    My book arrived yesterday, mid-day. I've just finished it, and I'm not a fast reader! While My Sister Sleeps weaves medical ethics and moral values into a family story told over a week's time, a week during which much is revealed and lessons are learned. The realistic characters are dealing with issues I can relate to. A good read!
  • Margot (Denver CO)
    Delinsky consistently delivers
    While My Sister Sleeps is another of Barbara Delinsky's consistent novels. She always seems to find a good voice for her characters and deliver emotional nuances that strike you as real.

    In this novel, a sister and her family grapple with learning the secret life of their oldest daughter while she lies in a coma. It strikes home in that we never can fully know the interior thoughts and motivations of even our closest family.

    It's a great read for a cold winter weekend with hot chocolate, a warm fire and a box of tissues. Enjoy.
  • Joan (Owego NY)
    While My Sister SleepsI
    I enjoyed this book and even with a busy Christmas schedule I couldn't put it down.The problems faced by the Snow family are universal.We all contend with aging parents and the change in our relationship with them.As parents we have to balance the needs of our children. Does the talented child monopolize the attention and resources of the family to the detriment of the siblings? Hopefully we won't have to end the life of a brain dead child but the author shows us the many stages in the decision and the way a family finally comes to decide.Even the pitfalls of being a good Samaritan is brought out.

    As I was reading this book I kept thinking how it would keep my book club discussing for hours.
  • Christine (Royal Oak MI)
    Thought Provoking
    I read for two reasons. One for entertainment, to escape reality and be transported to a different time and place. I also enjoy reading books that provoke thought. "While My Sister Sleeps" was such a book. My first thought I had while reading was I that I need to tell my family what to do in case I can not speak for myself. My second thought was how would I react if I had a family member in Robin's situation.
  • Barb, Simpson Public Library, Mechanicsburg PA (Mechanicsburg PA)
    Great read
    Another good book from Barbara Delinsky, filled with the questions, both medical and personal, faced by any family dealing with a critical illness. The Snows learn as much about themselves and their relationships with one another as they learn about Robin. I plan to leave my copy of the book in our lounge for others on the library staff to read!
  • Dotty, teacher (Roswell GA)
    thought provoking
    I enjoyed this book and found it to be quite thought provoking. It forced me to think about difficult issues, and how I would confront them.

    I did find the book to be lacking in character development. I never felt as if I truly knew the characters. It left me wanting more.
  • Kimberly (Chula Vista CA)
    While My Sister Sleeps
    I haven't read many of Barbara Delinsky's books, something about the cover designs never seem to appeal to me (so much for judging a book by its cover). While My Sister Sleeps seemed to hold a lot of promise from the first page, it quickly became contrived and attempted to do too much. The novel spans one week in the life of the Snow family following traumatic events involving their Olympics-bound daughter. While the daughter’s condition remains central to the plot, the multitude of sub-plots, seemingly a new one each chapter, distracted from the initial premise and promising beginning.
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