My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult is a novel about a young girl named Ana Fitzgerald who is caught in the shadow of her older sister Kate. Kate is diagnosed at a young age with an acute form of Leukemia that does not have a definite cure. In an attempt to save their daughter’s life, the Fitzgerald’s contact a geneticist who helps them to create an embryo, genetically designed to be a donor match for Kate. Anna spends the next thirteen years of her life as Kate’s official donor, donating cord blood, platelets, cells, and bone marrow. When Kate’s kidneys begin to fail, Anna is called upon again to donate. In response, Anna seeks out a lawyer and sues her parents for medical emancipation, giving her the right to control the decisions made in regards to her body.

Jodi Picoult’s writing style is easy to follow. The plot is propelled forward as events are narrated by different characters. This allows the reader to build intimate relationships with each character and to delve inside their personal thoughts and feelings. Character development is strong throughout the novel and leaves the reader feeling as if they can predict outcomes and future behaviors. However, Picoult uses this to her advantage by creating plot twists that add suspense and drama to the plot. Picoult does use some crude language that can be offensive to sensitive readers.

The life experiences depicted in this novel are real and written in such a way that one must fully contemplate the affects any decision will have on all parties. Throughout the novel, moral and ethical issues are debated as a family struggles to save one child through the sacrifices of another. The bonds of sisterhood are strained, as give and take is not so easily defined. I really enjoyed reading My Sister’s Keeper. The plot explored real issues that run deeper than making right or wrong decisions. The family unit as a whole is tested, tried, and proven to be strong. I felt as though I could put myself in Anna’s shoes. I explored my own thoughts and feelings about being a genetically conceived donor for my sister; in the end, “I would take her with me, wherever I go.”