What do readers think of While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky? Write your own review.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

I have to admit that when this book arrived in my mailbox, my 15 year old daughter scooped it up and read it before I did. She had just finished reading Barbara Delinsky's previous book, "The Secret Between Us" and really enjoyed it. She gave a great review for this one as well.

I, on the other hand, felt that it was just average. The beginning was slow and I felt that it was going to be predictable. The story line does become more complicated with some twists and more depth so I was glad that I stuck with it. The novel deals with how a family deals with a tragedy that befalls it's "favorite daughter" . She is an Olympic marathon runner who fatefully has a heart attack while training and falls into a coma. The dire situation brings forth several family secrets as well as many issues between siblings, mother, father, husband and wife.

It was an easy, quick read and as it got moving, became more enjoyable. I can't help but compare it to "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult which deals with a similar story line and explores some of the same issues. "My Sister's Keeper" was much more suspenseful and thought provoking though.

I thought this was just a fair read, nothing extraordinary. Something in the style, story telling, and character building, left me wanting and expecting more. It did, however, bring up many issues and observations worthy of discussion.

The book, for me, raised many questions….How do we connect as a family? How does any sibling get over being in the shadow of another? Is resentment a common thread that runs through families? How does one deal with a controlling parent? When should a secret be revealed, if ever? Is the truth always the best way to deal with issues? When and how should we determine to end a life? How do we feel about organ donation?

This book shows how people react differently in times of crisis. It shows how letting go is the most unbelievable heartbreaking thing to do. It confirms that emotions can play a major part in every decision we make in life. It lets us see how we often can take care of plants and animals, yet do not know how to nurture and foster relationships in our own lives.

I think that this book will start the wheels going, a mile a minute,in everyone’s mind. I know that my mind was consumed with many questions about my own decision making and family relationships.