|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
|
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Edwards's assured but schematic debut novel (after her collection, The Secrets of a Fire King) hinges on the birth of fraternal twins, a healthy boy and a girl with Down syndrome, resulting in the father's disavowal of his newborn daughter. A snowstorm immobilizes Lexington, Ky., in 1964, and when young Norah Henry goes into labor, her husband, orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Henry, must deliver their babies himself, aided only by a nurse. Seeing his daughter's handicap, he instructs the nurse, Caroline Gill, to take her to a home and later tells Norah, who was drugged during labor, that their son Paul's twin died at birth. Instead of institutionalizing Phoebe, Caroline absconds with her to Pittsburgh. David's deception becomes the defining moment of the main characters' lives, and Phoebe's absence corrodes her birth family's core over the course of the next 25 years. David's undetected lie warps his marriage; he grapples with guilt; Norah mourns her lost child; and Paul not only deals with his parents' icy relationship but with his own yearnings for his sister as well. Though the impact of Phoebe's loss makes sense, Edwards's redundant handling of the trope robs it of credibility. This neatly structured story is a little too moist with compassion.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From AudioFile
Martha Plimpton brings considerable talent to the story of David Henry, a man with a terrible secret. Plimpton captures the agony of David's decision to protect his wife from knowing that one of their twin babies was born with Down's syndrome. Plimpton's intelligent narration adds depth to the character of David, making his decision one that makes sense when viewed from his unique perspective. As Caroline, the nurse who secretly adores the doctor, Plimpton appeals to listeners' sympathy. Edwards has written a deeply moving drama covering twenty-five years in the lives of two families and exploring the damage a single lie can do to all involved. Plimpton's performance brings it all into sharp focus. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine
--This text refers to the
Audio CD
edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
THE SNOW STARTED TO FALL SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE HER labor began. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
THE SNOW STARTED TO FALL SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE HER labor began. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A fine story trapped within ..,
By J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Memory Keepers Daughter (Hardcover)
This is a book about the flaws of humanity: physical flaws, errors in judgement and the consequences of living with those flaws. It is also a book about some of the triumphs of humanity despite those flaws.
The novel contains some wonderful prose and describes some difficult choices but never really gives me one character whose role is sufficient to carry me through the challenges, triumphs and events. Perhaps there are too many secrets, too much drama and not enough trust? I'm not sure. I am intrigued enough to want to read more by this author. Clearly, this novel has appealed to many. Jennifer Cameron-Smith
16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not worthy of best seller status.,
By
This review is from: The Memory Keeper's Daughter (Paperback)
I have read many, many books this past year, and unfortunately, 'The Memory Keeper's Daughter' was at the very bottom of the list. It makes me realize that although a book can be at the top of the "best sellers" list for months, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a literary masterpiece, or frankly, even a good work of fiction. The book starts out in a way that you anticipate all good things, but from there it just fizzles. This book is WAY overwritten. There are too many words to tell this story, and all these words do nothing more than become redundant (how many times can you use the phrase "motes of light"?). Even with all these words, the characters are still underdeveloped. You find yourself wondering how nurse Caroline can be so in love with this truck driver she's barely known, and Norah is a bit of a whiner/primadonna but is somehow still so desirable. Dr. Henry seems like such a pathetic man, it amazes that he could even have been a surgeon. I kept wanting more from all these people, and all I got were "motes of light" and weird ramblings about driving along the bridge fast and a woman (Norah) who was technically an alcoholic but not really an alcoholic, because that part never fleshed out either. Basically, it was the same prose over and over, and night after night, I felt I had to force myself to read it, because I am loathe to not finish even the worst of books. I probably could have read the first few chapters and the last few chapters and called it a night. There are way better choices out there for your reading pleasure.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great story,
This review is from: The Memory Keeper's Daughter (Paperback)
You'd think that just about every book on the bestseller list would be a great story with a great beginning, middle, and end. Not always the case. BUT, The Memory Keeper's Daughter IS one such book. I like to compare it to The Glass Castle in this respect, though that is a memoir.
The premise of the story is this: During a snowstorm in Kentucky, a doctor delivers his own twins. One is "normal" and one has Down Syndrome. He lies to his wife, telling her the one with DS has died. I don't want to give too much of the story away, but suffice it to say that things don't go smoothly for the doctor, his wife, the twins, or anyone else, making for one heck of a great story. I was reminded at times of Bark of the Dogwood with its dark moments, or perhaps even The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, though the books have totally different plots. Still, the pacing and writing reminded me of these novels. Frankly I wasn't able to put this book down. If you want a good story, easy to read, and something you can recommmend to others, this is the book.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
