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My Sister's Keeper



__About the Book__

Autho r : Jodi Picoult Setting : Present day Providence, Rhode Island, though the book flashes back to 1992-1996 when it is in Sara Fitzgerald’s point of view. Situation : Thirteen-year old Anna Fitzgerald was conceived as an exact bone marrow match to her older sister Kate, and is in the hospital just as much as her sister with cancer. She sets out to get medicallyh emancipated from her parents, ultimately tearing apart her family.

__Summary__ After Sara and Brian learn of their daughter Kate’s diagnosis of leukemia, they immediately rush head first into fighting for Kate’s life. In the process, Anna was conceived as what some later call a ‘designer baby’, matching Kate’s bone marrow perfectly. She does not question the treatments undergone to help her sister until she is asked to donate a kidney, which could harm her and give her permanent impairments. Wanting to be her own person, not defined by her sister Kate any longer, she seeks the help of Campbell Alexander in hopes of being granted medical emancipation. Throughout the two weeks prior to the trial Julia Romano, a guardian ad litem, assesses the situation and Anna’s home life, having to report back to the judge on the day of the trial, which creates tension in the Fitzgerald’s household. What starts as an attempt to find her own identity soon escalates into devastating consequences and a broken family for the young Anna Fitzgerald. __Theme:__ In //My Sister's Keeper,// Jodi Picoult demonstrates that the opinions of loved ones drastically imparis a person's ability to tread along the ambiguous line between right and wrong.

__Characters__ Kate- Though she was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of two, she tries her hardest to act like the typical sixteen-year old girl Sara - Anna and Kate’s mother; the ex-lawyer represents Kate during the trials that take place but is often blinded by the love she holds for her children Brian - Anna and Kate’s father; firefighter for their small town, loves his children dearly but understands, and agrees with, Anna’s arguments. Jesse - Anna and Kate’s brother; rebellious teen who is in constant trouble with the law, has trouble dealing with Kate’s illness and Anna’s legal arguments Campbell Alexander - Anna’s arrogant, suave lawyer, who uses his cunning wit to earn the trust of those around him Julia Romano- Guardian ad litem, someone who looks out for and takes part in major decisions for Anna, the minor in the court case.

__About the Author__
 * [[image:english10honorsf11/Jodi_Picoult.png width="329" height="216" caption="Jodi Picoult"]] || Jodi Picoult was born and raised in Long Island, New York before moving with her family to New Hampshire at the age of thirteen. Her writing career started at the young age of five, when she wrote her first book “The Lobster Which Misunderstood”. She later attended Princeton University for her Bachelor’s Degree, having some of her short stories published in Seventeen Magazine during that time. After graduating she moved on to Harvard University to achieve her Master’s Degree in Education. She tried her hand at a variety of occupations, including teaching high school English, before writing her first breakthrough novel “Nineteen Minutes” published on February 5th, 2008. Some of her works have even been formatted for the big screen, selling millions of dollars in revenue.Critics see her as an author who knows how to bring riveting plots and troubling issues to light, centering her novels on problems that plague readers long after the books is finished. Picoult’s emotional, real-life style of writing has made her novels classics in American literature.  ||

__Analysis of Style__  In My sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult uses varying perspectives throughout the book to reveal the intentions, or motives behind each character's action. This helps the reader keep a somewhat unbiased opinion toward those involed in the trial while revealing intricate plot details if the story were to be told through one person's perspective.
 * " Picoult uses multiple view points to reveal each character's and intentions and observations through abrupt character changes and a series of flashbacks." ("My sister's Keeper")

Picoult also uses a distinct tone that brings humor into the novel to compensate for the sullen theme of an ill child fighting for her life. It adds another interesting aspect of the story to see the family joke and make fun even in the wake of tragedy, ultimately tugging at the readers heartstrings and pulling them into the story.
 * '"Look at what I bought today, " Kate says, plucking at her T-shirt. It is a psychedelic tie-dye, with a crab on the front, and the word Cancer. "Get it?"
 * Kate, who dealt with the effects of cancer throughout the story, tries to make light of the situation by buying a T-shirt with the Cancer horoscope printed on the front.
 * "Even in the face of the tragedy that befalls her characters in this highly emotional novel, she manages to imbue the book with lighter, delightful moments." (Gershenbaum)



My Sister’s Keeper is an emotional novel that deals with issues that are important to many readers. I liked that it conveyed the thoughts and opinions of all the characters by switching point of views throughout the book. It made them more relatable and easier to make a connection with. The book’s suspense always keeps you guessing what will happen next in Anna’s unpredictable life, especially with the upcoming court case. My Sister’s Keeper has the perfect mix of humor, action, romance, and heartache which puts it at the top of my list of favorite books.

__'My Sister's Keeper' Extras __
 * [|Pictures and video clips from the movie 'My Sister's Keeper']media type="youtube" key="HP4NxUFgFrs?rel=0" height="248" width="430" align="right"
 * [|Additional information on Jodi Picoult and her many novels.]

"Extraordinary things are always hiding in places people never think to look."

Works Consulted Gershenbaum, Barbara. “My Sister’s Keeper.” Rev. of //My Sister’s Keeper//, by Jodi Picoult. //Book// // Reporter. bookreporter.com //. The Book Report, 2005. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/my-sisters-keeper

“//My Sister’s Keeper//.” Rev. of //My Sister’s Keeper//, by Jodi Picoult. //Publisher’s Weekly//. //PW.com.//  PWxyz, 2004. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-7434-5452-