The Memory Keeper's Daughter

I didn't end up finishing this book, I just had to put it down. At the end of the day reading about these totally screwed up people drove me bonkers... it was nuts. But I still have an opinion, plus we just had our book club discussion on it so there is something to be posted... The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards is very well written. Kim Edwards makes the scene tangible with her vivid description. I wish this was something I enjoyed more, but as a mom that reads a sentence or two whenever she can catch a spare minute all that delicate writing became frustrating. Yet, it is appreciated, or will be in a future date when I can sit on the porch and just absorb beautiful stories. This tale is of a father's (who's also a doctor) decision to discard or put away his new born daughter when he recognizes the signs of a Mongoloid (down syndrome). Set in the 1960s, down syndrome was not accepted and, feeling that this would destroy his family, asked his nurse to send the child to an institution. But Caroline, the nurse, is unable to leave the hours-old child at such a cold place, decides to keep the baby girl as her own. As the dad, David, hands his wife the other twin baby he tells her that the other child died during birth. The lies and guilt torture the family as they live on their lives on shaky territory, while Caroline develops a beautiful life for herself and her new daughter. It is amazing how we have developed social acceptance of these disabled individuals. We recognize them as individuals that deserve the same rights and lives that we have. Even though I was so frustrated with David, the father, and their family that I just couldn't read on I still appreciated our positive and successful discussion on the subject of down syndrome, positive perception, and acceptance!