Book Review: The Memory Keeper's Daughter

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards is one of the most extraordinary works of fiction I have read in a long time. This book is a beautiful exploration of depression, sadness, hiding, and decisions through a heartrending tale. This story had a special place in my heart because my husband's uncle had Down Syndrome and they were given a similar prognosis when he was born. He unfortunately did have a heart condition, so he died just before I met my husband, but the love that the entire family had for him is the glue that bonds them together. The struggles that his family endured to give Johnny opportunities were very similar to those of Caroline in the story. This is a real story, even if it is fiction. 

The voice and language of this book is phenomenal. This book is the epitome of enjoyable descriptive writing. The fluidity of this book entices you to continue reading. Each person in the book makes questionable and often obviously wrong decisions, and she uses the freedom of this story line to explore the effects of those decisions on the family unit and all the characters, individually. It is a story of secrets and how damaging they can be for a family, especially secrets of this magnitude. I would describe Kim Edwards as one of the best authors of our time. I can't wait to read her other book and anything she will publish in the future. 

If you have a heart for people with special needs, you should read this book. If you don't, you should read this book and let your heart grow inside of you. This book would be great for book clubs or people dealing with depression. I don't want to ruin this book at all so I will leave my review brief. It is great. Everyone should read it. This is worth your time.