The Memory Keeper's Daughter discussion

I found that this book was pretty good. However, the end of the book was slightly disappointing. The book wasn't quite as good as I had expected it to be. The theme of the book would be the burden of secret. They father keeps the secret from his wife that one of the twins was born with down syndrome. So he abandoned the child. The story is about him watching her and feeling guilty about abandoning the kid.

The book was very thought provoking. I had to remind myself of the era that this was written in, and the motives of why he did what he did. I don't agree with his methods, but know that his compassion led him to do this...yet while it saved his wife from some heart aches, it created many others.... was it worth the trade? I think not. But so glad that the innocent party was well cared for, loved & cherished.

Sometimes we create more problems trying to avoid the problems at hand. It seems like this is the case in Memory Keeper's Daughter. I think the ending was about as real as life would be. Although, perhaps, life would not have connect the twins quite so graciously, I think. Maybe I am wrong however. I wonder...

I read this novel several years ago, and I was anticipating a really good read; however, I was somewhat disappointed with the story overall. I am grateful that we know so much more about genetics, and this kind of situation would no longer occur in this day and age (hopefully).

Margaret M. wrote: "I read this novel several years ago, and I was anticipating a really good read; however, I was somewhat disappointed with the story overall. I am grateful that we know so much more about genetics, ..."

Yes, things have come a long way, but not necessarily because we understand genetics. 90% of expectant parents who discover their unborn child is carrying the gene for Down Syndrome, have that child aborted.