by Megan Tudi

“My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult is a heartrending story of the bond between two sisters, Kate and Anna Fitzgerald and an action that will change both of their lives forever.

At the age of thirteen, Anna is faced with the most difficult decision she will ever have to make, one in which either outcome will destroy her family and her life as she knew it. In order to save herself, Anna must sacrifice the sister she loves. For the past thirteen years, Anna has spent more time in the hospital than most people spend in a lifetime.

Only Anna is completely healthy.

Born through in vitro fertilization, Anna was “created” to serve as a bone marrow donor for her older sister Kate who was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of two. When the bone marrow treatments stop working, Anna’s parent’s Sara and Brian offer up their youngest daughter’s kidney to save the life of Kate.

Tired of being used as a medical treatment and scared of losing her own life in more ways than one, Anna takes her life into her own hands and files for emancipation from her parents. What follows is the painful journey each member of the Fitzgerald family makes to reach the conclusion of an unthinkable situation.

Just how far will a parent go to save the life of their child? Is it fair to sacrifice one child for another? Is genetic engineering morally right? These are some of the questions raised by Picoult in this emotionally raw story of love and sacrifice.

As the story unfolds through the perspectives of various characters, you will find your own firmly held beliefs begin to disintegrate when black and white turns into a blur of gray. With such a fine line drawn between right and wrong, you are challenged to re-examine your own standards of morality.

Through meticulous research and the careful development of convincing characters, “My Sister’s Keeper” will keep you reading from the moment you turn the first page.

Already considered a book club classic, “My Sister’s Keeper” is set to light up the big screen in 2009 with an amazing cast including Abigail Breslin, Cameron Diaz, and Alec Baldwin.

But don’t wait for the movie. Be sure to grab this powerfully moving book and don’t forget the tissues.