The Memory Keeper's Daughter Doubleday Large Print Home Library Edition

About this book

Edwardss assured but schematic debut novel (after her collection The Secrets of a Fire King) hinges on the birth of fraternal twins a healthy boy and a girl with Down syndrome resulting in the fathers disavowal of his newborn daughter. A snowstorm immobilizes Lexington Ky. in 1964 and when young Norah Henry goes into labor her husband orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Henry must deliver their babies himself aided only by a nurse. Seeing his daughters handicap he instructs the nurse Caroline Gill to take her to a home and later tells Norah who was drugged during labor that their son Pauls twin died at birth. Instead of institutionalizing Phoebe Caroline absconds with her to Pittsburgh. Davids deception becomes the defining moment of the main characters lives and Phoebes absence corrodes her birth familys core over the course of the next 25 years. Davids undetected lie warps his marriage; he grapples with guilt; Norah mourns her lost child; and Paul not only deals with his parents icy relationship but with his own yearnings for his sister as well. Though the impact of Phoebes loss makes sense Edwardss redundant handling of the trope robs it of credibility. This neatly structured story is a little too moist with compassion. Copyright Reed Business Information a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.