The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is the first novel by Kim Edwards. The story is set in the 1960s and involves a doctor, David Henry, whose wife, Norah, goes into labour during a snowstorm. Unable to get to the hospital, he takes her to his surgery, where his nurse, Caroline Gil, assists with the birth. Norah delivers twins, a boy, Paul, and a girl, Phoebe: the boy is perfect, the girl is obviously mongoloid. Convinced that his wife will be unable to cope with their daughter’s disability, he tells Caroline to take Phoebe to a children’s home, and later tells his wife the baby did not survive. Caroline, unable to bring herself to leave Phoebe as instructed, takes her away to another town and decides to bring her up as her own daughter. The events that flow on from that decision made by Dr Henry, and the one by Caroline Gil, show how a person’s life can truly hinge on one moment. This is a truly moving novel, heartbreaking in places, heartwarming in others. A thought-provoking page-turner. An excellent read.

This book is truly captivating. I loved it and would recomend it to anyone. It shares the fears of all women. This book also encompasses the guilt and other emotions well.

I chose to read the book for an assignment in one of my classes and was very pleased with my decision. It's a great book with a lot of dynamics in the theme, plot and characters. I do not think that the characters were flat or undeveloped at all. I felt like there was a lot of background and personal details that motivated each separate and individual character. Edwards does use a lot of detail describing small, minor things and it can get boring after a while but that does not mean it's not great literature! Almost every book I've had to read in school of high literary merit was written in a similar style, especially older novels. I'd recommend it to anyone. I truly found it well written and interesting to read.

I think that the memory keepers daughter is an amazing book

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Reading this book can be a life changing experience for some. Many people live with big secrets. I like the way Kim used adjectives and described the characters and their feelings. I enjoy her writing style. I couldn't put it down. The book jacket is one of the best I have seen!

What a glorious compelling book to read. Immediately you are drawn intimately into the book. The beginning is carefully crafted to the point where you literally imagine yourself surrounded by snow and taking the drive to the delivery room. This is probably the best book I have ever read. How many of us now question the space between our husbands, siblings and own children? What can we do to aleviate this space? Let honesty prevail. That to me was the whole meaning of this book. Without honesty and truth, we only inhibit ourselves and impact greatly those around us.

This book is one of the most entertaining books that I’ve read. I loved the fact that it was completely unpredictable and emotionally delightful to read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As a sister of a mentally challenged sibling and as a Nurse I could relate entirely to this book first hand. It did portray well the impact of the birth of this child with downs syndrome upon the father. He did want to protect his wife from the challenges and the heartache which accompanies raising a mentally challenged child. Speaking first hand this experience is one which either brings a family very close together or the marriage often does not last. It also has a profound effect upon the other children in the family as well. He was hoping to act in the best interest of his family but in doing so he had to live with the secrecy and guilt of his action, which led to the distancing and eventual estrangement and later divorce.

David then dies without ever being able to tell his wife or son that their daughter Phoebe was in fact still alive. My parents also eventually divorced and my father died a broken man at an early age guilt ridden all of those years as my sister was injured in an auto accident and he was the driver. I also had survivors guilt as I was also in the accident and was unscathed. My mother suffered a nervous breakdown and couldn't care for us. My maiden Aunt came to live with us to care for my sister for awhile which ended up being 30 years as my father didn't want my sister being cared for in an institution. My parents divorced, My father died, upon his death my mother was still mentally unstable.My younger brother died at age 29 in an auto accident drugs and alcohol related. My youngest brother turned to alcohol after the death of his father and brother but thankfully successfully completed rehab. My sister eventually was placed into a group home for mentally challenged adults and is thriving well there. The group homes of today are nothing like the Institutions of yesterday giving their clients the opportunity to live as independently as possible in a community setting.