Fate, as we all know, can be a very funny thing. A few months ago, I was browsing at books on Goodreads and stumbled upon The Memory Keeper's Daughter. I read the free preview, and intrigued, I checked the reviews. The majority of them, however, made me decide to not put it on my to-read list. Last Sunday, I was at a local used book-sale being held at the mall by myself and stumbled across a copy of this. Being only three or so dollars, I decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter was one of those chilling reads for me. I have parents who love me to pieces, and I couldn't imagine them abandoning me like David abandoned Phoebe. It's really kind of scary to see how one decision can impact your life forever. Now I can actually listen to my parents nag me about virtually everything under the sun and see that they have a point. Everything effects everything. Edwards is excellent with emotions, and it clearly shows. Her characters are deep and complex, but not always likeable. In fact, I didn't like Nora or David at all most of the time. At least Nora's behavior was justified though. She thought she had lost a child. David knew, and he kept it a secret the rest of his life. I think that's despicable. Then again, he did pay for that mistake. His relationships with both his wife and son were forever strained. The two scene-stealing characters were Phoebe and Caroline. You get to see tremendous growth from Caroline as she raises Phoebe and falls in love with Al. It's hard not to like Caroline. She loves her daughter fiercely and fights for what's best for her always. Phoebe, despite her Down Syndrome, sparkles without trying. She possesses an understanding of the world so simple that most people wouldn't get it. My favorite chapters were the ones with Caroline and Phoebe. This book had a fast beginning but a bit of a slow middle, though the last few chapters more than made up for it. I liked seeing Paul grow a bit, and he and Phoebe were so sweet together. Ultimately, I was satisfied when I closed this novel.

I would probably recommend this. It's an interesting read and a great book to ponder. In fact, it'd be perfect for a book club.