A #1 New York Times bestseller by Kim Edwards, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is a brilliantly crafted novel of parallel lives, familial secrets, and the redemptive power of loveKim Edwards’s stunning novel begins on a winter night in 1964 in Lexington, Kentucky, when a blizzard forces Dr. David Henry to deliver his own twins. His son, born first, is perfectly healthy, but the doctor immediately … healthy, but the doctor immediately recognizes that his daughter has Down syndrome. Rationalizing it as a need to protect Norah, his wife, he makes a split second decision that will alter all of their lives forever. He asks his nurse, Caroline, to take the baby away to an institution and never to reveal the secret. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child herself. So begins this beautifully told story that unfolds over a quarter of a century—in which these two families, ignorant of each other, are yet bound by the fateful decision made that winter night long ago.
A family drama, The Memory Keeper’s Daughter explores every mother’s silent fear: What would happen if you lost your child and she grew up without you? It is also an astonishing tale of love and how the mysterious ties that hold a family together help us survive the heartache that occurs when long-buried secrets are finally uncovered.
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Caroline was given the baby to take to the institution, but simply didn’t like the conditions. She decides to keep and raise the baby, who is named Phoebe. While Caroline is at the store, her car runs out of fuel and she is stranded in the snow with Phoebe. She is picked up by a truck driver, Al Simpson, who drives them to Caroline’s home. Meanwhile, David tells Norah that their daughter died at birth. After hearing that Caroline had kept Phoebe rather than take her to the institution, David bids her to do what she thinks is right. Caroline leaves for Pittsburgh to make a fresh start with Phoebe.
The story goes on through 25 years of David, Nora, Caroline, Paul & Phoebe in parenting, love, regret and death. It was hard for me to listen to the audio book at times because this hit close to home but my family stuck together and still had difficulties just like every family. Life is about decisions you make and hope they are for the good of everyone.
I loved this book. It has stayed with me even though I read it months ago…perhaps even a year. It touched my heart. The ending was surprising. A loving, realistic story that could so easily have actually happened. Well worth your time.
An all-around sad story, and a prime example of how lies can grow, and destroy lives & relationships on many levels. Even with some touching moments toward the end, it all comes out so bittersweet, and more bitter than sweet. It’s worth reading for the impact of the moral, and the story is an interesting train wreck you can’t turn away from, but it’s not one that is going to have you walking away feeling much happiness or satisfaction.
I am not sure what to say. Could this really happen? Why did she keep the secret ? The story is wonderful on one side but so tragic for some of the charecters. How a moment can change so much .
Conformity to the norm was the thing to do in the sixties. One assumed decision forever changed the lives of five people. From his life in the hills, forever living in poverty was not an option. Vowing to live a full and comfortable life, David’s choices built upon that mantra. In those choices, he altered the lives of others, harboring unforgivable secrets.
**Possible Spoiler Alert** The story started out good, however I quickly found it very hard to relate to the character’s actions. Hard to believe a doctor, or anyone for that matter, would hide a baby from its mother because it was somewhat retarded. It seemed heartless in light of the mother’s overwhelming grief at “losing” the baby. Later in the story when we approached a situation resolution, the next chapter jumped years ahead and briefly discussed the situation in the past. This was most annoying. I thought many times – where is the honesty in this story. It seemed to be missing. Not a satisfying read at all except for how the “missing” baby survived and thrived.
Perfect. Just perfect. I feel as if I have woken from a dream. I loved it so much, and I nearly moved to tears. For a few days, I have been cut off from the outside world, immersed in this story, drifting into another world. I have no children of my own, but the thought of giving a child is unbearable even for me. I think the summing-up of this whole story is that every secret has a price to pay and the truth will always reveal. I loved the painting on the cover and the title of the book, I won’t forget the moment I understood its meaning, “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter,” I couldn’t think of a more beautiful way to write it. I found myself thinking about this book the night before I went to sleep, no doubt his influence would last much longer.
A must read
This book was tragic in that the father didn’t want his Down’s syndrome daughter Phoebe. He gave her away at birth, told his wife that she died, he thinks that he’s sparing them the heartache of having a less than perfect child.
Loved the story and the description.
This is a wonderful book! It has been a few years since I read it, but I came across it in BookBub on special and thought it needed a review. I would highly recommend reading this!
Beautiful story with realistically flawed characters. Absolutely mesmerizing.
The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is a novel about a husband named David Henry who makes an important life decision when his wife is giving birth to their children. When he realizes that his daughter has Down’s Syndrome, he quickly gives her to the nurse, Caroline Gill, to take to an institution. Upon seeing the institution’s condition, Caroline makes the decision to raise the baby herself as her own. The novel goes on to describe both Caroline’s life with the daughter, Phoebe, along with the life of David Henry, his wife Norah, and their son Paul.
I believe this book has its ups and downs. This book does a nice job of highlighting mental illness in the 1960’s and on. Down’s Syndrome was not completely understood yet, and many people quickly assumed or jumped to the worst conclusion with it.
I felt as though this book was set on x2 speed. Most of the events seemed rushed, as if the author just wanted to get it over with. As a result, many of the side characters seemed very thin, and I felt as though I didn’t connect or particularly understand most of them. It just seemed like a random character thrown in but not explained thoroughly enough for us to understand their importance to the overall story. The main characters seemed to have decent backstories, but again, they just felt rushed when being discussed. Due to this, I had a hard time empathizing with and relating to the characters and their struggles throughout the book.
I enjoyed this book, but also found it troublesome that a parent would keep such a secret from the partner. This was well written & hard to put down.
I only related to Caroline and Phoebe. The birth parents were not relatable.
Set in 1964, Dr. David Henry delivers his own baby boy but while his wife is anesthetized a second baby, a Down’s syndrome girl is delivered and he sends the baby away with the nurse. A decision that changes every one’s lives. A complex, poignant, and sad story.
I’m a twin!
Loved the story line in this book. I have scene the movie a while ago, but the book is so much better. Once you begin reading it, the story and the characters really
take hold. You become so torn with the choices that each have made, and the impact that reflects in their lives and the lives of others.
A different sort of read, but enjoyable.
Quick read.