The Memory Keeper's Daughter: A Novel
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 love
Kim 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 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.
Kim 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 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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Community Reviews
I was drawn into the story at first, even with the incredulous leaps of disbelief I had to suspend. But as the story progressed, I became frustrated with all of the characters, especially David and Norah. I finished it but did not love it, and would not recommend it to others.
I really enjoyed the plot and characters. The actual writing is flawed in places, but overall, I would recommend this book.
This was a beautifully and elegantly written novel, with a gripping storyline and characters who develop over time. The main drama is about the unexpected and devastating impact on a family when the father makes a split-second decision to give away his newborn because she has Down syndrome (this takes place in the early 1960s). Having written about special needs education and "inclusion" for kids with developmental disabilities, I found this tale especially compelling, as the author did a masterful job of capturing some of the poignant and endearing characteristics of children with Down syndrome. Really a wonderful book.
This was the first book I've read by this author. Though the story premise was interesting, the story was much longer than it needed to be with plot lines that went nowhere. She used more description than I like in a novel.
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