Call number
FIC PIC
Collection
Genres
Publication
Atria Books (2009), Edition: First Edition, 496 pages
Description
After her daughter contracts a fatal disease, Charlotte O'Keefe must confront some serious questions that ultimately lead to one final epiphany: what constitutes a valuable life.
User reviews
LibraryThing member tomcatMurr
Poor little Jodi has been in the news recently, complaining about the fact that most of the books reviewed in the NYT are by men, and not enough are by women. Of course, what she means is that none of them are by her.
So, to redress this terrible injustice, I spent the afternoon in the bookstore
My review:
Trash.
So, to redress this terrible injustice, I spent the afternoon in the bookstore
Show More
reading some of her latest efforts with the aim of reviewing them for her. I spent about 20 minutes on each one, which is probably about as long as she spent writing it.My review:
Trash.
Show Less
LibraryThing member DubaiReader
My Sister's Keeper revisited.
I am a great fan of Jodi Picoult, I've read 8 of her books - and therein lies the problem - she is starting to become very formulaic. Handle With Care is very reminiscent of My Sister's Keeper, with brittle bone disease in place of leukemia.
Willow (what a wonderful
Income is tight, Willow's Dad is a police officer and her Mum was once a pastry chef. The disease is financially crippling, for special wheelchairs, physiotherapy not covered by insurance etc. So when Charlotte discovers that she can sue her obstetrician (who also happens to be her best friend) for not informing her about Willow's condition with enough time to abort, she sees it as a solution to their financial problems; allowing Willow the necessary support and equipment that they are struggling to fund.
This causes all sorts of stresses within the family, interactions that are beautifully covered by the author. To my mind, this is where Jodi Picoult excells. She's also brilliant with the reality of living with disability and the effects it has on a family.
I didn't think the spasmodic recipies served much purpose, while obviously intended to have a double meaning, they seemed a bit unnecessary.
While I still admire Picoult's depiction of sibling interactions and parental heart searching, I am tiring of the ubiquitous court case and the story line is starting to feel very familiar. She is a wonderful writer but needs to find a fresh angle surprise us again.
I am a great fan of Jodi Picoult, I've read 8 of her books - and therein lies the problem - she is starting to become very formulaic. Handle With Care is very reminiscent of My Sister's Keeper, with brittle bone disease in place of leukemia.
Willow (what a wonderful
Show More
name!) is born with OI - Osteogenesis imperfecta. Before birth seven bones have broken and healed, by the time she's five, she's suffered over 50 breaks. Her whole life is centred around avoiding danger, where a small slip may result in a hospital visit. Her older sister, Amelia, loves her dearly but also feels very ostracised by the effects of the disease and the time her parents must spend with Willow.Income is tight, Willow's Dad is a police officer and her Mum was once a pastry chef. The disease is financially crippling, for special wheelchairs, physiotherapy not covered by insurance etc. So when Charlotte discovers that she can sue her obstetrician (who also happens to be her best friend) for not informing her about Willow's condition with enough time to abort, she sees it as a solution to their financial problems; allowing Willow the necessary support and equipment that they are struggling to fund.
This causes all sorts of stresses within the family, interactions that are beautifully covered by the author. To my mind, this is where Jodi Picoult excells. She's also brilliant with the reality of living with disability and the effects it has on a family.
I didn't think the spasmodic recipies served much purpose, while obviously intended to have a double meaning, they seemed a bit unnecessary.
While I still admire Picoult's depiction of sibling interactions and parental heart searching, I am tiring of the ubiquitous court case and the story line is starting to feel very familiar. She is a wonderful writer but needs to find a fresh angle surprise us again.
Show Less
LibraryThing member INTPLibrarian
I sobbed quite a few times while reading this book. That's a good thing!
I never cease to be amazed at how Picoult can portray all of the sides of a multi-dimensional issue. It must be related to her ability to also create such different characters that are all fully developed.
I see that not
I just realized I DO have a couple of questions left unanswered, but also that my first instinct is to want to ask the characters themselves the questions.... not the author. Her characters seem that real to me.
I never cease to be amazed at how Picoult can portray all of the sides of a multi-dimensional issue. It must be related to her ability to also create such different characters that are all fully developed.
I see that not
Show More
everyone has rated this book as highly as I have (I think it's her best one after My Sister's Keeper) and for now I don't want to read about what other people didn't like. I'm afraid it will affect the satisfied feeling I have right now after finishing it.I just realized I DO have a couple of questions left unanswered, but also that my first instinct is to want to ask the characters themselves the questions.... not the author. Her characters seem that real to me.
Show Less
LibraryThing member TweenagedHermit
'Handle with Care' is a story about a little girl called Willow who was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a condition which causes her to suffer broken bones from the most everyday experiences. This book gives an insight into how OI affects the lives of Willow and the rest of her family and shows
This was the second book I'd read by Jodi Picoult, the first being My Sister's Keeper which I also thoroughly enjoyed. The style and set-up in both books was very similar. The author seems to have a thorough knowledge about medical conditions and lawsuits, although knowing very little about them myself I couldn't really say how accurate she is.
I really enjoyed getting into the mindset of so many different characters and being able to look at the situation from their individual points of view. There was no clear-cut villain in this book and I admit I spent a lot of time wondering who's side I was on. I still don't think I could really say. It was both interesting and slightly unsettling to learn so much about the way that people with OI and their families are forced to cope with their situation. I particularly liked the character of Amelia, the older, healthy sibling who was neglected due to her younger sister's illness. I found her very easy to identify with and she brought me to tears on more than one occasion.
At the same time, we have the sideline story of Marin, Charlotte O'Keefe's lawyer, who's search for her birth mother has a fairly predictable ending whilst still keeping the reader's interest.
I foresaw the book would have an unhappy ending and unfortunately I was right, although it wasn't overly depressing.
Overall I really enjoyed the book. It kept me gripped throughout and I finished it within just a few days. I hope that 'My Sister's Keeper' will not be the only one of Jodi Picoult's novels to be turned into a film.
Show More
how far a mother is willing to go for what she believes to be 'the greater good'.This was the second book I'd read by Jodi Picoult, the first being My Sister's Keeper which I also thoroughly enjoyed. The style and set-up in both books was very similar. The author seems to have a thorough knowledge about medical conditions and lawsuits, although knowing very little about them myself I couldn't really say how accurate she is.
I really enjoyed getting into the mindset of so many different characters and being able to look at the situation from their individual points of view. There was no clear-cut villain in this book and I admit I spent a lot of time wondering who's side I was on. I still don't think I could really say. It was both interesting and slightly unsettling to learn so much about the way that people with OI and their families are forced to cope with their situation. I particularly liked the character of Amelia, the older, healthy sibling who was neglected due to her younger sister's illness. I found her very easy to identify with and she brought me to tears on more than one occasion.
At the same time, we have the sideline story of Marin, Charlotte O'Keefe's lawyer, who's search for her birth mother has a fairly predictable ending whilst still keeping the reader's interest.
I foresaw the book would have an unhappy ending and unfortunately I was right, although it wasn't overly depressing.
Overall I really enjoyed the book. It kept me gripped throughout and I finished it within just a few days. I hope that 'My Sister's Keeper' will not be the only one of Jodi Picoult's novels to be turned into a film.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Maydacat
Why didn’t someone warn me not to read this book? Picoult’s writing is sound, if perhaps a bit repetitive, but you do get to know and like the characters. Maybe that is the problem. She spends many pages inundating readers with all the problems caregivers cope with just to survive from one day
Show More
to the next in raising a child with OI, and then, when we’re fully involved with the characters, she just yanks the rug out from under us. The resolution of the lawsuit brought by the mother against her friend and doctor was bad enough, and just when you think it couldn’t get worse, of course, it does. If you’ve read My Sister’s Keeper by the same author, you don’t need to read this one. It’s “second verse, same as the first, only really, it’s worse.” Sometimes the end of a book makes it worth the read. In this case, the end just wraps up a big disappointment. (The only thing I enjoyed about this novel was the fact that I was reading it on my brand new Kindle!) Show Less
LibraryThing member winterpaws
An easy read which I had finished in two days.
The mother was a difficult person to empathise with. Normally a Picoult novel will have me questioning my ethics and reactions to moral dilemnas. Unfortunately despite wanting to sympathise with the mother I found myself detesting her and the manner in
The ending was so out of left field and even now two days later I am not sure why Ms Picoult chose to end the book this way and what she was trying to tell us.
The mother was a difficult person to empathise with. Normally a Picoult novel will have me questioning my ethics and reactions to moral dilemnas. Unfortunately despite wanting to sympathise with the mother I found myself detesting her and the manner in
Show More
which she tried to defend her actions, and their ultimate repercussions. The ending was so out of left field and even now two days later I am not sure why Ms Picoult chose to end the book this way and what she was trying to tell us.
Show Less
LibraryThing member dawnlovesbooks
didn't finish this one. all of picoult's books are starting to be too much of the same stuff for my liking :(
LibraryThing member bkswrites
I should be reading this for my book club, but I'm not at all sure I can bring myself to do it. I pushed through the first couple of chapters in a bookstore and so quickly found the kinds of irresponsible representation of medical care, for the sake of plot (and reader) manipulation, that
Show More
infuriated me in "My Sister's Keeper" (the only other of Picoult's books I've read), that I couldn't dream of spending money for it. What does the OI community think of it? Show Less
LibraryThing member CDianeK
Picoult does some things well. She crafts stories that contains situations that are very thought-provoking. With Handle with Care, though, she has managed to present a story that is thought-provoking, yet not very well thought out at all.
To emphasize the point of removing Willow's mother's choice
The overwhelming medical expenses of Willow's therapy is a valid plot point, and one heavy on many minds in the current political climate. The myth that Picoult perpetuates here, though, is the idea that a lawsuit does not hurt the physician, as she had malpractice insurance. This is patently false, especially for a non-case as Charlotte's. The skyrocketing cost of malpractice insurance, especially in a field as sensitive as obstetrics, is one wheel in the cog of huge medical expenses. That does not even include the mental and emotional toil on a physician who is being sued, which Picoult relates poorly here.
The greatest disappointment here is the attitude that Charlotte takes that Willow will completely understand that her mother did indeed want her, even when she testifies that she would have aborted her, given the chance. Willow did not know that she had the chance and did not take it. I'm not kid-centric by any means (ask my kids) but that seems like a lot to pile onto a six year old, especially a sick one.
And then you have the sister, conveniently entering "bad teenager" mode - blue hair, bulemia, and cutting - not necessarily in that order, and almost simultaneously. It's like Picoult put all "horrible things that parents face" situations into a hat, shook it up, and pulled out three or four, and went from there. So disappointing.
SPOILER ALERT:
And then in the end, they win the money, but apparently don't need it, as they never cash the check. And then the kid dies in the end. Ugh. I don't even know why I finished this. I generally don't rate books one-star, as I'll set down a one-star book rather than finish it. But this one...ugh.
To emphasize the point of removing Willow's mother's choice
Show More
to terminate her pregnancy before Willow's birth, Picoult should not have, in fact, presented that very choice to Charlotte. It removed Charlotte's ownership of her indignation, and frankly, her sympathy. She WAS given the choice to terminate and in fact, did not take it. Which is admirable, really, though Picoult did a relatively poor job of showing Charlotte's difficulties in tending to a daughter with such a severe illness. Charlotte did have career skills that she could craft from her home, so instead of giving up her job, she could have, and eventually did, earn money while still being at home to tend to her daughter.The overwhelming medical expenses of Willow's therapy is a valid plot point, and one heavy on many minds in the current political climate. The myth that Picoult perpetuates here, though, is the idea that a lawsuit does not hurt the physician, as she had malpractice insurance. This is patently false, especially for a non-case as Charlotte's. The skyrocketing cost of malpractice insurance, especially in a field as sensitive as obstetrics, is one wheel in the cog of huge medical expenses. That does not even include the mental and emotional toil on a physician who is being sued, which Picoult relates poorly here.
The greatest disappointment here is the attitude that Charlotte takes that Willow will completely understand that her mother did indeed want her, even when she testifies that she would have aborted her, given the chance. Willow did not know that she had the chance and did not take it. I'm not kid-centric by any means (ask my kids) but that seems like a lot to pile onto a six year old, especially a sick one.
And then you have the sister, conveniently entering "bad teenager" mode - blue hair, bulemia, and cutting - not necessarily in that order, and almost simultaneously. It's like Picoult put all "horrible things that parents face" situations into a hat, shook it up, and pulled out three or four, and went from there. So disappointing.
SPOILER ALERT:
And then in the end, they win the money, but apparently don't need it, as they never cash the check. And then the kid dies in the end. Ugh. I don't even know why I finished this. I generally don't rate books one-star, as I'll set down a one-star book rather than finish it. But this one...ugh.
Show Less
LibraryThing member aliceunderskies
It's been a long time since I've read such a thoroughly horrible book. I'd give this zero stars if I could. It was pure dreck, through and through, and I seriously resent the time I spent with it. Every single character is unremittingly miserable and unpleasant--there is not a single character who
Show More
inspires any spark of affection. The motivations for their constant destructive actions are so cliched as to be actually inexplicable, and as if that weren't enough the absurd ending leeches any possible meaning from it all. Really I think the only explanation is that Picoult is a raging nihilist masquerading as a thoughtful Issues writer. I know this was written for book groups--my bookstore job suggests that that's her primary readership--but she notches everything up to such a level of misery and indecision that nothing means anything. Except I don't think the nihilism is at all intentional so--what IS the point? There is none, I think, and that is a serious flaw in an Issues novel--it has to have a point because nothing in the plot, characters, or quality of the writing make it worth reading otherwise. Show Less
LibraryThing member Carmenere
"Things break all the time. Glass, and dishes, and fingernails. Cars and contracts and potato chips. You can break a record, a horse, a dollar. You can break the ice. There are coffee breaks and lunch breaks and prison breaks. Day breaks, waves break, voices break. Chains can be broken. So can
Willow was born with a debilitating disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta sometimes referred to as brittle bone disease. For Willow's mother, Charlotte, life has changed dramatically by her birth, she is her main caregiver and constantly monitors her every move in order to avoid a break. Although her family life is relatively happy under the circumstances she and her husband are financially strapped due to Willow's special needs. Charlotte ultimately embarks on a wrongful birth lawsuit that will effect the lives of her family, her friends and, naturally, herself. The reader will ask 'Was it love or financial stress that provoked the lawsuit?' 'Was it all worth it?' There are many things that need to be handled with care and many moral questions abound.
As this was my first Picoult book, I found it to be very thought provoking and will look forward to reading more of her.
Show More
silence, and fever............Promises break. Hearts break." And so begins a story that had me completely engrossed from the very start. It is the story, or should I say stories, of Charlotte, Piper, Sean, Marin, Amelia and the little girl central to all, Willow.Willow was born with a debilitating disease called Osteogenesis Imperfecta sometimes referred to as brittle bone disease. For Willow's mother, Charlotte, life has changed dramatically by her birth, she is her main caregiver and constantly monitors her every move in order to avoid a break. Although her family life is relatively happy under the circumstances she and her husband are financially strapped due to Willow's special needs. Charlotte ultimately embarks on a wrongful birth lawsuit that will effect the lives of her family, her friends and, naturally, herself. The reader will ask 'Was it love or financial stress that provoked the lawsuit?' 'Was it all worth it?' There are many things that need to be handled with care and many moral questions abound.
As this was my first Picoult book, I found it to be very thought provoking and will look forward to reading more of her.
Show Less
LibraryThing member heatherbinning
I read this book because my daughter has Osteogenesis Imperfecta type III just like Willow. I found this a hard book to read as it brought back many memories and emotions I buried just to keep moving forward in every day life. I had to read, put the book down, cry, and start again many times.
I
I thought the ending sucked and was completely unnecessary. I get having a "twist" but that was just plain stupid.
I
Show More
understand the feelings of all the characters in the book and don't pass judgement for the choices they made even if I wouldn't make the same ones. Until you've lived it, day in and day out, you can't understand how decisions are thought and actions done. It really is a survival.I thought the ending sucked and was completely unnecessary. I get having a "twist" but that was just plain stupid.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Magatha
Interesting, beautifully written, and ultimately a manipulative, twisted, nasty bit of fiction. I'll be honest: I read this compulsively, I respected the portrayal of med-mal litigation, and I was caught up by the various narrative voices. But damn: the ending was vile and contrived, and served
Show More
only to retroactively highlight the artificial basis of the story. As for my future attention to Jodi Picoult's novels: there will be none, although honestly, to her fans, I acknowledge - seriously - that she is a remarkable story-teller. Show Less
LibraryThing member Citizenjoyce
Don't even bother because once you start you have to keep reading to see what happens, and it's not worth reading. Many controversial subjects are raised, then a few more added then maybe a couple more, then oh why not the kitchen sink? The characters are so stereotypical it's almost laughable,
Show More
well, it would be better if they were laughable. Instead I just wanted to slap someone. And the resolution - lord o' mercy. Did she write this as an April Fool's joke? Show Less
LibraryThing member livrecache
Once again, an intelligent novel undermined by the lasy chapter. Why does JP do this?
LibraryThing member njmom3
I have read a lot of books by Jodi Picoult. I like her courage in handling a lot of very difficult issues and decisions. I did not care for the book because I got to the ending and it made the whole book seem pointless.
LibraryThing member GoudaReads
Willow, a child with osteogenesis imperfecta (aka brittle bone disease), is at the heart of this novel. Her parents are suing the obstetrician who they believe should have spotted the genetic defect in utero so that they could have decided whether to terminate the pregnancy. There are all sorts of
The Good: This book did a great job illustrating the issues, frustrations, joys, and hardships of raising a disabled child. I imagine the family's situation is pretty typical: one parent becomes the primary caretaker and has to struggle to maintain family balance, the other parent becomes the breadwinner and struggles to earn enough to support the costly special needs, other children in the family struggle to be seen by the overworked/overburdened parents, and the special needs child just wants to be "normal." Each chapter is narrated by different members of the family, as though being told directly to Willow, the protagonist of the story. It's an interesting approach that puts her at the center of the novel just as she is the center of the family.
The Bad: All of the characters in this story really irritated me. The entire legal battle, ensuing angst, and lost relationships could have been avoided if these people would just TALK to each other. But, then I suppose there wouldn't have been a story to tell. It's hard to follow people as they self-destruct know that they could have avoided many of the problems they now find themselves in had they just communicated!
The Ugly: About half way through, I began to get a bad feeling. Unfortunately, my suspicions were correct. I already read this book - only last time is was called My Sister's Keeper.
Show More
moral and legal ambiguities here that make for a compelling read. The Good: This book did a great job illustrating the issues, frustrations, joys, and hardships of raising a disabled child. I imagine the family's situation is pretty typical: one parent becomes the primary caretaker and has to struggle to maintain family balance, the other parent becomes the breadwinner and struggles to earn enough to support the costly special needs, other children in the family struggle to be seen by the overworked/overburdened parents, and the special needs child just wants to be "normal." Each chapter is narrated by different members of the family, as though being told directly to Willow, the protagonist of the story. It's an interesting approach that puts her at the center of the novel just as she is the center of the family.
The Bad: All of the characters in this story really irritated me. The entire legal battle, ensuing angst, and lost relationships could have been avoided if these people would just TALK to each other. But, then I suppose there wouldn't have been a story to tell. It's hard to follow people as they self-destruct know that they could have avoided many of the problems they now find themselves in had they just communicated!
The Ugly: About half way through, I began to get a bad feeling. Unfortunately, my suspicions were correct. I already read this book - only last time is was called My Sister's Keeper.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ladybug74
I enjoyed this book, though I think I would have enjoyed it even better if I had not read it just after I was finished with reading another Jodi Picoult book (Harvesting the Heart). I read various types of books and usually try to mix them up a bit so I don't feel like I'm reading the same book
Show More
over and over again. In fact, the line about the female attorney deciding on her profession after she told her mom that the things that she liked to do were read and argue was the same in both books. (And it wasn't the same character.) I could see both sides of the argument in this book, so I bounced back and forth about how I wanted it to end. I really liked Willow and thought she was a remarkably smart girl. I did not like what happened at the end of the book, but can't say anything else without spoiling it for others. Show Less
LibraryThing member maryintexas39
She's done it again. Jodi Picoult never fails to amaze me with her writing. Unlike many other "bestselling" authors Picoult's books are consistently well written and moving. Once again I could hardly put this one down. Willow's story is one that will stay with me for a long time.
LibraryThing member meags222
This book was quite compelling. It revolves around a young girl with Brittle Bone Syndrome. This girl breaks bones quite easily. Her parents are in the middle of a wrongful birth lawsuit. Essentially, they should have been informed beforehand that their daughter could potentially have this disease
flag abuse Post a message
Show More
and if this was told to them they could have made the decision to abort their special needs child. As someone who has worked with children and adults with disabilities I found it very hard to agree with this kind of case. I found myself yelling at the mother wanting her to end her lawsuit. It becomes a fine line when you start questioning who has the right to live. It can be extremely difficult to raise a child with any kind of disability but they can bring so much joy to your life. I enjoyed reading this book but like I say it was at times really difficult and frustrating to read. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to hate or sympathize with the mother. The father also got so wrapped up in the trial that he forgets all about his other daughter. Overall I give this novel a 4 out of 5.flag abuse Post a message
Show Less
LibraryThing member MsGemini
This was another controversial story by Picoult. This one is told from the perspective of each main character allowing us to get to know the thoughts and feeling of each one. I was sucked in from page one and I wanted to read more and more. If you are a fan of Picoult than this book is one for you!
Show More
I must say the ending caught me by surprise. Show Less
LibraryThing member reading_crystal
Wow - since I read my first Jodi Picoult about three years ago I knew to expect a thought-provoking book. One thing I love about Ms. Picoult's novels is the fact that she brings interesting and controversial topics to light but doesn't tell you how to feel one way or the other about it, which is
While the issue is a part of this book, but definitely not the whole. I felt like I truly got to know all the characters. I listened to this on audio and it was wonderful. They used different people for the different characters in the book who were writing to Willow at the time. The distinguing voices were a big help with listening. It was a true joy to listen to. The story never lagged for me, in fact I would find myself listening in the car a few extra minutes, carrying my mp3 player with me to listen when I could. The story moves forward at a good pace, the characters seem real and the story is just riveting.
This book is wonderful and heartbreaking and so much more. It is well worth the time it takes to read it (it's a large book) and I highly recommend it!
Show More
unusual in today's world. We all have our opinions and believe they are right. No doubt Ms. Picoult has her opinions too, but she chooses to bring all sides of a topic to light. Handle with Care is another great example of this. Making the wrongful birth lawsuit front and center and how it really makes different people feel. From the one who is being told that she shouldn't have been born (but that is a lie mommy is telling), to the sibling who is unintentionallly left behind in the dust of the lawsuit, to the marriage that takes second place at this point and to others it affects such as the doctor and best friend and the whole community of disabled people who essentially are told that their lives are not perfect and therefore not worth living. I think I have had the same thoughts as each of the characters and it really pointed out some things to me that I feel that are wrong in my own beliefs. It's definitely opened my eyes to several different things.While the issue is a part of this book, but definitely not the whole. I felt like I truly got to know all the characters. I listened to this on audio and it was wonderful. They used different people for the different characters in the book who were writing to Willow at the time. The distinguing voices were a big help with listening. It was a true joy to listen to. The story never lagged for me, in fact I would find myself listening in the car a few extra minutes, carrying my mp3 player with me to listen when I could. The story moves forward at a good pace, the characters seem real and the story is just riveting.
This book is wonderful and heartbreaking and so much more. It is well worth the time it takes to read it (it's a large book) and I highly recommend it!
Show Less
LibraryThing member bookappeal
If I'd never read My Sister's Keeper, I would probably think this was a great book. The characters are interesting and well-formed, the topic is fascinating, the issues are real, but the novel has practically the same structure as MSK, right down to the cop-out ending. Very disappointing.
LibraryThing member SheReads
I was very disappointed in this book, not because it wasn't well written or a good, engaging story, but because the format and storyline was almost exactly like My Sister's Keeper. While I think this was an entertaining and thought provoking novel I think, Picoult uses a formula to write her
Show More
novels. For those of us who have read more then one of her novels we recognize it and are less then enthused, or at least I am. Show Less
LibraryThing member akowen
Same formula as so many of her books. This was My Sister's Keeper, with a different disease. I gave up after 65 pages. I have read all of Picoult's books to date, but couldn't bring myself to keep going in this one.
Pages
496
ISBN
0743296419 / 9780743296410