Erin's Book #18: The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

On a snowy night in 1964, David Henry delivers his own twins. The boy, Paul, is healthy and beautiful. The girl that follows, Phoebe, has Down syndrome. David makes the shocking decision to hand the baby to the nurse, asking her to take the girl to an institution, and then proceeds to tell his wife their daughter had died.

Instead of following instruction, Caroline, the nurse, leaves town and raises the girl as her own child. The book follows the two families for the next twenty-five years.

It's a beautiful and heartbreaking story. David's decision is not as selfish as it seems. His desire is only to protect his wife Norah from a life of pain and loss. Yet his lie stands between them, driving them apart more each day. The book raises interesting questions - is there such a thing as karma? Is it possible to make "easier" choices and avoid pain and loss or does trying to do so simply cause more?

(Side note: While taking a break from reading it one evening, I flipped on the TV and found the movie version on Lifetime, which I'm curious to see.)

I couldn't put this book down. I found both stories engrossing and loved the characters. The ending was completely appropriate. I think this one will be on my mind for a while.