Well Isn't It Ironic .... Don't You Think?

Okay readers.  I just finished Jodi Picoult's novel Handle With Care.  When I was a junior in college I picked up Picoult's The Pact (a great book especially if you like Romeo and Juliet) and ever since I seem to be drawn to her books.   I think the element I like best about this author's books is that she writes from almost every major character's point of view.  Because of this, I feel like I understand every character's motives, and it makes for an easy but intriguing read. The chapters flow together in a seamless way even when she changes point of view. 

Handle With Care is written in this classic Jodi Picoult style.  The book begins with Charlotte's chapter.  We learn that she  is the mother to a daughter who has OI or Brittle Bone Disease. The novel takes us through the challenges of having a child with OI, being a sibling of an OI patient, and being a best friend to parents of an OI child.

Charlotte decides to sue her best friend and obstetrician, Piper, for malpractice (yep, much drama). Charlotte and her lawyers are suing for "wrongful birth."  They believe that if Piper had told Charlotte earlier (18 weeks into pregnancy) that her baby would be disabled, Charlotte might have terminated the pregnancy. This leads to troubles in the marriage, an incident with Willow that  leads to an emergency room visit that does NOT include a broken bone, and a mounting problem with their teenage daughter Amelia who feels like her parents don't "see" her. 

This book sucked me in from the very first page.  It makes you think about who really can decide whether a life is worth living, and it helps you understand the MANY challenges that parents face in raising children with disabilities. 

It's worth the read; be ready for an ending even I didn't expect.  It's a tearjerker!