{from the cover} This stunning novel begins on a winter night in 1964, 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. For motives he tells himself are good, he makes a split-second decision that will haunt all their lives forever. He asks his nurse, Caroline, to take the baby away to an institution. Instead, she disappears into another city to raise the child as her own. Compulsively readable and deeply moving, The Memory Keeper's Daughter is a brilliantly crafted story of parallel lives, familial secrets, and the redemptive power of love.Meh. I didn't love this book. For me it was definitely not "compulsively readable". I kind of had to force myself to finish. I have a hard time reading a book when I can't connect with any of the characters. The novel is split into two parallel stories. You'll read a couple of chapters about David & his family, and then you'll read a couple of chapters about Caroline and the daughter that David gave away. Over the years, David's lie tears his family apart. The whole story of his family is depressing and frustrating... all of this pain & separation caused by his split-second decision and the lie he tells to cover it up. I just want to grab him by the neck and say "TELL THE TRUTH!". Caroline's story was much more interesting to me. I enjoyed reading about her struggles & triumphs raising the daughter with Down syndrome. The ending was only slightly satisfying.
Overall I thought the book was depressing and frustrating, though well written. It wasn't really my cup of tea. But hey, if it sounds interesting to you, knock yourself out! I have a copy I would gladly lend {give} to you!