Reviewed by Rhiannon, Rooted Coffee House member of staff.
Every expectant parent will tell you that they don’t want a perfect baby, just a healthy one. But what happens when you’re not given the choice?
Jodi Picoult excels in her book ‘Handle with Care’, as she throws readers into the world of Charlotte and Sean O’Keefe and their daughter Willow. Willow is 5 and was born with type III Osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bone disease), a condition that will see her suffer hundreds of broken bones, and lifetime of pain. Caring for Willow is drastically different to caring for other children her age, and it has caused a huge financial strain on the family – leaving them unable to pay for everything Willow may need. So, when a lawyer tells Charlotte that they may have a case to sue for wrongful birth, she must do the unthinkable.
Picoult is the author of 26 novels, including several New York Times bestsellers. This book, ‘Handle with Care’, was another display of her brilliant writing, and it kept me awake at night wanting to know what would happen next.
I found this book gripping. Picoult often tackles topical and moral topics when writing, and this book was no different. She has clearly done extensive research and helps develop the plot by allowing you see the situation through several different characters point of view. This book had me moved to tears on several occasions through her continuous plot twists.
I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a novel that you will lose yourself inside. If you’re still not convinced by the plot, I’ll leave you with one question that is strung throughout the plot: If to save your daughter, you must tell the world you wish she’d never been born. What would you do?