Edwards's assured but schematic debut novel (after her collection, The Secrets of a Fire King) hinges on the birth of fraternal twins, a healthy boy and a girl with Down syndrome, resulting in the father's disavowal of his newborn daughter. A snowstorm immobilizes Lexington, Ky., in 1964, and when young Norah Henry goes into labor, her husband, orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Henry, must deliver their babies himself, aided only by a nurse. Seeing his daughter's handicap, he instructs the nurse, Caroline Gill, to take her to a home and later tells Norah, who was drugged during labor, that their son Paul's twin died at birth. Instead of institutionalizing Phoebe, Caroline absconds with her to Pittsburgh. David's deception becomes the defining moment of the main characters' lives, and Phoebe's absence corrodes her birth family's core over the course of the next 25 years. David's undetected lie warps his marriage; he grapples with guilt; Norah mourns her lost child; and Paul not only deals with his parents' icy relationship but with his own yearnings for his sister as well. Though the impact of Phoebe's loss makes sense, Edwards's redundant handling of the trope robs it of credibility. This neatly structured story is a little too moist with compassion.

I really loved this book. I read it in just two days. It was so interesting to watch how one split second decision can affect so many lives.

Here is the list for the bookring.

acountkel
LyekkaMarengo
mereader **** on the way here*****
tranq1 - asked to be removed from list 08/7 please skip
dg7500
KimberleeV
Karenlea
Herbyjan- Canada
Inver- Scotland
LindyLouMac- Italy
boirina- Portugal
Lovesbooks05 -UK
then back to dietcokemama

I'm hoping to have it in the mail to acountkel by Monday

Please try to keep the book no longer than one month. Journal when you receive the book and when sending it on. When you're almost done pm the next person on the list for their mailing info

THe ring has started, the book is in the mail on it's way to acountkel.

Just received this today.
I will start it in a couple days!

Thank you so much dietcokemama for letting me be part of this ring!!

This was a great book! The author was actually told this story by someone from her church. I can not imagine what it would be like to have this happen in my family. Edwards did a wonderful job developing the characters. Some of them made me so mad sometimes I wanted to throw the book across the room. Other parts of the book brought me to tears. Briefly, the story is about a decision made by a father/doctor in the 60’s to give his one of his twins (daughter-Phoebe) to his nurse to take her to a home for the retarded. Without his wife’s knowledge. He tells her Pheobe dies. The nurse ends up keeping the daughter. And so the story begins. The impact of the decision on the other twin (Paul), the mother and the father is heart wrenching. Edwards is a great story teller and I am looking forward to “The Dream Master” which she is currently writing now.

Sending to LyekkaMarengo today!

Received safe and sound in Central PA. One other book ahead.

This book was very well written with nicely complete and believable characters. Ms. Edwards made you care about each of them and in the end made you understand them all, even David and his distinctly selfish and unfair decision. The effect on everyone's lives was a terrible thing to see but for Caroline and Pheobe you definately felt that they probably had their lives improved. In the interview at the end Ms. Edwards said that she wanted to make reader's understand that David was not evil and even as he is giving his daughter away I don't think he ever appears evil. It also becomes clear that he never realized what affect this would have on both his wife, him and their marriage. The only quibble I have is with the ending. While it was an very emotionally satisfying ending I did feel it was a little forced. But Edwards lyrical writing and her skill with her characters made the whole book a wonderful experience.

Passing on as soon as I have an address.

Mailed today to mereader in Carlsbad, CA