What on earth did you like about 'Memory Keeper's Daughter'?

[CoteDAzur]

I'm wondering, because some people must have liked something about it, otherwise it wouldn't have stayed in bestsellers lists for so long.

Yes that's what I liked geekgirl. The family who didn't reject a child because of her disability were happier than those who had. It confirmed that that is possible. And she didn't have to perform miracles or overcome her disability (as poor Daniel did in Daniel isn't talking). She could just be who she was and be part of a happy functional family. Never mind the world outside or her disabilities.

I thought that as a pretty strong and positive message.

I normally hate bad writing. The Labyrinth for example made me want to scream and smash things But although I know it wasn't well-written I enjoyed Memory Keepers. I don't have a problem with long slooooow books that take ages to get anywhere. After all I enjoy Dickens

OI i'm with you on the labyrinth

in reply to the OP - nothing!!!

I quite enjoyed it. I thought the premise was interesting, and the way that a single action could taint so many lives for years to come was interersting. Ok, the writing was a bit up her own arse at times, and I think she might have been to a few too many 'writers' workshops' but still. Not all books can be amazingly brilliant.

So, those of us who liked it did so because they have SN children, DS in particular, and felt our world needed the message.

I agree that it's horrible how our world judges DS kids, but having said that, "Memory Keeper's Daughter" is still the most awful book I have had to endure since school.

Good message does not make good book.

Well I liked the story too. It wasn't the best written book in the world, but there are plenty of badly written books out there and many of those have no message or story at all.

We are allowed to enjoy a book you didn't like aren't we?

(PS kids with DS).

Especially at:

• endless description of snow, smells in the air, warmth of the sun, etc even when it has nothing to do with the story. After a while - who cares?

• Liberal use of 'glimmering', 'shimmering', and even 'glittering'. "... pearls glimmering at her throat" and "...racks of slips and brassieres and panties, all glimmering softly" in the same paragraph (page 5), "the world was shimmering, that things would not be still" (pg 25). What does that even mean? Is there no word that can better describe the fluidity, instability etc of a moment/the world than 'shimmering'?

• Incredible superficiality of main characters, Norah in particular. Books are better than films because you get to see the complex and profound inner worlds of characters. In Norah's case, her inner world is as superficial as her actions - don't allow son with beautiful voice to sing in school because she suspects he was only invited to sing to make another girl look good.

• Some parts resembling a bad romance novel where descriptions don't even make sense: "... their eyes met. It was a moment only real to them, ... an instant of comunion subject to whatever the future would impose" or "Norah stood very still, intently present in her body".

OrmIrian - Oh please no. Our book club chose 'Labyrinth' for next month. and even [crying]

jimjams - This is a discussion about a book. You say what you liked about it, I say what I didn't like about it.

It's not about your rights. It's about the book.

Yes I know how a book discussion works.

But this comment is wrong for starters:

'So, those of us who liked it did so because they have SN children, DS in particular, and felt our world needed the message.'

Only one person who has said she likes the book has a child with DS.

And I do think that one comment on this thread (not directed at me) is pretty patronising.

So I just wondered whether it was acceptable to like the book.

Aahh.. you lucky thing cote

Message withdrawn

Phew - I have just struggled through Labyrinth -I was a bit worried that I didn't like it since it was such a prize-winner -I thought I was losing my touch.

I think I only finished it as I am housebound ( I was reading it in A&E whilst waiting for my sprained foot to be looked at)

I liked it in the same way I liked Let's Talk About Kevin. It wasn't very well written, but I found compelling and thought provoking.

Nothing.

Patronizing?

It was you who made the statement that the few people who said they liked this book on this thread had SN children. I didn't know they about those posters.

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By getbackinyouryurtjimjams on Fri 13-Jun-08 07:48:36
Interesting that the 2 people on this thread who have a child with learning difficulties liked it.
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I was really disappointed with this book. The premise was good but she didn't do it justice. Some parts were so laboured she was describing every minute of the day, then whole years flashed by. Norah was shallow and unlikeable.

The bit I found odd was she was discussing having another child and he said no. Flash forward 9 (?) years and no second child. She could have developed that much more but didn't.

I preferred Kevin. Dunno why.

Kevin was a bit deeper, it asked more questions, and had that real shock factor at the end.

Memory Keeper's daughter was quite simplistic, and certainly wasn't literature, but I loved the way that the life of the girl with DS was portrayed as so fulfilling and worthwhile, and the focus on the real joy she had brought to her adopted family. While tragic dad man's life went t*ts up.

sorry have to say if you didn't like this, you'll probably hate labyrinth EVEN more!!

I don't mind unlikeable characters at all. In fact, some very interesting books (imho) are narrated by openly psychotic characters (Nick Cave's first book which I read recently, or Ballard's The Atrocity Exhibition, for example)

Norah was just unreal. I found it hard to believe that anyone over the age of 8 could have no deeper thoughts than snow falling outside, hearing the grass grow (???), warmth of sun on her arms, etc.

I think 'Memory Keeper's Daughter' would have been more interesting if Phoebe played a more central role in it. That is, if we got to hear what she thought and what she felt, rather than the vapid adults around her.

Like 'Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time'.

For the record- I don't have a sn child.

However I work with children across the spectrum, and I felt is was good to have a portrayal of a child with DS who had a purposeful, fulfilled, happy life- as many children who have DS do.

DH's uncle had DS and he was put away in an institution his whole life- that was the norm- thank goodness we think differently today.

And what on earth is wrong with shimmering- it puts me in mind of the moment just before the whole world falls apart- that moment when you realise everything is about to fail...

I have never read a book meant for adults that uses the words 'shimmering', 'glimmering', and 'glittering' over 20 times, especially in description of things that are not even shiny.

I guess the author wanted to portray a surreal atmosphere in the first 200 pages or so. Imho, all it did with meaningless repetition of these words (sometimes in the same paragraph) was to reinforce the superficiality of the book.

Did you actually count all the 'glimmering and shimmering' words, Cote?? In fact, although I read the book quite a while ago, I do recall all those words and it was bit odd, like reading a fairy story.

I enjoyed the start of the book, but, as others here seem to be saying, it didn't really go anywhere and ultimately was a disappointment.

Re Labyrinth, I have it on my bookshelf and can't quite bring myself to ditch it, despite almost everyone's dire warnings!!