I picked up The Memory Keeper's Daughter with reluctance, it was suggested for our Singapore book club and is just not my usual 'cup of tea' - too much oestrogen, the type of emotional family saga that is heralded by Oprah and gets eagerly made into a bad TV movie. But the whole point of a bookclub is to try things you might not come across on your own...

Well, I can understand the praise it has received, in part. The writing is beautiful (if a little over-flowery at times) and I did find myself crying at one point, so it certainly has the power to move. But ultimately, underneath all the elaborate, pretty words, it doesn't really go anywhere. At its heart there's a simple morality tale, the message (which is so bloody obvious you want to shout at the book) being: secrets erode relationships. And after all the anguish & tragedy, the ending fell rather flat for me. (read less)