Handle with Care was my first Jodi Picould. Despite mixed reviews from her fans, I chose it because it explored various issues around a special medical condition of my interest, osteogenesis imperfecta. It dealt two layers of ethics, personal and social. It raised difficult questions. The ethical conflict developed into a controvertial legal situation. There were personal struggle, emotional strife, financial problems and ethical conflicts. I liked her beautiful writing style and presentation of multiple points of views in the novel.
Ethics is intrinsicly personal since it represents standards based on which each individual would make her/his course of action. However, it becomes a public affair when such choices disagree. In this novel, characters faced seemingly impossible situations. Each of them struggled to find a solution to the conundrum. It kept driving me to the conclusion of the long and facinating story.
I decided to read another book by Jodi Picoult. My pick was "My Sister's Keeper" since it had the most reviews that were consistently good. I'll post what I think when I'm through.
作家のジョディー・ピコーはロングアイランド出身らしい。十年以上ロングアイランドに住んでいたので親近感を持ってしまった。何冊か翻訳されている彼女の本を見つけた。わたしのなかのあなた (My Sister's Keeper) すべては遠い幻 (Vanishing Acts) 偽りをかさねて (The Tenth Circle)。とりあえず Handle with Care （最新作）を読んでみた。医療倫理、個人の道徳観や価値観、法律、友情など様々な問題が幾重にも重なり、大変困難な状況に置かれた家族が題材。家族の中でそれぞれの道徳観がぶつかり、必死に答えを見いだそうと苦悩している姿が描かれている。文章も綺麗で長い小説ながら飽きることなく最後まで楽しめた。うれしくなって次の本を読み始めた。My Sister's Keeper も医学と倫理と法律が複雑に絡まった話のようだ。読み終わったらまた感想を。
