I'm trying to remember what I originally posted - here goes...

[spoiler:4571d87fe9]did her mother deliberately kill the baby as in smothering or did she just leave the baby to die of natural causes? I know it doesn't really affect the outcome but it made me feel very differently towards her mother as I think she lost several children herself and it seemed out of character for her to have done either??[/spoiler:4571d87fe9]

Just finished this today, treez - and don't know the answer!!!!!

I think this was deliberately left ambiguous as are most of Jodi's endings. And as it is fiction there isn't any 'true' answer. [spoiler:36a7eb43a5] I think she did but only because the child was ill anyway because of the unpasteurised milk - otherwise, had the child been healthy she would have left it somewhere as a foundling.[/spoiler:36a7eb43a5] This was my favourite book so far but does follow the formula of the others. Especially in that the questions were not asked. Regardless of the situation everyone would have been questioned as to their invovlement. There would not have been assumptions made that were so strong they precluded anyone from being questioned.

I agree with you, hecateh, and much as I enjoy her books this is one thing that annoys me about her writing - sometimes it seems as though anything inconvenient is left out, and less ambiguous, more 'couldn't be bothered to think about that...'

To be honest, I really enjoyed 'My Sister's Keeper' - I found the ethical questions behind it absorbing. I work in IVF and have always struggled with the idea of creating 'saviour siblings', so to read something from their viewpoint was fascinating. BUT, I've been disappointed on some level by all her others that I've read.

Helen

I really enjoyed Plain Truth, think it was one of her best :-D

My sister says that they don't normally take mothers to court over infanticide, and thus it was an improbable book. But other than that, we both loved it.

I think the mum knew all along of the pregnancy and did do it deliberately. She didnt know of babys illness, I think she was just trying to help her own child

rudie:

I think the mum knew all along of the pregnancy and did do it deliberately. She didnt know of babys illness, I think she was just trying to help her own child

I definately agree with you Ruth

Interesting to see what Jodi Picoult says in her forums:

(Highlight to see)
[color=white:bcb7c8a7f6]"In my opinion, if she did commit murder, she wasn't even seeing that baby as a human -- just an obstacle that would take away her daughter. She's the one who the insanity defense works for, in fact...

However, many readers choose not to believe Sarah killed the infant...and that instead she only hid the baby's body after it died of natural causes. I wrote it open-ended so that readers could come to their own conclusion."[/color:bcb7c8a7f6]

You pay your money, you take your choice!

I agree with you Rudie and if Jodi Picoult believes that then surely it is the right answer?!!

I think, like a lot of her books there is no right or wrong answer, Jodi leaves it for the reader to make up there own mind.

Dear hhunter

You took the words right out of mouth. My Sister's Keeper was definitely her best.

mummymelly:

[quote:9992fa5175="rudie"]I think the mum knew all along of the pregnancy and did do it deliberately. She didnt know of babys illness, I think she was just trying to help her own child[/quote:9992fa5175]

I definately agree with you Ruth

I agree too. I think Sarah just wanted to keep her daughter no matter what as she'd already lost her son so she didn't want to lose her daughter.

firepoppy:

mummymelly:

[quote:9992fa5175="rudie"]I think the mum knew all along of the pregnancy and did do it deliberately. She didnt know of babys illness, I think she was just trying to help her own child[/quote:9992fa5175]

I definately agree with you Ruth

I agree too. I think Sarah just wanted to keep her daughter no matter what as she'd already lost her son so she didn't want to lose her daughter.

Have you just read this? am so jealous, this has been one of my favourite Picoult so far, I wish I was reading it for the first time

I read it last month. I love reading her books and have 2 on my TBR but I want to make them last for awhile as unread, if you see what I mean. I normally read them in 2 or 3 days as I just can't put them down!