| In 1964 Dr David Henry is a highly-regarded orthopedic surgeon, whose wife, Norah, is in the last stages of her pregnancy. When her labor begins prematurely, during a blizzard, Dr Henry is forced to help with the delivery himself, assisted only by the nurse, Caroline Gill. The birth proceeds without complications; the baby boy, Paul, is healthy and well. The problem arises when a second, unexpected, baby arrives. Dr Henry immediately recognises that his son's twin sister has Down's syndrome - a physical and intellectual impairment caused by an extra chromosome in the genes. As his wife is sedated, he instructs the nurse to take the child to a nearby institution for people with similar afflictions. When his wife wakes from her sedation, he tells her that the baby girl, Phoebe, was still-born and has already been taken away. Caroline, the nurse, takes the baby to the institution but, appalled by its cold and heartless atmosphere, secretly takes the baby and raises her herself.
Over the following twenty-five years, the book develops the characters and their relationships with each other. Dr Henry strives to bury his choice by immersing himself in photography. The inclusion of unique light and form styles in his work lead to fame and notoriety amongst the visual arts set. His secret gradually gnaws away at his conscience, however, leading to alienation in his relationship with this wife and son. Norah is torn by the apparent death of her daughter, especially given that she never had the chance to see or hold her 'dead' daughter, thus lacking the opportunity to fully grieve. Her relationship with her husband withers, and she attempts to recompense her emptiness through various affairs and a new career. Paul's relationship with his father grows strained as he dreams of becoming a professional guitarist. Dr Henry does not doubt his son's talent, but believes that a more mainstream occupation would be preferable for money-earning capacity. Caroline joins with other parents of intellectually-impaired children, arguing and lobbying for the children's rights to similar benefits as those enjoyed by 'normal' children. Phoebe grows and develops as well as could be expected; she finds it difficult to understand that, after more than twenty years believing that Caroline is her mother, that she has another mother, as well as a twin brother. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book? - depressed Time/era of story - 1960's-1970's Internal struggle/realization? Yes Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Pregnancy/Child rearing Yes Major part of story: Coping with loss of loved one(s) Yes Loss of... Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - long lived adults Ethnicity/Nationality Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 3 () United States Yes The US: - Northeast Writing Style Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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