by Jodi Picoult
First published 2009
Charlotte O'Keefe watches her five-year-old daughter Willow break another bone. Willow has osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition that makes her bones shatter at the slightest impact. Charlotte and her husband Sean face endless medical bills, sleepless nights, and the constant fear that any moment could bring another fracture. Despite everything, Willow amazes them with her intelligence, kindness, and wisdom beyond her years. She is perfect exactly as she is. Then circumstances force Charlotte to consider an unthinkable question: what if she had known about Willow's condition before birth? Charlotte makes a devastating choice that tears her family apart. She decides to sue her obstetrician for wrongful birth, claiming the doctor should have detected the condition earlier. The lawsuit could provide the money Willow needs for lifelong care. But it also means Charlotte must argue in court that her beloved daughter should never have been born. As the case unfolds, Charlotte must confront what makes a life worth living.
Genres: fiction, medical, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-drama, medical-dilemma
477 pages · Hardcover · Atria Books
Content warnings: medical-trauma