Dec 31 2008
Writing Dos and Don’ts: “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter”
I recently finished The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards, a favourite amongst book clubs.
In the 60’s, a doctor is forced to deliver his own twins during a snowstorm. His wife is unaware that one of the twins is born with Down’s Syndrome. The doctor tells his wife the child died, and convinces his nurse to take the child to an institution. Instead, the nurse keeps the child and raises her as her own.
While I really enjoyed this book’s premise and plot, I thought the quality of writing was mixed. It started strong and faded near the end. It’s a classic choice from which to draw writing dos and don’ts.
- Do create a fascinating premise: One healthy baby, one with Down’s Syndrome, separated by 1960’s intolerance and a thrilling family secret.
- Do create suspense: When will the mother discover her daughter didn’t die, but was hidden from her for over 20 years?
- Do hook your reader: Chapter one features strong writing and the premise is set quickly.
- Don’t tell… Show! : The story covers such a long period of time, Edwards often resorts to carelessly inserting major plot events by simply saying they happened rather than showing them.
- Don’t write sloppy endings: There is so much build up to the climax, the ending is sweet but feels rather thrown together.
- Don’t exhaust your reader: Character development is one thing, but piling on inconsequential details can get old, fast. Be selective.
Please don’t let my criticisms stop you from reading The Memory Keeper’s Daughter . A writer must look at reading selections from a critical perspective in order to learn from them!
It’s worth a read, and I do recommend it to anyone who enjoys mainstream literature.
I have The Memory Keeper’s Daughter setting on my end table in my family room; it has been there for about 4 months now. I started reading it and was enjoying it but after a quarter the way through, I started to get really bored. It was same conversation and sentiment page after page: Nora couldn’t get over the death of her baby and her husband was despondent for giving the infant girl away.
I kept reading it in hopes it would pick up but half way through the book, the surviving twin is 6 years old and nothing has changed! It was at this point that I made the realization that I should read a book because I am enjoying it and not out of obligation because I paid good money for it or someone else enjoyed it.
I will never know what happens at the end but truthfully I haven’t lost any sleep over it either. I have cleared my conscious and can go forth and enjoy another book now!
Chris:
Yeah, I can understand why you might have felt that way about the book (see “Don’t Exhaust Your Reader” tip!).
I think perhaps the book is just too long. The premise is great and I believe therein lies the suspense. But, I don’t blame you for not enjoying it.
Thanks for your comment!
I saw the movie…and it was pretty good.
Too often books with a really compelling premise turn out to be little more than that…the story dwindles into boredom.
What a shame!
Shakespeare:
Haven’t seen the movie, but I’ll keep an eye out. Have you read the book?