Luke Warren picks Cara, his daughter, up from a party one night when
they are in a severe car accident. Cara recovers after surgery; however, her
father remains in a coma with a traumatic brain injury. Georgie, Luke's ex-wife
calls their son Edward in Thailand to come home. Edward is forced to face his
family in crisis, while also trying to rebuild relationships after years of running
away from the hurt and secrets. Georgie’s husband Joe represents Edward in the
court case that ensues to decide who has the right to make a decision about
whether to pull the life support and donate Luke’s organs, or to wait for a
miracle.
As in many of Jodi Picoult's books, the story is told from
multiple characters’ points of view. Through each family member's recounts of
the past and present, we learn of secrets and regrets. What I found interesting
was how Picoult compared the Warren family unit to the wolf pack. The whole
notion that everyone, or wolf, has a job and a role to play, was beautifully
interwoven throughout the story. I have always appreciated how Picoult forces
me as a reader to look at situations from several angles, creating characters that
need to be understood through their points of view. While I did not always
agree with Cara’s beliefs, I could empathise with her desperate need to believe
her father would survive.
