Reading has been slow the past few months. But if it weren't for the fact that I finished this book this afternoon I'd have considered the second half of my day pretty much a total loss.

I had a 1:25 appointment with my orthopedic surgeon, and I was very glad to have a book with me when I walked in and saw the sign, "Dr. P. is running 1 to 1 1/2 hours behind. Sorry for the inconvenience." Good, I thought, just enough time to finish my 80 or 90 pages.

Alas, at 3:05 I had finished the book and checked in at the desk to find out how much longer it would be, and I was told that they still didn't know when (read: IF) I would be seen. So I rescheduled and left. The wait, added to the drive time, ate up nearly four hours and I was left with nothing other than the satisfaction that I could cross another book off my list.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter is a sad but sweet story about the walls that are built in lives and marriages when they are built around lies and mistrust. It's also a story that sensitively champions those who faithfully love and care for the mentally disabled. Edwards can be slightly heavy on the descriptive passages, which tend to make me a bit impatient, but I still recommend the book for the heartwarming and sobering story line.