3.4 out of 4 stars.

This book makes you think.

Nowadays we have tests that one can take while pregnant to see if their baby will have any birth defects. The question isn’t as much about if you should take the test or not but rather what do you do if you receive unfortunate results.

In 1964, Dr. David Henry and his wife Norah did not have the luxury of taking any examinations that could deliver that same news so it was of the utmost surprise when the twins, Paul and Phoebe, arrived and their baby girl had Down’s Syndrome. Instead of sitting down and discussing the best options and future plans, Dr. David Henry took it upon himself to hand the nurse, Caroline, Phoebe and tell her to drive and drop her off at a housing facility that other people with Down’s Syndrome live. When Norah recovered from essentially blacking out (less advanced numbing medication back then) she asked to see her daughter and David lied and said she had died shortly after child-birth. Crazy!! However, the issues do not end there. David shortly realizes that Caroline was unable to bring herself to drop off Phoebe at the institution but instead drove out-of-town to raise Phoebe on her own due to David not wanting her in his house. What an interesting storyline.

All other parts of this family’s life are sliding doors after that night’s secret began and it is a page turner for the reader to see what unfolds.

I can imagine this book can be quite controversial due to the sensitivity of many families dealing with a relative that has Down’s Syndrome and how difficult it can be to discuss a future of helping him or her grow but also protect as well from some cruel members of this world. In Dr. David Henry’s mind that night he only saw the negative ahead and couldn’t bear to face that. Unfortunately for him and his close minded thoughts, he stole from his family the chance to fall in love with Phoebe’s uniqueness and undeniable love. Although he felt he was coming from a good place of trying to protect his family it was his decision alone. No one else had a chance to share their thoughts and opinions. Phoebe’s own mother thought that her daughter had died.

An absolute crazy and unrealistic plot line but it was so out there it made it suspenseful. I believe the point was one is only as dark as the secrets they keep and in Dr. David Henry’s case, he pays for that night every day afterwards. I knocked off points because this book went down SEVERAL storytelling routes and it would of been nice if it stuck to the fact that Phoebe turned out great and everyone dismantled emotionally. This plot line can stand on its own and doesn’t need all of the other confusion to bulk it up.