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This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.

This was a book I picked up for free at a book swap. The plot - about a medical and identity crisis rolled together - appealed to me, and I hoped it would be as good as it sounded. The short version of this review: it was.

Poor Rachel's life becomes a living hell when she suffers kidney failure and goes on dialysis. She quits ballet, the love of her life, and feels sluggish and snappy. She deals with her body's "betrayal" (as she puts it) very realistically, with tears and anger. She grows over the course of the book as she realizes that she must accept the fact that her life will never be the same. She also must come to grips with her birth mother's identity and reason for giving her up. This struggle also is extremely realistic, and I thought it was very well done.

The only flaw I can find with the book is its pacing: apparently it spans about a year of Rachel's life, starting with when her kidneys fail, but it doesn't feel like it. In fact, time seems to pass rather sporadically with detailed scenes intermingled with statements to the effect of "time passed." The passage of time is a recurring theme throughout the book, as the process of finding Rachel's birth mother takes a really long time. However, this didn't really work for me as sufficient proof: from Rachel's character growth, you would think that only a few months at most have passed.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in what it's like to live after a kidney failure: the food restrictions, the dialysis, the sluggishness, etc. It's also a great story about identity and the difference between biological and adoptive family. It's perfectly fine for younger readers, so you can be comfortable handing this book to anyone whose reading comprehension is up to it. I'm very glad I found this little treasure; it gave me an up-close view of what it's like to suffer kidney failure. I just hope it's the closest look I'll ever get! ( )

A Story About Coping with Illness

I enjoyed this book, even though it was difficult to read at times, and though understandable and realistically portrayed, the main character's bitterness started to get to me after a while. That said it is an excellent book for those who might be facing similar events in their lives, and a good talking point between adults and younger family members as a way of approaching the same issues. On the other hand, there is also a warmth to the story that tugs are the reader's heart strings as the family in the story is brought together by all that occurs, and by facing their hardships together. ( )

A wonderful book about the struggles a child must face when dealing with a sudden-onset illness. Young adults can easily sympathize with the main character early on and then, by sharing her experiences, learn to understand what a friend, relation or even total stranger with an illness or disability is going through. As an adult I would highly recommend this book for any family coping with sudden, severe illnesses or even long-term disabilities. Adults should share the story with their young readers and talk about experiences, making sure to answer any questions that come along. Of course, anyone wanting a heartwarming story about pushing through hardship and finding out what the real meaning of family will enjoy this book as well. ( )