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Handle with Care: A Novel Audiobook
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(3.80) - 52,307 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
When Willow is born with severe osteogenesis imperfecta, her parents are devastated—she will suffer hundreds of broken bones as she grows, a lifetime of pain. In this provocative story from the #1 New York Times bestselling author, “Picoult writes with unassuming brilliance” (Stephen King).
Every expectant parent will tell you that they don’t want a perfect baby, just a healthy one. Charlotte and Sean O’Keefe would have asked for a healthy baby, too, if they’d been given the choice. Instead, their lives are made up of sleepless nights, mounting bills, the pitying stares of “luckier” parents, and maybe worst of all, the what-ifs. What if their child had been born healthy? But it’s all worth it because Willow is, funny as it seems, perfect. She’s smart as a whip, on her way to being as pretty as her mother, kind, brave, and for a five-year-old an unexpectedly deep source of wisdom. Willow is Willow, in sickness and in health.
Everything changes, though, after a series of events forces Charlotte and her husband to confront the most serious what-ifs of all. What if Charlotte had known earlier of Willow’s illness? What if things could have been different? What if their beloved Willow had never been born? To do Willow justice, Charlotte must ask herself these questions and one more. What constitutes a valuable life?
Emotionally riveting and profoundly moving, Handle with Care is an unforgettable novel about the fragility of life and the lengths we will go to protect it.
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"I really enjoyed this book, and I cried like maniac throughout the whole novel. This is definitely one of, if not the most, tragic novels Jodi Picoult has EVER written. From the relations to the characters everything screams angst and tragedy. I have a family very much like Charlotte's. A father, a mother and two daughters, with the younger daughter taking up a lot of the parents' time and the older one feeling neglected. I was the older sister. I've also past dealt with poor self esteem issues and anorexia. This is why I feel like I relate very well with Amelia. This also made me hate Charlotte with a burning passion because she is a horrible mother and a horrible person to Amelia, I don't care if you argue with me but honestly that's just how it is. She is horrible and ignorant towards Amelia and even Sean cares more than she does. However, that doesn't prevent me from giving this book five stars because I did love it a lot. Like always Picoult's writing is flawless and the fun facts Willow kept spouting were really cute. Especially the one about people being harmed by toilets. The ending though, complete and utter tearjerker. In a sense, it reminded me a bit of My Sister's Keeper."
— Jin (5 out of 5 stars)
Handle with Care Listener Reviews
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" I enjoyed this story and the author's ability to tell it from all sides. I had a solid opinion before reading, but her ability to get me to see other viewpoints has left me not quite as sure of myself. Well done. "
— Teri, 12/17/2017 -
" Excruciating ending... "
— Beatriz, 2/20/2014 -
" Love the details considering its fiction! Keeps you glued but the plot is really predictable after a point. Not a total waste. Will keep ya hooked till the end. "
— Anushuka, 2/18/2014 -
" Love the ethical issues brought up in this book. Left me doing some serious thinking. Like the way the book comes full circle with some things break. Very symbolic! "
— Anne, 2/18/2014 -
" Wow! Very intense reading. Reading this makes you appreciate good health, family, friends, and to cherish what you do have--and if things aren't the best, to find the good in what you have. "
— Marie, 2/16/2014 -
" Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult was an outstanding book for me. It was very sad and also made me realize that I shouldn't take life for granted. It is about a little girl with a disease where she breaks bones very easily. Even if she sneezes, she is still able to break or fracture a bone. It is costing so much money for the family that the little girl's mother decides to issue a lawsuit of wrongful birth. This means that she wishes her daughter would've never been born. It also includes suing her best friend. This makes the family go through many struggles. Read this book to find out if the mother wins the case and who she all brings down with her. Find out how the daughter feels about finding out her mother wishes she was never born. "
— Rachel, 2/11/2014 -
" so sad:( "
— Lorilee, 2/4/2014 -
" I LOVED this book but, what else is new - it's Jodi Picoult! I was soooo not expecting the ending, though. Still, one of my favorites by her! "
— Jill, 1/17/2014 -
" I was more interested in it then I thought I would be. The end was a complete surprise!! "
— Traci, 1/14/2014 -
" Such a sad book!! I loved it every step of the way. :) This is my favorite book by Jodi Picoult "
— Erin, 1/3/2014 -
" Loved this book, the ending took me by surprise..... "
— Geenalyn, 12/25/2013 -
" This book took me awhile to finish it was good just not an attention grabber. "
— Lauren, 12/21/2013 -
" This was a very powerful book. It deals with sensitive subjects and I think the author handled them very well. However, I am not a fan of the ending. "
— Cecilia, 11/18/2013 -
" I was so disappointed in the ending of this book. "
— Nicole, 11/18/2013 -
" A good read but DEPRESSING!! "
— Stephanie, 11/14/2013 -
" Excellent, heartbreaking. "
— Melissa, 11/11/2013 -
" A little predictable....hated the ending "
— Stace, 11/1/2013 -
" Hated the characters, loved the plot. Combine My Sister's Keeper's characters with this book's plot, and it would all be perfect. "
— Megan, 10/3/2013 -
" Liked the book. Hated the ending. "
— Bettycindy, 4/29/2013 -
" Another classic Picoult. Guaranteed to always learn something new about a topic you never knew anything about. "
— Lani, 2/18/2013 -
" Very well researched and although i had a hard time understanding some of the characters behaviour, it was still a very detailed book into the characters and the plot. "
— Massuma, 10/30/2012 -
" I loved this book until the very end. The ending ruined the whole entire book for me. "
— Jamie, 9/4/2012 -
" It seems this type of thing is starting to show up more in the courts...very sad. "
— Rebecca, 8/24/2012 -
" This was a very interesting, thought-provoking book, with a lot of ethical issues. This is the first Jodi Picoult book I have read, and overall I enjoyed it, but I do agree with other comments that I don't know why it had to end the way it did. "
— Lori, 6/11/2012 -
" Handle With Care was intense and always kept me interested. Jodi's books discuss controversial topics that involve law, medicine, and love. I highly recommend this book. "
— Taylor, 4/6/2012 -
" Amazing plot but the ending... Speaks for itself "
— Abi, 3/23/2012 -
" Can't imagine a life so difficult! My heart was wrenched differently for each character! Very interesting subject matter! "
— Mary, 3/20/2012 -
" Great book..I have a disabled daughter..like all of her books..gives you alot to think about. "
— Liz, 10/19/2011 -
" I liked the book all the way up to end! I felt the whole ending was ridiculous. "
— Kim, 9/10/2011 -
" Una storia davvero commovente... da far venire la pelle d'oca! "
— Musellaaa, 7/6/2011 -
" This one really made me stop and think. Written so well and brought out so many good points and arguments. "
— Angela, 6/9/2011 -
" Audio -- OI kid with ditsy parents and the wrongful birth suit is just ammunition fro pro lifers. "
— Irene, 5/23/2011 -
" The courtroom stuff was more tolerable than other Picoult books I've read, but the ending was terrible. It held my attention even while I had many distractions and I looked forward to reading it each night so I gave it a 4, but I should have marked it down to a 2 for the ending alone. "
— Megan, 5/20/2011 -
" I am currently reading this book and I am very interested in the story of this little girl and her family. I relate well to the little girl having many difficult health problems myself, so it is a page-turner so far for me. "
— Emily, 5/18/2011 -
" Loved this book. Never suspected the ending. "
— Renee, 5/17/2011 -
" This was really well written (as all Picoult's books are) but I had a really hard time reading about the disintegration of a family without becoming emotionally involved. "
— Amy, 5/16/2011 -
" Loved the book and the topic. Again something that many people don't know much about. However I HATED the ending of this book. It was so tragic and unfair! It definitely catches you by surprise. I had to read it a few times over to really get what happened. "
— Jackie, 5/15/2011 -
" Interesting topic. <br/><br/>Somewhat similar to my sister's keeper in a way.<br/><br/>Disliked the ending intensely. "
— Caroline, 5/15/2011 -
" Very good...but for Gods sake Jodi Picoult...do you always have to be so depressing? "
— Jennifer, 5/14/2011 -
" Pretty good. As in all Jodi Picoult books, it was pretty unrealistic, but interesting and thought-provoking. Again brought up a HUGE ethical dilemma and the repercussions of the decisions made by one person. I listened to it and it got me through a 10-hour round-trip to South Carolina. "
— Maury, 5/14/2011 -
" I am fairly new to Jodie Picoult novels. I very much liked House Rules. But I just finished Handle with Care, and I feel so let down. I struggled to like most of the characters through the whole book, and the ending was very dissatisfactory. "
— Dotti, 5/14/2011 -
" I am wondering if she'll ever write a book with a happy ending..If you like her other books, this is sure to please, although I had a hard time finding any likable qualities in the adults, which is probably the point. "
— Janice, 5/13/2011 -
" Another good book by Jodi Picoult. She really captures the characters, the family dynamic, the issues faced in a family with a serious illness to deal with. Lots of love and lots of difficult decisions. Couldnt put it down! "
— Karenshaff, 5/13/2011 -
" Fantastic writing. Didn't care for the end much, but beautiful as always! "
— Mariah, 5/13/2011
About Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult is the #1 New York Times and London Sunday Times bestselling author of twenty-four stand-alone novels and three series, through the genres of fiction, romance, young-adult romance, mystery, and science fiction. She is the recipient of multiple awards, including the New England Bookseller Award for Fiction, the Alex Award from the YA Library Services Association, and the NH Literary Award for Outstanding Literary Merit. She studied creative writing at Princeton University and received her masters from Harvard. Visit her website at JodiPicoult.com.
About the Narrators
Cassandra Morris has received critical acclaim for her voice-over work from Publishers Weekly and AudioFile magazine, earning a dozen Earphones Awards and twice been a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. Her voice has also been heard on television in commercial campaigns and numerous Nickelodeon and Disney products. She is the voice of many cartoon characters, including Leo and Luna in Yu-Gi-Oh, Carrie in Barbie: A Fairy Secret, Nathan in Pokémon, and Lola in Angelo Rules.
Celeste Ciulla is an accomplished actress and voice-over artist based in New York City. For her stage performances, she has received the 2010 Lunt–Fontanne Fellowship and the Callaway Award. She is also an Earphones Award–winning narrator.
Alma Cuervo is an Earphones Award–winning narrator and a stage actress and singer who has also performed in film and television. She holds an MFA in acting from the Yale School of Drama, from which she graduated in 1976 alongside Meryl Streep. She starred in the role of Madame Morrible in the first national tour of Wicked.
Jessica Almasy (she, her) is an actress, theater teacher, and award-winning audiobook narrator. She has recorded over eighty titles, including the Earphones Award–winning Clementine series and Operation Yes. She is the winner of two Audie Awards and several AudioFile Earphones Awards.
James Colby is an actor and Earphones Award–winning audiobook narrator.