This is a story about two sisters bound together by their unfailing love for each other.  Marlowe is a scientist studying in London while her sister, Harper who has Downs Syndrome and a congenital heart disorder lives with their father in Hong Kong. Harper’s health begins to rapidly deteriorate and when Marlowe flies home she is desperate to get her sister a transplant despite objections from Harper herself, her father and medical staff.

Told from both sister’s point of view, it’s a moving story of love, loss, grief, the right to choose how to die, and Chinese treatment of organs.

Harper who sees everything in a positive light is quite delightful as she is insightful and I warmed to her character. Her sister Marlowe tends to lose the plot entirely racing towards an ill-thought out and dangerous plan. It is hard to fathom the selfishness of her actions. But under it all is unresolved issues with the death of her mother and her feelings of responsibility as the older sister.

The subject matter is tough but the characters themselves didn’t quite come together for me. Perhaps I couldn’t see them as being completely authentic and I found it hard to buy into Marlowe’s actions at times.

Nevertheless it was an interesting read even if a little heavy handed at times.