Rating: 
Summary: Not nearly as good as I'd expected
Review: I received this book as a First Edition selection from Book Passage in Corte Madera, CA. Big mistake. I couldn't fnish it. I returned it and bought Tobias Wolfe's latest. Then I read a few reviews...
A. Waldman is married to Michael Chabon??
You're kidding.
He needs to help her just a tad more. A rather large tad.
The story seems like it could be a good one, but the writing doesn't measure up, not IMO, anyway.
Rating: 
Summary: A personal account of a brutal, and harsh justice system
Review: I was quite surprised at some of the negative reviews of Daughter's Keeper. I thought it was quite an intelligent, well-written and thought provoking story. Waldman writes with a genuine passion and intensity that resonates throughout the work, and her attitudes towards the criminal justice system are weaved quite effortlessly into the narrative. Even though the story does have a tendency to drift into clichéd melodrama, Waldman still does a terrific job at presenting the human costs of the federal incarceration laws. Daughter's Keeper works on a number of different levels: As a portrait of a family in crisis; a mother-daughter love story; an indictment of the criminal justice system, and as an intuitive study of motherhood and what it means to be a mother. When the independently minded and headstrong Olivia is arrested under suspicion of dealing in methamphetamines with her Mexican boyfriend Jorge, she is catapulted into a nightmarish scenario - where both Olivia and her self-sufficient mother Elaine, are forced to confront head-on the government's war on drugs. As Olivia faces criminal prosecution, Elaine must come to terms with her own hidden regrets and grasp the opportunity for a second chance with her daughter. Waldman manages to weave astute characterization, with a perceptive use of drama to produce a story that shows not only the inequities of a judicial system that sees only in black and white, but also those strong bonds between mother and daughter. She has a nice easy, relaxed style that pleasantly balances natural conversation, and the interior description of the characters' inner lives, with a solid dramatic tension. Daughter's Keeper will teach you a lot about mandatory minimum sentences and also make you question whether the federal government is really winning the war on drugs. This is a good "message" book. Michael
Rating:
Summary: A Draconian and frightening tale
Review: Mother and daughter Elaine and Olivia Goodman have never gotten along well, their relationship most successful when they are not intimately engaged. Elaine has nurtured a nagging guilt that she hasn't given her daughter as much as she should have, never showing that unconditional love that binds women and their children and Olivia's young life is frequently characterized by rebelliousness. When real trouble surfaces, Elaine and Olivia's best hope becomes an all but futile struggle against the justice system.
Olivia's Mexican boyfriend shows up on her doorstep as a surprise, but later is unable to find work; feeling increasingly emasculated, he sets up a drug deal with a contact he has made at the restaurant where Olivia works as a waitress. Olivia is suspicious and informs Jorge that she won't have him dealing drugs, but her position is compromised when he uses her vehicle for his illegal transaction. Later, when he is arrested, Jorge turns evidence against Olivia in exchange for a lighter sentence.
Olivia is dragged out of bed in the middle of the night and taken to jail, only able to communicate with her court-appointed lawyer. This is where the nightmare begins: in Federal Court there is a mandatory sentence for drug trafficking, in Olivia's case, a minimum of six years. Olivia's mother must put up her home to get her daughter released on bail, but this is only the beginning, as they prepare for a trial where Olivia is assured of conviction, dependent on her young attorney for any chance to avoid the mandatory sentence.
What first appears to be a power struggle between mother and daughter, evolves instead into a horrific struggle against Draconian drug laws that leave no room for negotiation, the Federal officers concerned only with putting away the accused, even if the involvement is merely incidental. Olivia and Elaine learn the lessons of a lifetime, with no control over the outcome of events. Elaine Goodman's decisions drastically affect her daughter's future in a situation where her motherly instincts are worthless. The naiveté of ordinary people quickly becomes a burden, hampered as they are by their ignorance of Federal law. The emotional issues between mother and daughter are difficult to navigate, especially after Olivia discovers that she is pregnant. At this point, Elaine must face life-changing decisions, for herself and her fiancé, a man not given to generosity of spirit when it comes to Olivia.
This is an excellent first effort, full of passion and purpose, the author's call for public awareness loud and clear. As a former Federal Defender, the author's passion for the subject is clear, the court-related aspects detailed, precise and frightening. The author's most confident writing is about the trial itself, Waldman's area of expertise. Whatever its shortcomings as a first novel, Daughter's Keeper is a success, a "Scared Straight" for citizens of a truly threatening Federal judicial system, one without heart or compassion for those caught in the crosshairs. Luan Gaines/2004.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling look at America's "war on drugs"
Review: The main character of this novel, Olivia Goodman, is an outspoken young woman who drops out of college to travel to Mexico. While there, she meets Jorge, a charismatic young man with whom she has a brief affair. Olivia returns to the US, and to her surprise, Jorge soon turns up on her doorstep as an illegal alien. Their life becomes a dreary routine of Olivia supporting them through her waitressing job while Jorge attempts--mostly unsuccessfully--to find work. Jorge's desperation to become the breadwinner leads to his tangential involvement in a drug deal; unfortunately, his poor judgment results in not only his own arrest but Olivia's as well. What follows is an interesting insider's view of America's legal system, particularly the "mandatory minimum" sentences which can result in lengthy jail sentences for innocent bystanders like Olivia. However, the novel also contains a series of engaging character studies, as the story is told from various perspectives. Olivia herself is confronted with the necessity of taking responsibility for actions in light of both her possible jail time and her impending pregnancy. Her mother, Elaine, is torn between her disapproval of Olivia and her desire to help her child; Elaine must face the lack of maternal instinct which has clouded her entire relationship with her daughter. Olivia's public defender, Izaya, is a jaded but brilliant attorney who is spurred on by Olivia's innocence as well as his growing feelings for her. Finally, lesser characters such as Jorge and Arthur, Elaine's boyfriend, also impact the storyline with their unique viewpoints. I found myself caught up in Olivia's story, silently rooting for her as she faced trial. Although both Olivia and Elaine were not always likeable characters, it was easy to sympathize with them and the unfairness of Olivia's predicament. At the end of the novel, Olivia and Elaine each emerge as very different people; while this was not entirely believable, it made for an appealing and enjoyable read. Overall, I felt that this was a promising novel from an author who I would definitely read again.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling look at America's "war on drugs"
Review: The main character of this novel, Olivia Goodman, is an outspoken young woman who drops out of college to travel to Mexico. While there, she meets Jorge, a charismatic young man with whom she has a brief affair. Olivia returns to the US, and to her surprise, Jorge soon turns up on her doorstep as an illegal alien. Their life becomes a dreary routine of Olivia supporting them through her waitressing job while Jorge attempts--mostly unsuccessfully--to find work. Jorge's desperation to become the breadwinner leads to his tangential involvement in a drug deal; unfortunately, his poor judgment results in not only his own arrest but Olivia's as well. What follows is an interesting insider's view of America's legal system, particularly the "mandatory minimum" sentences which can result in lengthy jail sentences for innocent bystanders like Olivia. However, the novel also contains a series of engaging character studies, as the story is told from various perspectives. Olivia herself is confronted with the necessity of taking responsibility for actions in light of both her possible jail time and her impending pregnancy. Her mother, Elaine, is torn between her disapproval of Olivia and her desire to help her child; Elaine must face the lack of maternal instinct which has clouded her entire relationship with her daughter. Olivia's public defender, Izaya, is a jaded but brilliant attorney who is spurred on by Olivia's innocence as well as his growing feelings for her. Finally, lesser characters such as Jorge and Arthur, Elaine's boyfriend, also impact the storyline with their unique viewpoints. I found myself caught up in Olivia's story, silently rooting for her as she faced trial. Although both Olivia and Elaine were not always likeable characters, it was easy to sympathize with them and the unfairness of Olivia's predicament. At the end of the novel, Olivia and Elaine each emerge as very different people; while this was not entirely believable, it made for an appealing and enjoyable read. Overall, I felt that this was a promising novel from an author who I would definitely read again.
Rating: 
Summary: Powerful
Review: The mother daughter relationship in Waldman's novel is finessed to a fine point and makes for a rich tapestryof a story that weaves issues of love, justice with threads of how we can hurt each other and then help to heal each other. While this book cannot have been an easy one to write, and while it is not always easy to read -- for what it shows us about this mother and daugher and our legal system -- it is always a worthwhile read that is both intelligent, important and emotionally true.
Rating:
Summary: Good plot, bad writing
Review: The subject of this book is very important and told with a social conscience, but oh goodness, Ms. Waldman writes fiction like a ballerina wearing a scuba suit. I don't know whether to applaud her social conscience or ream her for what she's done to the minimum standards generally accepted in the world of fiction. A recomended read, if you promise not to think this is an example of wonderful prose or ignore the fact that she probably had a little advantage getting started. In time, her style may improve. Her heart is already there.
Rating:
Summary: Smart, fast and emotional
Review: This book is the story of a young woman who battles the American's drug laws. 22 year old Olivia Goodman is in a bind when her boyfriend, illegal Mexican immigrant Jorge, is persuaded to participate in a drug deal, and Olivia's vague complicity sweeps her into an intense legal battle when she is arrested with Jorge. Her mother, Elaine, has choose between helping her daughter and pleasing her fiance.
I really liked this book a lot because of the way it explores the relationship between Olivia and her mother - it starts off with clashes and discomfort, and develops and changes throughout her experience and actually had me in tears by the end.
I also liked the author who has a lot of knowledge about the legal system and the drug laws in question. It taught me a lot about these laws that I'd never considered before. I always like books where I learn interesting things! A fast moving story to the end.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful read.
Review: This is a great, fast-paced read from the author of the Mommy Track mysteries. She tackles more serious subject matter this time, but never loses her wit and sense of humor. There's a valid social message here, but Ayelet doesn't shove it down our throats or beat us about the heads with it; the characters are multidimensional and very much alive, and the prickly intimacy of the relationship between a middle-aged mother and her grown daughter is captured very aptly. Ayelet delivers the legal maneuverings and courtroom tension you might find in a John Grisham novel with the intelligence, wit and warmth of the Ivy League educated attorney and mother that she is. It makes for a great combination and a very satisfying read.
Rating:
Summary: Domestic Naturalism Collides Beautifully With Legal Realism
Review: This is one of the rare occasions when all of the advance word from authors blurbing a book, the jacket copy and the initial reviewing press aren't just hype. Waldman is telling a scary but utterly believable story with well-delineated characters who are both sympathetic and frighteningly true, meaning 100% human and convincing. In telling Olivia's story, Waldman has not made her heroine or her heroine's mother Elaine innocent--both are complicitous in small, wonderfully familiar ways (who with a family doesn't get sucked into uncertain, not-quite-kosher areas of culpability?). And both get our moral support through Waldman's gift of weaving past and present into a seamless drama. I've read the author's mysteries and all are well-crafted narratives, flesh-and-blood populated, with compelling back stories that come to light in the end. But here Waldman has confirmed what readers of the Juliet Applebaum/Mommy Track novels have suspected all along: she's a literary contender, and means business. She's one of the rare writers who dare to work with issues that are of life-and-death interest to us, and not give in to the solipsistic tendencies of authors plying their trade in semiotic self-obfuscations or artsy word play. She's telling us the story of her society as she sees it, and given her legal background (which informs the exposition with matter-of-fact dryness to breathtaking effect at times), she'll be telling us the story and stories related to it again and again.
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