Jacob Have I Loved
by Katherine Paterson

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Book Reviews of Jacob Have I Loved

Book Review: "Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."
Summary: 5 Stars

Sara Louise has a younger twin sister, Caroline, who is charming and sweet and talented. Most of all, Caroline is important and treasured. Sara Louise struggles with intense feelings of jealousy and resentment, terrified that her negative feelings will damn her to Hell. The story is told by Sara Louise, allowing the reader a close view of all the feelings Sara Louise keeps locked inside herself.

Equally trying to Sara Louise's patience is her Bible verse-quoting grandmother. As her grandmother ages, the old woman's mind deteriorates, leaving her confused about who people are. Unfortunately, the less she grasps of reality, the more vicious her tongue gets, culminating in the hurtful scene where she quotes the verse from Romans that gives this novel its name.

Through the details of Sara Louise's life, Paterson shows the reader the life of a waterman's family. Sara Louise's father is a crab and oyster fisherman, selling what he catches to another islander who takes the catch to the mainland to be sold. Even though Sara Louise is not a son, she is strong and capable of assisting her father, and thus contributing some to the family's income. Despite this, Sara Louise feels inadequate.

Sara Louise is an akward, confused young woman, and it can be painful to watch her stumble and act foolishly. It is unclear if her feeling that everyone prefers Caroline is real, or merely Sara's perception. Her loneliness, however, is very much a reality - and very much of her own making. Can she ever feel that she is no longer in Caroline's shadow?

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