You had fertility problems. You went through the
IVF process. You have your longed-for family. But you
also have additional embryos in storage. What will you
do with them? There are over 100,000 frozen embryos in
Britain. Every year, thousands more are created, and
every year, couples must choose between another IVF
cycle, donating the embryos to scientific research,
embryonic adoption or disposal. For four families,
making this difficult decision will prove a threat to
their happiness, security and well-being. Susie Allen’s
circumstances have changed dramatically since her
embryos were created. She does not plan to use the
embryos herself, but her logical approach to resolving
the issue is frustrated by the necessity of considering
the wishes of her wider family. The Hunter’s busy lives
hide a web of secrets, depression and guilt. When Harry
discovers Elise has been hiding the reminder letters
about their remaining embryo, the past overshadows their
present dilemma, so that both their marriage and their
Christian faith are severely tested. Jayanti and Percy
Bell’s problem is communication. Superstitious fears and
a need to please, combined with the pressures of raising
a handicapped daughter, conspire to prevent an open
discussion taking place – with near-catastrophic
results. Thirteen year old Alice Richards has a clear
sense of right and wrong and holds tenaciously onto her
opinions. When she accidentally discovers that she has
potential siblings in storage, and that her parents plan
to dispose of them, she wages a campaign to change their
minds. Lives in Limbo is a poignant and moving tale that
depicts with compassion and sensitivity the thoughts and
emotions of six individuals grappling with this very
modern quandary. As the novel follows each family’s
journey, it explores the nature of responsibility, the
fragility of human relationships and what it means to be
alive.
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