I wish there was an alternate part of the book to show the lives of people surrounding her what would have happened if "butterfly" went into effect. I think the movie skipped crucial parts like Dan, the support group, and the healing of a mother and daughter. It is sad but beautiful that it took a disease to bring them closer in this case but sometimes life has a funny way of working out. I do not know enough about my family to say if I could have certain ailments or not but I ask and hope to see a geneoligist when I am having kids for my and their sake. I learned a lot but their is still more to learn. I loved how she struggled and those around her hurt and suffered to because that is raw...real life. What she like and her honesty deveolped into a pureness not many healthy or afflicted can produce. In the end even as we suffer and die we are "still" us. In our flaws and brilliance. Lydia is my favorite character and Alice's father my least favorite though he was not a main character or alive he played a main part in blame, pain, and case by case. I wish we did find out who had the genes of alice relatives/parents. I like lydia would not want to know I would just ensure my children would not have it. I always say I rather die on my own than cause someone to die with me. I deeply enjoyed this book. Very thought provoking.