Aged 37, a seemingly healthy Masha Gessen is advised to cut off her breasts and remove her ovaries. Living in the shadow of her mother's death at 49 from breast cancer, and the discovery she also carries the genetic mutation that predisposes her to the disease, she sets about finding statistical and anecdotal evidence to help inform her choice. Both a memoir and an introduction to how genetics are increasingly informing our decisions, Blood Matters holds the reader's attention. Gessen's frank and visceral descriptions are always moving, particularly when she depicts the "pure violence" of her operation. A personal tale that is both powerful and useful for anyone facing a similar decision.