Lisa Genova's first novel Still Alice brought so many memories to surface...my mother was a victim of Alzheimer's disease late in life...the main character Alice Howland is a victim early in life.
Genova has a Ph.D in neuroscience. This is good to know, as it adds even more validity to the novel.
The novel takes the reader literally into the mind and progression of the Alzheimer disease as the story is told from Alice's perspective (we in the English classroom call this third-person limited point of view :). Powerful. Startling. Sad. Probably just too true.
Once I started, I read to the end. One, I wanted the journey to be over. Two, this flashback was too strong as my mother finally eased into Heaven just two short years ago this past January. Three, could this be me?
With that said...everyone...I mean everyone...should read this book, for as this month's book club leader said, "Everyone will have to deal with this topic at some point." My one regret now is not reading this book during the time my mom had the disease. Just don't know that I could have. Not sure I ever got out of denial until too close to the end.
Genova portrays the family's perspectives so true. The shock. The denial. The acceptance...or not. The reader is introduced to her very successful career and the loss of that career, to her three children and their varying levels of acceptances, to her husband and his helpful stance and lack thereof. Never once, as I was reading, ever think, no, that couldn't have happened. It is real.
As I posted a pic of the cover, I just noticed the butterfly. Pay attention as a you read...butterflies are actually a powerful character in the book. Aren't they so pretty?
Today, I cannot end this with "Happy reading!"...today, I end with..
Read for reality.
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