Still Alice- Lisa Genova

This book was read as part of the wishlist challenge.

Synopsis (from amazon)

When Alice finds herself in the rapidly downward spiral of Alzheimer’s Disease she is just fifty years old. A university professor, wife, and mother of three, she still has so much more to do – books to write, places to see, grandchildren to meet. But when she can’t remember how to make her famous Christmas pudding, when she gets lost in her own back yard, when she fails to recognise her actress daughter after a superb performance, she comes up with a desperate plan. But can she see it through? Should she see it through? Losing her yesterdays, living for each day, her short-term memory is hanging on by a couple of frayed threads. But she is still Alice.

Review

I read a review of Still Alice on another blog quite some time ago (long enough ago that I can’t remember whose blog it was, sorry!) which made me put it on my wishlist. By the time I actually bought it I couldn’t really even remember what it was about.

In terms of books about Alzheimer’s I found it rather emotive and there were moments I just felt so, not despairing exactly, but almost pityful for Alice. At times it was just gut-wrenching.

I liked Alice a lot, even as she forgot more and more, and I think that’s part of what made it so emotive. However I did not like John. He didn’t seem supportive at all, and I found him rather selfish.

There were a couple of little things which annoyed me. First Alice was a psychology professor but still didn’t recognise her symptoms as being Alzheimer’s, however I was able to forgive this. Even if you know something it’s easy to pretend it isn’t happening, or to attribute it to something else. The second thing was that one of her daughters had noticed something but said nothing. I can see it being awkward to talk to her Mum about it, but I would have thought that she might at least have brought her thoughts up with someone else in the family.

4/5

Buy it:

Kindle (£4.99)

Paperback (£5.99)

Other Reviews:

Sheila @ Book Journey

Kat @ No Page Left Behind

Lainy @ So Many Books So Little Time

Have I missed your review? Post your link in comments and I will add it here.

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