Alice Howland is an esteemed psychology professor at Harvard, living a comfortable life in Cambridge with her husband, John, arguing about the usual things (making quality time together, their daughter's move to L.A.) when the first symptoms of Alzheimer's begin to emerge. First, Alice can't find her Blackberry, then she becomes hopelessly disoriented in her own town. Alice is shocked to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's (she had suspected a brain tumor or menopause), after which her life begins steadily to unravel. She loses track of rooms in her home, resigns from Harvard and eventually cannot recognize her own children.
I found this book so much scarier than any horror themed book I could find. The brutal facts of Alzheimer's are heartbreaking, and it's impossible not to feel for Alice and her loved ones. After reading this book, every time I misplace my keys or struggle to find the right work I’m looking for, in the back of my mind I am thinking about this book (although there as far as I know my fears are totally unfounded and I have nothing to worry about at this stage really).
I think Lisa Genova handled such a sensitive subject quite well. It would be easy to let a book about this topic lead in to a ‘pity party’ and while you do feel deeply sorry for the characters involved, it also shows how each of them cope and continue to live their lives.
Still Alice was a great novel that I think will appeal to most readers, not just those close to the matter. Definitely worth a read.
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