Still Alice by Lisa Genova was on a list of books to read that I pinned on Pinterest. I finished reading it last night, and I was intrigued, inspired and enlightened as I walked through this story. The book's main character is 50-year-old Alice, who is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's Disease. She is a distinguished tenure professor at Harvard, whose area of expertise is cognitive psychology and linguistics. This detail is fascinating to me, and has a definite effect on how the plot unfolds. Her husband and three grown children experience this journey with her. The story is filled with moments of every emotion across the spectrum, including intense anger, doubt and disbelief, humor and lightheartedness, sadness and loss, and great love.
One of my favorite things about the book is the perspective in which it's written. It allows the reader to get a glimpse into aspects of what life is like for those who develop Alzheimer's symptoms. It creates a deeper understanding of what it's like for family and caregivers, as well as victims of this atrocious disease, to go through these grief stages of acceptance, preparation and difficult decisions.
There are very unique relationships that are explored, which is always a huge draw for me to get involved in a story. The relationship between husband and wife and how they respond to this life-changing news. I went back and forth between hating and loving John, Alice's husband, as he did his best to process the diagnosis and responded with love and logic, alternately. The bond between mother and daughter and restoring a broken relationship before it's too late. It's definitely my favorite meta-narrative in the book...the story of Alice and Lydia, her youngest. The relationship among siblings who have love, respect and admiration for their mother and a newfound fear of losing her.
It's a beautiful story, and I highly recommend it to you. If you know someone who has or had Alzheimer's, it offers a sense of comfort to better comprehend what they go through. My sweet grandfather, Pa, had Alzheimer's and it helped me to remember him, not with the disease but with the integrity of who he was and all of the wonderful things he accomplished in his life. It's like soothing balm to my soul.
Another reason to read it is for the movie, which is set to be released sometime in 2015...you know, if you like to do the read the book, see the movie thing. I do like it a lot, just ask my husband. It also seems to be casted really well, in my humble opinion, after reading the book and meeting the characters.
My only warning to you is this. It's possible that, while you are reading this book, you may begin to feel at times like you are experiencing some of the symptoms of dementia. This especially applies to those who are really busy and spread thin, moms of young children, forgetful by nature or directionally challenged. I am all of these...so I really took notice of my 'dementia symptoms' while reading Alice's story. Maybe it's just me.
I hope you will read it. It's a quick read if you enjoy books. I would love to hear what you think if you've read it or if you decide to read it in the future.
“The mother in her believed that the love she had for her daughter was safe from the mayhem of her mind, because it lived in her heart.” -Lisa Genova (author)
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