Wednesday, July 23, 2014

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

Alice wakes up after a fall at the gym and her world is completely turned upside down.  She believes herself to be twenty-nine years old, in complete love with her husband, and pregnant with her first child.  In reality, she is ten years older, in the midst of a heated divorce with her husband, and unable to remember a single detail about the birth of her three children.  She finds many of her relationships strained, and those few that are going well, she is not sure how to react to them.  So much has occurred in those missing ten years and she does not know how to move through her new life . . . and she's not sure she wants to have all those years back.  Alice struggles to adapt to this unexpected turn of events, and many of those in her life find themselves struggling as well - both with the changes in Alice and with their own personal obstacles.

What Alice Forgot is a book that really made me think and evaluate my own life.  Moriarty's story had me questioning and comparing myself, both ten years ago and today.  She made me wonder if I was happy with myself presently as well as curious at where ten more years into the future could take me.  Ultimately, it left me wondering . . . Am I where I want to be?  Am I the person I have always strived to become?

In the end, What Alice Forgot was a good read, but to be honest I am not sure what I felt at the end.  The epilogue in particular induced a mix of emotions that are still present in me today, weeks after completing the book.

I read this book for a book club.  It's a great discussion-based novel, one that leaves you pondering Alice's life as well as your own.  Overall, it's a worthwhile read, despite the dissonance I may have felt at the end.

Have you had the chance to meet Alice yet?  What are your thoughts on the younger vs older woman?

4 comments:

  1. There are so many books out that deal with memory loss that I tend to skip over them when I see them. However, just the idea of losing one's memory is scary isn't it? Especially when you can't remember your own children. Tragic for all those involved, I'm sure.

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    1. Ti ... I haven't really seen a lot of books about memory loss. What are some other ones? Either way, I think it is so scary and so tragic.

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  2. I loved this book. I read it when I was 39, the same age as Alice when she wakes up from her fall. I could relate to so much of this story!

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    1. Julie ... I'm not quite 39, but it really made me think about my life! I was not expecting that!!

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