ISBN: 9780802119773
Release date: July 5, 2011
Grade: B+
Recommended for mystery fans, thriller fans, fans of Lisa Genova's Still Alice, those dealing with Alzheimer's.
Turn of Mind is one heck of a story and an impressive debut from Alice LaPlante. Dr. Jennifer White is a 64 year old retired orthopedic surgeon who stands accused of murdering her best friend and neighbor Amanda. Not only was Amanda murdered but four of her fingers were expertly amputated. The only problem is that Dr. White has early onset dementia and doesn't remember what happened. Her memories come from the brief snippets of time that she can remember and what has been written down in a master notebook. This notebook is where her caregiver Magdalena, son Mark and daughter Fiona write down their conversations with Jennifer. The story is told from the once sharp and now deteriorating mind of Dr. White and takes us along one family's journey through dementia.
At times this book was a bit unsettling as it rings so true for what a patient with dementia goes through. The fits of anger, rage and aggression are spot on as are the moments of lucidity. Writing this well about dementia requires medical training, personal experience or supernatural powers. Dr. White reminded me of some of my patients in nursing school on the Alzheimer's floor. The only thing missing was being cussed at in Polish and German which I am thoroughly grateful for. This book is also a stellar example of how to effectively illustrate the setting without inundating the reader with frivolous details (pointing my finger at Audrey Niffenegger). What was expertly captured was the family dynamics with having a sick parent. The stress placed on Dr. White's children felt real as did that of Magdalena. The suspense keeps building until the end that will surely shock. I highly recommend this for nearly everyone. If you loved Lisa Genova's Still Alice, then Turn of Mind will definitely be as appealing a read. If this is Alice LaPlante's debut novel, the next books should be equally as compelling.
Thank you NetGalley and Grove/Atlantic for my advanced copy!
I felt torn by my feelings toward the book. The Alzheimer's depicted through the narrative brings to the forefront how terrible it must be to suffer this disease, either in yourself or a loved one. When I consider the fairly unlikable characters, I feel somewhat indifferent to the story as a whole. The murder and the why behind the murder are insignificant to the depiction of a mind suffering Alzheimer's.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up two good points and I wholeheartedly agree about the characters being unlikable. I can definitely see how a reader might feel indifferent to the story. Part of why I liked it so much was because it was not the typical mystery/thriller novel.
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