'Still Alice' - Lisa Genova

If you are a particularly empathetic person (such as myself), reading this book will require tissues by the pallet load. It is a heartbreaking reminder of what it would be like to live with Alzheimer's disease. Alice is just fifty years-old and at the height of her career when she is diagnosed with Early-onset Alzheimer's disease, a diagnosis she is reluctant to accept. As a married mother of three and a professor of psychology at Harvard, you know immediately that she has much to lose. but the losses are still shocking nonetheless. 

The story is told from Alice's point of view, a decision that aids the story emotionally as well as rather cleverly. As her mind declines and she begins to be less aware of her surroundings, Genova makes us also less aware. We know about as much as Alice does, and this is where the heartbreak comes in, because by the end of the novel we know practically nothing and are relying on the other characters, just like Alice. Even though some of the story can be predictable if you know a little about the disease, the impact is not lessened because of this. It also doesn't state the obvious; if events repeat themselves because Alice cannot remember doing them the first time, Genova relies on you to pick this up.

A novel about Alzheimer's might not sound like fun to pick up, but I can honestly say it's a good read. It is an incredibly powerful book, but should not be shied away from. Genova attempts to give the reader something at the end of the novel to perhaps lighten the mood. Though not a proper conclusion (so please do not expect a neat little bow), the last couple of pages answer a question that Alice frets over since her diagnosis; is the love you feel for your family in your heart or in your head? From the conversation that takes place, we can only assume that love is not something that Alice forgets.

It is a truly eye-opening, educational novel for those such as myself with no experience of the disease. With the release of a film adaptation as well, I can only hope Still Alice will raise awareness of dementia. I have not seen the film though, and never watch film adaptions before I have read the books that they are based upon, but hopefully it is just as enlightening as the novel.