Review: Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Alice watched and listened to the relentless, breaking waves pounding the shore. If it weren’t for the colossal seawall constructed at the edges of the properties of the million-dollar homes along Shore Drive, the ocean would have taken each house in, devouring them all without sympathy or apology. She imagined her Alzheimer’s like this ocean at Lighthouse Beach—unstoppable, ferocious, destructive. Only there were no seawalls in her brain to protect her memories and thoughts from the onslaught. [pg 156]

Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Pocket Books, 2009 (ARE)
Fiction, 303 pgs

My grandmother was an amazing woman. She was a teacher, a wife and a mother. She was active in both her church and the League of Women Voters organization. She and my grandfather very much a part of my childhood. After my Grandpa John died, the family began noticing little changes in my grandmother. She was forgetful. She would go out wearing her clothing backwards. She left a turkey in the trunk of her car one hot summer night, completely forgotten. She could not do simple tasks and would lose her way home while out running errands. She bought a minivan she could not afford nor needed. She was irritable and defensive. Eventually she withdrew, barely speaking. She stopped making an effort to walk, preferring instead to sit in a wheelchair. She couldn’t remember who people were and we did not know if she really understood what was going on around her. My grandmother did not have Alzheimer’s, however. She suffered from vascular dementia, with many of the same symptoms as someone with Alzheimer’s might have. In my desire to learn more about her illness, I did quite a bit of research into dementia, including Alzheimer’s Disease.

My father’s father, Grandpa Willie, did have Alzheimer’s Disease. His was not early onset as Alice’s was in the novel. His came with old age. Being on the West Coast and he on the East, I did not see the impact his illness had on him first hand like I had with my grandmother in California. I heard the stories though. The last time I saw my grandfather in the nursing home, he had no idea who I was.

Earlier this year, my husband’s uncle was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Uncle R is a war veteran, highly intelligent and was successful in his career. It has been difficult for his family, including his wife, children, mother and sister.

Alzheimer’s is hereditary. And that’s a scary thought. As terrible as this may sound, I confess to being more frightened of having that than cancer (although I worry about that too; breast cancer being a real risk factor in my life—both my grandmothers and mother having had it). The idea of losing my mind, piece by piece . . . My memories, including the most basic disappearing. And knowing it is happening. I cannot imagine how frustrating and frightening that would be not only for me but those around me.

Still Alice was not a book I sought out to read before now. It was one sent to me by the publisher for review. Even amidst all the glowing reviews, I hesitated in reading it. I commented on many blogger reviews that I wasn’t ready, that it hit too close to home. When Florinda brought up the idea of a group read-along, I penciled it in deciding I might as well give it a try.

I picked up Still Alice at lunch on Friday and barely spent any time on my computer that night as I jumped right back into reading. I only went to bed at 12:44 a.m. because I could not keep my eyes open any longer. I finished the book Saturday morning. I didn’t rush through the book on purpose with a deadline in mind. I was so involved in Alice’s story, in her family’s story, that I just wanted to keep reading.

In Lisa Genova’s novel, Dr. Alice Howland is a cognitive psychology professor at Harvard University. She has a successful career and is well-respected among her peers. She prides herself on her accomplishments and being the best teacher she can be. She is the mother of three adult children and married to a man she loves very much and who is also successful in his own career.

She loves her children. Her older two are leading successful lives. Alice worries about her youngest though who has chosen a career path that Alice has trouble understanding. She also worries that she and her husband have grown apart. They live under the same roof, but lead very independent lives. She misses their walks to work in the morning, holding hands and stopping at Jerri’s for coffee and tea.

She is extremely busy, always on the go. It is no wonder she occasionally forgets where she puts things and sometimes loses a word. Everyone does that now and then, especially when stressed or overwhelmed. In Alice’s case, there’s also the possibility of menopause setting in. Hadn’t she read that minor memory disruptions and mental confusion could be related to that?

It isn’t until she forgets how to get home one day during a run that she realizes just how serious her problem may be. Not wanting to worry her husband, she sees her doctor and later a neurologist. She never expected the diagnosis she was given: early onset Alzheimer’s Disease.

Lisa Genova’s prose is simple and easy to read even if the story she tells is one filled with sadness and pain. It is not all depressing though. While Alice’s prognosis is poor, her family is just as much a part of this book as Alice, and their lives will go on.

I wasn’t too keen on Alice at first. I immediately identified with her youngest daughter, Lydia. Alice is very opinionated and has difficulty understanding Lydia’s choice not to attend college to pursue an acting career. Alice and Lydia have a strained relationship in the beginning of the book, but as the story progresses, their relationship begins to change. My impressions of Lydia only grow more positive and I came to really care about Alice.

I could understand Alice’s husband’s initial denial and constant search for solutions that might help his wife. It couldn’t have been easy for him. The woman he loved was disappearing before his eyes. Juggling his career and a spouse who was becoming increasingly dependent would not be easy on anyone. I feel terrible for writing this, but he frustrated me at times with the choices he made, one in particular. Was he wrong? Not necessarily. He did what he thought was best for him in his situation. It is hard to know what we would do in any given circumstance without being in that situation ourselves. Still, his choices bothered me.

Alzheimer’s Disease is degenerative and there is yet no cure. There are drugs that help minimally by delaying the progression of the illness but it is still unknown how to stop it. There is DNA testing available which can detect whether a person is likely to develop Alzheimer’s, however, it is not full proof by any stretch. And then the question becomes whether you’d want to know something like that ahead of time. Lisa Genova broached this subject in the novel as well.

The author also addressed the stigma associated with Alzheimer’s. The fear and assumptions people make upon learning someone has the disease. When Alice’s colleagues learned of her diagnosis, they began to avoid her. Her family often would talk about her while she sat right there in the room instead of addressing her directly. Alice could not help but feel alienated and alone, not to mention helpless.

I felt a full range of emotions while reading this novel: fear, anger, sadness, joy, hope, helplessness, and love. The bonds of the Howland family are tested to the limit. Alice is an amazing and strong woman. I couldn’t help but think of my grandmother, grandfather, and Uncle R. as I read. My heart aches for what they must have gone through—and are going through in the case of my husband’s uncle. I hope that a cure for or at least a way to stop the progression of Alzheimer’s will be found in the near future. I cried as I read Still Alice and for a long time after I finished it. It is not an easy read due to the subject matter, but it is well worth reading.

Rating: (Very Good +)


For more information about the author, Lisa Genova, and her book visit her website.

---

© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.