Thursday, November 05, 2009

Itty Bitty Book Review: "Still Alice"

"Still Alice" by Lisa Genova

This is Genova's first novel and it depicts a woman's decline from early onset Alzheimers. It is getting good reviews and the author holds a Ph.D in neuroscience from Harvard and is an online columnist for the National Alzheimer's Association. It seemed like a fitting book to read after The Bell.

I gave it 30 pages but it just isn't very good writing...very simple and mechanical and predictable. And the ideas intrude so after reading the excellent writing of Murdoch where the ideas don't intrude it just wasn't on for me. I realize I might pick it up at another time and like it perhaps.

And I have Muriel Barbary's first novel "Gourmet Rhapsody" calling to me so it's really no contest. Seems a couple of the characters from Hedgehog are in this one too.