What Alice Forgot

Enjoyable read. I appreciated the interaction between the "young Alice" and the "older Alice". It made me think about how we change over the years. I thought the parts written by her sister Elizabeth to her psychologist added a lot to the story line but not so much the parts by her adopted grandmother Frannie.

What struck me the most was the thoughtful views on marriage. "It was never so much that Dominick was wrong for her and that Nick was right. She may have had a perfectly happy life with Dominick. But Nick was Nick…They could look at an old photo together and travel back in time to the same place…" Marriage cannot be simply put asunder, because of the tangled threads ("How strange [divorce] was. Wouldn't it be a lot less messy if everyone just stayed with the people they married in the first place?"). Time binds: "Each memory, good and bad, was another invisible thread that bound them together, even when they were foolishly thinking they could lead separate lives." It's not a romantic view of marriage, but nor is it a cynical one, and it seems to me a very true one. There is actually something quite beautiful in it: "Early love is exciting and exhilarating…Anyone can love like that. But love after three children, after separation and a near-divorce, after you've hurt each other and forgiven each other, bored each other and surprised each other, after you've seen the worst and the best—well, that sort of love is ineffable. It deserves its own word."

The best part of the novel is that along with a well told story, it gives the gift of introspection about your own life, how you have changed, the effects of your changes, and a fresh take on your current life.

After losing 10 years of her memories, Alice has the emotions of her 29 year old self, and total confusion of why she is/is not friends with people, and how in the world she ended up in a divorce process. The transformation of Alice when she finally merges her 29 year old optimism with the intervening events as she regains her memories is wonderful. I actually may reread this book!

Is this still going to be a movie with Jennifer Anniston as Alice? I can’t wait! Reading this really makes you think about your own life and what it would be like losing 10 years of it. How much different would your personality be? Less jaded? We see the world differently in our late 20’s versus our late 30’s. It was such a good story! And it was really three stories. We saw Alice as she struggled with losing her memory and reverting back 10 years. The anticipation of her getting her memories back was worth it. We also had Elisabeth’s story through letters to her therapist outlining her IVF journey. The third was Frannie’s later-in-life love story told through letters (I won’t say to who because it’s a spoiler).

It threw me a little at the end but then it righted itself.

First, I have read less than 10 books that get 5 stars from me. I have a very high criteria, and it is rarely met. This book was very close, though, and I'll tell you why. I found the story very compelling, I found myself thinking of the book when I wasn't reading it. I would be wondering what was going to happen next. I also found myself thinking of Alice's situation, and how it would be if that had happened to me. The characters in the book were real and believable, and generally well defined. The writing is good, if simple, it doesn't announce itself to you, but it's rich enough to advance the story. Mostly, it's well crafted in a way that isn't too sentimental, yet it touches you. I loved the way Liane weaves the themes of memory and memories together right to the end. Oh, and there is an end! So many books just trail off with no conclusion - this book does give you an ending, and it's not what you expected, which is a nice surprise. So, why not 5 stars? Well, for one, I'd call this book a "place and time" book. It resonated with me closely because I, like Alice, am a wife and mother of 3 of a certain age. I'm not sure if a single 20 year old would love this book as much as I did. I think they would like it because it's a great story, but the hook is the memories, and if you personally don't have that many memories, I'm not sure if you would feel as strongly. On the other hand, I had borrowed the book from the library, but then went and bought my own copy so that I can lend it to my friends, sisters, and co-workers :-) The other .25 of a star off is just because the writing, while very good, is not at the 5 star level that I set. I have already bought and read "Three Wishes" based on loving this book (and really liked it), and I have another of Liane's books in the queue - there is no doubt that Ms. Moriarty knows how to tell a story, and she gives the reader more than just the story, but the connection that a reader (at least this reader) wants.

I love her style of writing. It’s easy, but it also holds your attention.