Turn of Mind is the story of a sixty-four year old female hand surgeon accused of a crime she can't remember committing.
This is because she has Alzheimer's, and day by day her insight into her predicament and her life becomes more and more fragile. On good days, she recognizes her children and has memories of her past. But on many days, they are no more familiar to her than her caretaker or a stranger walking down the street.
Dr. Jennifer White is an enigma to the reader too. She seems to have been a rather remote mother, wife and friend. Or is this the disease? Has it taken away the qualities that would make us like her more.
The writing in this novel is highly original as LaPlante captures the elusive quality of Dr. White's life through her cryptic writing. The pages turn quickly and yet, at the end, I felt a bit disappointed. Perhaps it began too late in her disease to have a real feel for who she was.
Likewise the supporting characters seem remote and mysterious. But this is what Alzheimers does to its victims, so how can I fault it? It was certainly a very fine book, but perhaps not as good as I expected. And the mystery of the crime is solved in a rather desultory way.
For more book reviews, go to Barry Summie's blog.
9 comments:
I like books that has writing that is, in itself, part of the story. Chabon does this, as well as Gaiman, to name two. The way you write about it, the author made conscious decisions to mask certain traits of the character to give the reader--a person not really involved in the story--a taste of what it's probably like to experience Alzheimer's. Fascinating.
Wow, that sounds depressing.
Jeff M.
This sounds interesting. I work with a number of dementia clients.
I'm having much fun volunteering in long-term care.
I'm thinking I should write a fictional book about it! My co-publisher told me to do a biography first, but then my royalties for the first 6 mos. of 2011 were zilch!!!!
It was not as depressing as some of these books are.
Having spent a lot of time at my parents' assisted living facility, I grew used to it. Which was both good and bad.
You should try it, Jenn.
I have read so many positive reviews of this novel that it was helpful to see yours taking a step back to flag its weaknesses along side its strengths.
Patti - Thanks for your insights on this novel. I know what you mean about the remoteness of the characters. For what it's worth, here's my read on that. I think Jennifer White is a rather distant kind of person; not that she has no humanity, but that's her style. And I agree with you that since we see the other characters through her eyes, it's hard to say whether the rather shadowy picture we get of them is because that's how they are or because of the Alzheimer's. And it's interesting, too, that you bring up the way the mystery is solved. I see your point but honestly, that didn't trouble me as much as I would have thought it would. I usually notice and very much mind that kind of thing...
Oh, thanks,Margot. You the first person I know to have read it.
Ditto what Scott said. And now that you and Margo have weighed in, I'm really curious to read the book to see what I think. Thanks, Patti!
This sounds interesting and unusual. Not sure if I would like it, but one never knows without trying. Alzheimer's is my worst fear, I think.
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