It's been a while since I've read a modern fiction story that hasn't been cheapened by references to Facebook and internet drama. Well, this isn't entirely true as I rarely read this type of fiction, but it is true I haven't really adapted to techno-savvy literature. I prefer the ideal, pre-internet works that remind me of better days when life was real.
However, What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty refreshed my view of relatively new fiction, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed the story.
While I'm describing the book, don't be surprised if you think it sounds cheesy and lame. I felt the same way while describing the book to my mother-in-law. As I outlined the plot, I found myself thinking, "Glory, I've lost my sense of quality literature and a critical mind. Come back, grad school, come back!"
But then, after careful thought about this book review, I decided there really were some great qualities to What Alice Forgot that rose above and beyond my expectations for modern literature in a seemingly shallow world.
What Alice Forgot is the story of a woman who woke up after a seemingly-epic gym accident and had lost the last 10 years of her memory. She was really a 39-year-old mother of three but believed she was 29 and pregnant with her first daughter (Yes, it sounds lame.).
But, it's wasn't lame. Moriarty revives this cliche amnesiac type of literature as she creates a very defined line between 29-year-old Alice and 39-year-old Alice. I think one of the things I liked most about the book was how the book challenged me to think through how much a person's habits, preferences, daily activities, and priorities can change within a 10-year period.
I really related with the 29-year-old Alice (shocker, right?) but was also frightened by how serious I am in comparison to over-achiever 39-year-old Alice. I probably relate more to the 39-year-old Alice minus the soccer-mom, PTA President, Control Freak aspect. Ok, I am a control freak, but I try and maintain a subtle control freak mentality instead of a take the bull by the horns, stand on top of the mountain control freak. But the juxtaposition created between the 2 characters, even though they were the same person, was the best.
1998 Alice is naive and giggly, taking in the sensory elements of her life and responding with random, witty reparte.
I like the dialogue between Alice and her young daughter, who Alice couldn't remember. Her daughter claims to be sick and asks Alice how to get well. Alice's response: "You should do a cartwheel. That will cure you." Of course, her daughter could do a perfect cartwheel. It was a nice fun-mom moment.
I also liked how I was kept guessing about this Gina character and what happened with her/Alice's husband, Nick/Alice. I won't reveal the true situation, obviously, but I definitely tracked along with Alice's guesses. It was almost as if the reader recovers from amnesia along with Alice.
One of the random things about the novel was how the story was primarily about Alice, but Alice's sister and "grandmother" also had their own chapters and narration in the form of letters to a psychologist and old fiance, respectively. At first, I didn't track with these narrations, but as the story unfolded, I found them essential to understanding the meaning of relationships and how communication plays a role in shaping our lives, for good or for bad, especially in the lives of women.
One more thing about What Alice Forgot. I thought the Lemon Meringue Pie situation was one of the weirdest things I've ever read in a novel. It definitely proved the craziness of 2008 Alice but almost seemed too much. Do PTA's really do crazy stuff like that? Can 10 years really change a person that much? You'll have to let me know if you read it. It was amusing nonetheless.
Favorite quote from What Alice Forgot:
"They would think she was savoring the taste (blueberries, cinnamon, cream – excellent), but she was actually savoring the whole morning, trying to catch it, pin it down, keep it safe before all those precious moments became yet another memory."
