Reviews

Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante

annies1's review

4.0

Excellent. Very well written and not easily explained. Excellent look at Alzheimer’s. Mystery is very well written as well.

byp's review

4.0

The gimmick is similar to Before I Go to Sleep, but this is a much richer story.

novabird's review

3.0

Turn of the Mind, was an exceptionally good read, however terrifying. LaPlante having first hand experienced what it was like to have someone close to you be invaded by Alzheimer disease wrote an amazing account of the progression of this wasting condition, with its moments of lucidity, personality shifts and hallucinations. She accomplished this through shifting points of view and engaging the reader in the mystery, so much so, that I was guessing up until the very end. LaPlante herself did not know who had committed the murder until the last 50 pages, as she wrote this in one great creative surge and allowed her intuition to reign free.

Spoiler

I question now whether or not Jennifer could have held out and kept the memory of her surgical removal of Amanda's fingers secret. And that the blending of secrets with memory deficits, however clever, is used in this case as the vehicle for resolution. This is also used as a cover for manslaughter. As readers we are shown the horrible Amanda and the horrible effects of Alzheimer and then asked to collude with the characters to cover up the story of unaddressed crime. I hesitate here in an ethical quandary and I wonder why I was so willing to participate in also keeping this crime a secret? Was it sympathy? or something else darker?

LaPlante is a good writer, she knows how to get under a reader's skin.

I will be on the watch for her next book, "Coming of Age in the End of Days."

tildy08's review against another edition

5.0

It's very similar to Still Alice, but instead of seeing the Alzheimer's develop, it's already in full-force you and you see the quick deterioration of the mind. Again it's told in the first person, and shows why people with dementia act the way they do, and can be quite stubborn. This book also almost made me cry. I'm not sure why, but I think it's because I find it so sad that someone who was so intelligent was ripped down to almost nothing mentally. She might still be smart, but forgetting her own family, and living obstinately in the past and refusing to be brought back to reality seems sad to me. I know that really, living in the past and refusing reality isn't truly her fault, but I find it sad that she got so upset when people tried to pull her back to reality (not that she remained there for long).

This book followed the character Dr. Jennifer White who had been a orthopedic surgeon who specializes in hands. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease, and she was progressively going downhill. Her best friend Amanda (who could be a bit of a bitch) was murdered, and the police began to investigate. One thing lead to another, and the police labeled Dr. White a 'person of interest'. It continues with the investigation, and then leads to Dr. White being put in an institution because her mental health had deteriorated so far, and she was no longer competent and was considered a danger to herself and society.

marieintheraw's review

1.0

This is a book that I had picked up on audio a few years ago for a pop-sugar challenge because we have the same initials. I dropped it for some reason or another at the time and always meant to go back to it, but just hadn't. This year, it fit for one of the "go the extra mile" challenges. Anyways, I think I get why it wasn't for me now. It was slightly predictable despite the premise being unusual.

angelamichelle's review

3.0

Fascinating book told from the point of view of a smart woman with progressing Alzheimer's. When I finished, I felt slightly deflated, even though I thought the book so well done. I decided it was because each and every one of the characters is a highly unlikable, immoral person.

luvrunr's review

4.0

Murder-mystery that's more about the mental stability of the main character than the murder itself. Decent writing and touching in a way I wasn't expecting. I found the book frightening because it makes you wonder what's to come in life.

ben_r's review

4.0

Good mystery.

tigerknitting's review

5.0

One of my majors in college was Pschology (the other was Math), so I've always been interested in how people think and act. Perhaps that's why I enjoy psychological thrillers and unreliable narrators so much! I have had a special interest in Dementia and Alzheimers since my Grandmother was diagnosed with Dementia a number of years ago, so when I heard about the book Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante, I put it on my to-read list (you DO have a to-read list, don't you?. I actually have 2, one through the library's catalog, and one at Goodreads.) I was able to get Turn of Mind as an eaudiobook, so I had the pleasure of listening to it while on a long ride.

The narrator of the book, Jennifer, has been recently diagnosed with Alzheimers. She had been a very successful hand surgeon, but has had to retire because of the disease. Jennifer is not a touchy-feely type person. She is currently living with a caregiver, because she is a widow and her children have full time jobs. She is at the stage of the disease where she has many lucid periods, but can not be left alone. She describes how she feels when she can't remember things and how she keeps a diary so she can refer back to it. We also get to experience what it is like for her when she is having an "episode."

We also learn that her best friend, Amanda, has been murdered. Jennifer is being questioned by the police, but every time they come, it is a surprise to her that Amanda is dead. As the investigation continues, Jennifer slides deeper into Alzheimers. Her children must decide whether keeping her in her home or putting her in a nursing home is the best course of action. The police continue to question her. We learn that her son is having difficulties and watch as he tries to get money from his mother. We see how hard it is for both her children to come to terms with her continually diminishing capacities. And the police continue.

It is a heartbreaking story of loss, and an intellectually challenging murder mystery, all rolled into one.

theangrystackrat's review

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0