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moto1480 's review for:
Turn of Mind
by Alice LaPlante
I really enjoyed this book. Presented as a murder mystery, what the reader is presented with instead is the deterioration of the protagonist's mind as she slowly succumbs to Alzheimer's (plus a murder mystery). Dr. Jennifer White, an incredibly successful hand surgeon, is unable to remember who killed her best friend, Amanda. Unfortunately, she's the prime suspect. As the story weaves in and out, we learn more about her relationships with her friends, her two children, her husband, and the world around her as she loses her memories.
The book is separated into four sections (there aren't really chapters): two long ones and two short ones that almost read like appendices. The tone of the book is ALMOST stream-of-consciousness, with conversation alternating between italics and normal font. I found that this helped the flow of the story as it felt like you were there as the events happened.
There were some weak spots, of course. The live-in nurse's story was really superfluous to the plot and went nowhere. Also, I found it incredibly convenient that one of the cops in this story had dealt with Alzheimer's before and therefore, was very sensitive about how they treated Dr. White. In addition, there should have been no way that the cops could have talked to Dr. White while she was alone in the nursing home. It was just way too unbelievable. Finally, the whodunit aspect of the story was pretty predictable; I could see what was coming from a mile away. That's okay though, since it was there just to create tension and start the ball rolling.
I'd suggest this book to anyone who is interested in deep character analysis without concern for a heavy plot. It's an excellent yarn and a good way to pass the time while you're traveling somewhere.
The book is separated into four sections (there aren't really chapters): two long ones and two short ones that almost read like appendices. The tone of the book is ALMOST stream-of-consciousness, with conversation alternating between italics and normal font. I found that this helped the flow of the story as it felt like you were there as the events happened.
There were some weak spots, of course. The live-in nurse's story was really superfluous to the plot and went nowhere. Also, I found it incredibly convenient that one of the cops in this story had dealt with Alzheimer's before and therefore, was very sensitive about how they treated Dr. White. In addition, there should have been no way that the cops could have talked to Dr. White while she was alone in the nursing home. It was just way too unbelievable. Finally, the whodunit aspect of the story was pretty predictable; I could see what was coming from a mile away. That's okay though, since it was there just to create tension and start the ball rolling.
I'd suggest this book to anyone who is interested in deep character analysis without concern for a heavy plot. It's an excellent yarn and a good way to pass the time while you're traveling somewhere.