Alice is twenty-nine. She is whimsical, optimistic and adores sleep, chocolate, her ramshackle new house and her wonderful husband Nick. What's more, she's looking forward to the birth of the 'Sultana' - her first baby. But now Alice has slipped and hit her head in her step-aerobics class and everyone's telling her she's misplaced the last ten years of her life. In fact, it would seem that Alice is actually thirty-nine and now she loves schedules, expensive lingerie, caffeine and manicures. She has three children and the honeymoon is well and truly over for her and Nick. In fact, he looks at her like she's his worst enemy. What's more, her beloved sister Elisabeth isn't speaking to her either. And who is this 'Gina' everyone is so carefully trying not to mention?
Alice isn't sure that she likes life ten years on. Every photo is another memory she doesn't have and nothing makes sense. Just how much can happen in a decade? Has she really lost her lovely husband for ever?
I absolutely loved this book. It was very well-written, the kind that you don't want to put down and could read for hours. But beyond that, and what always makes a book extra good for me, is that it really made me think. What would it be like to lose 10 years of your life? To all of a sudden have three kids that you didn't know at all. To have all your relationships changed, and you didn't know how or why. It definitely gives the reader a lot of food for thought.
At first I didn't really care for Alice--either her 10 years ago personality or her current (the one she's trying to remember) personality. She seemed a little too childish. I can't say I ever really came to love her character, but she definitely grew on me. But it wasn't really even that the characters were likable that made the story good. They were flawed, silly, mean . . . just like almost every person you know. I felt their heartbreaks right along with them.
And I cried. I can't remember the last time a book made me cry. I can't even remember the last time I really loved a non-genre book, for that matter. Mostly I tolerate books that aren't speculative fiction, but really this one was just fantastic. There was something about it that sucked me in right from the start and didn't let go until I finished it around midnight. I would definitely recommend this one!
Author: Liane Moriarty
Genre: Chick lit
Page Count: 432
Publishing Info: Penguin, June 2011
Why I Read It: ARC
Grade: A+ (favorite)
Thank you Brenda! I needed a REALLY good recommendation and this sounds like the one. I will find this book as soon as possible and after I get through it, I'll post another comment here and let you know.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for finding a good book and sharing it with me.
I hope you like it, Georgia!
ReplyDelete