Still Alice

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In The Press

Library Journal
Fifty-year-old Alice Howland, a highly respected linguistics professor, suddenly begins feeling disoriented and confused. Her diagnosis-early-onset Alzheimer's-irrevocably changes her life as well as the lives of her husband and three grown children. First-time novelist Genova holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard University and writes an online column for the National Alzheimer's Association. These qualifications help to make her story realistic and compelling. Genova reads her own work, conveying meaning through emphasis and inflection. Of interest to all listeners. [Audio clip available through www.simonandschuster.-com.-Ed.]-Joanna M. Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Lib., Providence Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal
Verdict: While the characters feel flat and the plot contrived, this first novel contains rich descriptions of the genetic and clinical aspects of Alzheimer's. Best suited for larger public libraries. Background: At 50, Alice Howland is enjoying a rewarding career teaching cognitive psychology at Harvard when she receives a life-altering diagnosis of early-onset Alzheime'¿s. First-time writer Genova is a neuroscientist with a Ph.D. from Harvard; her background becomes obvious via the details surrounding both the Harvard environs of her protagonist and the disease that creeps into her life. Those seeking a more emotional treatment of the implications of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's should see the 2006 movie Away from Her, with Julie Christie, directed by Sarah Polley.--Julie Kane, Sweet Briar Coll. Lib., VA Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

Booklist
In a 'highly readable' form of bibliotherapy, first-time novelist Genova, who holds a doctorate in neuroscience, meticulously traces the downward spiral of a woman suffering from early-onset Alzheimer's disease. In September of 2003, 50-year-old Alice Howland leads a very busy, productive life as a psychology professor at Harvard, the spouse of a'biology professor,'and the mother of two grown'daughters. But a series of memory problems, ranging from forgetting where she put her Blackberry to becoming disoriented on her daily run, sends her to the doctor.'She learns that she is suffering from Alzheimer's, and the subsequent months and years see a steady decline in her abilities. By September of 2005, the'accomplished professional'can barely remember her own daughters' names. Still Alice, however, is far from bleak as it depicts both the unalterable course of'the disease and the various ways family members can cope with it. Clearly explaining the testing, treatment options, and symptoms of'the disease'within the context of an absorbing family drama, Genova has written an ideal primer for anyone touched by Alzheimer's.--Wilkinson, Joanne Copyright 2008 Booklist

Publishers Weekly
Neuroscientist and debut novelist Genova mines years of experience in her field to craft a realistic portrait of early onset Alzheimer's disease. Alice Howland has a career not unlike Genova's--she's an esteemed psychology professor at Harvard, living a comfortable life in Cambridge with her husband, John, arguing about the usual (making quality time together, their daughter's move to L.A.) when the first symptoms of Alzheimer's begin to emerge. First, Alice can't find her Blackberry, then she becomes hopelessly disoriented in her own town. Alice is shocked to be diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's (she had suspected a brain tumor or menopause), after which her life begins steadily to unravel. She loses track of rooms in her home, resigns from Harvard and eventually cannot recognize her own children. The brutal facts of Alzheimer's are heartbreaking, and it's impossible not to feel for Alice and her loved ones, but Genova's prose style is clumsy and her dialogue heavy-handed. This novel will appeal to those dealing with the disease and may prove helpful, but beyond the heartbreaking record of illness there's little here to remember. (Jan.) Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.