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Book Review: What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
October 4th, 2011
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty is a novel that really makes you sit back and think and I love that in a book. Alice is at the gym doing her spinning workout when she faints and falls off her bike hitting her head. When she wakes up, it’s too find that she’s lost ten years of her life! In her mind, she is still 29 years old and pregnant with her first child, and yet she learns that she’s actually about to celebrate her thirty-ninth birthday! Just what is going on – well Alice has no idea – yet! What will Alice think of her grown up self, how will she handle all the changes that have happened around her, and ultimately what will she learn from all of it?
At the hospital Alice is in for yet more surprises. Her sister Elisabeth shows up at the hospital and Alice notices how old and tired she looks. She also realizes that their relationship doesn’t seem to be quite what she knows it to be. Even worse Alice learns that she is, in fact, not pregnant, but already the mother of three children and to top it off, they are three children that Alice doesn’t remember at all. She doesn’t remember having them, them growing up; absolutely nothing and this terrifies her. However, the worst is still coming. As Alice is laying there wishing her husband Nick would come because he’d know what to do, she learns from her sister that they are getting divorced and that they are not exactly having a very pleasant divorce either. Alice is stunned! She loves Nick with all of her being. Who is this person she’s become?
At home Alice is thrown into caring for her children that she can’t remember and being amazed at the wonderful changes her home in her home. She finds out that she has a boyfriend too which is just too much for her. She can’t have a boyfriend when she loves her husband Nick so much but meeting Nick shows Alice just how many changes their relationship has gone through. As Alice navigates this new world of school events, mommy’s groups, personal trainers, and even cell phones; she learns that she doesn’t really like the person she has become. She seems to have become this busy, busy person with no time left for the things that really matter and goodness – why is there no chocolate in the house! As bits and pieces of Alice’s memory begin to come back to her she has to make some decisions about her future and the person she wants to be in it.
What Alice Forgot is so much more than a woman losing her memory. It’s much deeper than that tackling issues of marriage, infertility, children, infidelity, love, and family. If you could go back ten years in your life and look ahead, would you be happy with the person you’ve become? Are you the person you would have wanted to be? I think as we’re living our day-to-day lives we really don’t think about all the changes that are occurring but if you really stop and look back you realize that you were very likely a much different person ten years ago than you are today. That’s what this novel does for us – it lets us take a look back and evaluate who we are today and whether or not we’re very happy with who we’ve become. Maybe it even gives us a chance to make some changes to our own lives to make it better.
What Alice Forgot makes a terrific book club selection which is exactly why my book club chose to read it and we all loved it! It’s a book that you’ll not want to put down as you anxiously make it to that last page when the story is completely unfolded before you. What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty definitely makes my favorites list this year and I would recommend it without hesitation!
Originally published by me at Book Trib as part of the Review Crew. My copy of What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty was purchased by yours truly.
Filed under 2011 Challenges, 2011•100 Books or More Challenge, 2011•eBook Tracking Challenge, Book Trib Reviews | Comments (39)
I liked this book very much when I read it a while ago. Such an unusual storyline.
Mystica, it was an interesting storyline. I’m going to pop over and read your review.
I gave this one five stars. I loved it…so easy to read and it resounded with me. The busy life, and how easy it is to lose track of where you’ve been and the things that are important.
Sandy, I need to reread your review because I had skimmed it before. I really enjoyed it as well obviously.
I enjoyed reading this book a lot. Great plot. Hope you’ll visit my book teaser
Harvee, I’ll have to pop in and find your review to see your thoughts on the book.
How devastating to wake up and not remember the last ten years. I am curious as to how this plot turns out. After reading how much you enjoyed this, I am putting it on my wish list.
Beth(bookaholicmom), I think this is a book you’d probably enjoy.
One of my favorites as well, Dar. For all the same reasons. Great review!
Mary, I know you loved it too. I had gone to comment on your review at one point but the comments were closed.
I’ve been getting lots of span the past few months so I closed comments on posts after a week. Sorry you couldn’t leave your comment. I still think about Alice
I loved this book for it’s ability to be deep and funny all at the same time. You are right about it making you think about your own life and the ways in which you have changed. I thought it was a very penetrating read, and one that held my attention in a sturdy grip. Great review, Dar!
Heather, I agree. The author really took this issue and dealt with it in such a way that at times you could laugh and yet at others it really struck home. I tried finding your review but I couldn’t.
I loved this book too! If I’d read it when I was younger, it probably would have made me take a hard look at my life.
Kathy, I remember reading your review and you liking it too. I’m not sure I’ve ran into anyone who didn’t like it. Even now it made me look at my life a little closer.
I have this book and can’t wait to crack the spine. I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Dar!
Beth H, I hope you’ll like it as much as I have and as others have. I’d love to hear your opinion of it when you do get the chance to read it.
Will do. Once I’m done editing my new novel, I hope to make a huge dent in my TBR pile!
Oh my, well I can’t wait to make a dent in your new novel. lol.
I’ve seen some good buzz about this one but if I read it this year, it’d be my third brain injury/amnesia/personality change novel and I’m not sure I can take it! Still, it sounds like the funniest of the bunch!
Audra, my goodness you have read a lot of books on this topic. Too bad because I think you’d like this one.
This book makes me want to start a bookclub so that we could read it
Linda, lol – this is a great pick for book clubs. Lots to talk about.
I’ve heard that this was good, glad you enjoyed it Dar!
Naida, I really did. It’s a great book!
I’ve seen pretty much only great reviews on this oneI and it is on my TBR list. My life was so different ten years ago, I’m sure this book will give me lots to consider…
Beth (Bookgirl), I think you’d really like this book. It really made me think about my life 10 years ago compared to now. I always enjoy books that leave me thinking about things.
Glad you enjoyed this… it seems very popular among bloggers. I’m adding it to my list!
JoAnn, I hope you get a chance to read this one. This one is popular for good reason.
Darlene: Here’s my review of the book: What Alice Forgot
My link above doesn’t work, it seems. Here it is again: What Alice Forgot: A Review
Wasn’t this so good? I loved it, and it does make you think of your own life and how it was 10 years ago and how it is now. I thought it had a perfect combination of fun, emotion, big questions and entertainment.
Jenners, I agree. This book was one of those perfect combinations of everything that a person likes in a novel. I love novels that leave me feeling invested in the lives of the characters and this one definitely does that.
I read another book by the same author and liked it, but this plot sounds so out there. Falling off her bike while spinning?? I guess you sort of have to just suspend your disbelief to read this one.
Of course, I am so clumsy that such a thing could happen to me. LOL.
Ti, yes you have to suspend belief to read this one I guess although I suppose someone could hit their head and lose their memory though. You know I think it lies in how the author wrote the book – she makes you believe in the story she’s telling.
I really liked this one too. Glad we kicked off the Book club with this one!!!
Staci, I agree! This was a great novel to start off with and I’m so glad that everyone liked it.
this sounds so good! i have it waiting to be read on my shelf i just have to get a chance!
Carrie, I hope you’ll get a chance to read it soon and enjoy it. I have that same problem – all these great books on the shelf – just not enough time to read them.