Alice LaPlante's debut novel is one of the most sophisticated and intelligent novels I have read. Similar to Lisa Genova's novel Still Alice, Turn of Mind is a first person account of an individual with Alzheimer's disease. The main character, Dr. Jennifer White, is a retired orthopdic surgeon who is suspected of murdering her best friend and neighbor at the onset of the novel, as the vicitim was found dead at her home with four fingers surgically removed.
The past and present is accounted for through Jennifer's journal, which not only includes her thoughts but also messages written by the other main characters which include her son, daughter and caregiver, Magalena. The journal not only masterfully documents Jennifer's gradually deteriorating mind but also unravels her past including her complex relationships with her children, deceased husband and best friend, Amanda, the murder victim. The novel has a non-linear sequence of events, shuffling between the past and present. While this a risky literary device, if not done well it can result in a highly confusing novel; however, Alice LaPlante succeeds in creating a intriguing and gripping novel.
Turn of the Mind is not a traditional mystery novel. While, like most mystery novels, the murderer and motive is not revealed until the end of the novel, it is much more than a mystery novel. It is a multi-layered psychological drama that delves into interpersonal relationships and intrapersonal struggles of a dementia patient.
Similar to Lisa Genova's Still Alice, readers follow the main character's progression from mild to severe Alzheimer's. Early in the novel, when Jennifer is relatively cognizant, she makes an interesting observation about the condition while at a Alzheimer's support group. Following the group leader's reference to the "Two Circular Step of Alzheimher's" (i.e., Step One, Admitting you have a problem. Step Two, Forgetting you have problem), she adds to herself a step three, Remembering that you forget, which she perceives as the hardest step of all. On the otherhand, her friend Amanda makes an acute observation regarding how loved ones deal with Alzheimer's I am very selfish: I am more concerned about myself than you in this regard. You'll get past this stage of awareness, and the disease will be its own pain management regime. But me....[I'm] going to be to weak to withstand the pain of separation that is looming.
As a reader, it was rewarding to experience a multitude of emotions during the course of this novel. On one hand, it was heartbreaking to observe Jennifer's mental deterioration involving her weak to almost non-existent grasp of reality. On the other hand, I was fascinated with the mystery surrounding Amanda's death and Jennifer's past. Overall, a very satisfying read.
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