What Alice Forgot, by Liane Moriarty, is a charming tale of what might happen if we left all the anger, bitterness, and unhappiness of the past behind.
Alice, 29, finds herself lying on the floor at the gym (the gym? She never goes to the gym), apparently having fallen off of a stationary bike. More importantly, the last ten years of her life have already happened, unbeknownst to Alice, and she can’t remember any of it. The child she was newly pregnant with is ten years old and has been joined by two more; her beloved husband is nowhere to be found; she is surrounded by a life that she has no recollection of building.
Liane Moriarty has skillfully set 29-year-old Alice next to 39-year-old Alice. She has successfully and realistically shown the effects of ten years on a life, marriage, and person.
You’ll find yourself hanging onto every word, until you get to the very last page, where you’ll find yourself wanting more. Will Alice regain her memory? Will she retain the relationships she’s made that she still doesn’t remember? The story is humorous and smart, peppered with adorable anecdotes and heartfelt scenes. You’ll find yourself feeling as confused and baffled as Alice, and you’ll laugh at all the craziness along with her. Moriarty has done an excellent job with her characters, each as realistic and developed as a live person.
An easy and fun read, yet with depth and substance. A can’t miss book.
