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There are currently 28 member reviews
for Turn of Mind
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Kathleen W. (Appleton, WI)
Turn of Mind
This is one of the best books that I have read in a very long time. The author captures the tragedy of early-onset dementia in a skillfully crafted and very readable format. The characters are memorable and the interplay of their relationships added to the complexity of the book. I will definitely be recommending this book to both of my book clubs.
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Dorothy Sheehan, (Hendersonville, NC)
Turn of Mind by Alice Laplante
Laplante's first novel is a brilliant portrayal of a powerful women's journey to oblivion. Loss of control in itself is horrifying. Losing control of your mind is the ultimate nightmare. Through Dr. Jennifer White's often disjointed and poignant journal we travel this journey with her to discover what is true in her world turned topsy-turvy where even memories are suspect.
The characterization is powerful, the writing superb and understated, the narrative haunting. It ranks near the top of my list of most unforgettable books.
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Debbie M. (grand junction, CO)
Turn of Mind
Turn of Mind is an amazing book. Jennifer White is a doctor who's best friend is dead and Dr. White is the prime suspect. Dr. White has alzheimers and so doesn't know if she killed her friend. Alice LaPlant goes into the mind of someone with alzheimers and shows us the confusion and sadness that goes along with the disease. LaPlant is an excellent author and gives you great insight into the mind of an alzheimers sufferer.
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Sandra H. (St. Cloud, Minnesota)
Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante
Dr. Jennifer White, a 64-year-old orthopedic physician suffering from dementia is the prime suspect in the murder of her best friend, Amanda. Three of Amanda’s fingers have been surgically removed and Jennifer specialized in working with joints in the hands. Jennifer tries to make sense of what is happening but her dementia has progressed to the point that she cannot always identify faces , remember names or even care for her own basic daily functions. Jennifer’s companion keeps a notebook detailing daily activity, her children come to see her trying to find out what happened and the police keep taking her back for interrogation. Using short sentences and paragraphs, the author lets us experience Jennifer’s fragmented and disjointed thinking as she moves back and forth in her mind trying to remember her past and her friendship with the dead woman. This movement causes us to experience the painfully confusing life of a person losing her life to Alzheimers while giving the necessary clues (as well as some red herrings) to keep us wanting to learn what happened. Yet, this is so much more than a "who done it." At the end, I felt drained yet satisfied. This is a superbly written mystery.
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Debra V. (Kenosha, WI)
Turn of Mind
Haunting story of a brilliant woman's descent into dementia. Turn of Mind is written in a way that takes you into Dr. Jennifer White's fragmented life and thoughts and allows you to feel the pain and confusion with her. The mystery of her best friend's death and her conflicted relationship with her children are filtered through her disease. The best novel I have read this year!
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Rachel B. (Waynetown, IN)
Intriguing and unsettling picture of Altzheimers
The story was not spectacular, but I mean that in a good way. It was the story of a woman who had raised a family, pursued a successful career, and then (where we meet her) begins to lose herself and all the memories/feelings that she had cultivated. The murder isn't all that important in the end, except that for me it was a really dramatic picture of how dementia starts to eat away at your ability to be accountable for yourself. If you can't rely on your memory, where can you gain conviction or hold onto even a shred of confidence? A very compelling story, filled with people it felt like I knew. Like many other readers, I found the story reminded me very much of Still Alice. I would highly recommend this book to a book club.
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Rosemary K. (Saginaw, MI)
The Fragility of Mind
Alice LaPlante's Turn of Mind is a brilliant novel. The story unveils the complex story of Dr. Jennifer White, a victim of Alzheimer's, who may have committed a murder.
The narrator is usually Dr. White, who relates situations as she views them--sometimes she is in the past (which seems like the present), and sometimes she is even practicing medicine, having slipped away from the institution where she has been committed. Other persons sometimes relay their thoughts.
LaPlante's skillful writing keeps the reader transfixed. This is a most remarkable book, and I have been recommending it to everyone.
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