What if you woke up one morning and found yourself back in first grade? For Eve Monroe, the narrator of Sophie Kinsella’s latest novel, life starts over again when a brain illness wipes out her memory. And that’s only the beginning of her problems.
What Does It Feel Like? follows the ordeal of a writer with a serious brain illness. Not only has she lost her talent, she can’t remember the names of things, much less what happened yesterday or even a few minutes ago. Virtually helpless, she relies on the patience of her long-suffering husband and a series of therapists over a period of many months.
Some writers would milk an idea like this for all its worth: drag it out with extra complications, supplementary characters, or secondary storylines. Kinsella keeps it simple. She puts us right in the heart of Eve’s dilemma, so that we experience exactly what she does from moment to moment. The result is a short but compelling journey reminiscent of Lisa Genova’s novel, Still Alice.
For readers who don’t already know the story behind the story, I can’t say more without spoiling it. Suffice to say that you can read Kinsella’s tale in one brief sitting. You should also read the author’s note at the end.
I’m sorry to add that there is one vulgar word in this book. Otherwise, it’s a pristine account of catastrophe and bravery.
Featured by Chevron Ross
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Weapons of Remorse The Seven-Day Resurrection The Samaritan’s Patient
