Book Review - What Alice Forgot

I just finished reading What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty and I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share.

Alice is a 29 year old woman, pregnant for the first time and very much in love with her husband, Nick.  One day, though, she comes to in a gym, where she's shocked to find herself, as she hates exercise, and everything has changed. 

Alice has had a head injury and, it turns out, has lost 10 years of memory.  Lots can happen in 10 years and, certainly, for Alice, lots has.  She now has three children, is getting a divorce and, shockingly, is extremely fit in addition to many other revelations which unfold, none of which she remembers at all.  Although, she discovers that some things her body seems to know, even if her head doesn't remember - like where she keeps her keys.

How Alice reconciles the concrete reality of her current life with the, also true, reality of her 29 year old self is the premise of the book.  She's not even sure she wants her memory back.  Sometimes she thinks she might not like the person she's become.

Alice, as well as some of her adult friends, start to consider their lives in a whole new light.  I found this whole premise to be fascinating.  10 years ago, I didn't have any pets, lived in a different house (plus there was one in between), my closest local friends were playgroup moms (most of which I'm not even in contact with now) and Davan, my 13 year old, was 3.  Those are just some of the changes.  What would my 29 year old self make of the life my 39 year old self (yes, I'm the same age as Alice)?

I was delighted to enjoy this book, as I'd started and discarded four of the books from my Powell's list and was feeling discouraged.  Pick up What Alice Forgot and ponder the difference 10 years could make.