Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Search - Turn of Mind

Turn of Mind
Turn of Mind
Author: Alice LaPlante
A stunning first novel, both literary and thriller, about a retired orthopedic surgeon with dementia, Turn of Mind has already received worldwide attention. With unmatched patience and a pulsating intensity, Alice LaPlante brings us deep into a brilliant woman's deteriorating mind, where the impossibility of recognizing reality can be...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780802119773
ISBN-10: 0802119778
Publication Date: 7/5/2011
Pages: 320
Rating:
  • Currently 3.7/5 Stars.
 34

3.7 stars, based on 34 ratings
Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 12
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed Turn of Mind on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
Jennifer White is suffering from early on-set Alzheimer's and this books takes you inside her experience with this devastating disease. What it does to her once brilliant mind, her family, and her future, will haunt you.

This is not an easy book to read since it jumps around in time, and the way the author places dialogue in-between Jennifer's thoughts and emotions can be disjointing. But shouldn't it be? Shouldn't it be upsetting and confusing? Since that is the state of Dr. Jennifer White at any give time I believe this topsy-turvy style makes this book riveting.

That and the fact that it is a murder mystery. Jennifer White was once a well respected surgeon, specializing in hands. When her best friend across the street turns up murdered with her fingers expertly removed Dr. White becomes a prime suspect. Did she do it? Was she lucid? Will she remember? And who knows the truth?

This is a great first novel and I highly recommend it for book clubs as there is a lot to discuss.
aprilthenmay avatar reviewed Turn of Mind on + 15 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I read this book for my book club... Awesome discussions arose.

This book was not what I expected..In a good way.. Being inside The main character's (Dr. Jennifer White) thoughts was Captivating. "If someone dials 7 numbers I am ok, but 3 numbers it's bad".

This maybe Intentional - While reading you are not sure if the story is present day or past day...

Dementia is a horrible disease and to see how it affects someone's life was attention-grabbing. I give this book 5 stars..
reviewed Turn of Mind on + 1452 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Found the writing style in this novel took some time to get in the swing of reading but once I did I liked it. It is meaningful since a member of our family has developed alzheimer's disease. Blank spots in the memory, inability to recognize one's loved ones, forgetting familiar routes to habitually frequented places are all part of the telling in addition to the frustration of what is happening.

Adding to the suspense of the story is the murder of the protagonist's best friend, Amanda, whose fingers are removed from one hand and it would appear that she committed the murder but cannot remember it. She was a surgeon who specialized in hands. However, there is no proof that she committed the murder yet the investigators visit with her again and again. An interesting facet is that one of the investigators had a significant other who developed the disease so she understands what is happening.

The mystery of Amanda's death does add to the book. Uncovering what really happened keeps the reader moving through the tale. The author does a fine job of unveiling clues one by one as the book progresses. Good read.
MKSbooklady avatar reviewed Turn of Mind on + 989 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Interesting concept, I had a little bit of a hard time following the story, due to the style it was written in, but all in all not bad!
Read All 11 Book Reviews of "Turn of Mind"

Please Log in to Rate these Book Reviews

susieqmillsacoustics avatar reviewed Turn of Mind on + 1062 more book reviews
Gripping and compelling from the first page to the last. Told in journal entries of Dr. Jennifer White, who began writing the journal to help her remember once she was diagnosed with dementia. We experience her life in the present as her mind deteriorates and learn of her past in pieces and memories. Did she commit this murder? That is part of the mystery, but this is difficult to put down for many reasons. Well done.
noisynora avatar reviewed Turn of Mind on + 130 more book reviews
Very interesting premise to this book - I liked it and would search out another by this author.
23dollars avatar reviewed Turn of Mind on + 432 more book reviews
TURN OF MIND was the October 2014 pick in my neighborhood book club.

First off, it had one of my biggest reading pet peevesthe absence of quotation marks. None were used in any of the dialogue and it was a huge distraction for me throughout the entire book.

I did find the POV of a surgeon in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's very interesting, and I think it works very well for the first half of the book. But after that it gets tiresome and doesn't really add anything to the story. The narrative was then begging for the POV of one of Dr. Jennifer White's children, who both play a big role in the story.

The plot centers around the ongoing investigation of the murder of Dr. White's best friend, Amanda. The police keep questioning her, as she is their #1 suspectbut she can't remember anything, which makes things pretty interesting and creates enough of a mystery that you'll want to keep turning the pages to find out what actually happened to Amanda, which ended up being a fairly unexpected surprise.

Overall, it could've been better, but I'm glad I read it and look forward to discussing it at our book club meeting. C+


Genres: