Alice & Oliver

February 1, 2016
“Cancer is a hell of a disease,” Alice and her husband, Oliver, are told by a doctor early on in Alice’s diagnosis in this articulate excavation of the emotional, physical, and intellectual effects of terminal illness. Through this novel, Bock (Beautiful Children) has, by and large, translated much of his own experience of tending to his late wife—who, like Alice, was diagnosed with leukemia when their daughter was an infant. The result is a spellbinding book, pulsating with life and reminding the reader on every page that even when everything is as awful as it could possibly be, life itself is always a curious thing. Interspersed throughout the first two-thirds of the novel are occasional “Case Studies,” detached profiles of fellow patients receiving chemo, which provide a formal, almost surreal counterbalance to the intense humanity of Alice’s sickness. Though it could have been worthwhile, this device peters out before it can add much depth. But overall, this book overcomes the standard clichés to provide a beautiful, complex portrait of a family in crisis.

Alice, Oliver, and their new baby daughter, Doe, attempt to continue on with life after Alice is diagnosed with leukemia shortly following Doe's birth. Narrator Rebecca Lowman misses the mark in her performance of this audiobook. The author paints a sobering picture of driven characters who often express anguish and tried patience; however, a majority of listeners are likely to find Lowman's delivery flat and monotone--a complete mismatch to the overall tone of the story. While conflicts great and small occur often in the plot, the characters' emotions are too subtly reflected in Lowman's performance. In total, this is a dark novel and an unengaging listen. G.M. � AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine