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laurolly's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars. I thought that the author did a marvellous job winding the four distinct narratives together. My favourite narrative had to be the history of the genetic variant, because I thought it wove together a clear explanation of genetic inheritance with a understandable and engaging story. Although the variant of early onset alzheimers described within this book is made up, the condition is well researched and appropriately portrayed. I disliked the gritty, almost gross, way that many of the characters and their bodily functions were described. However, was very appreciative of the fact that those with the condition were not described in this way. Instead those with the condition were shown in a much more considerate, yet balanced, light. Overall, I think this book gave me a new perspective on the impacts of alzheimers, specifically the search for meaning which family members go through when a loved one is diagnosed.
debs4jc's review
4.0
This powerfully descriptive book is not one the reader is likely to forget, as it vividly humanizes the lives of two families affected by early onset Alzheimers, among other things. The book follows the stories of Seth, a 15 year old boy struggling to deal wth the illness of his mother, normal teenage problems like puberty, and the withdrawl of his Dad and of Abel Haggard, an elderly hunchback living in a decript farm with only his memories and the hope that his long lost daughter will find him again. The characters are quirky and some of their adventures are quite strange, even disturbing as the author does not shy away from what some might consider vulgar or taboo. There are many fascinating parts to this book--the information shared about early onset Alzheimers and where it came from, the fictional tales of Isadora that are spread among one family with the disease, and the power of love and determination to overcome overwhelming odds. If yourespond like I did you may not like every part of this book, and it may take a while for it to grow on you, but once you get into it you will be mesmorized by it. I would definitely recommend it, and I think it would make an excellent choice for a book discussion group.[return]P.S. I listened to this on audio and I don't know that that is the best medium for this book. The narrator did a good job, but the transitions between Seth's story and Abel's were not always easy for me to pick up on and I would sometimes get confused.
lisawhelpley's review
5.0
This is an EXCELLENT book. Written so well, I can hardly believe it's from a first-time author who is so young. The voices were authentic and you could see the settings, they were so well described. I flew through this book, just because it was so good I didn't want to stop. After you read it, check out the author's website for insight into why he wrote it, and how.
annamcclellan's review
challenging
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
It was undoubtedly well-researched and the tone was well-established; however I felt that the author sometimes got stuck in trying to drive the point home; it became slightly repetitive and predictable. I enjoyed the characters, he explored marginalisation in a different ( possibly quite privileged) way.
angeladobre's review against another edition
3.0
Cartea spune povestea unei familii ce se confruntă de multe generații cu o boală ereditară, o variantă mai rar întâlnită de Alzheimer. Diferența este că boala se declanşează foarte devreme, iar singurele amintiri ale celor loviți de ea sunt cele ce spun o veche poveste a unui tărâm necunoscut, Isidora, unde oamenii nu cunosc durerea sau suferința deoarece nu au niciun fel de memorie sau amintiri, o variantă a faimosului El Dorado.
katzreads's review
5.0
Really engaging story told from the perspective of two different characters whose lives had been affected by early-onset Alzheimer's, with a very satisfying conclusion. Just brilliantly written, sympathetic but not cloying.
birgits_bookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Isidora, a 'neverland-like' place, a land without memory, where everything one needed was at arm's lenght, where there was never reason to be afraid, where nothing was ever possessed and so nothing could ever be lost.
Isidora is the golden thread of this book. It's combines three stories together. The story of 15-year old Seth, whoms mother has a rare sort of Alzheimer; Abel's story, a cripple who's in love with his brother's wife and the genetic history of the Alzheimer's disease...
The book is beautifully written and you like Seth from the beginning on, I had at first some problems with liking Abel but this also changed through the book. The past part of the book are the paragraphs about Isidora that make you believe again (like Peter Pan).
Sometimes it was hard to concentrate on the book because in some sections it contained many medical terms and researches...
Isidora is the golden thread of this book. It's combines three stories together. The story of 15-year old Seth, whoms mother has a rare sort of Alzheimer; Abel's story, a cripple who's in love with his brother's wife and the genetic history of the Alzheimer's disease...
The book is beautifully written and you like Seth from the beginning on, I had at first some problems with liking Abel but this also changed through the book. The past part of the book are the paragraphs about Isidora that make you believe again (like Peter Pan).
Sometimes it was hard to concentrate on the book because in some sections it contained many medical terms and researches...
bookishblond's review
3.0
This book is poorly structured but it contains a truly moving and fascinating story where early-onset Alzheimer's is explored using elements of science, history, and fable.
hugbandit7's review
3.0
This is about Alzheimer's and Early Onset Alzheimer's and the history behind it tied in with two stories of families that have to deal with this disease and what they go through to understand the disease and how it is affecting their loved ones.
I thought it was ok, not horrible but not the best book I've ever read. the technical stuff could have been left out for my tastes but it did help to explain the disease.
I thought it was ok, not horrible but not the best book I've ever read. the technical stuff could have been left out for my tastes but it did help to explain the disease.