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Elizabeth Is Missing
Elizabeth Is Missing
Author: Emma Healey
In this darkly riveting debut novel?a sophisticated psychological mystery that is also an heartbreakingly honest meditation on memory, identity, and aging?an elderly woman descending into dementia embarks on a desperate quest to find the best friend she believes has disappeared, and her search for the truth will go back decades and have shatteri...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780062309662
ISBN-10: 0062309668
Publication Date: 6/10/2014
Pages: 320
Rating:
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 13

3.4 stars, based on 13 ratings
Publisher: Harper
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed Elizabeth Is Missing on + 1435 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Some books are difficult for me to write even a few lines. This was one of them. This is a mystery of sorts which is solved at the very end. Likewise, it is a story of friendship for the narrator keeps looking for her friend, Elizabeth. It is told by an aging woman who has dementia. She remembers only parts of her life and gets them mixed up over and over again to the distress of her daughter, Helen, who loves her and cares for her. The disappearance of her sister in 1946 has haunted her throughout her life. No sign of her was ever found. As the story unfolds I found myself wondering how an author could write like someone who had this memory disease. Of course, I realized that dementia comes in many forms while it slowly develops gaps in memory. It's an interesting tale that gives the reader much to ponder. I found myself deeply embedded in the narrator as she tries so hard to unravel her thoughts and understand what is happening to her.
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reviewed Elizabeth Is Missing on + 273 more book reviews
What a fantastic writer! I'm amazed that this is her debut novel. So well-written, great depth of characters, intriguing story. She truly shows the sad effects of dementia on 80-yo Maud. Story is told first person, and there are a few times when the timeline changes that I had to read a few sentences to realize which time I was reading about. But overall, so well written, even the switching back and forth was enjoyable.

I had seen the movie, starring Glenda Jackson, so had a glimpse of what to expect. As with all movies vs books, of course the book gave many more details. Truly worth reading!

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