How do you solve a mystery when you can’t remember the clues?
Elizabeth is Missing is a “Guaranteed Great Read” from Penguin, so if you don’t like it, you can get your money back. I think that’s a good deal!
I’m liking
The story is told from the point of view of Maud, a seventy-something year old woman who is losing her memory and having trouble understanding what is happening in the world around her. She has moments of clarity and moments when she can’t remember who her daughter is or where she lives.
I was really impressed with the way Emma Healey made me identify with Maud and understand her frustration with feeling partly as if she was fully capable of looking after herself and partly that she was totally dependent on others.
The book also showed how frustrating Maud could be for the people around her.
“Elizabeth is Missing” tells the story of Maud at seventy-something, intertwined with the story of Maud’s sister’s disappearance several years earlier. It is very easy to read and has funny moments, but it is also very sad at times as it shows the frustrations of aging and memory loss.
I found main character of Maud well-rounded and appealing, and the clues in the story were placed well, making the book hard to put down!
I was very impressed that the author is twenty-eight years old and that “Elizabeth is Missing” is her first book.
Things that made me go hmmmm
There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about this book.
The conclusion
I highly recommend this book, however it might be a bit close to home for someone who is suffering from memory loss themselves or dealing with it in their family, so I would be careful about giving it to someone as a gift. On the other hand, it might be helpful to read a book from the perspective of someone dealing with their own memory loss.
I probably wouldn’t recommend “Elizabeth is Missing” to a male reader without telling him that it has lots of female characters and only a few minor male characters.
The fact that Penguin will give you your money back if you’re not satisfied means that it’s definitely worth a try!
