When I heard the quick summary of Caroline Leavitt’s latest novel, I was immediately intrigued. A woman emerges from a coma to find her personality, identity and relationships have completely changed.
The novel alternates between three points of view, Stella, a nurse who goes into a coma after a night of drugs and drinking, her partner, Simon, a bass player for a fading rock band and Libby, a doctor at the hospital where Stella works and also her best friend. The rotating viewpoints allow the reader to see how this unexpected medical crisis affects not only the patient, but everyone within her sphere. As Stella lays unconscious, Simon and Libby form a tenuous bond that further strengthens when Stella awakens a changed person. Before her coma, Stella was an exceptional nurse, but afterwards she no longer finds fulfillment in her chosen career, instead becoming obsessed with doodling on endless pieces of paper. Soon, she is painting portraits and making a name for herself in the New York art scene. The three characters must negotiate the ways their lives have changed in the wake of the coma and figure out how to move forward. Leavitt’s writing is raw, honest and touching. I found myself tearing up more than a few times, a rarity for me when reading. A bonus personal essay at the end of the book entitled “Where Did the Old You Go?”, adds a fascinating emotional dimension to the reading experience.
This book has so much in common with my soon to be released novel, Better to Trust. My novel follows Grant Kaplan, a world renowned neurosurgeon battling a pill addiction who decides to operate on his sister-in-law’s brain. As Alison fights for her life and struggles to recover, she reevaluates what is important to her and what she wants for her future. My novel explores similar themes revolving around medical ethics, family dynamics, trust, and how a medical crisis can forever change the course of lives. Both Leavitt’s novel and my own are perfect for fans of Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane and Left Neglected by Lisa Genova.