Contemporary Fiction: Every Note Played by Lisa Genova

I missed the train on Still Alice, so I am glad to get the chance to pick up Every Note Played by Lisa Genova. Once again, Genova tackles a disease and builds a compelling story around it in an effort to educate as well as entertain. Also, it promises to look closely not only at what the patient is going through, but those closest to them as well.

The Situation: Richard is a world renowned pianist. People pay to witness him play the revered classics. He admits it to everybody, including himself, that classic piano is the love of his life. He can easily do it for hours in a day and not know what happened to the time. Morning can move to night, and to Richard it will only feel as if minutes have passed if he has spent the time playing piano. He knows his dedication to it ruined his marriage - or it is at least one of the main reasons - and has also served to estrange him from his daughter. He refuses to accept all of the blame though, as he knows his ex-wife Karina played her own part. Despite the relative loneliness of his life, he is happy as long as he can play piano. But then the worst thing imaginable happens, and Richard is diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gherig's disease. His right hand betrays him first, and then his left, and this is only the beginning.

The Problem: No longer being able to play the piano has broken Richard's heart, but the worst is far from over. As ALS slowly but surely takes over Richard's body, he is also slow to accept the truth of what is happening to him. At first he believes he will be able to stay in his building, which does not have an elevator, much less enough room to let a powered wheelchair through. When living alone is no longer an option, both desperation and an embarrassing incident lead Richard to move back into the house of his marriage, where Karina still lives. Her ex-husband's presence and constant need for assistance add to Karina's already long list of grievances against him: reasons she has always held onto for why it did not work out, and how he derailed her life by trading in her musical aspirations for his own. With or without the bitterness, resentment, regret, and anger, the ALS is still progressing throughout Richard's body, claiming every muscle along the way. 

Genre, Themes, History: This is a fiction book that chronicles the experience of someone who is diagnosed with ALS. Set in the present day and placed in the city of Boston, the reader follows Richard as he attempts to live his life following his shocking diagnosis. As a piano player, someone who has made his fame and fortune with his hands, the disease hits especially hard by first claiming Richard's right hand, and then his entire right arm, and then moves onto his left hand, before finally progressing throughout the rest of his body. While Richard is the primary focus, there is also his ex-wife Karina, who put up with Richard's many infidelities, as well as the demanding touring schedule that more or less made her a single mother to their daughter. Against her better judgment, she takes Richard back into what was their shared home before their divorce, and becomes a more involved part of his life that she was in the last years of their marriage. Looking at both sides, and switching between the two of them with the use of a third person narrator, Genova gives a picture on how ALS can take its toll on more than just the person who was diagnosed. And even though the disease does not have a cure, healing that is not necessarily medical can still take place. 

My Verdict: Naturally, one question that is often asked in relation to this book is if it is safe to read in public for fear of crying around strangers. Watching ALS take over someone's body, even in a fictional setting, is incredibly distressing. Some may be comforted by the fact that Richard was an arrogant man, a terrible husband, and a lacking father, but really, what he goes through is still horrible. And while Karina has her own issues, as well as her own real reasons for taking Richard in, watching her take on the role of a caretaker is also stressful. With just enough medical details to explain what is happening without getting too bogged down in the technical stuff, Genova portrays the devastating effects of ALS, and whether or not the reader likes Richard and/or Karina may be besides the point. As for the emotional aspect of it, you may be fine for the first 350 pages, but I recommend reading it in the privacy of your own home towards the end.

Favorite Moment: When Richard makes an attempt to see what Karina could possibly love about jazz, though it pains him to do so.

Favorite Character: Bill is one of the home health aids that assists Richard once he can no longer fully care for himself. He genuinely cares about Richard, shamelessly belts out show tunes, and is not afraid to give Karina the hard truth.

Recommended Reading: I recommend Sheltered by Jung Yun, which also involves characters taking care of people who were not the kindest to them in the past.