Still Alice

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of illness, suicidal ideation, and death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How does the author’s choice to tell the story from Alice’s perspective affect your experience of the novel? Have you read other works that employ a similarly unreliable narrator—e.g., The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time? How does this one compare?

2. What scene or moment in the novel did you find most emotionally impactful? What made it particularly resonant? 

3. The novel balances scientific accuracy with emotional storytelling. How effectively does Genova achieve this balance? If you’ve read Genova’s Every Note Played, how does the same balance in that novel compare?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Alice struggles with maintaining her identity as her disease progresses. How do you define your own identity, and what aspects of yourself would you find most difficult to lose?

2. The novel explores different approaches to dealing with illness within families. Which resonated most with you?

3. Alice initially judges Lydia’s life choices before coming to appreciate different measures of success.