A Fiction novel intertwined with nonfiction

Left Neglected

By: Lisa Genova

Genre: Adult fiction

Pages: 324

Published: 2011

Read: September

3 out of 5

I have mixed feelings about this book. I did not care for the story or the characters. However, I love reading fictional novels that are based on historical events or that encompass other factual information. I enjoy gaining knowledge while reading a fictional story, plus it makes it easier to retain. This book definitely did that for me for a number of reasons. I was unaware that Lisa Genova has a PhD in neuroscience which added a lot of value to what I learned. I have never heard of Left Neglect and didn’t believe it was a real disability until I read the author’s note at the end. Second, I was enthralled by the strategies they used for Charlie’s ADHD. My stepson has ADHD and it helps to know that we are practicing some of the same methods. I love the “marbles in a cup” idea! Lastly, with having very limited use of my entire right side I have some similar feelings that Sarah does. As I pictured her trying to cope with her absent left side, I continually envisioned my right side, as though it was the left. The strange thing was I DID feel it was actually my left. For example, when Sarah would say “Look left, scan left, go left” I saw her doing the motions on the right side. This happened throughout the entire book until the very end when all of a sudden it hit me that I was envisioning it incorrectly. Whether it was caused by the mirror effect or my own disability being on the right side of my body I don’t know, but it was a strange sensation once I realized my mistake.