First published 1983
Alice Brody lies trapped in a New York hospital bed, her legs refusing to move after weeks of mysterious paralysis. The Sarah Lawrence sophomore endures waves of pain while doctors puzzle over her condition. Dr. Witherspoons, who treats famous football teams, finds no cause or cure. Alice's world shrinks to her hospital room as her parents divorce around her. Her father flees to Vancouver with a new wife. Her mother camps beside the bed daily, fumbling through abandoned needlepoint projects. Specialists parade through for consultations, including the limping Dr. Onnen and Dr. O'Solomon. Two doctors compete for Alice's attention. Dr. Davis brings violets and quotes Shakespeare. Dr. Fresser, an Israeli hypnotist, storms in like a pinball machine but actually eases her pain. Alice watches this circus with wry amusement while secretly channeling every ounce of strength toward one goal: reclaiming the simple freedom of movement she once took for granted.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, medical, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, medical-mystery
Setting: New York, Sarah Lawrence, Vancouver
Period: 20th-century
227 pages · Hardcover · Knopf
Content warnings: medical-trauma