The Wide Circumference of Love: A Novel

It felt a little formula. Half of it felt like a What To Expect When You're Expecting Alzheimer's: the uncertainty; the progression; the grief, with standard DABDA elements; the Recounting Of An Honorable Life; the Shocking First Acts Of Violence; the Difficult Decision To Institutionalize; Seeking Love And Support From Others; Scary Manhunt For Escaped Wandering Patient; all of it dialed up to eleven. If you have no experience with cognitive decline you may learn something, but really, who in 2019 has not lost a loved one to dementia?

The other half—I‘m talking interwoven, not linear half—was exquisite and powerful. Diane's story is moving; lovingly and respectfully told throughout the book. This is what kept me glued to the pages: a remarkable, strong, gracious character whose humanity touched me deeply. One I cared about from the first few pages and then increasingly more so. This is where the book shines. For every predictable trope in the Alzheimer's thread there's an equally unexpected development in the story of Diane. Not O. Henry unexpected, nothing out of the blue, just a complex and conflicted person with whom the author takes no shortcuts. It's clear how much effort Golden put into Diane, how much she loves her, and that effort makes the book worth reading.