The Story of Forgetting

In his ambitious debut novel Stefan Merrill Block shows off the wide range of his talent. "The Story of Forgetting" combines elements of science, history, and fable into four storylines that weave together to tell a single story. And it works, for the most part. I can see how some may have been turned off by the quirky nature of Block's storytelling or grown bored with the genetic history storyline, but I have a feeling that the majority of literary fiction fans will enjoy Block's novel just as much as I did. The first storyline concerns Abel, an elderly hunchback living in isolation and haunted by the ghosts of his brother and sister-in-law and the daughter that ran away from home never to be seen again. He bustles around his dilapidated house in his failing body, desperately filling the void around him and trying to avoid stillness that might lead to reflection on how he got to this lonely point and whether or not it is deserved. The modern world is creeping up on all sides of his property, showing Abel just how little use the world can make of an outdated person like him, and his neighbors are trying to force him out so they can raise their property values. But Abel is holding onto the hope that someday his daughter might come looking for him, and he wants to be waiting when she does. Second is the story of Seth, your typical gawky, angular teen and a stereotypical nerd and social outcast. His mother has recently been placed in a home after a nasty fall and a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease - an extremely rare genetic disorder that Seth, who may someday be a victim of the same disease, becomes obsessed with researching. In truth, his research is equal measures avoidance and an attempt to get closer to his family. All his life, Seth's mother was careful not to reveal anything about where she came from or even why she felt the need to be so secretive, and his research allows Seth a unique opportunity to finally find out just who his mother is. At the same time, it allows him to escape the nightmare of his social life, visits to the home where his mother is by far the youngest resident, the paralyzing fear that he too may suffer her fate, and lonely nights where his father drinks too much and watches the History Channel, unable to bear the burden of disappointment and sorrow. The third storyline introduces us to the mythical world of Isidora, a "land without memory, where everything one needed was at arm's length, where there was never reason to be afraid, where nothing was ever possessed and so nothing could ever be lost." Isidora provides a curious link between the stories of Seth and Abel, because both of them were raised on fairy tales of the fabled city. While one may question whether or not Isidora is actually as utopian as the author would like you to believe, the charming element of fable that it brings to the novel and the creativity and passion of its creation will win you over in the end. And finally is a

This book won me over from the very start. Stefan Merrill Block creates a realistic and achingly beautiful picture of an old man, Abel, full of grief and regret, but ultimately full of love. A very different young boy, Seth, has his own grief, over his mother's early-onset Alzheimer's, and his own deep love for his mother. This sets Seth off on a quest to discover both more about his mother's disease and her history. The only real clue he has to both of these are the beautifully told Stories of Isidora--stories Abel also knows, even though the two have no knowledge of one another. The ways that Block brings these two characters together, and the discoveries made along the way, are told in a unique, almost lyrical style. One of my favorite books!

Stefan Merrill Block's The Story of Forgetting is a brilliant first novel, with many surprising twists and insights. It has received stellar reviews from Janet Maslin of the NY Times, NPR, and People magazine. Quite a diverse group of opinions, and well deserved!! "Forgetting" deals with very difficult issues--memory, loss, betrayal and regret--but does so with humor, sympathy and love. There are three distinct narratives, interwovon with unique sections titled "genetic history". This genetic history actually fictionalizes the Early Onset Alzheimer's gene and tells its story. The mechanism of action of the gene is true to the underlying physical damage that occurs in Early Onset Alzheimer', and the story Block ties around this fictionalized gene is fascinating in and of itself. The story of Seth, who lives under the threat of developing Early ONset Alzheimer's, and whose mother has the disease, is particularly poignant. The other main character, Abel, is told with complete veracity, and shows the struggles of a man who has dealt with the pain of both physical handicap and separation from his daughter. This is a highly recommended read for anyone who is dealing with Alzheimer's, physical illness, or indeed, struggles with issues of love and loss.

Other reviewers have outlined the basic plot of this fascinating debut novel already, so I will just get to the meat. As the granddaughter of an Alzheimer's sufferer (though not of the early-onset variety as discussed in the book), I found the premise intriguing. Block weaves a startlingly fun mock history of the disease, tracing it back to a promiscuous royal in England - this was my favorite part of the book. Seth and Abel are both unique and well-drawn characters with satisfying and believable arcs, though I have a small quibble that some of their more sex related musings and especially Seth's bizarre encounter with "the sloth" seemed a bit indulgent and not integral to the story. This is a "high concept" story executed beautifully. I highly recommend it.

The Story of Forgetting by Stefan Merrill Block is one of my favorite reads for 2008. The author's use of words to weave a story of two very different people is absolutely fantastic. Although Abel Haggard and Seth Waller are two very different characters, both in age and in social background, their stories are compelling and I could believe that both these men were real. Amazingly enough, the scientific parts of the book were very interesting to me as I am generally not interested in novels about science. The Story of Forgetting is about familial early-onset Alzheimer's disease and how it affects those with the disease and those people close to them. Seth Waller is a young teenager losing his mother to the horror of this disease, and losing the balance of the family he once had. Abel Haggard is an elderly reclusive man, living in the old family homestead, passing his days with memories of what he once had and how it was lost. Both characters are completely drawn and fleshed out so that it is easy to picture them in my mind. This story will stay with me a long time. My mother suffered from dementia before her death and I understand the frustration of trying to deal with someone who is no longer the person you know and love. The Story of Forgetting is a brilliant book, I would recommend it to anyone dealing with Alzheimer's disease and to just anyone who enjoys a compelling, beautifully written story