Alice Isn't Dead

Great story, but conditionally recommended.

The book is a more condensed, streamlined version of the podcast's series-plot. Despite being "a different take" on said plot, and giving some very nice looks into characters other than the main character's heads, it still moves through the stations of the canon in the same way. That was a little disappointing as someone who's listened to the podcast. I was hoping for some new angle somewhere. However, if you've never experienced Alice Isn't Dead before, it's an excellent story and I would recommend giving the book version a read over the podcast if you want to get to the heart of it sooner.

I also had a very slight issue with the performance, in that I thought it needed more pauses between sections. I had trouble sometimes getting that a change in scene had happened because there was no break between the two scenes. It was like the audio version of not putting line breaks between paragraphs.

22 of 22 people found this review helpful

Loved this book!

I loved the podcast, and I love the book, in both similar and different ways. Alice Isn’t Dead is a truly unique and gripping story, with action and adventure, as well as romance and anxiety. Joseph Fink is an amazing writer, and I cannot wait to see what more he has in store for all of us.
Jasika Nicole is also a terrific narrator. She did a great job on both the podcast and the book, and I continue to love her as Dana Cardinal in Welcome to Night Vale. I really hope to continue to hear her voice.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

A beautiful reimagining.

I loved every minute of the original podcast this book was born from, so when they announced the audio book, before it even ended, I preordered this book. Then I devoured it in three days. Visceral and deep. I loved Jasika's reading and the new vision for the story.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

My New Favorite Book!

"The stories of old women are the quiet overlooked fabric of history" ... damn right, Jasika Nicole.

I loved this book. I love everything Joseph Fink puts out there, but this one "speaks to me" as someone who suffers what the doc calls "Generalized Anxiety Disorder".

It's so nice to read a story about someone who does brave things without being the dictionary definition of brave. Someone who doesn't stand before a massive army to belt out the Braveheart speech, but hops in a truck and drives across the country. Not because she wants to, but because she has to, and not doing it is cause for more anxiety than doing it. Because the right thing typically is the anxious thing.

Jasika is the voice of Keesha in the podcast (which I am just starting part 2 on), and she is the awesome narrator for the audio book. She does such a good job telling the story and conveying the emotions of the story. I can't wait to experience her next project.

If you like Welcome to Nightvale, even slightly, then you do yourself a disservice by not experiencing "Alice Isn't Dead", and if you're not a fan of Welcome to Nightvale, well then I can't help you.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Just as good, if not better than the podcast!

This story is both written and performed incredibly! The characters feel so grounded in reality while facing such a terrifying world! Thank you for this awesome experience!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Amazing!

Big fan of the podcast and I the book was just as amazing or better..

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Loved the podcast, book’s motif is a bit off

Well, I enjoyed the story. I loved the podcast, but, like many of my favorites (X-Files, Lost), it seems like the need for a conclusion forced a few plot points, and some of it seemed contrived. Overall the motif is what I miss most in the translation. The fact that Keisha narrates the story over an empty frequency was such a big part of what made this effective is practically missing in the book. I’m glad it was made, I liked it, but air didn’t need a “complete reimagining” if it loses some of what made the first season so good.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

exquisite storytelling ! purchase now!

I loved the podcast, but this book is different and even better. if you love a book you can'nt put down,this is it. I will remember these strong women and the power of love for a long time.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Not dramatized.

I think the important thing to know about the audio book is that it isn’t the same sort of dramatic performance as the podcast.
This isn’t the frantic first person narrative experience, it’s a narrated novel of that story.

I’m really just writing this because it was a little weird hearing the same voice calmly narrate events that podcast described in a panic. The Nightvale books didn’t have this problem as much, but I think that might be because the Nightvale podcast tone was closer to “calm radio announcer”.

8 of 12 people found this review helpful

Works better as a podcast....BUT.....

Having said that, it still works BECAUSE I loved the podcast so much. This story gets a little convoluted and confusing in the middle because there's a lot of flashing back and forth. But the end is really good, and so worth reading. Jasika Nicole is an excellent actress and does a great job. And there is so much relatable irony to our current political climate. An interesting look into what hate can do to a person.