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Alice’s Life: A Diary of Modern Life
“What happens when life isn’t what we imagined? This novel takes you through the spaces between who you were, who you hoped to be, and who you are becoming—illuminating the moments that shape us all.”
Alice Kane and her friends came of age in 1990s Charlestown bound by secrets, dreams, and the belief their lives would always move up.
Fast forward into their early thirties, their adult paths diverge, ranging from ground-breaking neuroscience research and cut-throat New York careers to criminal activity and descent into mental illness. Their futures aren’t unfolding as they hoped—there is no shortcut to contentment. A series of unsettling, life-altering events begins to shatter their lives, bringing them back together, along with the past they never truly left behind.
While the first chapters immerse readers in the everyday reality of Alice Kane and her close-knit community, the novel gradually deepens into extraordinary dilemmas of love and friendship, unveiling a world where nothing is quite as it seems. And in the background, a kaleidoscope of modern life is turning —from all-nighters working on Wall Street to the ethics of AI in brain research, or simply navigating the challenges of dating in NYC.
Lyrical, filled with raw honesty and reflections on becoming older and the choices we make, holding up a mirror to the readers’ own lives, Alice’s Life is a story about the beauty of human relations, building resilience in our imperfect world, and finding ourselves when it matters most. This book reminds us that life is full of extraordinary moments—if only we choose to see them.
As Viv, one of Alice’s closest friends, once Believe in miracles.
Alice Kane and her friends came of age in 1990s Charlestown bound by secrets, dreams, and the belief their lives would always move up.
Fast forward into their early thirties, their adult paths diverge, ranging from ground-breaking neuroscience research and cut-throat New York careers to criminal activity and descent into mental illness. Their futures aren’t unfolding as they hoped—there is no shortcut to contentment. A series of unsettling, life-altering events begins to shatter their lives, bringing them back together, along with the past they never truly left behind.
While the first chapters immerse readers in the everyday reality of Alice Kane and her close-knit community, the novel gradually deepens into extraordinary dilemmas of love and friendship, unveiling a world where nothing is quite as it seems. And in the background, a kaleidoscope of modern life is turning —from all-nighters working on Wall Street to the ethics of AI in brain research, or simply navigating the challenges of dating in NYC.
Lyrical, filled with raw honesty and reflections on becoming older and the choices we make, holding up a mirror to the readers’ own lives, Alice’s Life is a story about the beauty of human relations, building resilience in our imperfect world, and finding ourselves when it matters most. This book reminds us that life is full of extraordinary moments—if only we choose to see them.
As Viv, one of Alice’s closest friends, once Believe in miracles.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2025
9 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 4, 2025
I met Maria years ago. Back then, before life took us in different directions, she was a regular at my coffee shop in East London.
Recently, I had the chance to be an early reader of Alice’s Life. It’s a brilliant piece of writing, ultimately about the value of human relationships, and our ability, or inability, to change and appreciate moments as we move through life.
The first half focuses closely on Alice, her friends, and her family. They draw you in, as if they still exist somewhere out there. In the second half, the story turns into suspense, with strong psychological layers. The past and present of the main characters come together, and all the dots connect.
You might like or dislike the main character. At first, she comes across as someone who sees the world mostly through her own lens, which, to be fair, most of us do, especially when we're younger. But the experiences she and her friends go through in adulthood make her question things.
I very much recommend this thoughtful piece of prose. It offers a vivid glimpse into the kinds of discoveries we make as we go through different stages of life. The book shows that life doesn’t follow a blueprint. It’s up to each of us to decide what really matters.
Recently, I had the chance to be an early reader of Alice’s Life. It’s a brilliant piece of writing, ultimately about the value of human relationships, and our ability, or inability, to change and appreciate moments as we move through life.
The first half focuses closely on Alice, her friends, and her family. They draw you in, as if they still exist somewhere out there. In the second half, the story turns into suspense, with strong psychological layers. The past and present of the main characters come together, and all the dots connect.
You might like or dislike the main character. At first, she comes across as someone who sees the world mostly through her own lens, which, to be fair, most of us do, especially when we're younger. But the experiences she and her friends go through in adulthood make her question things.
I very much recommend this thoughtful piece of prose. It offers a vivid glimpse into the kinds of discoveries we make as we go through different stages of life. The book shows that life doesn’t follow a blueprint. It’s up to each of us to decide what really matters.
October 19, 2025
From an ARC reader:
A book that brings us good memories is always, always, a good one. The story feels so real and relatable that we can see ourselves in the middle of it. If we are lucky, there is even a character with whom we can relate to… a lot.
A word of warning though, the story can indeed be addictive and you probably will not want to stop reading it. Don’t even try to pick this book up if you need to do something else! Save the reading when you have some nice and free time!
Many times, it feels like we are watching a good film, as we can understand the dialogues and “see” the whole scene quite clearly. It makes us think too; why do we all struggle so much to have the ideal life when we, most of the time, are not even sure what “ideal” really means to us?
In some special moments, it brought back personal memories, good ones that I cherish very much and will never forget.
A book that brings us good memories is always, always, a good one. The story feels so real and relatable that we can see ourselves in the middle of it. If we are lucky, there is even a character with whom we can relate to… a lot.
A word of warning though, the story can indeed be addictive and you probably will not want to stop reading it. Don’t even try to pick this book up if you need to do something else! Save the reading when you have some nice and free time!
Many times, it feels like we are watching a good film, as we can understand the dialogues and “see” the whole scene quite clearly. It makes us think too; why do we all struggle so much to have the ideal life when we, most of the time, are not even sure what “ideal” really means to us?
In some special moments, it brought back personal memories, good ones that I cherish very much and will never forget.
October 13, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. The story moved at a well-judged pace, never dragging yet giving enough time to connect with the characters — all of whom felt vivid and real. I particularly appreciated the philosophical discussions woven into the narrative, such as the conversation at the philosophy club about existentialism (which resonated with me, having studied Les Mouches for my French A level) and the touching exchange between Alice and her grandmother about keeping life fresh and new.
What impressed me most was how all the narrative threads came together so seamlessly toward the end. The conclusion felt both satisfying and uplifting — a positive and thoughtful resolution that left me reflecting long after I’d finished reading.
What impressed me most was how all the narrative threads came together so seamlessly toward the end. The conclusion felt both satisfying and uplifting — a positive and thoughtful resolution that left me reflecting long after I’d finished reading.
November 6, 2025
Thanks to the author and NetGalley for a free copy of this book. I could see that the author had a lot of gems to share about life, i personally liked most the sections of Alice and her Nana. Unfortunately the lack of plot and flow made me skip through a lot of paragraphs or even pages without losing any understanding of what was going on. I think that the same messages could still be shared with the reader in a different form of a story through dialogue rather than description or repetition. Relating or feeling the characters, following their thoughts or life was difficult.
October 27, 2025
You know when a big emotional event is happening, but you just can’t find the words—or even the concepts—to describe it? And then, all of a sudden, you find what you need on the pages of a book? That’s how Maria Radrizzani’s novel feels to me. Beyond the gift of naming what escapes me, it’s also filled with keen observations of people and places. The story is vivid! The pages melt away as I’m transported into the tale it tells.
October 5, 2025
I DNFed the book, the writing was very clunky and uninteresting, I wanted to enjoy it as the premise sounded interesting however, I couldn’t due to how much I did not enjoy the book. If I am honest it felt like it was written by AI and wasn’t proofread afterwards.
November 7, 2025
Reading Alice's Life is like watching a film or flipping through a photo album. Its vivid snapshots of everyday moments create clear visuals without relying on excessive description. Some of the conversations are timeless. The book gradually assembles a deepening puzzle, showing how seemingly small, unnoticed life events shape who we become. Alice's experiences and journey of self-discovery will feel deeply relatable to many. This book feels refreshingly genuine.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews