DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Daisy Rockwell displays her mastery of language and character in Alice Sees Ghosts

- -Aditya Mani Jha

When we are introduced to the protagonist of Daisy Rockwell's novel Alice Sees Ghosts, she is worried that she sounds too formal and contrived in her speech, as though she were "speaking written language". Alice has just recovered from an extended bout of aphasia (a language disorder that affects one's ability to speak) with the help of kindly psychiatrist Ronit, who ends their professional relationship and becomes engaged to her soon afterwards. A surprise visit from the ghost of her grandfather prompts Alice to go to India in search of her family's connection to the land—why did her gra