All Fall Down

From the outside, it would seem that Allison Weiss has it all—a dedicated husband, a spirited daughter, and the job of her dreams. But between her father's Alzheimer's, her husband's career failings, and her daughter's sensory sensitivity, Allison struggles to maintain her vision of perfection. A pain pill here and there, originally prescribed for her sore back, quickly becomes a requirement for making it through each day. Then the unmarked envelopes from an online drug site begin arriving as Allison starts consuming ten or more pills per day to keep her cool, putting her child at risk as she gets behind the wheel while under the influence. Weiner's (Good in Bed) latest novel is reminiscent of Susanna Kaysen's Girl, Interrupted, as Allison struggles to first hide, and then overcome, the addiction that jeopardizes everything she has worked so hard to achieve.