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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
4.75 - things were a bit rushed at times, but other than that, a unique, fascinating read
I thoroughly enjoyed this story of a young girl who loses her memory after falling down the high school steps, and has the chance to reinvent herself as she discovers who she was and who she wants to be.
By page 9 I was really hooked, the main character Naomi was adopted so I related to that.
I liked that she had a hobby, and the secondary characters were important, as they'd probably need to be in a novel where the protagonist doesn't remember her life post the start of high-school.
Overall I loved how this wasn't a love story, it ended up being more a story about her finding herself and growing up. Amnesia is a good way to utilize this in a YA novel. But I think toward the end it may have just fell back into becoming a love story again. If it would've ended sooner I think I would've enjoyed it more.
But props for the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead reference.
I liked that she had a hobby, and the secondary characters were important, as they'd probably need to be in a novel where the protagonist doesn't remember her life post the start of high-school.
Overall I loved how this wasn't a love story, it ended up being more a story about her finding herself and growing up. Amnesia is a good way to utilize this in a YA novel. But I think toward the end it may have just fell back into becoming a love story again. If it would've ended sooner I think I would've enjoyed it more.
But props for the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead reference.
I really liked the overall concept of this book, but towards the end I found myself realizing that I was still reading the book just to find out the ending. Some of the characters got to be pretty annoying - which I get they're a bunch of teenagers but still. Also there were a couple of parts in Chapter 5 around homecoming that made me mad and had the book been written now (almost 20 years later) it might have been written differently.
But even with all that there were some nice gems that rounded it out. Will was a really sweet character (even though he kept being annoyed that Naomi couldn't remember stuff like please she has amnesia don't take it out on her). There was also a really sweet passage from Naomi's dad towards the end (pg. 259). Also I really wish I knew what I would've thought of this book if I'd found it when it first came out (just graduated high school and starting uni).
But even with all that there were some nice gems that rounded it out.
Quite good YA tale of the kind I never read as a teenager. I liked for the most part, although with some caveats, and I didn't love it. Mainly, I was disappointed by how the story backs away from the problem of Naomi's amnesia and instead focuses on her relationships with a few other (male) characters: her former best friend and a mysterious/troubled newcomer. Though the latter plot was well-done, it seemed like the book ended with a different story than the one it started with. The hints that are dropped toward the beginning of the book to suggest that Naomi is going to have to confront the person she was before her amnesia (and may not like what she finds) aren't really followed up. For instance, that food diary she finds right at the beginning: last I checked, consuming 600 calories per day is anorexic-level eating, especially for someone who's tall and plays sports, as Naomi is described. But after she throws the diary away in disgust, it vanishes from the plot. Likewise the hints that she was something of a mean-girl melt away, and she's able to reconcile her past and present pretty easily in the end.
Other, less picky, readers might argue that the turning of focus away from the amnesia and toward other stuff is a mature move, and that the narrative has to develop away from the loss. I can see that, but personally, I read a book about a girl who loses her memory, I want it to deal with what it means for her to have lost her memory. This story only does that halfway. Still an enjoyable read, though.
Other, less picky, readers might argue that the turning of focus away from the amnesia and toward other stuff is a mature move, and that the narrative has to develop away from the loss. I can see that, but personally, I read a book about a girl who loses her memory, I want it to deal with what it means for her to have lost her memory. This story only does that halfway. Still an enjoyable read, though.
Oh this was a good book written by a good storyteller. Plot driven, interesting conception (who would you be if you suddenly lost the memories you've made over the last 4 years; who would be there to catch you; who would make you whole again?). Enjoyable!
It was a cute! A good book. Not my favorite of all time, but nothing BAD. Just didn’t hook me like some others have.
I thought the beginning her and James was really cute, but her story was pretty interesting overall. Maybe I'm just not an overly romantic person because I only thought it was ok, her romance with James got weird for me in the middle and stuff, and I thought the ending was a bit rushed.
This book was very well written. The plot structure was quite imaginative--the main character has amnesia, so most of the things a reader learns about her are revealed through dialogue with other characters. The theme of memory and forgetfulness is consistent throughout the book, and there are some really beautiful moments where the author discusses it.
The only thing I really hated about this book was the character James. He was very Holden Caulfield-ish to me, whom I've never liked.
The only thing I really hated about this book was the character James. He was very Holden Caulfield-ish to me, whom I've never liked.