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3.54 AVERAGE


Chi è Jenna? La risposta a questa domanda è un vero rompicapo per la sua giovane protagonista e accompagna Jenna e il lettore dall'inizio alla fine del libro, un fil rouge che invita a riflettere sui temi delicati sollevati nel corso della narrazione.
challenging emotional mysterious fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

This book certainly raises interesting questions about the ethics of technology and scientific advancement-- an ever evolving conversation still being had today. There were complicated family dynamics sprinkled throughout, which always makes for a captivating read. I did find a lot of the plot to be quite predictable, but as a book targeted towards teens, I was expecting that going in. Not life-changing, but still a fun and quick read!

I picked up this one up from the Brooklyn Public Library's summer reading list. Pearson takes on an interesting exploration of what it means to be human and how far biotechnology should go. It's well-written and the characters all seem real and well-developed. That said, it's probably a bit slow for many teens and the themes were occasionally pushed a little too heavy-handedly.

Imagine waking up in a house you don't remember. Not only is the house different, but you can't even remember your name. This is what happens to seventeen year-old Jenna Fox after she wakes up from a year long coma that was induced from a terrible accident. Not remembering anything is the least of Jenna's problems. She constantly feels different, is having to relearn everything from smiling to walking and can't get along with her parents for the life of her. This would be an issue for any teen, but when her memory slowly starts to return and there are lots of gaps, she starts having questions. She wonders what really happened in the accident and was her life really as perfect as it was portrayed in all the home videos she has been forced to watch. Everything comes tumbling down when Jenna learns the truth, but will everything be the same as it used to be, or will Jenna change the person she used to be into the person she wants to be?


Sorry for the short summary, but I really can't give much of the story away or it would completely take away from the book. This was truly a remarkable novel. I had heard so many great things about this book that when I finally sat down to read it I had very high expectations. Needless to say the book blew every expectation I had out of the water, it was just that good. From the very first words I was hooked by Jenna's voice. She was so real and lonely that I found myself drawn to her like she was actually sitting in the room next to me recounting her story. The futuristic plot (not really too far into the future!) gripped me from the first pages and kept me in its grasp until the very last period. Now I won't give the ending away because that would just be horrible, but I have to say I loved it. I thought the author did a fantastic job tying up loose ends and really ending the story. She really left no room for improvement. Now my absolute favorite part of the book is not the great plot or real feeling characters, but the fact that the book made you actually think. Mary Pearson takes a subject that we really aren't familiar with and throws it in our face with Jenna's story. She makes us think about how we would feel if we were put in this kind of situation and what we would want to have happen to us. She does this in a non biased way too, creating characters who are both pro, con, and neutral towards the subject. You all need to just read this book, it was a completely refreshing read that has the power to allow us a sneak peek into what may just lay in store for us in the not so distant future.

3.5 stars

This book wasn't my favorite, not because it was terrible, but just because I lost interest fast in it. The plot twist became apparent a few pages in. I did, however, enjoy the way the dysfunctional family dynamic played out, that was well written.

Content:

-A few swear words, but I didn't notice that many.
-Teens making out.
-A mild description of an injury.

Though I've encountered lots of science fiction with this basic trope (I'm not going to tell you what it is - this is a spoiler-free zone!), I think this book takes the typical set-up one step farther and does some really nice things with it. I particularly liked the ending.

Two and a half stars.
challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

One of my favourites.