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A review by shelleyrae
The Art of Forgetting by Camille Pagán
3.0
The Art of Forgetting is a touching story with an appealing premise that explores the bonds and boundaries of friendship. When Marissa Rogers' best friend is hit by a taxi, Julia's resulting brain injury changes their relationship, and who they are, forever.
It's an interesting plot that examines the consequences of acquired brain injury, not only for the victim but for those close to them. For Marissa, who has always depended upon the strong and vital Julia, the changes to her friend's personality alters the way she see's
herself and her relationships.
Pagan tries to convince us that Marissa's personality has been stunted by the more dominant Julia's charisma. I didn't quite buy it given Marissa's success in her career and strong relationship with a loving partner. Neither would be possible if Marissa always acquiesced to the opinions and demands of others. There is no doubt that Julia could be manipulative as demonstrated in the flashbacks of their youthful friendship, but I didn't feel I learnt enough about their relationship at the time of the accident. I sometimes felt that Marissa's personal growth was at the expense of her ability to empathise with Julia's loss.
At a time when Julia really needs her, Marissa seems to be almost ambivalent about the consequences of her best friends devastating injury, focusing instead on past resentments.
However, Julia's head injury does provide a catalyst for Marissa to move ahead with her life and gain maturity which I could appreciate. She stands up to her hyper critical mother, commits to her relationship with Dave and makes a positive change in career. Her friendship with Julia will never be what it was though, both a positive and negative thing for them both.
The Art of Forgetting is a solid debut from first time author Camille Noe Pagan. While I wasn't particularly drawn to the characters in this novel, I did find the story well crafted and engaging. The aftermath of acquired brain injury is a theme seldom explored in novels and I appreciate Pagan's choice to examine it.
It's an interesting plot that examines the consequences of acquired brain injury, not only for the victim but for those close to them. For Marissa, who has always depended upon the strong and vital Julia, the changes to her friend's personality alters the way she see's
herself and her relationships.
Pagan tries to convince us that Marissa's personality has been stunted by the more dominant Julia's charisma. I didn't quite buy it given Marissa's success in her career and strong relationship with a loving partner. Neither would be possible if Marissa always acquiesced to the opinions and demands of others. There is no doubt that Julia could be manipulative as demonstrated in the flashbacks of their youthful friendship, but I didn't feel I learnt enough about their relationship at the time of the accident. I sometimes felt that Marissa's personal growth was at the expense of her ability to empathise with Julia's loss.
At a time when Julia really needs her, Marissa seems to be almost ambivalent about the consequences of her best friends devastating injury, focusing instead on past resentments.
However, Julia's head injury does provide a catalyst for Marissa to move ahead with her life and gain maturity which I could appreciate. She stands up to her hyper critical mother, commits to her relationship with Dave and makes a positive change in career. Her friendship with Julia will never be what it was though, both a positive and negative thing for them both.
The Art of Forgetting is a solid debut from first time author Camille Noe Pagan. While I wasn't particularly drawn to the characters in this novel, I did find the story well crafted and engaging. The aftermath of acquired brain injury is a theme seldom explored in novels and I appreciate Pagan's choice to examine it.