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lisaortiz1221 's review for:
The Adoration of Jenna Fox
by Mary E. Pearson
wow, where to start with this book?!? have you ever read a book that made you want to love it, that was so honest and in your face, but it just fell short? that's what happened to me here. i really liked it - great subject, good writing, honestly written characters - but, somewhere, somehow, it just didn't come together as much as i wanted. i still really enjoyed it, but it had that potential to be even more. *sigh*
our narrator, Jenna Fox, has just woken up from a coma, with no memory of her life. she doesn't recognize the people who are her parents, but through videos of her childhood, she learns that they adore her and that she has always been the perfect daughter. we learn in real time, as she learns of her past, and layer by mind boggling layer, we learn the truth of her life, from the accident that put her in the coma to the future that she can expect with her newly forming identity.
When you are perfect, is there anywhere else to go? I ache for her like she is someone else. She is. I am not the perfect Jenna Fox anymore.
this is a YA dystopian novel - that is, a visionary of a futuristic society that is lacking in individual freedoms - so that gives you an idea of what to expect. any more than that and we'll be in spoiler territory, so i'll leave it at that. what i will say is that Pearson does a phenomenal job of tackling the moral dilemma of medical ethics and parental obligation. i was amazed at how she was able to create a story that unfolded delicately, both for Jenna and the reader, all in the confines of under 300 pages. the self discovery is so dense in those pages that it is difficult not to be startled at times by the profundity of it all.
Identities aren't always separate and distinct. Sometimes they are wrapped up with others. Sometimes, for a few minutes, maybe they can even be shared.
the narrative is written in a mostly conversational tone, which works well for Jenna's story. she is a quick witted girl with a wry sense of humor, and she clearly isn't afraid to laugh at herself, which makes for good punchy reading. but, the chapters are interspersed with definitions (which she is learning as she goes) and some stream of consciousness type poetry. some of these worked really well and served the purpose of bringing us deeper into the story, but some just seemed disjointed and forced. the worst part for me was the ending. i won't say what happens, but i thought it was weak and unfulfilled, to say the least.
like i said, i really wanted to LOVE this book and i've had such a difficult time reviewing it because i really enjoyed it, but it just didn't deliver the crashbang experience that i had expected and hoped for. normally, i think i would have just loved it and written a wonderful, glowing review, but i'm being a harsh critic here because it had such amazing potential. it fell short in a few areas that were just so disappointing. that being said, i still think everyone should read it because of the subject and characterization. i think it would make a particularly great (high school?) classroom read with some really great opportunities for discussion.
our narrator, Jenna Fox, has just woken up from a coma, with no memory of her life. she doesn't recognize the people who are her parents, but through videos of her childhood, she learns that they adore her and that she has always been the perfect daughter. we learn in real time, as she learns of her past, and layer by mind boggling layer, we learn the truth of her life, from the accident that put her in the coma to the future that she can expect with her newly forming identity.
When you are perfect, is there anywhere else to go? I ache for her like she is someone else. She is. I am not the perfect Jenna Fox anymore.
this is a YA dystopian novel - that is, a visionary of a futuristic society that is lacking in individual freedoms - so that gives you an idea of what to expect. any more than that and we'll be in spoiler territory, so i'll leave it at that. what i will say is that Pearson does a phenomenal job of tackling the moral dilemma of medical ethics and parental obligation. i was amazed at how she was able to create a story that unfolded delicately, both for Jenna and the reader, all in the confines of under 300 pages. the self discovery is so dense in those pages that it is difficult not to be startled at times by the profundity of it all.
Identities aren't always separate and distinct. Sometimes they are wrapped up with others. Sometimes, for a few minutes, maybe they can even be shared.
the narrative is written in a mostly conversational tone, which works well for Jenna's story. she is a quick witted girl with a wry sense of humor, and she clearly isn't afraid to laugh at herself, which makes for good punchy reading. but, the chapters are interspersed with definitions (which she is learning as she goes) and some stream of consciousness type poetry. some of these worked really well and served the purpose of bringing us deeper into the story, but some just seemed disjointed and forced. the worst part for me was the ending. i won't say what happens, but i thought it was weak and unfulfilled, to say the least.
like i said, i really wanted to LOVE this book and i've had such a difficult time reviewing it because i really enjoyed it, but it just didn't deliver the crashbang experience that i had expected and hoped for. normally, i think i would have just loved it and written a wonderful, glowing review, but i'm being a harsh critic here because it had such amazing potential. it fell short in a few areas that were just so disappointing. that being said, i still think everyone should read it because of the subject and characterization. i think it would make a particularly great (high school?) classroom read with some really great opportunities for discussion.