Title: Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Series: N/A
Page Count: 288
Review: 88/100, 4.5/5 Stars
Notes: Review may have spoilers.
NON SPOILER: If you have not read this book, I cannot recommend it enough. Honestly, it is so fantastic. Read it first then come back. Don't even read a summary or the blurb on the back, because that makes the book so much better. All you need to know about it is that it's about a girl who gets amnesia. Read this book :)
This book had so many amazing aspects to it that I don't even know where to start.
The plot was beautiful. It flowed so nicely and always had something coming at you. There weren't any filler chapters that you had to trudge through, nor any dull scenes. The romantic interests were super neat. The way that Zevin was able to weave together the pasts (or the non-pasts) of Naomi and James in the way that both of their's were so untouchable was amazing.
Not many people could write this book, but Gabrielle Zevin did a beautiful job.
All of Naomi's interests were thorough, and her confusion about them after her losing her memory was heartbreaking and powerful.
I loved her relationship with Will and how much he knew about her and cared for her. It's the kind of friendship anyone would want.
I don't have any bad things to say about this book, but if I had to give some harder criticism, I would say that the relationship / fight going on with her mother could've been developed better. Especially when (SPOILER: when she got her memory back,: SPOILER)) she could've dug deeper to find out more about why she didn't like her anymore.
Overall, this book was a fast-paced, beautiful read. (How many times will I be saying beautiful in this review?) I read it in two sittings (almost two and a half hours of reading total). It's the perfect book to read by the beach or out on the porch--even if summer is basically over. There aren't too many heavily emotional parts of the book, but some parts are a little sad and sometimes heavy, but that can be expected in every book.
I recommend this book to teenagers and to adults and to everyone. It's a really good book about finding yourself and knowing who you are and pushing through hard times.
