Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

Ever wonder what you’d do if you lost — just like that — four years of your life? Panic? Start over? Get depressed? I was fascinated by the whole premise behind Gabrielle Zevin’s latest book: Naomi is a 16-year-old, who, because of one fall down a flight of concrete steps and a nasty bump on the head, can’t remember anything past the time she was 12 years old. Call it fate, call it gravity, but suddenly she’s a completely different person than what everyone else was expecting.

There’s a lot going on in this book. There’s a love story, there’s a psychological mystery (who was Naomi before), there’s issues of alienation and depression and dealing with choices one makes.

But beyond all that, it’s a smartly written novel with a compelling story about a fascinating girl who takes the chance fate has given her to create something and someone new. A good little book.

6 thoughts on “Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

  1. I loved this book! It really made me think… if I couldn’t remember the past four years, would I be happy with the life I have now? Would I be surprised where I ended up? (Yes!)

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  2. I need to hurry up and read this one. I’ve got it on a challenge list or two, and I told my former thesis director about it and she might want to teach it in one of her undergrad (or grad) seminars. Glad you liked it!

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