The one memory of Flora Banks was an exeptionally fast read for me and it kept me hooked the whole way through. It was a book I had heard a lot about but I wasn't really sure what to expect-now I've read it I'm so glad I picked it up!
It is based on a 17 year old girl, named Flora Banks, who has Amnesia. She can't remember anything that has occurred normally after an hour. She uses everything to help her remember, write notes down in her notebook; write things on her arms and take pictures on her phone. However, the one memory she remembers is kissing a boy, her best friends boyfriend.
Her Family go away to visit her dying brother (she is not aloud to go, as her mother is very protective over her) and she is left alone (her best friend decides never to speak to her again. because she kissed her boyfriend) in the house for longer than she realises. After getting bored of lounging around doing nothing all day, waking up forgetting whats happening, and where her parents are, she suddenly books flight to Salvbard, all the way across the other side of the world, to find the boy that helps her remember. She forgets her medicines and tells her parents that she is safe at home. But, she is completely determined to find what she is looking for, even if deep down, Flora and the reader doesn't really understand what that is until the end.
The book is written from Flora's perspective which I think is what makes it such a good book as you are remembering things with Flora, as the book goes on. You are also going through her daily life with her and this meant you got to know her really well and understand her and how she feels. I really felt like I felt emotions with her and the stress and pain was extuciantingly difficult for Flora.
It is a book which gets better the more you read. I was still gripped from the begging, but I found the plot a little cliche and I thought it was going to be very predictable.
I was wrong.
It was a book with countless twist and turns and every page was a mystery that I was unfolding inside Flora's head. At times, I was still working out what was happening, but this was cleverly meant to happen so you would feel Flora's emotions.
It taught me a big message to be brave and overcome the problems you are given. It showed two options of facing a problem, to hide from it and never live properly again, let it surround and change you, or face it and not let yourself be dragged away from who you really are, live and don't let anything stop you!
I also think it was clever how Flora had amnesia, which meant the book had a large message of taking a leaf out of the characters book, and live every day as it comes and live in only the present. Of course, it also showed us how valuable memories are and how the past can change the future, but it gave a big message about living life and focusing on the moment, which I thought was great.
I read it in less than 24 hours and as I have said, I was hooked from the very begging. It was written incredibly well and the style of writing matched with the synopsis which was also good.
The character development was also great, as you learnt a lot about Flora herself, as it was from her perspective, but you also learnt a lot about her family and friends and other characters you met as the book went on. All the characters had different approaches to Floras problem which was a very good way of displaying the different point of views in humanity on facing something like that, and by the end of the book you understood the best opinions and you understood how different people cope differently with situations, and it's important to know that.
The book also had emails and letters in the writing which I always love as you feel like you are receiving them yourself, and it makes you feel even more involved with the characters fictional life.
Overall, it was a great read which I was glad was unpredictable, and is great for a gripping, fast paced book with a lot of emotion. It covered the genres of thriller, and a little romance. It is a YA book and I would recommend it to ages 13-17.
Buy it:
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-one-memory-of-flora-banks/emily-barr/9780141368511
or
https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Memory-Flora-Banks/dp/0141368519/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499116184&sr=8-1&keywords=the+one+memory+of+flora+banks
