The One Memory Of Flora Banks by Emily Barr, Penguin Books, £7.99
What is the book about?
The One Memory Of Flora Banks is the story of a 17-year-old girl, Flora, who began to experience short-term memory issues at the age of ten and her struggle to grow up, feeling almost stuck at the time just before it all started. These themes are invoked by an ill-advised kiss that, and the problems and implications that go along with it.
Who is it aimed at?
With the nature of this book, a lot of its themes can be intensely emotional but it’s definitely a young adult read. I would recommend for around 13 to 17 year olds.
What was your favourite part?
The decision to have it written from Flora’s perspective was one that I absolutely agree with as it invited the reader into a world that could have seemed distant and un-relatable. Following her writing notes on her hand or paper to remember them, and the way they link into the story and her feelings, made for a fascinating writing style that I’d not encountered before.
Least favourite part?
The only thing that briefly put me off was that it occasionally became confusing, as some of her problems with her memory made it hard to follow, though this helped to illustrate what Flora went through.
Which character would you most like to meet?
I was very interested in Paige, Flora’s best friend since before she became ill and the way that their relationship changed over the course of the book. I would love to hear things from her perspective, with how important she was to the development of the story.
Why should someone buy this book?
Both the ideas that it managed to explore and the way in which it was written captured me from the first page and made a huge impact, and made it something that I knew I would want to highly recommend.
Gemma E McLaughlin
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