Review: The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron

28691932 The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron

My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Received: Scholastic Canada
Publication Date: September 13th 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Point of View: 1st Person & Feminine
Recommended Age: 11+
Pacing: Extra Slow
Genres & Themes: Young Adult, Dystopia

BLURB:

What isn’t written, isn’t remembered. Even your crimes.

Nadia lives in the city of Canaan, where life is safe and structured, hemmed in by white stone walls and no memory of what came before. But every twelve years the city descends into the bloody chaos of the Forgetting, a day of no remorse, when each person’s memories – of parents, children, love, life, and self – are lost. Unless they have been written.

In Canaan, your book is your truth and your identity, and Nadia knows exactly who hasn’t written the truth. Because Nadia is the only person in Canaan who has never forgotten.

But when Nadia begins to use her memories to solve the mysteries of Canaan, she discovers truths about herself and Gray, the handsome glassblower, that will change her world forever. As the anarchy of the Forgetting approaches, Nadia and Gray must stop an unseen enemy that threatens both their city and their own existence – before the people can forget the truth. And before Gray can forget her.

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I shouldn’t feel this good about crossing the finish line. I think it’s a bad sign when a book lover can’t wait to finish a book.

But so help me, I was dying of boredom. It’s not that the story isn’t interesting exactly, but it’s so damn slow. Slower than a tortoise. Slower than a boat at sea when there is no wind. Slower than Becky Bloomwood trying to choose between two pairs of shoes.

Wait, she’ll just pick both. Whatever, you can comprehend the point here.

The thing is, I was actually warned by some people that this author’s stories are indeed exceedingly slow-paced, but you know when you really want something, and so, don’t take in account anyone else’s opinion? Yeah… Lesson (maybe) learned.

THE FORGETTING is some kind of mash-up of DIVERGENT and THE GIVER, but a really, really (huge emphasis on ‘‘really’’) slow one. I counted half a dozen action/almost action scenes. The rest is just internal blah-blah, because Nadia’s mind is a tornado!

Even the romance did nothing for me. The characters didn’t impress me in the smallest bit. Nadia is fine – she’s strong, intelligent, courageous, rebellious and very, very lucky. But so are a thousand other female heroines. So what sets HER apart? Not much.

So I didn’t enjoy my reading of this one. It’s not all bad – there are some beautifully inspiring quotes in it – but I much prefer something more action-filled. This book could have been cut in half.
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