Forgotten

April 18, 2011
Memory is a tricky thing, but never more so than for high school junior London Lane, who must write notes to herself each night, so that when she wakes up with her memory wiped clean, she can be reminded of past events in her life. And the "memories" London does have (including a friend's disastrous relationship with a teacher and a mysterious funeral) are of the future. It's an ambitious premise, and first-time novelist Patrick doesn't quite pull it off. The underlying "rules" of London's condition are murky; she remembers her mother and best friend's identities, as well as her own (presumably drawing from future memories), yet even months into a relationship with gorgeous new student Luke, she doesn't remember him without her notes. More baffling is London and her mother's lack of concern about her condition. "I wouldn't say that you're broken," her mother tells her. "You're special." (Meanwhile, London is still walking into the wrong classrooms on the last day of school.) London's romance and the story's several mysteries may draw in readers, but the inconsistencies prove frustrating. Ages 12âup.

May 15, 2011

Imagine forgetting yesterday but remembering tomorrow.

Patrick's high-concept debut falls flat. Each morning at 4:33, London Lane's mind resets, blanking out the past—but she "remembers" her future. Doctors have been unable to solve her condition, so London stumbles through life faking normal, aided by notes and her mother and best friend (both of whom she "knows," thanks to future memories). Every morning she must study her own life. Enter hot boy, but despite the growing relationship, London can't remember him from her future. Luke's inexplicable presence and a resurfaced actual memory set London on the trail of her own past, in which she discovers a tragic mystery. She conveniently remembers just enough to solve it, and it turns out there are happy endings all around, although only a weak "explanation" for London's ability to effectively see the future. The flat main character and awkward necessities of writing to accommodate future memories hinder the promising premise. Present-tense narration in an adult voice (perhaps because London remembers forward?) and a personality is based only on who she will be make empathy difficult. This is compounded by the discomfiting circular logic throughout (she is friends with Jamie because she will be friends with Jamie; readers will still wonder why).

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

July 1, 2011

Gr 9 Up-London Lane, 16, exists in a state of "remembering" her future but not her past. She has a highly structured life, using notes and messages to help her remember events both important and trivial, from her class schedule and homework to what she wore the day before. Only her mother and friend Jamie know London's unusual secret. Thus, despite her strange condition, she is a typical teenager who tries to stay under the radar at school. London's orderly life gets shaken when she meets Luke, a new student to whom she is immediately drawn. As she has no "future memory" of him, she expects he will not be an important part of her life. Then, as their relationship grows, the mystery of her memory condition deepens. With Luke's steadfast support and help, the strange circumstances that led London to forget the past rise to the surface. This unique tale is quirky and funny and simultaneously offers readers a romantic mystery with intrigue. Patrick has created true-to-life characters in London and Luke, yet places them in a newly imagined scenario. While readers may at times join the memory-impaired protagonist in her confused state, ultimately this fresh twist results in an enjoyable read.-Tara Kehoe, Plainsboro Public Library, NJ

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2011
Grades 7-11 Sixteen-year-old London has a serious problemevery night when she goes to sleep, her memory completely disappears. She copes by leaving herself voluminous notes and journal entries to maintain continuity. In this way, she manages good grades and even a social life that includes a caring and gorgeous boyfriend. At the same time, London has visions of the future, and what she sees is frequently problematic. Theres more to this intriguing concept, though, as London realizes that some of her prescient moments are in fact memories and gradually accepts the facts of the trauma that initially caused her memory loss. Patricks debut novel raises philosophical issues of real interest, such as the morality of revealing someones future. Thoughtful readers will enjoy the mind games, romance readers will enjoy the relationship dynamics, and all readers will find themselves inexorably pulled into a logical yet surprising and compelling finish.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)