my books. my life.

Staying friends will mean that I have to let go of the misunderstandings, arguments, and hurtful comments again and again and again – maybe even forever, if Julia never fully heals. p. 280

Title:The Art of Forgetting
Author: Camille Noe Pagán
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Women’s Fiction
ISBN: 0525952195
Pages: 291
Year: 2011
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Source: Review copy from publisher
Rating: 4/5

Summary/My Thoughts::

After college, Melissa moved to New York City with her best friend Julia and became an editor of a diet magazine. She is dating a man she loves, even if he does work all the time, and while she does doesn’t adore her job, she’s good at it. When Julia is in an accident, suffering brain trauma that changes her personality and impair her memory, Melissa’s life changes drastically. Once she can no longer depend on her best friend, she reexamines her life, her friendships, her family, and her relationship.

Confession time. I picked up this book for two reasons: (1) the gorgeous ballerina on the cover and (2) the author lives in, and the story partially takes place in, Ann Arbor. It’s like Pagán wrote the book just for me. When running also began to play a role in the book, I got a little scared at the Michelle-ness. And by scared, I mean I thought it was awesome.

The Art of Forgetting took the friendship theme common in women’s fiction and put a little bit of a twist on it. Julia always had a little power over Melissa, best evidenced in one critical point in their past. I’ve had friendships that weren’t necessary equal – and I think I’ve been on both sides – and examining that aspect of friendship was really interesting to me.

There was also a lot of “what if” versus “what actually is.” Again, this is something totally relatable. I think that’s what I liked most about this book (besides the Ann Arbor street names that made me a little homesick). It felt really relatable even though I’ve never had to deal with anything like Julia’s accident and its aftermath.

I am so glad that this cover jumped out at me because The Art of Forgetting is definitely worth reading.

[Note: I am using the mini-review format while I am away. Fully length reviews will return in July.]