Review: The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron

Title:  The Forgetting 

Author: Sharon Cameron
Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publishing Date: September 13th, 2016

Pages: 403
Genre: YA Dystopian

Series:  The Forgetting #1
Source:  Audio

 

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.

I received this book back in 2016 at BEA. I never got around to reading it. As in a lot of books I got at BEA. I was really excited for this one too. I mean look at that cover. So gorgeous. For some reason, it kept getting pushed back. Even after I got the audio. Well, finally I found the perfect time for this read and WOW! I am amazed. I didn't realize this book would be so awesome, take me by storm, and own my heart. The title may be The Unforgetting but the book is unforgettable. (I am sure that has been used before) 

In the city of Canaan life goes pretty smoothly. Everyone has a job, a family, a name. Sounds like normal life. Not so much because every 12 years the forgetting happens and everyone forgets everything.... except for Nadia. For some reason, she remembers before the unforgetting. What she remembers too...not happy memories. At her first and only forgetting she has been through, her father erased himself from her life. Another memory she has is of the glassblower's son.  It's very close to the next forgetting and Nadia wants to find out why she remembers when no one else does and if she can prevent the forgetting from happening again. She enlists the help (reluctantly) from the glassblower's son. Together they unravel an entire world and history they didn't know existed. 

Okay, my thoughts are going to be a little rambled I am sure. When I love books I seem to ramble. My thoughts get all jumbled inside because I am so dang excited about what I read. As I mentioned before the cover is beautiful, that is not where the only awesome lies though. The story is beautiful and beautifully written. I haven't yet read a book by Sharon Cameron. This was my first and I will be reading more from her. The story was so original and unique. I find it hard to find unique stories anymore especially in the dystopian genre. This one was for sure unique. Where does one come up with the idea of a forgetting... 

The forgetting may seem like a strange concept and maybe farfetched... however it is so well done in this story. It was believable and I can see something like this being real. Of course, at the beginning of the story we barely know what the forgetting is and slowly through the story, we learn what and how and why and where it all began. Which let me tell you, there were some shockers in this story I was not expecting. 

The story was good and it was well written and well put together. The pacing was perfect and everything flowed so seamlessly. And then we have the characters. Oh, how I fell for these characters. Nadia is a great heroine. Strong, independent, caring, compassionate, gentle, kind, motherly, and very curious. Nothing stands in her way for sure... and no one is left behind. She is so awesome. Then we have the glassblower's son, Gray. Oh yes, Gray. another gentle creature, smart, charming, and a little mysterious. He has a rough past, of course, he doesn't remember it and it kills him. 

So to recap, great story, beautiful writing, wonderful pace, awesome characters, unique world building.... oh yea the romance. Oh, my heart. The romance just tore my heart wide open. I just didn't want this to be over because I needed more of these two. Swoon Swoon Swoon. So beautiful and so tragic... knowing that once the forgetting happens Gray will no longer remember Nadia but the same isn't for Nadia. She will remember it all. So the entire time I was enjoying the romance my heart was breaking and my fingers were crossed that the forgetting would be stopped. 

The end was perfect for this story. I am only going to say that. It didn't end at all like I thought it would, I didn't know what I thought but it was perfect. 

One of the best dystopian I have read in a very long time. 

Sharon Cameron was awarded the 2009 Sue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for her debut novel, The Dark Unwinding. When not writing Sharon can be found thumbing dusty tomes, shooting her longbow, or indulging in her lifelong search for secret passages.