Book Review: The Forgetting (The Forgetting #1)

About the Book:
Title: The Forgetting (The Forgetting #1)
Author: Sharon Cameron
Pub. Date: September 13, 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 403
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis:

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. 

Review:

“The past is never really gone. It only lies in wait for you, remembered or forgotten.” 

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this new novel from Sharon Cameron! Dystopian novels are very hit or miss for me (there's very few that are anywhere inbetween), and this one turned out to be a hit in my book! It's suspenseful, dark, and filled with twists that you'll never see coming. The beauty of this book is that Sharon Cameron drops hints throughout the entire book, but you never actually realize they're hints until the big reveal (which is also the major plot twist and take this book in an entirely different direction). After this reveal, you look back and realize it was in front of your face the entire time, and personally, that's my favorite type of thing while reading. The world-building is excellent, and there's just something that urges you to keep reading. Although I wasn't a fan of Ms. Cameron's first novel, I was a big fan of another novel of hers (Rook). I can honestly say that I am incredibly happy I gave her another chance because her storytelling keeps getting better and better!

“It's my choice that determines what I will become. Not the memories of the past.” 

Nadia, our main character, is a unique heroine to follow. She is a quiet rebel...literally. Nadia is a person of few words, and I think this is one of the things I liked about her, because I could relate to her a great deal. The only thing I liked about her is her inquisitive nature and how she's always on the hunt to learn. She's clever, quick-witted, and determined to figure out what actually is going on with The Forgetting. Nadia is just so different from current YA female leads, which made her POV very refreshing to read from. As you can tell from the synopsis, Nadia also has many secrets, and Gray (our romantic lead) is desperate to learn more. However, despite Nadia's quietness, they forge a bond that grows into something more. They have an excellent banter and their relationship is extremely believable. I honestly loved Nadia and Gray together simply because they helped each other grow and accomplish what the other wanted. 

“We are supposed to write the truth, for no one to see but ourselves. But how easily that truth can be twisted. Bend a little here, omit a little there, make yourself into the person you wish you were instead of the person you are. How easy to cut the truth away, to throw it in a fire, open your eyes, and have the whole world remember nothing of who you are. Nothing of what you’ve done. When you will not remember who you are or what you’ve done.” 

As I said, the world-building is absolutely fantastic, and you know right away that there's more going on than originally appears. That underlying mystery is what keeps you wanting to read, and when the big reveal goes down...it's definitely mind-blowing! I had plenty of theories while reading, but I certainly never guessed the truth. And after that plot twist, things slowly sink in...why characters are the way they are, who other characters are, and what's coming. The Forgetting is a mix of sci-fi, fantasy, and dystopian, and it all came alive through Ms. Cameron's writing. She weaves the story expertly, and there are many sub-plots that you don't think are important at first, but in the end...everything is important (remember that while reading). 
I think the direction that Ms. Cameron took was extremely creative and makes this book stand apart from the other dystopian novels out there currently.

“Knowing the truth makes me alone. I wrote that once, but I think I was wrong. Fear of pain is what has made me alone. But today I realized that pain and love have a balance. I can feel so much of one only because I feel so much of the other.” 

The conclusion of this novel is incredibly fast-paced and you'll be glued to the page. I honestly couldn't put the book down because I had to find out how everything would end. I highly recommend checking this book out if you're a fan of dystopian or sci-fi novels. Sharon Cameron spins a story that definitely will not disappoint, and emphasizes the importance of relationships and standing up for what you want. As a side note, I think this would make an excellent movie or TV show, but then again I don't know if I would actually want that for fear that they would mess it up! But this is a must-read, so add it to your TBR right now!

Happy reading :)

~Cassie