Book Review: The Adoration of Jenna Fox

The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary E. Pearson

Jenna Fox doesn’t remember much. She is told that she is seventeen years old and has been in a coma for a year after a life-threatening accident. Her parents won’t give her many details other than some home movies. So Jenna begins to relive her life from her youngest days to the most recent, hoping to regain her memories. As Jenna begins to remember and discovers who she was, her parents still keep secrets from her. But as Jenna soon realizes, it’s not as important who she was in the past, but who she is now.

This is a remarkable coming-of-age story set in a not-too-distant future where technology is more advanced. Jenna is a fascinating character, flawed yet sympathetic. And it’s easy to get carried away in her story and life. Though told in first person, the reader is able to put together the clues before Jenna does. And while we’re able to make the connections faster, they are still startling enough revelations and twists to the story that make it worthwhile.

Another strength of the story, besides the suspense and character development, is that the scenario does make the reader think. As the title treatment says “How far would you go to save someone you love?” it’s not only a clue to the story, but a question that readers will ponder themselves. Completely engaging, this is a great read for teens on up. The copy I received was the audio version read by Jenna Lamia. She has to be one of the best voice actors that I’ve heard, easily transitioning between different characters and helping distinguish between them, always clear and concise. Her contribution was certainly a benefit to the novel.