Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published May 2017
304 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
It's not a lie if you can't remember the truth.
Seventeen-year-old Flora Banks has no short-term memory. Her mind resets itself several times a day, and has since the age of ten, when the tumor that was removed from Flora's brain took with it her ability to make new memories. That is, until she kisses Drake, her best friend's boyfriend, the night before he leaves town. Miraculously, this one memory breaks through Flora's fractured mind, and sticks. Flora is convinced that Drake is responsible for restoring her memory and making her whole again. So, when an encouraging email from Drake suggests she meet him on the other side of the world - in Svalbard, Norway - Flora knows with certainty that this is the first step toward reclaiming her life.
But will following Drake be the key to unlocking Flora's memory? Or will the journey reveal that nothing is quite as it seems?
Already a bestselling debut in the UK, this unforgettable novel is Memento meets We Were Liars and will have you racing through the pages to unravel the truth.
"Starred Review. [A] remarkable odyssey...an enthralling story...a deftly, compassionately written mystery." - Booklist
"Starred Review. Barr's tale mingles Oliver Sacks–like scientific curiosity with Arctic adventure and YA novel in a way that's equally unsettling, winsome, and terrifying." - Horn Book
"Flora's situation may be singular, but her desire for autonomy should speak loudly to teens in the midst of their own journeys into adulthood." - Publishers Weekly
"Ultimately, this title will leave readers with a sense of hope and faith in the human spirit...A strong choice for YA shelves." - School Library Journal
"An affecting portrayal of living with amnesia and discovering one's own agency." - Kirkus
"[T]his is [Barr's] first YA novel and it is a good one. It will not be forgotten by readers." - VOYA
"Perfect for fans of both young adult romance and psychological thrillers, The One Memory of Flora Banks is destined to become one of your favorite beach reads of 2017. Promise." - Bustle
"An extraordinarily moving and original novel, a story of secrecy and lie, love and loss that manages to be both heart-breaking and life-affirming...Barr's first novel for teenagers...is as brave as Flora herself." - Daily Mail (UK)
"An icily atmospheric story...captivating...[a] pacy page-turner that packs a significant emotional punch."- The Guardian (UK)
"Mesmerizing, electric, and achingly lovely, The One Memory of Flora Banks is unforgettable. One of the best YA novels I've read in a very long time." - Jennifer Niven, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places
This information about The One Memory of Flora Banks was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Emily Barr is a British author and former journalist. She started writing fiction after backpacking around the world, a trip that formed the background for her first, award-winning novel Backpack. She has now written 13 books, most recently The Sleeper, the story of two strangers meeting on an overnight train with dramatic consequences. She has also written Blackout, a novella in the Quick Reads series. Emily has three children, and lives in Cornwall in the UK.
The House on Biscayne Bay
by Chanel Cleeton
As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide.
The Flower Sisters
by Michelle Collins Anderson
From the new Fannie Flagg of the Ozarks, a richly-woven story of family, forgiveness, and reinvention.
The Funeral Cryer by Wenyan Lu
Debut novelist Wenyan Lu brings us this witty yet profound story about one woman's midlife reawakening in contemporary rural China.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
