The One Memory of Flora Banks

Emily Barr

- 4.1 • 14 Ratings

- $7.99

- $7.99

It’s not a lie if you can’t remember the truth.

“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

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.

Praise for The One Memory of Flora Banks:

An EW Most Anticipated YA Novel of 2017

★ "[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, starred review

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"An icily atmospheric story...captivating...[a] pacy page-turner that packs a significant emotional punch." —The Guardian

APPLE BOOKS REVIEW

The One Memory of Flora Banks is an ecstatic, heart-wrenching firework of a novel. At its center is an amnesiac 17-year-old narrator surrounded by a cast of variably kind (and unfailingly complicated) supporting characters. Powerful and supremely readable, the first YA title by veteran author Emily Barr is an unequivocal triumph. We hope it’s the first of many.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY MAR 6, 2017

Flora Banks, 17, has anterograde amnesia, which has left her unable to make new memories. Flora remembers her life around and before age 10, but she must use messages written on her skin, her phone, and in a diarylike notebook to remind her of who she is and to fill in the details of recent history. Everything changes when Flora retains her memory of a kiss on the beach with Drake, her best friend Paige's boyfriend who is leaving to study in the Arctic. In her first book for teens, British author Barr creates a realistic portrayal of Flora's condition through her repetitive and confused first-person narration ("There was a party. Drake is leaving. Paige is sad. I am seventeen. I need to be brave"). Flora fears she will never be "normal," but Barr carefully seeds her story with hope while challenging perceptions of normalcy. 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. Ages 12 up.

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