Just when Samantha Agatha McCoy is relishing the idea of the final national competitive debate of her school year and of her future at college in New York training to become a human rights lawyer, she learns the devastating news that she has a terminal condition called Niemann Pick Type C, an inherited neurological disorder, a condition that affects an estimated 1 in 150,000 people, with 50% of those with the disease under ten years of age at the onset of their illness. She researches her life-expectancy but finds that there are not many statistics for young adults who discover that they have the disease. She is however saddened to learn that bit by bit her impeccable memory of which she is so proud, will desert her and that she will gradually become more and more confused and definitely unable to function independently. It is a massive blow for her heart held plans. Her brilliant brain will fail bit by bit, not unlike people who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. She puts on a brave face and is determined to make the most of the remaining time she has left. She works out strategies to kick start her memory of everyday routines, pinning up notices to jog her memory and setting her mind to planning for her future.
Sammie has decisions to make: she must cram in all of the ‘firsts’ she had thought she’d have a lifetime to achieve. She starts writing a journal of occasions she absolutely doesn’t want to forget whilst also planning her ‘summer of firsts’: she still wants to challenge herself, to go to her first party, to enjoy her first kiss and maybe more, she wants to rebel and lead her life as much to the full as she can possibly manage. This Young Adult novel catalogues her life after the devastation of the diagnosis and sees her going through the pain of loss, kicking back at the unfairness of what has happened to her. It also sees her maturing and taking the thoughts and opinions of others more seriously as she embarks on an endearing friendship for the first time with her neighbour Cooper and also falls in love with a boy she admires called Stuart. The characters in the story have lessons to learn as well as Sammie and they marvel at her positive attitude and rally round to help her achieve her short term ambitions. It really is a novel of two parts; before and after. The characters are well developed and endearing and the story telling frank and fair, but not without humour.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Quercus Children's Books for my copy of 'The Memory Book', sent out to me in return for an honest review. Its subject matter is pretty serious but there are plenty of light- hearted moments, although the issues are of course very sad. I particularly loved the characters of Sammie’s parents and her two new boyfriends, most particularly Cooper who has secretly loved her for most of his life. He is philosophical but oh so caring and leaves Sammie to discover her first love so unselfishly. He really warmed my heart and he was such a nice young man. I enjoyed reading this novel and would recommend it without hesitation.