Name: Emily's review of The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr
Item: The One Memory of Flora Banks
Rating: 4
Author: Emily

Emily Barr

A girl with recurring memory loss chases down the boy she loves based on the one memory she is able to hold onto.

The One Memory of Flora Banks

Emily

I look at my hands. One of them says 'Flora be brave'.I am Flora. Flora has anterograde amnesia. She can't remember anything day-to-day- the joke her friend made, the instructions her parents gave her, how old she is. Then she kisses a boy - her first kiss - and the next day she remembers it. The first time she's remembered anything since she was ten. But the boy is gone. Desperate to hold onto the memory and feelings of love, she sets off to the Arctic to find him. Why can she remember Drake? Could he be the key to everything else she's forgotten?

wasn't really that interesting, the characters were annoying and just didn't give me a good vibe :(

connie charnock 

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHO TO TRUST WHEN YOU CAN'T EVEN TRUST YOURSELF? I look at my hands. One of them says FLORA BE BRAVE. Flora has anterograde amnesia. She can't remember anything day-to-day: the joke her friend made, the instructions her parents gave her, how old she is. Then she kisses someone she shouldn't, and the next day she remembers it. It's the first time she's remembered anything since she was ten. But the boy is gone. She thinks he's moved to the Arctic. Will following him be the key to unlocking her memory? Who can she trust? THE ONE MEMORY OF FLORA BANKS is the unforgettable YA ebook of 2017. "Barr's YA debut is a riveting page-turner that will keep you hooked till the end." - Entertainment Weekly "An icily atmospheric story with a captivating hook...A pacy page-turner that packs a significant emotional punch" - Guardian "Gripping. . . We promise you won't see the end coming." - HelloGiggles "a winning mix of a John Green/ Rainbow Rowell-style sharpness and sensitivity but underlined with a darker edge" - View Magazine "Do yourself a huge favor and grab this atmospheric, unique mystery for your Memorial Day weekend getaway." - Bustle.com "An absorbing, original and definitely memorable book." - S Magazine "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 ...This is Barr's first novel for teenagers and it is as brave as Flora herself". - Daily Mail

Nessa Luna

Julia Lotz

Ich bin ein Fan von Sick Lit und somit habe ich auch sehr auf Jeder Tag kann der schönste in deinem Leben werden gefreut, was die deutsche Übersetzung von The One Memory Of Flora Banks ist. Flora leidet seit sie 10 Jahre alt ist unter Amnesie und kann sich nur für wenige Stunden an etwas erinnern, bevor ihre Erinnerung dann plötzlich wieder weg ist. Ein Leben, das ich persönlich mir gar nicht vorstellen kann aber dennoch kommt sie damit ziemlich gut zurecht. Sie schreibt sich Zettel, um wichtige Sachen wieder lesen zu können und hat ihre gesamte Geschichte und das, was mit ihr passiert ist in einem Notizbuch notiert, das sie immer mit sich herum trägt. Sie muss in ihrem Leben zwar viele Abstriche machen aber sie lebt. Dann küsst sie eines Abends einen Jungen und das unglaubliche passiert: Flora kann sich auch Stunden später noch daran erinnern. Blöd ist nur: Das Ganze passierte auf dessen Abschiedsparty, denn Drake geht für sein Studium nach Spitzbergen. Flora macht sich trotz ihrer Amnesie auf die Reise zu ihm und das ohne jegliche Hilfe du ohne, dass ihre Eltern davon wissen.
Jeder Tag… ist ein sehr schön und locker geschriebener Jugendroman, der sich trotz des ernsten Themas sehr gut lesen lässt. Nach einer anfänglichen langsamen Phase konnte mich das Buch schnell in seinen Bann ziehen und ich hatte eigentlich sehr viel Spaß beim Lesen an sich. Auch Flora war mir sehr sympathisch und ich konnte sie in mein Herz schließen, habe mit ihr gekämpft und sie für ihre Stärke bewundert. Sie entwickelt sich stark und sehr leicht merkbar im Buch und das hat mir gut gefallen.
Soviel zu den positiven Punkten, denn insgesamt konnte Floras Geschichte leider nicht bei mir punkten. Nicht wirklich unproblematisch aber dennoch ein Punkt, der mir überhaupt nicht gefallen hat, war Drakes Verhalten. Ich möchte hierdrauf nicht näher eingehen aber ich konnte es einfach nicht nachvollziehen und auch nach dem Lesen werde ich nicht schlau daraus. Es war leider sehr konstruiert und das nicht mal besonders gut, denn so ist sein Auftreten für mich nicht authentisch und somit auch das nicht, was sich zwischen Flora und ihm abspielt.
Wirklich problematisch wurde es bei mir bezüglich der Darstellung der Amnesie und hier gehe ich sogar soweit und sage, dass ich das Buch keine jungen Mädchen im Zielgruppenalter empfehlen würde, da mit der Krankheit aus meiner Sicht sehr rücksichtslos umgegangen wird und diese romantisiert wird. Flora hat die Inselerinnerung von ihrem Kuss mit Drake. Wer sich mit dem Krankheitsbild auseinandergesetzt hat weiß, dass diese auftreten können und sogar etwas Gutes sind, denn sie können ein Hinweis darauf sein, dass die Amnesie sich bessert. Das etwas wie der erste Kuss so einschneidend ist, dass es eine Inselerinnerung wird, verstehe ich auch aber im folgenden wird nicht der Kuss bzw. die Inselerinnerung als eine Chance der Heilung angesehen, sondern Drake. Wie schön wäre es für eine alle Menschen, die unter Amnesie leiden, wenn die große Liebe oder die pure Anwesenheit dieser Person die Krankheit verschwinden lassen würde? Das ist jedoch nicht möglich und dass so in Flora Banks mit dieser Tatsache umgegangen wird, hat mich ehrlich schockiert, wenn ich an junge Mädchen denke, die das Lesen und nicht merken, dass diese Passagen mehr einem Fantasybuch gleichen und nichts mehr mit der Realität gemeinsam haben.
Diese Romantisierung war für mich neben Drake einer der Punkte, der die ansonsten sehr schöne Geschichte sehr stark ins Schlechte gezogen hat. Ich bin normalerweise jemand, der sagt, ich habe meine Meinung und jeder sollte sich seine bilden, für jüngere Mädchen kann und möchte ich dieses Buch aber wegen einer Romantisierung einer ernst zu nehmenden Krankheit nicht empfehlen. 
Fazit: Flora Banks Geschichte hätte so schön sein können, denn Emily Brr präsentiert uns ein schön geschriebenes Sick Lit Buch mit einer bewundernswerten und staken Protagonistin. Leider folgen eine Menge Ungereimtheiten bezüglich Floras großer Liebe Drake und besonders die Romantisierung ihrer ernst zu nehmenden Krankheit haben mich veranlasst, das Buch deutlich schlechter zu bewerten, als ich letztendlich Spaß am Lesen hatte.
Vielen lieben Dank an den Fischer Verlag für die Bereitstellung des *Rezensionsexemplars.

Noemie 

I thought this book was interesting but I didn't liked it as much as I expected to. I didn't really liked the writing style, there was a lot of repetition, which was a bit too much after 4-5 chapters and I didn't really cared for the main character Flora. But I really liked the ending, there was suspense a little bit at the end and I had a lot of question and I wanted to know more about what's happening to Flora near the end and I couldn't putted it down at the lasts chapters because I wanted to know what would happen to her ! This book was a nice quick read.

Flora is a 17-year-old with no short-term memory. Her memories end at age 10, when she had a tumor removed and was left without the means to make new memories. She uses notebooks and notes on her arms to keep track of who she is, where she's at, what she's doing, and everything else in her life. Flora kisses her best friend's ex-boyfriend at his going away party and this one memory stays in her head. Convinced that Drake has "fixed" her, she goes after him in Norway, looking not only to be with this boy she thinks she loves, but also to finally get her short-term memory back and be "normal."

The novel is narrated in first person from Flora's perspective, which means it can be incredibly sporadic, repetitive, and at times frustrating for readers who do have their short-term memory. The sentence "I kissed Drake" is repeated enough times to make you want to scream. But the repetition and fractured narrative are a huge strength of the novel because it gives a glimpse of what life with anterograde amnesia would be like for the person who has it: the confusion as she comes to, getting reacquainted with current events by checking whatever is on hand (often literally), the feeling that you're still missing so much info but you don't know what or where to get it so you just have to keep moving with those gaps. And while this is occasionally frustrating to read, it also feels very right. 

Because we as readers without amnesia are able to connect the dots and remember what happens from one episode to the next, Flora's experience when she's drugged to the gills or when she's coming off her meds have extra weight. We can both see how she's feeling, thinking, and processing events (what she's experiencing in the moment) and see what she's ignoring as important or how her behavior has changed from one episode to the next (what Flora can't experience). It means the reader is both in her head and standing alongside her; a participant and a bystander. 

The main problem I have is that most of the novel it seems we're working with the magical healing kiss idea. Ultimately, that isn't what's happening - her brain is healing on its own because the brain is a weird, complicated organ that wants to make pathways and the kiss just happens to be the first memory to get through, so to speak. Doesn't really stop it from feeling a little irritating though. And a lot of that irritation comes from the repetition of "I kissed Drake" that I mentioned earlier. Flora's actions and thoughts may not stay in her head from hour to hour but that sentence is definitely running around my brain on a loop. 

That said, the ultimate message that Flora's amnesia isn't stopping her from doing anything at all, that she is fully capable of living her life however she wants because she has the tools to work around her disability as necessary is amazing. It's a reminder that disabilities are only truly insurmountable when no accommodations are created to help disabled people function in their environment. Flora can't function the way that the majority of people do, but that doesn't mean she can't function at all. It just means she needs a different set of tools to do so. And when she has those tools, she can do amazing things, just like everyone else.

lauren carla

If you liked "We Were Liars" or "Everything, Everything", I highly recommend it :)

Alexa Jade

I-

my emotions have been played with. 

this was a low 3 star read for me for a lot of it because I felt like there wasn’t any real plot going on and just repetition but man did it pick up. wow.

I found this book interesting. The character development was strong and the story was original to me.
Interesting, entertaining, and thought provoking. a very interesting parelle to real life.....stay oblivious or live.

María José López

Emilie Thea Bohrk

/dnf

I tried reading this a while back and picked it up again today to give it a second chance only to realize that this book is a 1,5 stars at best.
I really don’t care for the writing, all dialogue seems stiff and unrealistic, and even though Flora in her mind is only ten years old throughout most of this story, her thoughts and dialogue still seems unrealistic and it comes off kinda lazy I guess…
Also, I didn’t like the portrayal of swedes in this book, just seemed off and probably poorly researched, it is unfortunate but I must say this book is not for me.

Ella Bouic

I didn’t really enjoy this book. The storyline it’s self I enjoyed, the idea behind it is so interesting and it gives a positive message. However I didn’t like the writing style. I get why it is the way it is due to Flora having memory loss but the constant repetition made it hard for me to get into this book. I got into it further towards the end but I still struggled to read this.

Kath Lau

Flora Banks is one of the most unique and unforgetable characters I've ever read. She is sweet, funny and incredibly brave! We don't get to know the other characters background stories but they still make a great impact to the story. My personal favorite is Flora's older brother, Jacob. He made me cry at the end.

This book is written in Flora's POV which I thought was very brilliant and effective. Flora has to remind herself almost every hour of her name, age, that she kissed Drake, and she has to be brave. It is interesting to read and a bit annoying at times. It's repetitive and I thought that the author did this in purpose. For us to empathize more with Flora's situation and understand anterograde amnesia. We became Flora. The unreliable narration is probably my most favorite and Barr's writing style is simply incredible. I enjoyed the setting as well. It made me want to visit the Arctic.

This is sort of a "broken girl meets a boy who fixes her" kind of story but in a very different and beautiful way. It's hard to explain without giving any spoilers but I thought that Drake still plays a huge part of Flora's self-development. You may think that this is a romance book but it's not. This is more of self-discovery (coming-of-age) with a mix of mystery.

The revelation towards the end of the story was quite predictable for me because I've just recently read a book with the same plot twist. I liked how the author ended the story but it felt a little abrupt. I'd like to know what happened to Flora and the parents after the revelation. Also, her trip to Arctic alone is a bit improbable.

This was my very first read from Emily Barr and definitely not the last.

I recommend The One Memory of Flora Banks if your're looking for a captivating read with an amazing protagonist. This is also a perfect read for winter.

Many plot holes and characters that are meant to be likable but just aren't. There is one gay character but they're hardly in the book at all and you don't know they're gay until after they die. Writing a gay character is not some great work of allyship if you're gonna give them hardly any attention and then kill them.

Shawna Gavas

What a unique and interesting story!

I loved the voice of Flora, however, I was a little disturbed by how Drake seemingly took advantage of a mentally unstable person. He certainly wasn't worthy of the time and effort Flora put into finding him.

The best word to describe this book is: fascinating. Before one begins reading, it is impossible to realize the state of forgetting every couple hours. It is so hard to imagine what it's like to forget, because when one experiences it they cannot recognize it. Nobody knows what they have forgotten, and that is the fascinating topic covered in this book. 

Along with this, the character Flora has such an interesting outlook on life as well. It is so hard to see her being controlled by everyone else when she holds such a strong capability inside. 

Overall, this book was fascinating, as I said before, and held a heart-warming message that anyone struggling with independence can take away.

Sandy

As there was a fair amount of both positive and negative buzz around this book, and an amnesic protagonist sounded like an intriguing new perspective, I was excited to find out more about Flora Banks (and let's be honest, the cover was another big selling-point). For the most part I could stay unbiased before reading, only one bookstagrammer lowered my expectations a little by summarising it as 'boring'.

Thankfully, it was far from boring to me. In fact, I could barely put it down. A mysterious prologue hints at the outcome of the story but leaves enough space for you to come up with several theories on what is going to happen. Prepare for numerous plot twists though; these are inevitable with an unreliable narrator like Flora. They surprised me more than I would like to admit and created that nagging feeling of wanting to know the entire truth. But of course, suspense is by far not the only result of being left in the dark.

"I know not to ask any more. If she told me, I would forget. She has probably told me a million times already. I must be annoying to live with." p 40

Right from the beginning, you feel the frustration that Flora's amnesia causes. As she cannot remember things for longer than a few hours, she has to rely on visual reminders and her notebooks are indispensable. Flora writes the most essential things on her arms, which is one of her little quirks that make her so likeable. It feels like you know her immediately because she regularly has to rediscover who she is, and you are right there with her. Simultaneously, this gave me an entirely new appreciation for memories and made me think about what a big part they are of our identities, how we perceive ourselves and those around us.

"How can I have forgotten that I have amnesia? How, though, could I possibly remember?" p 43

Because Flora constantly forgets and has to remind herself of everything that happens, the writing is quite repetitive. I see why a lot of reviewers were annoyed by that style, although it should not come as a surprise. Actually, it felt like a clever way to make Flora's experience more relatable for the reader and it moved the narrative along by changing words that might not seem significant first, but made a difference in hindsight.

"I want to make myself feel something so intensely that I will remember it." p 87

Another aspect many readers criticised was the romance (this may include spoilers). Flora remembers her first kiss, which is her first memory in six years, so naturally she is going to cling onto it like a lifeline. But it is not only the fact that she remembers - it is how in that moment, Drake made her feel special and normal at the same time. The memory finally makes her a 17 year old. There are definitely problematic parts in the narrative, but it does not feel right to condemn the entire book just because they are featured. If the developments and the ending cannot redeem the story for some readers, that is their completely valid opinion.

For me, Flora's obsession, while problematic at times, seems like something a lot of teenagers experience during their first crush. Many do not know that love will not solve all their problems and have to learn it first, often enough the hard way. Flora's illness only amplifies the problems that come with this. The line between promoting and addressing an issue is thin, but I could see the point the author was trying to make. It showed that you can properly screw up and still be fine, as long as you learn from it. I would rather read about someone solving problems that derived from problematic thinking (surprise, we all do it at some point) than someone who is perfect, unrelatable and never generates difficulties themselves.

What I loved was that, despite her unusual situation, Flora still feels approachable. She is a young girl who is trying to make sense of the world, who does not want to tell her parents she kissed a boy, who wants to be independent, who can be sassy, who eavesdrops and keeps secrets. She sings lyrics without knowing she could, she makes a mess and tidies up only last minute, she wants to make her room look more grown-up, she is adventurous and self-aware and you just cannot help rooting for her.

"The universe would laugh at our attempts to organize it, if it could be bothered to notice them." p 183

Apart from her personality and the suspense, the whole composition of aspects made the book very enjoyable: the earless cat side-story, a positive portrayal of mobile phones, Flora's life rules, the Arctic setting or people like Agi and Toby. Main and side characters get to develop (you know who I mean), there are intelligent thoughts and my new favourite character we definitely did not get enough of (Jake). I had a few issues with how the plot was resolved, as some revelations were kind of unsettling (you just want to shout some sense into a certain woman) and several links did not really add up. Other than that, Flora is still a wonderful character and although the book is complete in itself, I would love to read more about her.

The One Memory of Flora Banks is one of those stories you have to read for yourself in order to know whether you get it or not. While reading it, I could completely forget the world around me, which did not happen for a while and is always a sign of something special. It offered a new perspective to me and undeniably sparked a discussion among its readers, which is often worth more than unconditional popularity. This book may not be perfect, but I loved it anyway. 

- This is my first review in English, so don't be too harsh please -

 Bruna Acioly Leão

Time is a random thing... The universe would laugh at our attempts to organize it, if it could be bothered to notice them.

Flora Banks is 17 years-old and she can't form new memories of anything ever since she was 11. She relies on notes and journal entries that she leaves around for herself to guide what she is supposed to do for the next hour or so. But on a party the other night she kissed a boy and she remembered it for the first time. The problem is, she shouldn't have kissed that boy: he was her best friend's boyfriend. And the other problem is that the boy is leaving for the North Pole and along with it Flora's hope of recovering her memories and control over her life.

With no other options but to chase the adventure and the one memory that she was able to form, Flora embarks on a journey to find the boy that gave her a memory, and maybe to find herself in the process.

I will say some things that happen to Flora or her journey to the North Pole by herself are a bit unrealistic for someone with memory formation problems (it might not be so easy as just leaving notes to remind yourself of things, because the lack of continuation would eventually lead to conflicting emotions and breakdowns).

However, it is a fun and well-written story and the book reads like a thriller almost, and it reminded me of the movie Memento. Because since Flora can't remember most things, she becomes an unreliable narrator and there are a lot of things surrounding her life that she isn't very aware of. There are a lot of surprises to be learned and a deeper message hidden underneath it all: that we should maybe try and live in the present more, because it is the only thing that is truly real. At least it is that way for Flora.

 There is nothing in the universe but this (...) This is my present. This is my world.

Lisa Beasley

I listened to the audiobook of this and while the story had potential I found it quite repetitive to begin with and the end felt abrupt. It was okay but not amazing.

Emily &
The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr

Reviews

Join the club

Emily &The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr

Reviews

Join the club

Emily &
The One Memory of Flora Banks by Emily Barr