The Adoration of Jenna Fox

This book has a LOT of potential - I love the issues explored and how it doesn't pride itself on being the kind of novel teens usually devour - one with romance and action and fantasy. It's realistic yet raw, and explores themes like family love, ethics, being human...so yes, there were things I liked. But overall I found the execution just ok. Not bad. Not amazing. Sometimes the book lacked where it could've gone further, and so while I know it's targeted toward teen readers (maybe I'm way over the age range), I feel like even 15+ year-olds would have benefited from a deeper exploration into these topics. I don't think this book should only be for young tweens/teens since the subject matter is important and dark and emotional, but it's lacks in areas where it could've enticed older teens and even someone in their mid-twenties like me. So I see potential, and a helluva lot of it. Maybe I personally found it lacking, and I know many people who like it, I just would have liked to see the novel dive a bit deeper. Just a push.

This is a sci-fi, medical ethics thriller so well-written it can be compared to Michael Crichton's Andromeda Strain.

The only reason I chose not to give this five stars is that the book is so frightening and disturbing on a spiritual level. This book will challenge (and possibly haunt) the reader on so many topics (essence of life, mercy killing, immortality, artificial intelligence and even the monetization of organ donations). This quote, for example, describes the memories of a formerly comatose patient, “even when I could no longer see, I could still smell death crawling all over my skin.” As much as I admire this author for creating a mind-blowing story, I probably wouldn't recommend it to anyone who has trouble sleeping when pondering life's big questions.

But I am more than a name. More than they tell me. More than the facts and statistics they fill me with.


I lift the corner of my mouth.
Then the other: a smile. Because I know I am supposed to.


Where did those words go, those words that were once in my
head?


Eyes don't breathe. I know that much.
But hers look breathless.


Are the details of our lives who we are, or is it owning those details that
makes the difference?


Maybe that is all any life is composed of, trivia that eventually adds up to a person, and maybe I just don't have enough of it yet to be a whole one.


The dictionary says my identity should be all about being separate or distinct, and yet it feels like it is so wrapped up in others.


I'm afraid that for the rest of my two or two hundred years I will still have all these questions and I will never fit in.

It started out really interesting and I was dying to find out why Jenna was different. But by the time I did find out, it was no longer a surprise and then it all got a bit too philosophical for me. This is a dystopian book, but I like my dystopians a bit more science-fiction-y than this book was, although The Adoration of Jenna Fox wasn't bad by any means.
After the way the story ended, I'm kind of curious to see how the author has managed to turn this into a series though.

This has the makings of a modern day classic. I would not be one bit surprised if one of my daughters is required to read this in high school (only a few short years away). It is beautifully written, scary, and all-too-possible all at the same time.
Is it scifi? Maybe, a little. I think it is more an examination of what makes a person a person, and how much of that person holds the true self (in this case, which percent).
Jenna is likable, the situation was well explained, and I enjoyed it.
Adoration is not light reading, there is much to ponder here. I expect I will be thinking about this one for years to come.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary Pearson, tells the story of 17 year old Jenna, who's recently woken up from a terrible accident many years into our future. It was an accident that's left her amnesiac about her life. Her parents assure her that she'll remember who she is in time, but she's not sure they're telling the truth. Or that they even know the truth. As a means of remembrance, Jenna watches videos of her former life. Videos of a much adored girl. A perfect girl. A girl she's not sure she is anymore or can ever be again. Things in Jenna's life spiral out of control as she tries to create her own identity and learns the truth behind the accident and what her parents did after it in order to save her life.

The novel examines the meaning of identity, the law, and the lengths parents will go to to save their child.

It's well written, thought provoking, delightful and gut-wrenching. A great science fiction read for teens (even younger ones, as there's no ‘content' issues with this book) and adults.

Read this book if you like: Science-fiction, memory loss, self-discovery

I found the narrative style a little distracting at the beginning but learned that it was appropriate for the main character.

Interesting read. (Also, easy enough for me to finish in 90 minutes or so.)