Flora’s memories reside on her own skin and on the surface of post-it notes rather than in her own mind. In The One Memory of Flora Banks, Emily Barr weaves together a story about the significance of memory, the healing touch of love, and the danger of one’s own mind. Told with intrigue, romance, and heartbreaking moments, The One Memory of Flora Banks is sure to be an instant success, giving teenagers and adults alike a novel full of heart and a story that is impossible to forget. Everyday is a new start for Flora, but the thing is, she can only remember the one memory that could change and break her entire life.
The story begins with Flora and the one memory she can hold on to: the night she kisses Drake, her best friend’s boyfriend, and the downfall that occurs afterwards. Now she’s at odds with her only friend, and her parents have to leave to visit her brother in Paris. Flora’s life is seemingly crumbling apart, but when she hears back from Drake through email, she begins to have some hope. Flora’s life of seclusion and boredom appears to be coming to end as she begins to fall for a boy she hardly knows and regain her independence. But, when dangerous choices are made and dark secrets are revealed, nothing about Flora’s future is certain, and everything she knows is on the brink of being shattered. In the end, Flora must choose to live her life according to her parents’ will or dare to do the unthinkable and follow her own desires — each choice equally painful.
The One Memory of Flora Banks is a novel that is completely unforgettable. From Flora’s bold and unique voice to the constant plot twists that had me guessing and kept me glued to the pages, this novel is sure to be attractive to all readers, even those reluctant to read in the YA genre. While it did have some elements that were a bit cliche and seemed to mirror those of other books previously published for young adults, the writing and characters made up for any negative elements found in the plot. Flora’s voice is achingly real, and her pain is sure to grip the hearts of readers and never let go. With a mix of romance and some thriller-esque material, The One Memory of Flora Banks is a novel that readers will not want to miss out on.
Told from the perspective of an unreliable narrator who cannot retain any memories, The One Memory of Flora Banks is a heart-racing, intense, tragic, romantic, and ultimately hopeful journey that talks to the idea of paving one’s own path, no matter the consequences. Released on May 2nd, readers are sure to enjoy this spectacular novel that defies genres and ends with a shocking and touching conclusion. Pick up your copy of Emily Barr’s latest and follow Flora as she discovers the intricacies of her own mind, follows her heart, and finds that pain is inevitable.