The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E Pearson

Who is Jenna Fox? Seventeen-year-old Jenna has been told that is her name. She has just awoken from a coma, they tell her, and she is still recovering from a terrible accident in which she was involved a year ago. But what happened before that? Jenna doesn't remember her life. Or does she? And are the memories really hers?

This fascinating novel represents a stunning new direction for acclaimed author Mary Pearson. Set in a near future America, it takes readers on an unforgettable journey through questions of bio-medical ethics and the nature of humanity. Mary Pearson's vividly drawn characters and masterful writing soar to a new level of sophistication.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6738968-the-adoration-of-jenna-fox

http://www.amazon.com/Adoration-Jenna-Fox-Chronicles/dp/0312594410/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326425475&sr=8-1



This book was one of those that I talked about with my friends as I read it. I found that several of them did not feel the same way as I did and I couldn't understand why, even after explanation that they did not love this book. Some just commented that it didn't have the "feel" or plot they expected from it. Well this was one of those instances that I picked up the book clearly on the cover (the 2nd one with the puzzle pieces) I didn't know a thing about it, just loved the cover.

I don't regret it one bit, and don't quite understand where my friends are coming from. I enjoyed the story. There was very little that I didn't like about the book.
I liked the mix of characters. Jenna's grandmother being my favorite. She just seemed really logical and down to Earth. I liked hearing about Jenna and her grandmother's relationship before the accident, the connection that used to be there before the accident, and the transformation it had made after. I also loved how the grandmother (Lily) would be so supportive of her daughter (Claire) Jenna's mother in the whole thing, even though the situation was not acceptable, she was there to support her daughter in the decisions being made. That is a good mother.
There is a certain level of mystery and danger to their story. They are taking baby-steps regarding Jenna's "recovery", she has to be able to live her life, get out of the house and go back to school. But the revelations that come about because of her need to live a life is what this is all about really.
A very good story of what could become of our future, medical advances and if we are able to achieve such great things, what is the point.
Although there is not a huge religious concept brought into the book, it is mentioned, but not overwhelming and definitely something that would need to be approached if our future is headed this way.
I enjoyed the characters in this book, they each represented a part of humanity, showing the reader different human reactions to school, technology, religion, loss/death. All kinds of emotional ranges from fear, anger, love, happiness, friendship. A very wide range of things being represented in different characters and how they all interacted with Jenna, as she is now and her memories of before the accident. A huge eye opening experience for me into the range of human emotions regarding advances not only in technology but also medicine and the affects that our future may have on the environment around us (only lightly touched on in this particular story, but still there)
This would be a really good book for teachers to use as a tool in classrooms for the above reasons.


I decided to rate it 4 out of 5 stars. It was so close to getting the 5 but something about the progression of Jenna's emotions didn't flow well with me.