The year is 2023. Humankind has been pushed to the limit with outbreaks of disease, crippling natural disasters, widespread economic depression and frightening advances in the field of medicine. This is seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox’s world … and she is struggling to remember it.
Author Mary E. Pearson introduces us to the title character of The Adoration of Jenna Fox shortly after she wakes from a year-long coma. Suffering from amnesia, Jenna finds herself in a brand new environment with no explanation from the people she is told she once trusted the most. While attempting to sort out her family’s perplexing behavior, she slowly begins to recall the details of her life and, in turn, starts to question everything that surrounds her. Why is she two inches shorter now than she was before her accident? Why is she not allowed to eat and never feels hungry? How is she able to quote Thoreau’s Walden word for word but can barely remember the names of her closest friends?
I have to admit, at this point in the plot, I was wondering what in the world I had gotten myself into. While the sheer suspense of the story held my interest, some of the sci-fi elements were just too far-out for me to grasp. Still, in a desperate search for answers, I was intrigued enough to continue reading.
Somewhere in the mix, Jenna experiences an epiphany which unlocks the terrifying secret that has been kept from her since her revival. Eventually, she manages to uncover the truth and pieces together a shocking realization about what she has become and, perhaps, how the world as we know it will someday be.
Clearly, Jenna Fox is living in a completely different world. As a reader in modern day, it was difficult to connect with such a foreign concept of civilization. While the futuristic aspect stimulated my curiosity, the overall plot was hard to follow at certain points. With so many twists and turns, I found myself feeling just as confused as Jenna. While I did feel a sense of connection with Jenna in terms of anxiously longing for an explanation, it was challenging to relate to what she and the other characters were going through. Without spoiling the surprise, let’s just say it was impossible for me to fully comprehend the elemental issues of Jenna’s condition that she deals with throughout the novel. That being said, however, I did connect with Jenna’s character several times on a very basic emotional level; arguing with parents, feeling unappreciated by friends and, of course, the intense crush on the cute boy at school.
As a reader unfamiliar with the world of science fiction, The Adoration of Jenna Fox kept my interest and urged me tough it out to the creepy surprise ending. This novel is truly unlike any other I have ever read and is a breath of fresh air in the often predictable world of teen literature. If you’re into sci-fi filled with suspense, this book is sure to keep you turning the pages at the edge of your seat.—Madeline Warren
Let us know what you thought about The Adoration of Jenna Fox in the comments section, and don’t forget to start reading these upcoming ELLEgirl Book Club picks:
May 14: The Interns: Fashionistas by Chloe Walsh
May 21: What Happens Here by Tara Altebrando
Ellegirl, thanks so much for these book reviews. I am going to pick this one up!
Posted by: giuli707 | May 10, 2008 at 04:23 AM