By Kathy Lipscomb
This
debut novel had my attention from the first page to the last. The pacing was so
perfectly written that I could never find a “good spot” to put it down, even
though I have children. I HAD to put it down several times. The characters felt
alive by their actions, their quirks, and their distinct voices. They each had
motivations that made sense and drove them to do what they needed to even when
faced with impossible situations. Everything flowed, from dialogue, and
narration, to why characters chose to do what they did.
Despite guessing
at some of the twists, I did not guess them all. The book had a complicated
plot with supporting subplots that allowed me the satisfaction of being surprised.
Then there’s the romance. From the way Gena and her people are designed, a
romance would not happen over the course of a few pages, and it didn’t. The
relationship with all the many complications grew in a way that felt realistic
while still giving the satisfaction of a good sub plot romance read.
There
were some confusing parts. A couple of sections were difficult to understand or
picture, but not bad enough to deter me from reading or understanding the book
as a whole. There were also a few parts where it felt more like an info dump
rather than letting me experience the world with Gena. I must emphasize that
those parts were few. I experienced most of the world and situation with Gena,
and that is an incredibly difficult thing to do as a writer.
All the amazing
things I mentioned in the first couple paragraphs made me like this book, but
what made me love it was the feeling I had as I read. I loved the emotions this
book put me through, from the beginning when I feared for Gena and her best
friend’s lives, to the middle when it broke my heart to see Gena forget Kalan,
and to the end…which I won’t say. I hate it when people spoil endings for me,
so I won’t do it to you. But it was GOOD. Emotion drives me to read books, and
this one definitely gave me a lot to experience for myself.
The Unhappening of
Genesis Lee is a book I’ll read again. And again.
It’s most
definitely better than chocolate.
Summary:
Seventeen-year-old Genesis Lee has never forgotten anything.
As one of the Mementi—a small group of genetically enhanced humans—Gena
remembers everything with the help of her Link bracelets, which preserve them
perfectly. But Links can be stolen, and six people have already lost their
lives to a memory thief, including Gena’s best friend.
Anyone could be next. That’s why Gena is less than pleased to
meet a strange but charming boy named Kalan who claims not only that they have
met before, but also that Gena knows who the thief is.
The problem is that Gena doesn’t remember Kalan, she doesn’t
remember seeing the thief, and she doesn’t know why she’s forgetting things—or
how much else she might forget. As growing tensions between Mementi and
ordinary humans drive the city of Havendale into chaos, Gena and Kalan team up
to search for the thief. And as Gena loses more memories, they realize they
have to solve the mystery fast…because Gena’s life is unhappening around her.
