The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson; young adult, science fiction; 272 pages (about 6.5 hours on CD)Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox has just awoken from the coma in which she has lain for the last 18 months. Her memory is fragmented at best, and a complete blank in many areas. Sequestered in a remote California town with her mother and grandmother, Jenna slowly starts to rebuild her life; but as her mental state improves, Jenna starts to ask questions: why did her family move across the country while she was in a coma, leaving all Jenna's belongings behind? Why does her grandmother, who she remembers fondly, seem to hate her? And why is Jenna forbidden to talk or ask about the accident that caused her coma?
This was one another of those books I'd been meaning to read for several years, and had kept putting off. Now, I'm sorry I waited so long. Jenna's story is emotional and suspenseful enough to make a great summer read, but also deals with enough bigger issues to make an excellent book club choice. Medical ethics, ecological responsibility, and theology all get addressed in this book, and would be great jumping off points for a discussion. (At the risk of dropping spoilers, I recommend you brush up on the Theseus Paradox before digging into this book.) I loved the narration here, which really captured Jenna's inner voice. If the ending seemed a little too neat, I can forgive it, especially after listening to the author interview included at the end of the audio book.
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