The Adoration of Jenna Fox

Author: Mary E. Pearson

Source: Library

Summary: (goodreads) 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.

Review: Not expecting something so profound from this fairly unassuming book. I had many people gush to me about the wonders of this book, but it is really difficult to go into any detail whatsoever without ruining some of what makes it great. The whole idea behind it isn't a huge secret and the book lets it out fairly soon, but the complications from that dilemma are what drive the novel.

If you did not know, I am studying science at a community college and will be going into healthcare sometime in the future. Bio-Ethics is an extremely interesting subject, because of the emotional need to help humans. But this novel explores the blurry lines between going to far with the use of science and technology. It doesn't exactly make a decision about it, but did get me thinking. It is complex because two very different perspectives can be taken if you look at it subjectively or objectively.

The cover perfectly reflects the plot and the although the title seemed selfish to me, it is full of symbolism and has a huge meaning in Jenna's life. Not only does Pearson write about Bio-Ethics, she writes about the strength of the love between a parent and a child, about what defines an individual as human. She incorporates a tiny bit of the religious perspective on the subject and also about freedom of choice and to some extent the mind. I cannot say that I agreed with how things turned out, but to make a decision of that magnitude would be so difficult.

I respect her for taking the topic so seriously and considering so many viewpoints in a novel directed at teens. The YA label can sometimes mean that authors don't write as genuinely as they would if targeting an adult audience, but this is one very loaded novel. I hope those that look down on YA don't miss out on these kinds of gems.

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