The Adoration of Jenna Fox

I know, I know—only a week ago I wrote about a fabulous novel, The Help. But apparently the gods of great books are smiling on me in these early days of 2010, because I picked up another wonderful novel--The Adoration of Jenna Fox. I have to share.

In The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary E. Pearson, seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox has just awakened from a coma caused by a horrific accident. She remembers almost nothing. As part of her recovery, Jenna watches home movies of herself through the different stages of her childhood. Snippets of what her life had been slowly return to her. With these recollections, come more questions. Unfortunately, the answers are hard to face, but Jenna must tackle them as she discovers and comes to terms with who she was and who (what?) she is now. What all of this means and could mean makes for compelling reading.

I found this novel to be a thought provoking story about choices and consequences. Even after putting the book down, questions about what makes someone human and the nature of the soul lingered with me. As did questions about how far a person or persons should go to save something as deeply loved as a child.

I love a novel that makes me ponder long after I’ve put it down.