Author: Allison Winn Scotch
Publication Date: April 12, 2012
From Goodreads:
One of only two survivors of a plane crash, Nell Slattery wakes in the hospital with no memory of the horrific experience-or who she is, or was. Now she must piece together both body and mind, with the help of family and friends, who have their own agendas. She filters through photos, art, music, and stories, hoping something will jog her memory, and soon, in tiny bits and pieces, Nell starts remembering. . . .
It isn't long before she learns to question the stories presented by her mother, her sister and business partner, and her husband. In the end, she will discover that forgiving betrayals small and large will be the only true path to healing herself-and to finding happiness.
My Thoughts:
Nell Slattery has just woken up after surviving a terrible plane crash. Not only does she not remember the crash, she can't remember anything at all. In fact, she has no clue who she is or who these people are at her bedside. She only knows what she has been told: she is one of only two survivors of the crash, she is married to a man named Peter and she has a famous father who disappeared years ago.
With the help of her mother, sister, husband and friends both new and old, Nell sets out to remember her life before the crash. There's only one problem: no one seems to want to help her remember everything. Even her mother and sister seem to be keeping secrets from her. Dead set on finding out these secrets, Nell finds her own way to dig up the past, although it might not be at all what she was expecting.
I don't think I'm going to be able to accurately put into words how much I loved this book. I loved Nell. Even though she was going through probably one of the hardest situations ever imaginable, she still seemed to have an amazing sense of humor. I loved that she was a little obsessed with Friends, which happens to be my most favorite show ever, and was trying to invent a new self while still trying to figure out her old one.
While the story was fun in a way, there was also quite a bit of drama. The obvious being the amnesia Nell suffers from, but also quite a bit of family drama. While Nell's mother, sister and husband are all trying to save her from reliving their indiscretions before needed, they don't understand that the more they keep from her the harder it is for her to recover. Nell was far from an easy person to live with before the accident and maybe now they have a chance to fix their broken relationships. While I didn't agree with the way they went about it, I certainly understood.
The author has a spectacular way of infusing just enough drama and wit to keep this story flowing at a perfect pace. We aren't given too much information at once which keeps you turning those pages at an intense speed. Her writing is prompt, with no unnecessary filler, and even though the subject matter is a hard one, she covers it with style. I think this story says a lot about family interaction and how people can create a very large, even if unintentional, impact on others, especially children. How people deal with illness and loss can shape a child's life perspective in an unimaginable way. Mental illness plays an important role in this story and it's lesson is not lost on its readers.
The Song Remains The Same has been one of my favorites reads so far this year. When I was finished and closed the cover, I felt nothing but hope for Nell, for her new perspective on life and her belief that maybe it was possible that people are capable of change after all. Isn't there a time in all our lives where we hope for change? I think so, and this story keeps that belief alive.
To find out more about Allison Winn Scotch and her books, check out her website HERE.
Purchase:
This sounds interesting. Great review! I have the impression that this book will be full of drama. It's good that you clarified that part.
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