Youth Services Corner | Audiobook Review: Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

Audiobook Review: Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin I got into audiobooks back when I was frequently driving 100 miles back and forth between San Diego and LA, but I rarely drive anymore, and hence don’t listen to many books. So I was excited when I recently had to make a 6-hour roundtrip drive, which is conveniently about the length of an average 300-page YA novel. I settled on Gabrielle Zevin’s Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, which I picked up as a free trial from eMusic’s audiobook service. It’s the story of high-school junior Naomi, who loses four years of her memory after falling down her school’s front steps. She doesn’t remember her best friend Will, her boyfriend Ace, or her parent’s divorce. Plus, she’s rescued by the mysterious new guy James, who makes her already confused life even more confusing. This unique premise gives Zevin plenty of room to examine the nature of identity. We see Naomi struggle to make sense of her relationships with not only her family, friends, and boyfriend, but also with herself. A lot happens in this not-very-long book, but none of it feels rushed and Zevin makes all of her characters likable despite their faults. Caitlin Greer deftly narrates the audiobook, giving life to each of the characters and keeping the listener’s attention throughout. Except for the memory loss, this is a fairly typical contemporary realistic YA book that should delight fans of the genre. It would also be a great book club selection, as the premise sets up some interesting questions for readers. Teenreads.com has a discussion guide.