The Adoration of Jenna Fox (The Jenna Fox Chronicles)

Having read the Twilight series, The Hunger Games, the Harry Potter series, I thought this book was okay. It's not a book that I would recommend to people. There are others that are more suspenseful, fun, and engaging.

What an interesting concept! The Adoration of Jenna Fox takes place in the undisclosed future, where biochemical/genetic engineering is rampant, and medical advances have progressed to the point of being harmful. Jenna Fox awakens after being in a coma for over a year, with no recollection of who she is or what happened. Initially secluded from the rest of the world, she struggles to find out the truth as she deals with overprotective and secretive parents and a grandma who wants nothing to do with her.

Although it becomes clear early on what happened (being inside of Jenna's head, we decipher the unknown with her), The Adoration of Jenna Fox is an enticing read which causes you to question how far we should go medically to save one's life. It also shows how much a parent is willing to do in the name of love; but, at the same time, it causes one to ponder whether or not that love is selfless, or if it is contingent on what their child can do for them. (view spoiler)

While I questioned some of the characters introduced (I have no idea why Dane is present), I like the development of others: Lily (her Nana) and Mr. Bender particularly. Jenna herself, I loved. She raises so many of the same questions I would have, if I were in her place. And she doesn't sit back and accept all that her parents tell her. She seeks out answers on her own and is conflicted with much of what she finds. I think, what she struggles with the most and what is the heart of the novel, is the question of what makes us human. It is her search for this answer that really drives her search for the truth.

Title: The Adoration of Jenna Fox
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co, 2008
Genre: YA Science Fiction, YA Dystopia

My Review:

I don’t know why I put off reading this book for so long. Probably because I had no real idea what the book was about, so I was worried I would be wasting my time. I really thought it was just a YA Contemporary Fiction, and those are just not up my alley. I prefer fantasy or science fiction when reading YA…honestly, if I wanted contemporary fiction, I could read anything. But I like the choices YA writers make when they write science fiction or fantasy or dystopian literature. So that’s my niche.
Jenna Fox wakes up believing that she has been in a coma for over a year, but things just aren’t adding up. First of all, she has no memories of the accident that put her in the coma in the first place. And what’s even worse is that she has no memories of anything to do with being Jenna Fox. She has no attachments to her mother and father though she knows she should. She has no friends coming to visit…but that can also be caused by the sudden move from Boston to California. And Jenna’s room is completely blank, except for a desk, a bed, and a closet filled with four almost identical outfits. As secrets are revealed (and I’ll tell you right now: it’s pretty easy to figure out what’s going on if you’ve read enough sci-fi…I guessed right away, but I won’t spoil it for others), Jenna Fox begins to understand why there are so many gaps. And why she really doesn’t feel any connection to the girl she once was.

Is It Classroom-Appropriate?

Yes, this is a book I’ll be bringing into the classroom. This book brings up many relevant questions for students today; mainly it asks questions about bioethics and the lengths we go to when preserving life. Should we give all the authority to the doctors and pharmacists, or should their be a government watchdog group that monitors all health-related problems, like an ethics committee? (Personally, I say no, but that’s my opinion) This book can really start conversations and arguments, and can be used in a dystopian unit, or because is it short enough (roughly 265 pages), it could be a supporting text in an argumentative paper unit. It could stand alone as an anchor text. There is no swearing. No sex. Very PG. The only themes are themes of identity and self-worth. Definitely a spiritual aspect regarding the possession of a human soul vs a sociopath. I encourage teachers to consider this for middle to high school classrooms.

Age Range:

I would say this book is appropriate for ages 12 and up. There’s nothing too advanced or racy, and it has an ending that makes you think. Younger readers will enjoy solving Jenna Fox’s mystery, and older readers will be touched by the depths Pearson goes when writing about the human spirit and social relationships.

End Result:

★★★★★. I’m on a good book streak apparently. I know there are two more novels in this series, and I plan to read them. The themes Pearson addresses are rich enough to explore in a sequel, so I look forward to reading “The Fox Inheritance.” I loved Pearson’s other series, “The Kiss of Deception,” “The Heart of Betrayal,” and the third book that’s due out August 2nd. I am a die-hard Pearson fan now. She’s a brilliant writer who really flushes out the character in her protagonists. And thank you, Jenna Fox, for telling us readers that we don’t have to be perfect to be happy. And we don’t have to fear mortality because life is an adventure…not a second-guessing game.

"Best children's Book?" I read this (actually listened to it read via an audiobook CD) and found it captivating and relevant to an adult audience as well. There are some heavy, topical ideas handled here, and the questions asked are ones that the next generation will personally struggle with. I particularly recommend the audio book - the reader (Jenna Lamia - see note below) channels her namesake Jenna perfectly...I thought she was of an age or even younger than the character, but turns out otherwise. The material and the reader are a perfect meld. The story is well-put-together, and I constantly found myself predicting what might come next, and mostly guessed at least partly wrong. Highly recommended.

NOTE regarding Jenna Lamia, the reader for the audiobook CD of this title: I suspected Jenna Lamia was a pseudonym for someone else, but it appears she's quite real. Why the suspicion? Well, "Jenna" for one. And "Lamia" for another. In folklore, Lamia is an ancient Greek queen who turned into a child-devouring demon over the grief of losing her children, which obliquely ties in to the story content. And IMDb and Wikipedia both show significantly different dobs for her. So you can see why I was suspicious. %)

Well that was certainly an interesting read. I'm reminded a bit of Bicentennial Man. Except not (if that makes any sense at all, probably not).

Jenna Fox was in a horrific accident. She doesn't remember anything about what happened. So when she starts to slowly remember, things aren't quite adding up.

I've had this on my TBR for a long time. I've loved some of Mary E Pearson's other books, so I just assumed I would love this one. It was different, but I didn't quite love it. The reason that I picked it up at this particular time is that is it so short. I needed something really short (it's less than 300 pages).

As interesting as it was, I wasn't glued to the page. I would read a section and set it down for an hour. She didn't have me hooked to find out hat was going to happen next. The only thing I truly wanted to know about wasn't really explored. So while I enjoyed much of the book for what it was, I'm still here wondering what the entire point of Dane as a character was. He could have been completely left out.

Overall
I was a bit disappointed, but it was still an enjoyable read. It only took me a few hours to read, so I would recommend it do someone interested in futuristic science fiction.

So I definitely think the less you know about the plot to start with, the better. The best part of the book (for me at least) was the very beginning. We only know what Jenna is thinking and feeling and as she get more curious, confused, and unsure about her new life, I really began to wonder… What in the Sam Hill did they do to this girl? Her memories are all garbled – Some missing, some way too vivid – and she feels weird in her own body. Is she a robot? Is this a virtual world and she’s only living out her life in a computer? Is she a clone? What’s going on here!?! So I read and I read and I read, dying to find out what happened to Jenna Fox, and finally – the reveal!

Don’t worry, I’m definitely not giving the secret away. Maybe I ruined it with all my guessing because some how it was not as shocking as I thought it would be (confused yet? If so, GOOD! It’ll be better that way, I promise). But anyway, it’s a very interesting concept and one that’s highly controversial and morally questionable to let Jenna live like that.

Well. I don’t really want to say much more about the plot itself. I want to shroud it in mystery because I think it makes for a better book if you don’t know everything that’s going on – It really lets you get inside Jenna’s head and understand her thoughts and feelings better.

I loved Jenna’s relationship with her grandma. You really see grandma Lily struggling to make something out of Jenna after the accident/coma – We start off by thinking it’s because she made her peace with the fact that she was going to die and said her goodbyes, and then the relationship starts to soften and develop, and Grandma really becomes a friend as well as guidance in life after the accident. I think Lily is my favorite character in the whole book.

I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing, but as I was reading I thought that maybe it was intentional. Jenna’s narration seems so cold, mostly unfeeling. Very straight-forward and almost simplistic. I felt like there were a lot of lack of natural things like contractions and similes, etc – parts of our lexicon that we use all the time, but now that I’m thinking about it, kind of brilliant to really break it down to how simply Jenna is thinking. She’s pretty messed up and obviously different since the accident and waking up from the coma, so I think that’s all part of starting over. She’s trying to re-find herself as she develops new memories and remembers the old. You can see the stark difference in the emotion of Jenna’s mom as well as a few of the kids from her new school. They clearly have a lot of emotion whereas Jenna is still working all of it out for herself.

As we learned more about what was really going on, we really got pushed to the moral and social issues behind the story, and that I enjoyed. There are some parts of the book that really make you think, “If this was really happening, how would I feel about it?” and sometimes I just didn’t know.

It got set up for a second book (and I know there’s one out there), but not quite sure how I’ll feel about that, but it still really does sound interesting.

The first line grabbed my attention. "I used to be someone." So here was a main character who had already put herself in the past tense. Interesting. The strength of this story is the slow, dawning horror of what parental love/adoration will drive a human to do. The revelation of Jenna's former and present life is very well done in this book, and I liked that the reader and the main character discover the truth about the same time.

I was disappointed that while there were several "interesting" and dark characters introduced, they were never developed. I was left wondering why they were included at all. For example, at first, I thought the boy with the soulless smile would be a strong competitor for Jenna's attention, and for a while he was. Then he simply disappeared. I never knew why he was soulless. I never knew what happened to him.

The potential in this futuristic story was phenomenal. For me, it missed the mark by not delving into the issues more thoroughly and not probing the characters deeply enough. However, I read to the end. That means it held my attention enough to want to find out where the story ended.

Link to Review: [...]

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the story of Jenna Fox--a girl who spent the last year in a coma, or so she is lead to believe. Jenna's life has changed drastically and she knows something is not adding up about the car crash she was in and the other details provided by her parents and grandma. When she learns the truth it might be the ticket to freedom or a whole bucket of worms with multiple possible answers.

I really enjoyed this book. At first I was unsure about why so many people were excited about the book, but while reading it I found that I was sucked into the world and wanted to know the answered to all of Jenna's questions as well.

View all my reviews

What I Wanted to Add:

I didn't really know what to expect when I picked this book up. I knew that a lot of people had read and LOVED this book, but no one ever really said what it was about. So, when I sat down to read, I had now idea what to expect.

As I recall, at first I was sort of confused and not very interested. However, the story started picking up and more and more mysteries became obvious. It wasn't long before I was reading chapters at a time without realizing how much time had passed.

I do not feel comfortable talking too much about the plot in general. What I will say though is that I had not expected what had happened to Jenna. Perhaps if I would have read some other reviews and/or looked at key words people tagged the book with I would have seen what was going on. However, I think I liked it more by not knowing the major theme within the book.

I have this book categorized under "young adult" and I think that's the age group that I would recommend the book to... Parents might find it slightly emotional (I know I did) - especially if they are in that kind of situation (which I hope no one is!). This would probably be a good high school read. Middle school might be a bit too early.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Awesome book! Definitely want to (eventually) own my own copy!

Sincerely,

Taylor

Have questions, requests, etc.? Then please feel free to e-mail me at [email protected]

"I think that maybe forgiveness is like change--it comes in small steps."

Eighteen months after a horrible accident, Jenna Fox wakes up. But something isn't quite right. She no longer lives in her home in Boston, her mother acts funny, and she can't remember anything. As the questions build, Jenna starts to figure out something isn't quite right and the answers to her question could be more than she bargained for.

Just when you think all YA scifi is going to be dressed up tepid romances, a book like this comes along and smacks you in the head. That's what this book did to me. This book was simple and intelligent and dared to focus on something other than what boyfriend the main character will kiss.

Jenna Fox is our main character and protagonist. She awakes from a coma and can remember nothing. Her journey is one of relearning who she is and how the accident has changed Jenna. Not to mention, the questions that crop up during Jenna's rediscovery are fascinating. How do the events in our lives change us? Who has the right to choose where we end up, what happens to us? How far should we allow genetic mutation and other scientific advancements? When is enough enough? Where do we draw the line? What makes a person a person? Is a parent's love justification enough for a radical change? When should people draw the line between being nice for other people and doing things for him or herself?

One of my absolute favorite quotes in this book is one of the greyed sections where Jenna seems to be in intense thought:

A bit for someone here.
A bit there.
And sometimes they don't add up to anything whole.
But you are so busy dancing.
Delivering.
You don't have time to notice.
Or are afraid to notice.
And then one day you have to look.
And it's true.
All of your pieces fill up other people's holes.
But they don't fill
your own.

WOW! When I first read that, I stopped and really thought about that. How often have I given and given and given and then realize that I am empty, that I am exhausted, that I have nothing left for ME and me alone? Much too often for my liking!

The cast of characters is small, but it keeps the focus tight on Jenna and her struggles. Her parents, Matthew and Claire, are dynamic and rich characters. They desperately love their only child and want the best for her, making decisions that might not be what Jenna would want. Does that mean they care less? No, but it does mean they are like any parent: they struggle in letting their daughter go. Lily, Jenna's grandmother, is a woman of faith, one who thought her granddaughter would die and is struggling with Jenna being alive. Her reactions are understandable, her encouragement to her granddaughter heartening, and her own love for her only daughter, Claire, resonates with the love Claire has for Jenna. Mr. Bender proves to be a great friend, despite the age difference, looking out for Jenna and letting Jenna come to him with questions about her life. And then her friends, Ethan and Allys, give a new dynamic on humanity, how far is too far.

The events in this novel could easily have taken place in the near future, with a few moderate exceptions. However, even with these advancements, the story is timeless, just like a good scifi novel should be. I've already stated many of the questions that passed through my mind while reading, but what I do love most is how this novel is for every teenager and every parent. At its heart, it's not about secret science and technology; it's about family and love, it's about growing up and growing into your own person. And no matter what year it is, that is a struggle that will go on as long as the human race.

I really enjoyed this novel, found myself easily absorbed in it. While this is technically a scifi novel, I would recommend to anyone. The message transcends time and space; the characters are endearing; the story addictive. Definitely did not regret the hours I spent reading this!

Brought to you by:
*C.S. Light*

The Adoration of Jenna Fox is an interesting young-adult sci-fi series exploring themes of family, love, life, friendships and the discovery of one self. Jenna Fox just woke up from being in a coma for over a year, and she doesn't remember much of anything that happened before then. Her parents moved the family in the middle of nowhere and won't let her leave the house. After many complaints for more freedom, Jenna was able to go to the local charter (environment school). It is there that Jenna learns social interaction, and how different she is from everyone else...how everyone there is pretty much an outcast. Jenna eventually discovers that she been in a horrible accident, an accident that a normal person wouldn't be able to walk away from, let alone live. All Jenna wants is to unlock her past to find out who she was, but once everything becomes clearer...she'll realize she'll never be the same ol' Jenna again.

The novel was a perfect blend of contemporary and science fiction, woven together for a flawless story line. The science fiction was easy to understand, and it never overwhelms me when reading the story, which is told in the first person narrative. For most of the book Jenna is watching home movies of her childhood from birth up till the age of sixteen, trying to trigger any suppressed memories. She is basically learning everything over, the meaning of words, how to interact with others, and to recognize what certain emotions mean. There wasn't much action, and sadly since we know what Jenna's father does for a living...everything, including the ending was kind of predictable (minus one thing). I just wish there was more of a mystery to it and more action. Jenna was a likeable character, I love that she never gave up and wanted more in life than what her parents thought was right for her. What she wanted most in the book was to find herself, her identity and I'm glad to say that she got exactly what she wanted in the end. The Adoration of Jenna Fox was a good book, but didn't have that big wow factor that I was looking for. Even though not the greatest, the ending left a lot of possibilities for the future and I am interested in seeing what happens to Jenna and her friends.

Jenna Fox is a seventeen year old coma patient/car accident survivor who has just woken up….without her memories. As Jenna works to remember who she is, she realizes that her family is keeping secrets from her. Secrets about Jenna’s accident, her recovery, and what these things may mean for her future. Can Jenna depend on her new friends and her suddenly distant Grandmother for the truth? Even if she can, will it be too much to take?

This was my third time reading this book and it was just as good as the times before. Mary E. Pearson has created a story that will draw you in and keep you there. You just have to figure out what is going on with Jenna! Why are her parents acting so strange? Where are her friends who were in the accident with her? Was she responsible? This book is amazing that it brings up so many questions and answers them all by the end. And the characters all have their own life that shines through. Even though you’re constantly on Jenna’s side, it’s easy to see what other characters are thinking and feeling and why certain ones made the decisions they did. A great book for any aged reader. Absolutely amazing.

THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX, by Mary Pearson, is the story of 17-year-old Jenna who awakens from a coma to discover she has survived a near-fatal accident. The problem is she has no real memory of her parents, her grandmother, or her life before the accident. Is she really Jenna Fox? Are they really her family? Or is something else going on, something too terrible to even imagine?

Pearson's beautifully written novel is about what it means to be human in a world where science is developing faster than our ability to fully understand it. The novel is set about twenty years in the future, when bioengineering has begun to do miraculous things. But the cost has been great. Overuse of antibiotics has created a plague of resistant bacteria and viruses that threaten the human race. Genetic manipulation of crops and livestock has resulted in the extinction of some of the original strains. A debate rages as to whether such scientific advances are really advantageous to our planet and our species. Against this backdrop, Jenna must unravel her own identity as she pieces together the fragments of her memories, trying to uncover the truth about the accident, her recovery, and her relationship with the people who say they love her.

I found the novel to be a bit slow at first - most of the story is told in a series of Jenna's personal reflections, and readers may be frustrated at the lack of action and identifiable plot. But stick with it, because the story does develop, and the reveal (which comes mid-way through the novel) is definitely frightening and provocative. I liked Jenna, and I felt drawn to her dilemma. Her grandmother, Lily, is also a well-written character - I kept seeing Sissy Spacek's face and hearing her voice as I was imagining Lily - if this is ever made into a movie, I'd suggest casting Spacek in the part. It's Lily who helps Jenna begin to come to terms with who she really is, and Lily probably learns as much as Jenna from the things that happen in the novel.

There are a few other characters that are less well-developed. Dane, a boy who lives down the street from Jenna, is supposedly a sociopath, but this never really goes anywhere. We don't learn much more about Ethan, the boy Jenna eventually feels drawn to (he has a traumatic past, an "accident" of his own, which does provide a connection between the two of them). And Allys, Jenna's friend who wears prosthetic arms and legs after an untreatable infection destroyed her own, comes off more as a mouthpiece for medical ethics than she does a real person.

I was going to add how much I appreciate that this novel is a stand-alone book, with a beginning, middle, and very clear ending. You might or might not like the way the story ends (it's a controversial ending, and you'll probably find yourself thinking about it long after you've finished reading), but at least it does end. The trend in teen fiction these days is three or more books in a never-ending series of sequels. It was so refreshing to find a book that isn't written as if it's really just a commercial to sell the next in the series. But now I see that there IS a sequel, and that the novels are being called "The Jenna Fox Chronicles," so I guess the trend continues. Too bad. The premise for the next novel actually sounds difficult to pull of, considering what happens at the end of this book - but writers are notorious for playing around with their own stories to sell the next novel. That said, this does read like a stand-alone book - there is no cliff-hanger pushing you to buy the next one.

Overall, THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX is a thought-provoking and fascinating story that focuses a light on things actually happening in the world today. I believe the world Pearson creates is a very real possibility in the not-so-distant future. That's a sobering thought, and it makes the novel all the more relevant and powerful. I recommend it highly.

Seventeen year old Jenna Fox awakens from a year-long coma with no memory of who she was or the accident that led to her coma. At home with her father, mother, and grandmother, Jenna is shown home videos of herself to try to awaken her memories. As Jenna slowly discovers who she was through the videos and fragments of memories, she begins to realize things do not add up. When Jenna brings these questions to her parents, their responses are strange and filled with non-answers. What was the situation surrounding the accident? Why are Jenna's parents acting so strangely? But, most importantly, who is Jenna Fox?

To me, the best books are the ones that attach themselves to me in a way that lasts well beyond my memory of the specific plot details. Something about the book--a scene, a character, a thought or emotion--something grabs onto my heart and never lets go. They enrich my life, jumping out of the confines of paper and ink to fundamentally affect me on a personal level. These are the books that, years later, just the mere mention of the title or simply the sight of the cover will trigger those feelings in me. Suddenly I am transported back in time and my feelings for the book are as strong as the first time I experienced them.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox is one such book. Just writing this review, I find myself fighting back great gulping sobs of both joy and sadness. I want to run to the people I love and never let them go. This book has touched me on so many levels. Though my review can never do justice, I hope it can at least inspire someone to read this amazing story. I can't tell you much, that would be giving away too much and a large part of the experience is the slow realization of what is really going on. I can't rob you of that experience (please, don't read plot synopses or reviews that give away the story.There are spoilers all over the internet!).

I can tell you the book is short and a standalone. The chapters are only a few pages long, and the pacing is brisk. The mystery is intriguing. Hints are dropped early on, and clues are uncovered at a speed that is slow enough to keep you wondering but fast enough to keep you satisfied. The big reveal is stunning. This is a book that can be easily finished in one sitting. Those are the facts I can tell you. Beyond that, I can only share my personal response to the story. I hope that doesn't make for a lame review.

It is no small task, sharing these feelings. I am overwhelmed, but in the best possible way. How do you put words to such powerful emotions? Emotions that strike you at the core, where no words exist? How do you write about a situation that cuts to your deepest feelings and then pits them against your deepest fears? The characters in this book may not be real and they may be dealing with a situation I will likely never face, and yet they are completely real and their situation is one that every person can relate to on some level. The literal situation may not be one we will experience, but the emotions of the situation are universal to anyone who deeply loves another.

Jenna is the perfect narrator for the story. Her voice believably captures the confusion, alienation, and youth of her character. Her narration is as beautiful as it is painful. My heart breaks for her and, on some level, I love her. There are so many issues brought up in this book. Layers upon layers, touching on subjects we can approach intellectually and others we can only feel in the deepest, most visceral part of our cores. Each topic touched upon forces you to question your own feelings and opinions: Would you agree with one character? Would you make the decisions another character made?

There are no easy answers. There are ethical dilemmas. There are situations that make you question what is right legally, and what is right personally. There are questions of selfishness and selflessness. There are questions that are philosophical, and questions that are theoretical. There are questions we deal with right now, and questions we will face just over the horizon. There are questions that cannot be answered intellectually; they transcend thought, instead coming from your gut in a primal, purely emotional way.

What would you do? What decision would you make? The book is constantly pushing these questions in front of you, but never arguing one way or the other. Events are resolved one way, but Pearson does not pass judgment on whether this is the right way; it is just a way. Pearson presents all sides and all possibilities in a way that leaves you understanding and sympathizing with all of the characters, even the ones you may ultimately disagree with. In the end, the questions remain in your mind long after the last page is turned and Jenna's situation decided because they are not just Jenna's questions, they are yours.

I've heard some amazing things about this book, but I'm not going to lie, it didn't blow me away or anything. That's not to say it was bad either, it just wasn't one of the best books I've ever read. Okay, okay I'll stop being all weird and confusing and just get on with the review.

The format was definitely different and interesting. I enjoyed the new experience. Instead of solid, concrete chapters there were little breaks throughout chapter-like things. It made it feel even more like I was in Jenna's head going through this process of remembering with her. The process itself was great too. It took a little bit for me to get completely pulled in but I finally did and it made me feel for Jenna all the more.

Jenna was a really easy character to identify with. Not because it's likely that I would be in that situation in my lifetime but something about her just demanded attention. I found myself just wanting to root for her and tell off all the people who were making her life difficult. I enjoyed watching her journey of discovering herself as well.

My big gripe about this book was Ethan. Now there's nothing inherently wrong with him as a character but I do take issue with his and Jenna's relationship. It was barely in the story and didn't really seem of any importance to me. It seemed like this weird add-on that was only there to serve the purpose of acting as a catalyst. To make up for this unnecessary addition though, the ending was seriously awesome, in my opinion. Awesome doesn't even really seem like the right word...maybe pretty?

Final thoughts: This was a quick read that anyone could easily get into. Jenna is an easy character to connect with and makes the story all the more enjoyable. If you're looking for a quick mystery this is definitely a good option.

This book was really different from what I though it would be. The description I posted makes you (well, at least it made me) think it's about a girl who loses her memory after a car accident, and I thought the main topic would be identity and figuring out who you are as a person and all of that. What I didn't know, though, was that it takes place in the future, where medicine and technology are more advanced, and - I don't want to give too much away, but the main questions were how far you should go to save a life, and whether someone with a recreated body is still human - those kind of questions. The question of identity was still part of the novel, it just didn't play an as important role as I'd thought.

Because of those differences, this book was hard for me to get into, at least in the beginning. I thought what Jenna does and does not remember was kind of random - for example she remembers the basic language, but some normal words she doesn't know anymore. I'm no expert on this, but I think all the information about language and communication is in one part of the brain, so I'm not sure how that's supposed to work. But please correct me if I'm wrong! I did enjoy the definitions of certain words in between, though.

Anyways, later I understood what she does and doesn't remember - it was constructed to fit what the reader knows. For example, Jenna knows what we today think is normal for society, but she doesn't know the recent developments in technology, science and medicine, just like the reader. While I enjoyed discovering everything along with Jenna, those differences were a little too constructed to be realistic, in my opinion.

The writing was pretty good and most of the metaphors and choice of words were beautiful, but a lot of parts were too melodramatic, especially the parts written in verse. The dialogue was also a bit strange at times - sometimes the topics switched so quickly that it seemed more like a conference where you have to discuss certain points than like a normal conversation.

The characters were okay and most of them were interesting to get to know, but at times they seemed more like plot devices than actual people, each representing one opinion. I'm not sure what I can say about Jenna as a character, as (like Jenna herself) we don't really know who she is for most of the book, but I can say she was easy to relate to and usually understandable. I loved the relationship between Lily and Jenna. The romance between Jenna and Ethan was cute for the most part, but happened too quickly, in my opinion.

***I tried to make this as un-spoiler-y (I know, great word) as possible, but the next paragraph contains vague information about the ending, which could be considered spoilers.***
I was pretty disappointed by the ending. The book raised lots of interesting questions, but in my opinion, if a book really wants you to get thinking about a topic, it should raise those questions without answering them, leaving that to the reader to decide for himself. I don't want to give too much away, but in my opinion, the ending was too partial to leave those questions open. The ending seemed to be justifying the use of every possible technology to save a life - one of the characters who was decidedly against such measures suddenly changed her mind, making it almost seem like that's the lesson to be learned from this book, which I thought was strange.

While my review sounds very negative, I did enjoy this book as a whole - the plot kept me interested and raised some interesting questions. However, I had quite a few problems with the execution, especially how constructed the plot and also the characters seemed. The writing was okay. I recommend this to you only if you're really interested in the topic.

This review has been kind of sitting here waiting for me to write it, and I'm not sure what exactly to say about it without giving away some of the story's main twists and things. I will say this it had a few good twists, and wow moments. It did take me quite awhile to actually finish it. I think the main reason for that is I'm not much of a sci-fi, dystopian reader. Just like the few before this one that I've read namely The Hunger Games I just can't get into them. Still I keep trying hoping one book will change my mind. This is not to say I won't still read them. Once I start a series I like to finish it.

I liked Jenna as a character and I really felt bad for her waking up after a year in a coma, and not knowing anything about yourself. All she had to go on was what her parents told her and the videos of the "old Jenna Fox" that she watched. How would you feel if you just woke up and nothing seemed real? You don't know your parents, your grandmother, who your old friends were, nothing...not a thing. Not only that, but you weren't allowed outside your own home for reasons unknown to you. Pretty scarey huh? Then throughout the book she slowly learns and figures things out about herself. Where she use to live, why they moved, who her friends were. During the book she makes some new friends when her parents decide that it might be ok to let her go to school. This school isn't an ordinary school though. The kids there all have their own problems. She becomes close with a few like Allys and Ethan.

You know from reading that something is different about Jenna, but you don't actually learn what that is until later on. I'm sitting here looking at the cover, and now I get the puzzled cover too. I understand the coloring behind it. Sorry it's like it just clicked.

What to say about Ethan. Hum? I wasn't moved by him either way really. You know how there are some potential crushes in books that you get attached to. Well I didn't really feel that way about him or I think Dane maybe. Which ever I didn't care for either. There were a few lines, and "moments" in the book that I thought how cute (like when the were gardening with each other...flicking dirt on each other.) other then that nothing.
Then there's Allys to me she seemed kind of snobby and better then everyone else. I know..I know I should have felt bad for her or something because of what happened to her, but I couldn't she wanted to blame everyone else. Maybe it was or wasn't their fault who knows I just didn't like her. I would have much rather learned more about Kara and Locke, Jenna's old friends.

I did like the way the book wasn't actually written in chapters but kind of like time periods. When there was a chapter break it had instead poem like writing, or Jenna's thoughts that tied in with what was going to happen next. I don't how to explain it, but it was different.

Jenna Fox is seventeen years old and wakes up not remembering her entire life. Her parents tell her she was in a coma for a year after an accident. Nothing in her new life is familiar including her own body, but somehow she can recite large passages of literature and has an encyclopedic memory for useless facts and history. She is isolated in a small town with none of the friends she sees in the videos of her own unremembered life. Her parents are incredibly over protective, even forbidding her from telling others where they came from and why. Her grandmother is disdainful of her now, contrary to the videos she watches where her grandmother was previously loving and warm. It's obvious that family is keeping secrets from her. She wants to find out the truth and starts digging in the things her family has hidden and pushing her family for answers. As she slowly regains her memory, Jenna will stop at nothing to find out who she really is, but is she prepared for the truth?

I had avoided reading this for a while because its original cover made it look like a typical teen angstfest or romance, either of which I normally have no interest in. The second cover makes it much more apparent that a science fiction story was contained within it, which piqued my interest. It only took me a few hours to read the book because of the fluid and simple writing style. I liked the way the poetry at the beginning of each section and the short chapters played with the tempo of the book and made it feel like it passed by faster. By not being flowery or lyrical, the writing matches the tone and character of Jenna. She's a blank slate since she awakened from her coma and even her poetry is written in a frank, analytical manner. Jenna's point of view evolves throughout the novel as she slowly regains her memories and reconciles who she is in the present with who she was in the past. Much of the novel feels odd because of her inability to remember anything about herself and her uncanny ability to rattle off information about history, literature, and science. It's a weird dissonance that both Jenna and the reader feel that takes us deeper into the mystery. I enjoyed her evolution from an empty shell to a girl with a real personality of her own, not just based on some videos of her past self.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox is perfect for a teen looking to be introduced to the science fiction genre. I, as a seasoned fan of the genre, still enjoyed the novel, but much of it was pretty predictable. Although young teen friendly, Mary Pearson isn't afraid to bring important and thought provoking questions to the reader's attention: Without memories, what is identity? What defines humanity in a being? Is there a line science shouldn't cross in regards to medical science? These questions make the reader examine their own reasons for their opinions and allows the reader to decide if the actions of the characters are right or wrong. These are questions still being posed in adult science fiction novels, but the young characters and clear writing just make these issues more accessible.

The only issue I had with the novel was the epilogue. I felt it was untrue to the characters and just seemed tacked on. Other than that, I really enjoyed it and I look forward to reading The Fox Inheritence. I would recommend this book to fans of Crashed by Robin Wasserman, which features similar themes and plot.

I have been wanting to read this book forever and finally got it from the library. It was an intriguing book that brings up a ton of questions about the morality of genetic engineering and tries to answer the question of how far a parent would or should go to save their child.

Jenna wakes up from a one year coma not knowing who she is or what happened. She is told by the people who say they are her parents that she got in a terrible car accident and has been in a coma for a year. Her only link to the past is a box of videos from when she grew up. Now she has a grandmother who hates her, and parents who are afraid to let her leave the house. She needs answers to some questions. Who is she really? What really happened last year?

This book is written from Jenna's viewpoint. She is a fascinating character and it was wonderful to follow her as she started to regain her memories and piece together her story. Some of the revelatoions she makes throughout the story are seriously earth-shattering. I was absolutely enthralled by this book from the first sentence to the end of the book.

The side characters are just as engaging. All of them have secrets and are fighting their own struggles. Reading and watching all the mysteries unwind was a totally engaging experience.

The plot and topic matter are complex and make you think. This book brooches some seriously deep topics. For example how far would you go to save your child? How far should you go? How much of a person can be genetically re-engineered before they aren't human? How much of an original person needs to be left for that person to still be themselves? Should these things be regulated by individuals, the government, a separate entity?

I loved the epilogue and how it tied up all of the loose ends of the story. I just got the book The Fox Inheritance (The Jenna Fox Chronicles) through the the store Vine program so I look forward to reading that book as well.

Overall just an excellent and mind-blowing story. It gives you so much to think about and was such a great read. I loved this story and think everyone should read it. It is appropriate for young adult and older. Hopefully The Fox Inheritance (The Jenna Fox Chronicles) will be just as awesome.

This book was powerful, thrilling, and moving in many ways. I thought it would be some kind of loud, action-packed book. Instead, I was met by a calmer, but very intense story of life, death, and everything in between.

Jenna was such a unique character. She has no memory of her life before, and feels like a stranger to her body. As the story progresses, it's interesting to see her adapt to her new life, and slowly gain back memories of her past.

The writing was very poetic. It was smooth and clean, flowing with the exciting storyline. I loved how we were in Jenna's head, and how her thoughts are portrayed. It added another layer of depth to an already deep, moving story.

There were new surprises everywhere, and while I managed to guess a lot of twists, I still missed some. I definitely found myself on the edge of my seat quite frequently.

This book addresses some pretty complicated topics with care. How far is too far? If you have the power to save a life better left untouched, should you? These questions aren't easily answered, and yet Mary E. Pearson does a beautiful job with it.

An eerie prediction of where I world could be in just a few short years, The Adoration of Jenna Fox is a deep, beautiful, and powerful story about discovering your identity and purpose.

Jenna Fox doesn't remember much. She is told that she is seventeen years old and has been in a coma for a year after a life-threatening accident. Her parents won't give her many details other than some home movies. So Jenna begins to relive her life from her youngest days to the most recent, hoping to regain her memories. As Jenna begins to remember and discovers who she was, her parents still keep secrets from her. But as Jenna soon realizes, it's not as important who she was in the past, but who she is now.

This is a remarkable coming-of-age story set in a not-too-distant future where technology is more advanced. Jenna is a fascinating character, flawed yet sympathetic. And it's easy to get carried away in her story and life. Though told in first person, the reader is able to put together the clues before Jenna does. And while we're able to make the connections faster, they are still startling enough revelations and twists to the story that make it worthwhile.

Another strength of the story, besides the suspense and character development, is that the scenario does make the reader think. As the title treatment says "How far would you go to save someone you love?" it's not only a clue to the story, but a question that readers will ponder themselves. Completely engaging, this is a great read for teens on up. The copy I received was the audio version read by Jenna Lamia. She has to be one of the best voice actors that I've heard, easily transitioning between different characters and helping distinguish between them, always clear and concise. Her contribution was certainly a benefit to the novel.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox is what I would called speculative science fiction. The author tries to bring in the normal YA component with a unruly teenager - emotional outbursts, feelings of young love, and awareness of self. This book is so much more than that, but it gets so bogged down in trying to let the reader see the human side of the story that it neglects the science. The speculative biological science aspects of this book were almost entirely unexplored, in that the author just plops it into the pages of the book without adequate explanation. That being said, I am curious to see where the author can take the plot from here, so I will be reading at least the next book in the series.

There's been a proliferation of young adult fiction (I have benefitted from that even as a thirty-something), but this is so much more than just a YA novel. It's in the future, although it isn't all that much different today. Jenna's parents are doctors and her father owns a huge biotech company. There have been huge advances in medicine, although significant setbacks as well. Jenna doesn't remember anything because she has been in a coma for a year after a terrible accident. Her mother can't seem to be close enough to her, but her grandmother can't seem to be far enough away...

PROS: I could see this equally well suited for a high school classroom, a college bioethics course, and my teenage niece's nightstand. This novel is really rich, in thoughts, in themes and in language, but I never felt bogged down - in fact I flew through the novel. There is one moment between Jenna and her mother that is so beautiful, so true, I cried! Without giving anything away, I found the ending incredibly uplifting, which is a bit of a change from the current trend in YA adult fiction. This isn't by far a thriller/horror, but it did have a sort of creepy sense of foreboding/wrongness that was very effective.

CONS: Very few. I sometimes wondered if the author was being too heavy-handed about biotechnology and religion and then the next minute I thought she was being intentional ambivalent. I think that in the end, the author was unabashedly clear about her character's perspectives, but allowed you to make up your own mind. Not sure if I liked the epilogue or not, but it does answer your questions (perhaps a little too clearly for me).

I finished this book two weeks ago and it still hasn't left me. For me, that makes it truly great.

The plot behind this book is quite innovative, however, I'm not really able to speak to it as much as I'd like for fear of spoiling some of the outstanding revelations the reader is party too as the story unfolds.

What worked for me -- Pearson wrote Jenna's struggle for identity so profoundly. The hurdles of secrecy from those around her, seeking and navigating new friendships, the desperation to remember who she was all shaped how Jenna constructed who she was presently.

I enjoyed the ethical dillema's Jenna's circumstance created. These dilema's affected every relationship she had as well as the nation as a whole. It was definitely an interesting aspect of the story that surrounded morality and values. Further it was thought provoking enough to lead the reader to question their own thoughts on the issues presented. I do feel like this would make an excellent book club read as there is a wealth to discuss.

What didn't work for me -- the end. I felt like the epilogue rushed to tie everything up with a nice pretty bow. We'd spent all this time in the messy aftermath of Jenna's accident and then we travel however many years after major revelations are made and we have epic scale closure. Personally I would have liked to have either seen a small progression in time from said revelations or, even better, read the story between when they were made and where Jenna landed in the epilogue.

The tone. The tone of this story was quite docile and monotone to me. I think given the circumstances of Jenna's accident and the secrets being kept this choice made by Pearson was a conscious one. But because it was so flat I didn't feel the emotion as much as I would have liked. Further I think some of the urgency was lost when we learn some of the higher level secrets being kept from Jenna.

Ultimately, Adoration of Jenna Fox was a good read that certainly makes a person think. It's one of those YA books that I feel could appeal to those who are not sold on the genre. It would make an excellent first foray for adults curious to experience young adult literature.

Years ago, reading books about Futuristic societies and cyberpunk wasn't very popular so when The Adoration of Jenna Fox came out I read it and loved the concept. Just recently at the library , we received Book #2 in this series, so since it had been like yonks since I had read The Adoration of Jenna Fox, I thought I would give it another go. The Adoration of Jenna Fox is a book that is a cross between Meg Cabot's Airhead, Being Nikki series and Robin Wasserman's Frozen etc - Lila's story. This story reads of Jenna Fox whom at seventeen as re-awoken from being in a coma for a year , however things feel strange as she can't remember bits of her past and so Jenna goes searching but what she will discover will be more stranger than reality. As "the" Jenna Fox is only really 10% of her past self ? What has happened and how is it that she can feel and remember bits from her life ?
An awesome mix of what it's like to re-awake from tragedy, have an amnesiac life and a touch of science fiction and dystopian.

#This was a library book.

Gold Star Award Winner!

What makes us human? How far would you go to save your child? What is ethically and morally right and wrong? These are heavy questions that the author will make the reader ponder long after the last page has been turned.

Jenna Fox has just woken up from over a year-long coma. She doesn't remember anything, but has fragments of memory that she is slowly trying to piece together. There are people there that say they are her parents, and another woman that is her grandmother. Left with the video disks of her life, she starts to watch and ponder "Who is Jenna Fox?"

There has been an accident, but no one will talk to her about the details. As she slowly heals, Jenna questions everything and starts to fill in gaps. After a little while of recovery, she pushes to go to school and begins to attend a local charter school. There she meets an odd assortment of classmates.

Alice has medical issues of her own, and starts to explain the federal ethics board to Jenna. Each person is allotted 100 lifetime points to be used for medical reasons. Alice has prosthetic limbs and explains that limb replacement is relatively low on the point scale. Other procedures would be worth much more. Dane is a neighbor but something seems off with him. When Jenna looks in his eyes, he seems empty. And then there is Ethan. He's hiding a dark secret of his own.

As Jenna discovers the world around her, the secrets and mysteries that are her life slowly start to be revealed. Remembering what Alice has explained about the lifetime points, Jenna comes to realize that there are even deeper secrets about her that she must uncover. Her parents have moved her from Boston to California. Is it to protect her from those that were involved with the accident? Or does it have more far-reaching medical and ethical implications?

Without wanting to give away the plot twists and hidden mysteries of the story, I will tell you that the issues Ms. Pearson raises will cause you to ponder how far science should be allowed to explore. As Jenna tries to discover, the reader will also be forced to wonder how much of us do we need to keep us truly human? Ms. Pearson makes the reader question if it's truly the flesh and blood that makes us human, or if there is something further inside that gives us our identity. Comparing the
lack of emotion that Dane has with Jenna's unwavering questioning of everything, it shows the reader that things are not always black and white. The majority of us live in the gray area that is between the two extremes.

Read THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX to find out what it means to sacrifice everything for love and how to really be human.

Reviewed by: Jaglvr

The concept for The Adoration of Jenna Fox is fantastic. I really enjoyed how the author explored problems that are arising in medicine today and amplified them to what disasters they could be. I also really liked how she explored both sides of the issues throughout the book giving the pros and cons. I read one review that states the author told us the best choice with the ending without letting us decide. I must disagree. The author never says the best choice is what happens in the end. She simply gives us one possible outcome. We are still able to decide for ourselves.

However, the book does seem a little unfinished. There are pieces of the puzzle that are never truly answered. I feel the author spent too much time on issues that were not necessarily important to the plot instead of some of the more interesting and relevant issues.

This book is a fairly quick read and gets the mind thinking. I definitely recommend the book, but I do still feel there are some loose ends as well.

Jenna Fox has no recollection of anything that happened before the day she woke up from her coma, a result of an accident that happened over a year ago. All she knows is what the people around her tell her: Matt and Claire, who claim to be her parents, and Lily who they say is her grandmother, but seems to hate her. And there are the videos--they've captured her life since the day she was born. But still, Jenna doesn't remember anything.

But she doesn't need to have memories to understand that her parents are hiding something from her, or to realize that something has changed between the relationship she and Lily had in the videos and the cool words and coiled tension that lies between them now. Jenna doesn't need to remember the past to see that something is very wrong in the way her mother is overprotective and keeps her locked up in the house all day. But unfortunately for her, it just might be the key to discovering what truly happened after that horrific accident.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox is cleverly written to pull readers in from the very first page with its relentless questions and mysterious air. Jenna's blunt voice and stark honesty make her a character to fall in love with, and sweeps readers right up into the mystery that is Jenna Fox. A combination of prose with scattered short poems within strike just the right balance in the story, giving it an understated and slightly foreboding air.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox also raises certain ethical questions and challenges readers as well intriguing them, giving the book more meaning and making it a more thought provoking and absorbing read by posing the simple question: who am I? Though the revelation of what really happened to Jenna is not as complex as what readers may have been expecting, it is nevertheless as affecting. You won't be able to get Jenna Fox out of your head.

Jenna awakes from an eighteen-month comma unable to remember who she is or those who are the closest to her. All that she knows is that is told is that she was in an accident. When her memories do start to come back, they are only in bits and pieces but something isn't right. Jenna has memories of herself as an infant, and although she can't remember anything about herself, she knows an unprecedented amount about world history. It doesn't take Jenna long to figure out that a huge secret is being kept from her.

Here is an excerpt from the book. I don't usually go this, but this passage just really got me.

Pieces

Isn't that what all of life is anyway?
Shards. Bits. Moments
Am I less because I have fewer, or do the few I have mean more?
Am I just as fell as anyone else? Enough?
Pieces.
Allys saying "I like you."
Gabriel snorting out bread, freeing me to laugh.
And Ethan reminding me how much I do know.
Pieces
I hold them like thy are life itself.
They nearly are.

Such a short summary, I know, but I hate to give anything away! The entire time your reading from Jenna's perspective and you know that something isn't right. You know there is something that your missing! What really happened after the accident?

This novel is part mystery and part science fiction. The story is told beautifully and it fully captivated me. It unfolds slowly, but it is necessary to understand everything that Jenna is going through. I was also fascinated by the topic of medical ethics, how far should we let science go? Is this the kind of world we'll be living, in the not so distant future? If you haven't read this novel yet, I highly suggest that you do. I know that I will be looking forward to reading more from Pearson!

Before the accident she was Jenna Fox, a sixteen year old who followed the rules, who was her parents' miracle child, who was perfect. After the accident she was no longer sure she was Jenna Fox. She was no longer sure who Jenna Fox was.

When she awoke she cried, she didn't remember doing that. When she awoke her family was with her; her watching father who was soon to leave her, her over protective mother who would not leave her side, and her grandmother who now despised her. They were all there but she didn't remember them.

When she awoke it was to a different world, a different city on the other side of the country, a different house unfilled and dilapidated, a different room bare and impersonal. What had happened for them to move so far, what had happened to all her belongings, what had happened to her?

As everyone around her tries to convince her of who she was she realises she no longer knows what she is. What is she if she can not understand the world around her, if words she once knew escape her, if voices she once heard still call to her? Is who she is now enough to exist, enough to be loved? Can she still be Jenna Fox without knowing anything about her?

The Adoration Of Jenna Fox is about definitions, acceptance and ethics. A captivating and moving mystery of life and change that demonstrates the blinding power of love, and how far people will go to save the ones they love.

THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX
MARY E. PEARSON

Rating: 5 Enchantments

Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox has just woken from a year-long coma without any recollection of who she is. Her parents let her watch videos of her life to help her remember.

Slowly, bits of her life come back to her. She feels different and strange in her new Southern Californian home. Also with each piece of memory, new questions arise. Questions no one will answer. Where are her friends? Why is she living far from her Boston home? And what happened that caused the accident that left her in a coma?

Her grandmother, Lily, avoids her. Her own parents treat her as if she's a child.

Who is Jenna Fox? Later, her discovery will bring up yet more questions. Ones that involve bio-medical ethics and humanity. How far can a parent go when faced with the possibility of losing a child? And when do scientific advances cross the line?

THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX is a haunting tale that will leave the reader with many questions on the consequences of the actions that involve science. Engaging characters kept me glued to this chilling but fascinating look into a Twilight Zone world that might not be far from our own. I really enjoyed this story. Jenna's struggles and horror at finding out the truth will resonate with readers long after the last page.

A must read for those who wonder about the consequences of latest scientific technology from a human point of view. A discussion guide is available that lists where to find more information about bioethical issues raised in this tale.

Mary E. Pearson is the author of A ROOM OF LORELEI STREET, winner of the 2005 Golden Kite award. She's also written two other award winning YA books. She lives in Carlsbad, California with her husband and two dogs. Check out her website at [...] Also check out [...] for the teaser trailer.

Kim Rapier
Enchanting Reviews

The Adoration of Jenna Fox was so different from what I expected. It's the story of a seventeen year old girl named Jenna Fox. Jenna has been in a coma for the past year and when she wakes up, she remembers nearly nothing. All her memories about history and facts are there, but she doesn't remember herself, her family, her friends, or anything personal. What follows is Jenna's search for herself and what truly makes a person a person.

I wasn't really sure how I felt about this book for the first 40 pages or so, but once I got to know Jenna a little more, I was completely engrossed. The story really makes the reader question the ethics surrounding life and death and how far is too far. The characters are developed nicely and even though you only truly get to know Jenna, you know enough about everyone else for the story to work perfectly. The medical aspect of it is quite interesting and almost terrifying when I really thought about it.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox is a heavy read. It was gripping and intensely emotional. After those first 40 pages or so, it was more than difficult to put the book down. Mary E. Pearson's writing style is very unique and I found it almost poetic at times. Here, she presents a haunting take on the devotion of a family to their only daughter. Jenna's need to find herself will take the reader on a journey about identity, family, and the choices we make.

Girls in my high school classes have liked Mary E. Pearson's books for years. Scribbler of Dreams has been listed as a favorite book of almost everyone who has read it. Her newest, The Adoration of Jenna Fox, also seems to be striking a chord with them.

In this book, Pearson explores a teenage girl's struggle to develop a unique identity and an independent will separate from her parent's expectations of her. But she sets this story within a future when human life itself can be simply bioengineered. Where is identity and independent will when life comes from a lab? What is really essential for making life worth living?

Jenna Fox , the survivor of a fiery crash, has a greater challenge discovering who she is than the average teenage girl. But her journey is a familiar one for teenage girls whose road to self-realization is less than smooth. The adoration of her parents gave her life, but as long as she can think and feel, her path through that life will be what she creates.

This book is entirely appropriate for middle and high school readers. Mostly of interest to girls, its exploration of the bio-engineered humanity that is on the horizon could interest boys as well.

From page one, Pearson's narrative fills your head with questions that can only be answered as you turn each page, which, of course, leads you to discover Jenna, the girl who has just woken from a coma, been transported across the country in secret, and can't remember a thing about herself before "the accident." Her parents treat her like a fragile keepsake, but her grandmother, a doctor, will barely acknowledge her. Jenna comes to realize a few things - her father is a doctor who engineered a groundbreaking substance called BioGel, which has allowed for medical miracles never before imagined. Her parents have a computer locked in their closet with her name on it. She remembers things that no normal human does - things from her infancy. When she starts school again, Jenna starts to wonder how she really survived "the accident," and why it's such a secret. The Adoration of Jenna Fox is one of the most inventive books to be written in the past few years, and it certainly will change the way you think about modern medicine.

This was very interesting, there are many themes and Jenna is a very interesting character. I listened to this on Audiobook. The book talks about bio-medical ethics because of how advanced the technology is and what they can do with it in medicine. The reader was I think really good because she read in a way that showed how confused Jenna was and how she would have been feeling.

I thought that idea of how there was a Organization in the government(?) that decided how many organs people can have after being injured. I think that that's pretty smart because then people would be getting hurt if they knew of how Jenna changes and her senses. But something that bugged me was that it was based on such a low point system. Or at least lower the point values of the organs so that people that actually need them, can get them.

Something that was really interesting was that at the end of the audiobook, that there is an interview with the author, Mary E. Pearson. I think its definitely a book to read.

Profound and thought provoking, this book had me captivated from the start. It is such a different theme then what I am used to reading. It is about a girl that wakes up from a coma and doesn't know who she is and there is some funky things going on that she has to try and figure them out. I decided to read it because I won the sequel to this book, The Fox Inheritance, in a giveaway. I don't know if I would have picked it pu if I hadn't won the sequel. I am glad I did. I was pleasently surprised at how good it was. The characters really draw you in. The were well thought out and there was enough detail put into them that you could relate to what they all were going through. Jenna and Allys(I still really don't know how to pronounce this name if anyone who read this book knows how to pronounce it please let me know in the comments) are my favorite characters. They really spoke to me in a deep way. I can kind of relate to what they both had to go through. The one thing that I didn't really like was that this book was somewhat predictable. I could guess what was going to happen before it happened. Overall this book was amazing and I would suggest it to anyone to read. The ending was really perfect and I really like how it ended. I already started the sequel and can't wait to tell you guys my thoughts on that one as well. It is really good so far. Visit my blog for more reviews here: [...]

What an intriguing book this is. From the beginning, we are as in the dark as Jenna herself is. We go on the same journey, discover the same things, ask the same questions: What is identity? What makes you, you? And is surviving, ultimately, worth whatever price you pay?

Given the recent health-care debate, this book seems particularly relevant. It presents a picture of unfettered science and a picture of regulated science and leaves the reader to draw her own conclusions. It even contains some cautionary elements, making us wonder about the possible consequences of genetic modification, overuse of antibiotics, etc.

But I especially loved the parallel to Walden and how Jenna--dehumanized and confused--must come to terms with her existence in the isolation of her California cottage and forest and pond. I also loved the poetry inserts and how the author gradually brought all the elements of the story together. Overall, I thought this was an excellent book.

I was not expecting to read a science-fiction book at all. But this book impressed me. It has so many great messages within its pages, its hard to remember them all. It's a novel about finding your identity, about family love, about mistakes you need to live with, and more. I loved the way it was written and structured with its short scenes without chapters and the gray pages. Sometimes it got somewhat confusing, though. But in overall it was really good.

The characters are good. Jenna feels incredibly real as does Lily. The plot is full of surprises and never gives you what you are expecting. I got to the part where I had no idea what would happen. It;s a book that leaves you a lot to think about. I cant stop wondering how the medical future could change and improve, imagining if 50 years from now things could be so different. If you enjoy sci-fi, or you are thrilled by new concepts you should read this.

I listened to an unabridged audio version of The Adoration of Jenna Fox and thoroughly enjoyed it. Packaged in a well written story that will engage young adults, the narrator does an excellent job in bringing the character's voice to life. It was entertaining while at the same time raising various ethical issues, which many YA books to not. While the plot might not be as complex as some adult readers might want, I listened to the CD so closely on a long trip that I drove right past my exit! I strongly recommend it for pre-teens and teens, with a qualified recommendation for adults who enjoy YA literature.

This was an interesting story about a girl who dies in an accident and then she isn't dead, but mostly rebuilt by her parents who broke the law to keep her alive. It makes you think a lot about death and when you should let people go and the morality of keeping someone alive or not. It was interesting and made me think about it long after it was over. I think I will probably read the next one, even though it isn't really a series as the next book is about two characters that aren't really a part of this book.

I used to be someone.
Someone named Jenna Fox.
That's what they tell me. But I am more than a name. More than they tell me. More than the fact and statistics they fill me with. More than the video clips they make me watch.
More. But I'm not sure what.

I won The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson from Dewey, and I'm very glad I did. Thank you, Dewey, for sending this book to me!

In fact, I had been coveting this book for some time. The first thing I noticed was the beautiful book cover. What about the butterfly, I wondered, in abook that deals with a girl awakening froma coma? Of course, the butterfly has a meaning, but I'm not going to tell you what it is... too spoilery.

After a terrible car accident, Jenna Fox, a seventeen-year-old girl, awakens from a year-long coma to find out that she doesn't remeber anything of heself or her accident. Jenna doesn't recognize the world she lives in: a new house in a new state, with parents who seem to adore her but control her every movement. Slowly, Jenna starts to leanr things again, and discovers truths her parents want to keep hidden from her--truths that involve her own identity.

This is a science-fiction book set in a not-so-distant future.. I used to dislike science fiction, but after reading this book, I think I might give this genre another chance. Here is how Jenna describes her world in the first pages of the book:

The accident was over a year ago. I've been awake for two weeks. Over a year has vanished. I've gone from sixteen to seventeen. A second woman has been elected president. A twelfth planet has been named in the solar system. The last wild polar bear has died, Headline news that could not stir me. I slept through it all.

Besides Jenna's search for identity, the main theme is science and the bioethical oimplications of human manipulation of DNA. How far will you go to save someone you love? How far is it ethically acceptable to go, to save a human life? This book, most of all, raises a lot of questions.

Moreover, it is a beautifully written book, almost poetic in its word choice. As Jenna looks up new words in the dictionary to register their meaning, the reader is also drawn to analyze words more closely and to discover new meanings of these words. Through Jenna's eyes, we learn of a different world, one that could reasonably exist in a not-so-distant future, if scientifical developments go on at today's pace.

I have been dancing around reading the book for the longest time, but there was something about it that was holding me back. Not sure if it was the cover, which looks more cutesy than science fiction or the title. Either way, there was some superficial reason for not giving this book the chance it properly deserves.

This is one of those books you must take your time with. It unfolds slowly giving you the smallest glimpses into the heart of the plot. While this have frustrated me with other novels, Pearson's writing is enchanting and keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. Another aspect that makes this book so magical is that the reader learns about Jenna as she learns about herself. So certain elements catch both the main character as well as the reader by surprise.

Everything about this novel is beautifully done. The plot and characters are captivating and full of depth. However, I would have loved to see a little more of Dane. He was definitely a minor character that was interesting to me, but never fully explained. I guess I really just wanted a back story, or explanation for his behavior. Other than that small bump, the book is flawless, and a must read for any YA lover who enjoys a little science fiction thrown into the mix.

My teacher recommended it to me. "The Adoration of Jenna Fox." That was the title. I immediately fell in love with the cover- a girl holding out her hand, with a beautiful blue butterfly sitting on it. I hadn't even read the book, but already the butterfly on the girl's hand stuck with me. Later I even drew the cover, too.
"The Adoration of Jenna Fox" is amazing in everyway- it's mysterious, breathtaking, and you will not be able to put the book down. Even at the very beginning, the first page, it seems like the book gulped you up, and you would not be let free until you finished it.
The way the author describes and writes everything- it's as if the words come to life! I loved how the author would make everything seem like a bigger deal than it actually was. For example:
"I read that you were injured in a car accident. They didn't expect you to survive."
The room spins, and I hold on to the table. worse still, I felt like I was shutting down.
"what kind?"
"of accident?"
"yes. that."
"a Car ACCIDENT."
A CAR ACCIDENT? WHY DID I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING MORE TERRIBLE?THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF ACCIDENTS EVERYDAY. IT'S COMMON!
(sorry about capitols) Mary E. Pearson always knows how to get you to keep reading- she'd raise the climax points, you'd be itching to find out what would happen, and then you relax when you find out. But then she repeats the same stragety over again- climax, no climax, climax, no climax.
Right when it seems that there couldn't possibly be anything more exciting, you change your mind as Mary brings up another climax point. I love her way of writing.
Over-all, her book is amazing, and you must read it. When you do, you'll most likely thank me.

Seventeen-year-old Jenna Fox has just woken up from a year-long coma after a car accident. At least, that's what her parents tell her, but she can't remember anything at all from the accident or from her life before it. And she has a lot of questions. What happened to her in the past year? Why have her parents moved all the way across the country to a remote house in California? And why does her grandmother look at her like she's a stranger?

Whew - I picked this up on the recommendation of a library coworker, and she didn't steer me wrong. But I'm not sure how far to go with the spoilers on this one. Suffice it to say that this is set in a near-future world where a lot of new things are now medically possible, and the ethics of how far people will go to save a human life are coming into question. Right off the bat you can tell that something more is wrong than just amnesia after a long coma, but only slowly do we understand what's really happened, as Jenna pieces the clues together. Some of the medical technology seems a little far-fetched to me, even for that wonderful nebulous setting known as "the future." And the ending came a bit too quickly and left a lot of the ethical questions that were raised unresolved. Still, it was a page-turner and a thought-provoking read, I did like Jenna a lot as a character, and I thought the issues of identity that the book brought up were well-done.

"The dictionary says my identity should be all about being separate or distinct, and yet it feel like it is so wrapped up in others."

Jenna was left comatose after a tragic accident. One year later, she awakens to a life she can't recall, a body she doesn't recognize, two parents and a grandmother doesn't really know, and a house she can't leave. Her parents want her to stay at home for a while in order to make full recovery and avoid a relapse. Their smiles are cautious, wary; her grandmother's smile is sad, almost bitter.

When Jenna watches old home movies, she can't help but think of herself as two people. (Since she narrates the story in first person, it's easy to follow this train of thought: there's "Jenna," dancing and smiling away on the recordings, and there's "I" or "me" watching them in the present day. Also, there are shaded pages, passages in which Jenna has mental confessions about the past, present, and future.) She knows she was a dancer, a daughter, a student, a friend, and that she was happy, but the most of this knowledge comes from outside sources rather than her own memories. She does not want to rely on what the videos show and what her family tells her - she wants to know herself, herself.

Bits and pieces of her past begin tug at the edges of her mind, but they are not always happy and rarely are they clear. If anything, these blurry scenes and feelings only make her more confused about what happened to her, with her, around her. With the help of others - some forthcoming and some reluctant - things begin to clear up. The edges of her mind are still jagged and raw. Tidbits scraping there only serve to open up old wounds and leave new scars.

Wanting to know who she was, why she is the way she is, and what happened the night of the accident, Jenna pushes her parents' buttons as well as her own physical and mental limits. Her arms, hands, legs and feet, which once were "perfect," don't look, feel, or move the way they used to, her physical changes being as obvious and frustrating to her as her mental blocks. Though she is at first scared and tentative, Jenna keeps trying to get to the bottom of things until she gets through to others and dares to walk on a new path.

"Are the details of our lives who we are, or is it owning those details that makes the difference?"

This book brings up many questions, not only physiological and psychological but also philosophical:

How much can you really trust your memories - and if you lose them, can you get them back? Can you get yourself back?

"Maybe that is all any life is composed of, trivia that eventually adds up to a person, and maybe I just don't have enough of it yet to be a whole one."

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson is a stunning, fascinating novel. This eye-opening story which openly explores the concept of identity will stay on your mind for a long, long time.

2 words that describe the book: Sci-fi Lite

3 settings where it took place or characters you met:

* Setting: California, sometime in the future

* Jenna Fox is a 17-year-old girl who wakes up after a year-long coma. She had been in a terrible accident but seems to have no recollection of her life before. Little by little, Jenna begins to remember more about her past, but each memory brings more questions--questions that her devoted parents seem not to want to answer. When she finally uncovers the truth of what happened to her, it rocks her to her core.

* Lily is Jenna's grandmother, who initially seems standoffish and cold to Jenna, for reasons that Jenna can't comprehend. As Jenna seeks for answers about what happened to her, she begins to understand Lily's complicated feelings towards her--just as Lily begins to understand some of what Jenna is experiencing and makes an effort to help her find the answers she's been searching for.

4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:

* I liked how Pearson has written a Young Adult (YA) book that is filled with some Big Questions: How much does memory play a role in making us the person we are today? What does it mean to be human? Can we love someone too much ... to the point where we damage them instead of nurture them? The book also raises issues regarding medical ethics. In a very short amount of time, Pearson manages to raise a host of issues that will leave readers thinking. HOWEVER...

* I disliked that the book felt underdeveloped and simplified. I wish things had been more fleshed out. I truly felt that the book was too slight for its ideas, and I would have liked more details, set-up and development. At only 288 pages (many of which are short journal entries written in fragments), the book is a fast read ... too fast. I really felt Pearson could have done much much more. As usual, I struggled with the whole YA label. This felt like a book that was "dumbed down" to me. Pearson has lots of good ideas, but the story and characters felt shallow.

* I disliked that Pearson introduces characters, hints at Dark Things about them, and then doesn't really go back and explain things well. There was one character (whose name escapes me) who is either a psychopath or a really damaged kid. Pearson keeps bringing him in, having him scare or threaten others, and just drops him. Same with Jenna's neighbor, who seems friendly at first but then is revealed to have a bit of a dark history as well. Both of these characters should have either been developed further or eliminated as I didn't think they were integral to the story.

* I disliked that I couldn't buy into the science that plays a key role in the book. I'm not a real picky reader (though from this review it might seem like I am), but I just couldn't believe in the technology in this book. The single biggest hurdle for me were the three computers that play a role later in the book. I just didn't buy into that aspect AT ALL. It didn't make any sense to me, and I'm not sure I understood 100% what Pearson meant were on those computers.

5 Stars or less for your rating?

I'm giving the book 3 stars. I know a lot of people really really loved this book, and I might just be a crank or a person who doesn't really appreciate YA books, but I just felt like this was a wonderful idea for a book that didn't live up to its promise or its premise. As I said before, the book felt very underdeveloped to me. With such interesting and thought-provoking ideas, I think Pearson squandered her chance to write a really amazing book that would speak to all levels of readers. I seem to be in the minority on this one though, so be sure to check out what others think about this book. If nothing else, it would make a good book club read.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox makes you ponder a lot. We already live in a world where medical science helps people live who should be dead. And who should decide which person gets the nod? Should money determine it? Celebrity status? Insurance? In the case of Jenna Fox, her father is owner and chief engineer of a biotech company that has developed a way to preserve and even regenerate body organs and tissues to be used for transplantation. When Jenna is in a severe accident that threatens her survival, her parents take a leap of faith to save their only child, and subsequently perform some modern science magic. The story takes off from this point, with Jenna waking from a year-long coma to discover her memories are spotty. She can remember reams of textbook knowlege but can't remember who her friends were. With time, she gradually recalls some things from her past while building new memories for her future. At the heart of the story are questions about humanity and ethics. What makes a person human? Who should decide if a person lives or dies if that individual is unable to make the decision? If we have the technology to improve the lives of living things (people, plantlife, cells), should we? Or are we then messing with the natural order of things?

I thought this book had a good storyline (I also like science fiction when the characters have human qualities) and it would definitely lead to some excellent discussions if read with a group or book club. The day is probably not so far off when the medical world can save people holding onto life by the whisper of a thread. As we move closer to that day, will our opinions change about what is morally acceptable? Probably.

3.5 stars. This story explores the ethics of using science and medical advancements to keep someone alive. It makes you think about how far you would you go to save someone you loved (in this case, parents saving their child). I really enjoyed this book because it made me consider this grey area, even after I put the book down. The only reason it doesn't get a full 4 stars is because for some reason I had a hard time connecting to the characters. I listened to the audio version of this book, and the narrator Jenna Lamia, did an EXCELLENT job (as usual, she's one of my favorite narrators)!