The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson

Pearson, M. (2008). The Adoration of Jenna Fox. (p. 272). Henry Holt.

ISBN: 9780805076684

Classification: book, fiction

Genre: science fiction

Age Level: 9th-12th grade

Subjects: cloning, current events, distopia, family, identity, scifi

Reader's Annotation: Jenna wakes up from a coma and does not remember her life before the accident.

Summary: Jenna Fox wakes up from a coma and has to be reminded of who she is, where she is, and what her life is about. Her parents assure her that her memories will return in time and they provide her with videos of her former life to jog her memory. As the pieces begin to fall together, Jenna realizes there is some mystery her parents are keeping from her...such as why her grandmother doesn't seem to like her, or why she has no friends. Set in a distopic future, after several natural disasters have destroyed large portions of the population, Jenna's society struggles to balance scientific capability with moral standards. Jenna, as she uncovers the mystery behind her coma, is forced to wonder how much of a person makes a person a person.

Reviews / Awards:

Reviews from Publisher's Website

Author Info:
Mary Pearson's website

Potential Hotspots:

natural disasters, genetic manipulation

Readalikes:

• Uglies Trilogy by Scott Westerfeld
  
• Eva by Peter Dickinson
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection:
This story is a great mix of science fiction futurism and moral gray areas. Any reader who has ever felt their parents were a bit overprotective, or had high expectations, will relate to Jenna's situation. Teens will probably enjoy grappling with the question of whether or not Jenna's parents did the right thing, and whether or not Jenna has (or ever did have) a soul.

Other:

Evaluation:

4.5 stars