The Art of Forgetting

Jun 25, 2012 Patrice Hoffman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: giveaways

*I received this book through a goodreads giveaway.

I wasn't sure what to expect before reading this book. The reviews suggested that the book is very inspiring and uplifting. I agree with those views and it's so much more. Marissa is witness to a horrible accident involving her best friend Julia and a New York City cab. The main injury to Julia is brain damage. Julia suffers from minor physical damage. After the injury Julia mentions someone from Marissa's past which sets the story in motion.

Th...more

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Jun 12, 2011 Stacey (prettybooks) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-after-university, read-in-my-twenties, adult-fiction

Okay, so apparently I'm really into novels about amnesia. This is the third one I've read within a couple of weeks. It just happens! This one was a little different to the others I have read. There's no gripping and intriguing mystery where we have to try to figure out what caused the protagonist to lose his or her memory. Instead, Marissa, our protagonist, is about to meet up with her best friend Julia when she, horrifyingly, watches a cab hit her. The accident means that Julia suffers from bra...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Kucuk Kizin Buyuk Kutuphanesi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Marissa Rogers, orta okuldaki insanların ona olan zulümlerinden bunalıp, yaşadığı yerden uzakta bir liseye gitmek ister, o okuldaki insanlardan uzakta bir yere... Annesini başka bir liseye kaydının yaptırılması için ikna eder.
Popüler ve havalı kızlar ile kendini beğenmiş kaslı çocukların dolaştığı okul koridoru ona, verdiği kararın doğrulunu sorgulatır.

Taki yemekhanede Julia ona seslenerek yanına çağırıncaya kadar. O günden sonra Julia ve Marissa arasında büyük bir arkadaşlığın tohumları atılır...more Marissa Rogers, orta okuldaki insanların ona olan zulümlerinden bunalıp, yaşadığı yerden uzakta bir liseye gitmek ister, o okuldaki insanlardan uzakta bir yere... Annesini başka bir liseye kaydının yaptırılması için ikna eder.
Popüler ve havalı kızlar ile kendini beğenmiş kaslı çocukların dolaştığı okul koridoru ona, verdiği kararın doğrulunu sorgulatır.

Taki yemekhanede Julia ona seslenerek yanına çağırıncaya kadar. O günden sonra Julia ve Marissa arasında büyük bir arkadaşlığın tohumları atılır. Marissa kendi halinde sessiz ve çok da gösterişli sayılmayan bir kız iken Julia, dışa dönük, pozitif ve güzelliği ile herkesi kendine hayran bırakan bir insandır.

Lise yılları boyunca büyüyen dostlukları aynı şekilde üniversite de devam eder. İki kızın en büyük hayali üniversite bitince New York'ta kendi hayatlarını kurmaktır.

Julia, ünlü bir balerin olacak ve Marissa'da en büyük dergilerden birinde Genel Yayın Yönetmeni olacaktır. Hep beraber olacaklar ve birbirlerinden asla arkadaşlıkları bozulmayacaktır.
Ve bütün bu kurulan hayallerde nerdeyse gerçek olur. Marissa bir beslenme ve zayıflama dergisinde çalışmakta ve Julia ise bir bale topluluğuna kabul edilmiştir. İkiside New York'da yaşamakta ve dotlukları hala devam etmektedir.

Marissa'nın hayatı o kazaya kadar mükemmel sayılabilecek güzellikte gitmektedir. Sevdiği işi yapmaktadır. En yakın arkadaşı Julia'dan başka kimseye ihtiyacı yoktur. Sevgilisi Gabe dünyanın en anlayışlı ve sabırlı erkeğidir ve onunla huzurlu bir ilişki yaşamaktadır.

Ancak herşey bir akşam yerle bir olur, Marissa ile akşam yemeğinde buluşmak için randevulaşan Julia'nın, akşam restoranın önünde geçirdiği trafik kazası sonucunda beyninde ciddi bir zarar oluşur.

Julia artık eskisi gibi değildir. Son zamanda yaşanan olayları veya kişileri çok zor hatırlamakta iken lise ve üniversite anılarını o günkü tazeliğinde hatırlamaktadır. Oysa ki aradan 11 sene geçmiştir. Eski eğlenceli Julia'nın yerine obsesif ve agresif bir Julia gelmiştir ve kimse bu durumun ne kadar süreceğini veya Julia'nın iyileşip iyileşmeyeceğini bilmemektedir.

Julia'nın tedavisi için ailesi ile yaşadıkları yere dönmesi ve New York'dan taşınması ile Marissa büyük bir yalnılığın ve umutsuzluğun ortasında bulur kendisini. İşin kötü tarafı, Julia Marissa'nın 11 yıl önce terk ettiği sevigilisi (ve ilk aşkı) Nathan ile görüşüp Marissa ile sürekli onun hakkında konuşmaya başlaması ile olur.

Kısaca, Marissa kendi ve Gabe ile olan ilişkisini, annesi olan çekişmeli ilişkisinin sonuçlarını, yıllar önce trajik bir şekilde sonlanan Nathan ile ilişkisinin akıbetini ve geleceğini, Julia ile olan dostluğunun asıl sebeplerini ve hayatına etkilerine varıncaya kadar uzun bir listeyi çözümlemek zorundadır.

Bakalım Marissa sonunda kendi hayatını ve kendisi ile ilgili neleri keşfedecek ve bunlardan sonra nasıl bir hayata başlayacaktır?
(less)

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Feb 11, 2013 Ceren Ünlü rated it 5 of 5 stars

Camille Noe Pagan'ın yazdığı ''Gülümse Anılara'' yüzümde bir tebessüm ile okundu, bitti. Konusunu ve kapağını beğenerek okuduğum bu kitap, beni hayalkırıklığına uğratmadı. Yazarın kalemine, kitabın olay örgüsüne, karakterlerin kişiliklerine hayran kaldım. Galiba, ımm sekiz saatte okudum, bitirdi. Soluksuz !
Affetmeyi ve unutmayı esas olan bir romandı.
Aile bağları, aşk ve dostluk. En çokta kendine güvenmek ve dik durabilmek üzerine kurulu bir kitaptı. Kimi zamanlar hayır diyebilmeyi becerebilmenin...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Duygu rated it 5 of 5 stars

Arkadya Yayınları’ndan çıkan ; “ Camille Noe Pagan’ın Gülümse Anılara “adlı kitabını, şu dakika itibariyle bitirmiş bulunmaktayım .

Konusunu okumadan önce , beni kapağı çok etkilemişti , zaten ne zaman bir kitabın kapağını beğensem o kitap benim beğeneceğim bir kitap oluyor , sonra konusunu beğendim ve kitabı aldım .

Öncelikle ; çevirisi son derece akıcı , sayfalar su gibi resmen akıyor , kelime hatasına bile rastlamadım desem yeridir .Yazı puntosu, tam istediğim gibi idi .Ve aralarda nefes alabil...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Amanda rated it 2 of 5 stars

So, this book claims to be a story of female friendship; more specifically, if female friendship can stand the test of role reversals due to a traumatic brain injury. While there is a friendship and a brain injury, this book could not be further from the truth.

It primarily focuses on all aspects of Marissa's life, especially ones that have absolutely nothing to do with her friend Julia or Julia's brain injury, with short and uneventful memories, talks, and visits with Julia sprinkled sparingly...more So, this book claims to be a story of female friendship; more specifically, if female friendship can stand the test of role reversals due to a traumatic brain injury. While there is a friendship and a brain injury, this book could not be further from the truth.

It primarily focuses on all aspects of Marissa's life, especially ones that have absolutely nothing to do with her friend Julia or Julia's brain injury, with short and uneventful memories, talks, and visits with Julia sprinkled sparingly throughout. There is NO role reversal at all throughout the entire book. Even when Julia is in the hospital she seems to remain the alpha, so don't trust the inside flap to give you a realistic summary of the story. It is nothing like it describes, which I found very disappointing.

Marissa is also a very depressing character. She is constantly (and I mean throughout the ENTIRE BOOK) down on herself about her food and weight issues, although everyone constantly tells her she is beautiful and thin. The author makes her sound as if she is obese when she gains just 10-20 lbs. She also has a great job which pays well and has an awesome, caring, laidback boss, but guess what? She hates her job. She is given an eager and hardworking assistant that she asked for but whom she hates. If that wasn't enough, she also hates her mom. She even questions her happiness in her relationship with her HOT, RICH, SUCCESSFUL, DEVOTED boyfriend. She also constantly goes back and fourth in a love/hate thing with Julia, her friend of 15+ years, for pretty stupid reasons, and while she is recovering from traumatic brain injury at that. I found myself rolling my eyes quite a bit, especially when Marissa would make a "clever" sarcastic (and usually self-deprecating) quip. Perhaps the author was trying to emulate the cynical New York (or just American) woman? I just wish she hadn't been such a downer the entire book. Seriously, the ENTIRE BOOK. It was really a shame.

To me, it seemed the book lacked any relatable emotion. If my best friend was in an accident such as this, I would be a wreck. I would cry a lot. I would curse the world. I would feel confused and shattered. Marissa lacks this sense of loss and caring. She seems to not be fazed by it almost at all. She is completely self-centered, self-loathing, and sounds like a whiny anorexic teenager. She seems to "come into her own" and her entire life falls together perfectly (hastily, in the last 40-50 pages...too rushed) while she essentially ignores or at least distances herself from her BFF when Julia needs her the most. The entire story takes place within just a year, what should be one of the hardest years of her life, what with her friend having brain damage and all, and yet it seems to be the best and happiest and luckiest year of her life.

The focus of the book is definitely NOT the friendship; I want that to be clear.

HOWEVER, I gave it 2 stars for the IDEA of what the story COULD HAVE BEEN. I feel like it could have been an amazing, heart-wrenching, dramatic, thoughtful story... But it wasn't any of those, not even close. It just fell flat. I also liked the fact that Marissa was involved in volunteer work (although she had to be coerced into doing so). And the twist near the end (her decision about who to choose) was a breath of fresh air considering the more popular and boring/predictable/unrealistic "fairytale" type endings.

But all in all, I would say this definitely falls into the category of "chick lit." It was an easy read (I finished it in one day). It reminds me of Emily Giffin's book "Something Borrowed" mixed with "Twilight" minus the vampires. (Bella's depressed, self-loathing, boring self is somehow graced with the undying love and sacrifice from literally everyone around her, mixed with the love/hate relationship in Giffin's book between two friends, one alpha one beta.) Skip this one. It's nothing special.(less)

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Jul 18, 2012 Lydia Laceby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-women-s-fiction

Originally Reviewed at Novel Escapes

The Art of Forgetting is a novel about the ultimate test of friendship. When Julia, the more dominant force in the duo, suffers a brain injury leaving her forgetful along with drastic personality changes, Marissa suffers along with her. The loss of her best friend leaves her reeling and questioning everything now that Julia’s filter seems to be gone and she keeps reliving the past and trudging up old issues.

I enjoyed Marissa’s character and seeing her grow wit...more Originally Reviewed at Novel Escapes

The Art of Forgetting is a novel about the ultimate test of friendship. When Julia, the more dominant force in the duo, suffers a brain injury leaving her forgetful along with drastic personality changes, Marissa suffers along with her. The loss of her best friend leaves her reeling and questioning everything now that Julia’s filter seems to be gone and she keeps reliving the past and trudging up old issues.

I enjoyed Marissa’s character and seeing her grow without Julia’s constant overbearing input. Taken under Julia’s wing as an impressionable young teenager, Marissa grows complacent in her role and never takes time to find herself or figure things out without someone else’s input. I liked how her self development and independence mirrored Julia’s newfound dependence through out the novel as they switched roles.

I thought both characters were well developed and I enjoyed the ‘one that got away’ storyline and how the history between the two friends and Marissa’s ex-boyfriend was slowly revealed. Not only is this novel about forgetting, but forgiving as well and I loved how Julia’s brain injury forced them to deal with past issues that had never completely healed.

This novel never progressed entirely as I expected. I thought the conclusion was satisfying and the entire concept fascinating. What if my best friend was suddenly replaced by a stranger, albeit one that looked exactly like her? What if I had to learn to love her all over again? What if we didn’t get along anymore? What would I do? This novel was great for questioning both life and love, and especially friendship.

I did wish the relationship with the sister was developed a little further and I was surprised by how little the novel actually had to do with ballet and although ballet isn’t one of my most favourite things in the world, I think I would have liked to see a bit more considering the dominant theme the cover insinuated.

Pick up The Art of Forgetting today if you’re looking for a great one about friendship! I look forward to reading more from Camile Noe Pagan.(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Jenny GB rated it 4 of 5 stars

Full Disclosure: I received a signed copy of this book from the author through Shelf Awareness.

What a nice feel-good book this was and a quick read, too. The main character of the novel is Marissa, a girl who has a nice life, but typically finds herself at the mercy of other people. She's sweet and easy going so people take some advantage of that, especially her best friend Julia who is a great deal more social and charismatic. I quickly grew to like Marissa. She has typical female insecurities...more Full Disclosure: I received a signed copy of this book from the author through Shelf Awareness.

What a nice feel-good book this was and a quick read, too. The main character of the novel is Marissa, a girl who has a nice life, but typically finds herself at the mercy of other people. She's sweet and easy going so people take some advantage of that, especially her best friend Julia who is a great deal more social and charismatic. I quickly grew to like Marissa. She has typical female insecurities about her body, career, and relationships that I feel I can relate to throughout the book. I've known many Julia's in my life that make things so much more interesting, but at the same time have overpowering personalities that can lead to you playing a supporting role in their life. The interesting twist here is that Julia has a traumatic brain injury which is leading her to act differently and in particular not sensor what she says or does as she used to do.

Marissa throughout the novel basically has a self-awakening. She realizes that people might not always have her best interests at heart and learns to stick up for herself. Some of this comes through her volunteering at Take the Lead (really just a renaming of Girls on the Run) and it also comes from some comments from her boyfriend and a random old woman in the park. Kudos to Pagan for pointing out a great organization and possibly doing a little recruiting through this book. Finally, Marissa learns how to confront her overbearing mother and get the truth from Julia as to why she keeps bringing Marissa's ex-boyfriend, Nathan, to events with Marissa.

I think the most beautiful and surprising thing about this book for me was the love story. Marissa has two great guys vying for her attention. Nathan is the more mysterious, spontaneous guy that swept her off her feet in college but that she broke up with to save her friendship. Then there's Dave who is dedicated to his work and in some ways predictable, but sweet and loving to Marissa. Usually books love to portrait woman taking great romantic leaps and making emotional choices, but here the relationship is treated very realistically as Marissa struggles with her decision and eventually chooses. I was delighted with her choice and the life that she envisions for herself.

I really recommend this book for something refreshing, real, and happy. Usually my book choices don't have such happy endings!(less)

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Jun 11, 2012 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars

Because of this book, I am adding the following "chick-lit" scale to all my reviews from here on out: 1 = literature, 10 = Meg Ryan movie, Sex and the City knock-off, The View-esque banality. This book comes in at approximately an 8.

Ever obsess about your weight only to lose 10 lbs without even trying? Ever be wildly successful at your job by just showing up, and then going to happy hour with your fabulous boss? Ever feel unsure about your handsome, rich boyfriend who just bought an apartment y...more Because of this book, I am adding the following "chick-lit" scale to all my reviews from here on out: 1 = literature, 10 = Meg Ryan movie, Sex and the City knock-off, The View-esque banality. This book comes in at approximately an 8.

Ever obsess about your weight only to lose 10 lbs without even trying? Ever be wildly successful at your job by just showing up, and then going to happy hour with your fabulous boss? Ever feel unsure about your handsome, rich boyfriend who just bought an apartment you can share for a fraction of your current rent, because you suspect your college boyfriend may have been more spontaneous and exciting? Ever get a job you're unqualified for handed to you during a recession that will give you a $5k pay bump despite the fact that it's at a non-profit, and your current job is as an editor at a lucrative magazine? Ever bitch and moan constantly, neglect your family and friends, and take revenge out on your young and inexperienced assistant, only to have everyone in your life tell how you wonderful you are, and how much you deserve all the great things effortlessly rolling your way, despite one tragedy that was not nearly as devastating as it easily could have been?

If so, then perhaps you could relate to Marissa, the whiny main character of this book. Yeah, me neither.

Relationships between women - best friends, mothers and daughters, sisters, etc. - can be complicated. Growing up girl inevitably involves searing growing pains, and few of us have matured without hurting, even while supporting, each other along the way; it's possible that loyalty can be a heavier burden than just letting wounds heal on their own over the years. Despite its premise - Marissa's best friend suffers a traumatic brain injury and becomes a little wonky (although curably) for awhile - this book only skims the surface of those complexities. Marissa's best friend feels guilty for having asked Marissa to break up with a boyfriend she had a long time ago, and her unpredictable behavior, spurred by the head injury, brings him back into their lives. The guy, a rustic, Midwestern restauranteur who literally "smells faintly of woodchips" and won't take no for an answer (dontcha hate it when hotties from your past are still pining for you a decade later?), threatens to throw Marissa's urban-chic, Brooklyn-ite life, and her relationship with her current boyfriend (into which she puts absolutely no maintenance effort) into upheaval. Which man will she choose? Wait, I thought this book was supposed to be about relationships between WOMEN... Oh ok, here's some drama with her bitchy mother, who went from trashy, absentee single mom to overbearing, class-obsessed diva with one recent marriage, whose motivations behind making her daughter miserable are never questioned.

All in all, this book was an entertaining airplane read. If you're expecting emotion, or a likable female main character, look elsewhere. (less)

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Oct 01, 2011 edj rated it 5 of 5 stars

Julia and Marisa have been best friends since high school. They’ve planned their lives together, and they’re living the dream—moving from their small mid-western town to New York, Marisa working as a fashion editor while Julia works in the world of dance. Since they first knew each other, Julia’s been the one in charge, making decisions, even breaking up Marisa’s first serious relationship because Julia knew it would come between them.

When Julia is hit by a cab, she survives with minimal injurie...more Julia and Marisa have been best friends since high school. They’ve planned their lives together, and they’re living the dream—moving from their small mid-western town to New York, Marisa working as a fashion editor while Julia works in the world of dance. Since they first knew each other, Julia’s been the one in charge, making decisions, even breaking up Marisa’s first serious relationship because Julia knew it would come between them.

When Julia is hit by a cab, she survives with minimal injuries, it seems. But it soon becomes apparent that she has suffered a major brain trauma that changes her personality. Marisa finds herself floundering in this new reality, as Julia is, for example, suddenly obsessed with the colour purple and has a kitten, instead of hating cats and loving only neutrals. Additionally, the front lobal damage has made her devastatingly honest—to the point of hurting Marisa’s feelings time and time again.

The Art of Forgetting is a story of adult friendship, and it’s very well crafted, moving back and forth between the women in college and present day. Marisa and Julia are both flawed characters, and their friendship is far from perfect, and yet they are realistic. I’ll admit there were moments when I was angry with one or both of the characters, and there was a chunk of the book where I was very mistrustful, afraid that Marisa was going to choose the rom-com cliché ending that usually has me screaming at the movie screen. (This might be a spoiler although I have tried to be subtle.) However, the characters grow and change, as Marisa gains new confidence in herself and as Julia slowly but steadily regains more and more of her brain function.

Ultimately, Marisa recognizes that she needs to leave the past in the past and embrace both the new Julia and forgive her for her occasional heavy-handedness. She takes a volunteer position with an after-school program, training young girls to run a 5K, and gains her own confidence as a result, to the point where she leaves a job she’s not enjoying to embrace something completely new.

The book’s title plays with words a bit, as Marisa realizes that sometimes forgetting, and forgiving, is the way to make a long-term friendship survive. It’s an art all right, but it’s one that’s worth learning how to practice.

The Art of Forgetting is a reflection on how a true friendship can weather all sorts of storms, emerging even stronger. It made me think of my own long-term friendships, of some of the things my friends and I have survived together, and especially of a friend who suffered brain trauma but who mercifully kept her same personality. It’s worth reading. I thoroughly enjoyed it.(less)

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Sep 25, 2011 Courtney rated it 4 of 5 stars

Not sure who/what recommended this, but I needed it. Fiction - not quite chick lit - although certainly leaning in that direction.

I really could have used more of what made Marissa and Julia's friendship so special other than Julia rescuing Marissa from a life of exile in high school. More details were needed as it would seem as though Marissa should be too old and accomplished to hang on to a toxic relationship at the age of 31 - especially after meeting Dave.

I liked this book. It was about som...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: just-for-fun-challenge-2011, read-in-2011

How far would you go for your best friend? In The Art Of Forgetting Julia and Marissa are best friends and have been since high school. Julia has always been the one who seems to be in control of the friendship while Marissa is the loyal friend who follows behind. When Julia is involved in an accident, she sustains a brain injury which changes her. Will their friendship be able to survive the trauma that changes the balance of their relationship?

I must admit that I thought this book would be mor...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Marissa and Julia have been best friends since childhood. Marissa is a smart, quiet girl with a conciliatory nature. She has always battled with her weight and lack of self-esteem, and her relationship with Julia makes her feel needed. Julia, on the other hand is gorgeous, charismatic and possessive. They are opposite in character but inseparable as friends. Now, ten years later, they are living their dream of living in New York city—Marissa as senior editor of a glossy health magazine and Julia...more Marissa and Julia have been best friends since childhood. Marissa is a smart, quiet girl with a conciliatory nature. She has always battled with her weight and lack of self-esteem, and her relationship with Julia makes her feel needed. Julia, on the other hand is gorgeous, charismatic and possessive. They are opposite in character but inseparable as friends. Now, ten years later, they are living their dream of living in New York city—Marissa as senior editor of a glossy health magazine and Julia as a publicist for NYC Ballet. Their relationship changes suddenly, though, when Julia is hit by a cab and suffers a traumatic brain injury that affects her memory and alters her personality.

The Art of Forgetting is a novel about friendships and defining who we are through them. When Julia brings up the past, trying to reunite Marissa with her first love ten years ago because of the guilt she feels at having separated them years ago, Marissa is forced to confront her decisions both past and present. Ultimately, Marissa discovers her strengths, her beauty, and appreciation for what she has in her life.

I liked Marissa right from the start, with her insecurities, her loyalty and devotion, and her kindness. The whole brain injury setting was fascinating and the author even includes resources on traumatic brain injury at the back of the novel, stating that each year an estimated 1.4 to 1.7 million people in the US will suffer a brain injury. Truly a sobering statistic.

I also liked Julia, with her “joie de vivre”, inability to commit in relationships and her possessiveness. My heart ached for her as she struggled to cope with her accident and the changes it brought in her life. The equilibrium of her relationship with Marissa was jolted by the effects of this accident but as with all close friendships, both Marissa and Julia discover a new level of their relationship through forgiving and forgetting—the foundation of any strong friendship.

I found this novel refreshing and thought-provoking. It made me appreciate the wonderful friendships in my life, from my husband to my closest girl friends. The serious topic, the setting, the evolution of the characters and the theme of forgiveness and moving ahead made this a satisfying and memorable reading experience.

Note: This book includes a few f-words.(less)

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Aug 09, 2011 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

The title of this book really grabbed my attention and the book was a pleasant surprise. The book chronicles two woman's friendship from middle school through middle age. The two woman forge a relationship out of common interests and come to rely upon one another for support through the trials of their lives. The dominant and extroverted friend Julia befriends the awkward and shy Marissa. Marissa has trouble making friends while Julia is the life of the party. Marissa really loves and admires Ju...more The title of this book really grabbed my attention and the book was a pleasant surprise. The book chronicles two woman's friendship from middle school through middle age. The two woman forge a relationship out of common interests and come to rely upon one another for support through the trials of their lives. The dominant and extroverted friend Julia befriends the awkward and shy Marissa. Marissa has trouble making friends while Julia is the life of the party. Marissa really loves and admires Julia but as is true of all friendships Marissa knows theirs isn't perfect. She realizes that she is overshadowed by Julia. Julia is a talented ballerina who is very beautiful, charming and wealthy. Marissa is not envious of Julia but she is controlled by her and desperately wants to please Julia. Julia makes a high priced demand of Marissa while they are both in college. Julia makes Marissa choose either their friendship or her relationship with Nathan. Marissa promised Julia that they would be roommates and live in New York City together when they graduate from college. Marissa is in love with Nathan but has doubts about their future together and desperately wants to leave Ann Arbor and live in the big city. Nathan wants to start a restaurant and stay where all of his friends and family are. So Marissa chooses Julia and tries to forget her first love. Fast forward to ten years later: Marissa is the assistant editor of a popular magazine in New York City and has a wonderful and devoted boyfriend. Julia is a successful ballet instructor who loves her life but has trouble with relationships. The two woman have remained best friends and have succeeded in following their dreams; so then of course life happens. On one fateful night Julia is rushing to meet Marissa (at their favorite restaurant) when she is struck by a cab right in front of Marissa. She suffers severe brain damage and her entire life is altered along with her personality. Marissa now has to be the strong one and figure out what's best for Julia and more importantly what's best for Marissa. Both of their lives will never be the same. Marissa begins a journey of self-discovery and self-realization. She begins re-examining her life and her priorities. Did she make the right decision to follow her dreams or does her heart belong back home with her first love? I really enjoyed watching this story unfold because we all have those moments in our lives when we question our past and our future.(less)

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Jul 30, 2011 Melee rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book gets major, major kudos from me for not taking the turn I was convinced was inevitable. (view spoiler)...more

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Jul 19, 2011 Girls Gone Reading rated it 3 of 5 stars

The plot of this novel was intriguing, and I think that my personal experience allowed me to enjoy it more. I did, however, want Pagan to go beyond the cliche, to find a more unique voice.

Marissa is similar to many characters in contemporary women’s literature: she believes she is happy but lo and behold she isn’t. Pagan adds to this similarity by occasionally having her characters speak in tired lines. Frequently the dialogue was just a tad off.

Marissa finds herself, and Julia deals with her TB...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Tevya (Reading Lark) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book came to me by default. Andrea knows that as a former dancer, I love books about ballet. So when she showed me this cover and asked if I'd like to read this book, I jumped on it without bothering to find out what the book was actually about. So before I start my actual review, let's take a moment to admire the beautiful cover - stunning, isn't it? The graceful arch of her back, the flow of her skirt and stretch of her arms. I love a beautiful cover that makes me want to read the book!

Ok...more This book came to me by default. Andrea knows that as a former dancer, I love books about ballet. So when she showed me this cover and asked if I'd like to read this book, I jumped on it without bothering to find out what the book was actually about. So before I start my actual review, let's take a moment to admire the beautiful cover - stunning, isn't it? The graceful arch of her back, the flow of her skirt and stretch of her arms. I love a beautiful cover that makes me want to read the book!

Ok, now let's talk about the story. The Art of Forgetting actually has very little do do with ballet. It is a beautiful story of friendship and growth, both individual growth as well as the growth of relationships. Marissa is very content to live life in the shadow of her best friend, Julia. She is happy in her stable relationship and right on track with her career goals. All of that changes when Julia is involved in an accident that leaves her with traumatic brain damage, leaving her memory and personality altered. Merissa struggles to find her balance as the roles of their friendship reverse. As this is happening, Julia brings an ex-boyfriend back into Merissa's life - one that Julia forced Marissa to break up with in college - the one that Marissa still thinks of as "the one that got away". Marissa is faced with upheaval and hard decisions in every aspect of her life, from her relationship with her steady and devoted boyfriend to her friendship with Julia, and even her career path.

Camille Noe Pagan weaves a beautiful tale of friendship and love. I was surprised to find that the focus actually revolves around Marissa and the decisions that she has to make, rather than the friendship between Marissa and Julia. For me, this made the story even richer because I was able to identify with Marissa and gain insight into every aspect of her life. I loved the simplistic first-person writing. This is the first book in a long time that I didn't feel the need to skim over flowery wording or too detailed passages. I shared Marissa's frustration and pain while learning to accept the changes in Julia and the new dynamic of their relationship. I was just as conflicted as she was exploring the possibility of a lost love without damaging her current relationship. (And I have to admit that I couldn't decide until the very end which man I wanted to see Marissa with in the end, but by the time she made her decision, I was with her 100% and was so happy with her choice.) With everything else going on in Marissa's life, she also takes on the role of coach and mentor to teenage girls through a running organization. I have only one word to describe this part of the storyline - inspiring. Reading about Marissa's experience with these teens, the affect it had on her as well as the girls she coached, made me want to go out and find a local organization. As if all of this was not enough to make me love the book, Marissa's family totally sucked me in. My favorite part of this story is how Marissa's relationship with her sister changed through out the book. I am very lucky to have a close and loving relationship with my sisters. They are my best friends. So to watch Marissa develop that closeness with her sister was a treasure for me. (I know - that sounds so cheesy, but it's true!) I really could go on and on about Marissa's family, but I don't want to give away any spoilers, and this is one family that you have to read to believe. I'll just say that they are a source of laughter and tears the whole way through. They bring in some needed comedic relief, but their actions also help to unsettle Marissa, and to help her along her journey of self discovery.

So while the book actually had next to nothing to do about ballet (Julia was a dancer before her accident), the story still touched a spot in my heart. It's not a light, easy read - it's an emotional ride. But it's not so emotional that you have a hard time reading it. There are enough warm, cozy moments to balance everything out. It is a true story of friendship lost and gained, of love questioned and renewed, and of the amazing capacity of the human heart and mind to grow and strengthen in spite of the road blocks that life throws our way. (less)

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Jun 23, 2011 Julie (julie37619) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-fiction

Oh, Reader Friends. I'm sure you've seen me mention before how surpremely hard it is to write a negative review of a book that you are reviewing FOR someone. Nevertheless, because I love you all, I must be honest. This book has a great permise but on a scale of I Really Hate It to Best Book Ever, this one earns a solid Meh. It's about two women who have always had an unbalanced relationship since they met in high school - one is domineering and the other is very compliant. The alpha friend is in...more Oh, Reader Friends. I'm sure you've seen me mention before how surpremely hard it is to write a negative review of a book that you are reviewing FOR someone. Nevertheless, because I love you all, I must be honest. This book has a great permise but on a scale of I Really Hate It to Best Book Ever, this one earns a solid Meh. It's about two women who have always had an unbalanced relationship since they met in high school - one is domineering and the other is very compliant. The alpha friend is in an accident that causes her to lose her memory and also causes a dramatic personality change. The story revolves around how this changes their relationship as well as how it changes their self-perception.

Writing
Decidedly average. I didn't have major complaints, no glaring errors, appropriate grammar and editing, etc. But a good portion of dialogue seemed to be less than genuine and definitely stilted. I had a hard time imagining a real person speaking the way some characters speak in the book. I also felt like there were several scenes that served no purpose for the overall plot. It was really up and down for me. I'd read a passage and be annoyed that it existed, and then read another passage and be back in the story. It wasn't consistently interesting or well-written.

MST3K
Again, inconsistent. There were times I wanted to keep reading and find out what happened. Other times I didn't care and had to make myself keep reading. I think the overall largest problem I had was how little the "alpha" friend was in the story. I felt like from the description, we were going to have some crazy lady behavior. Or at least some serious drama. The whole drastic personality change, and the mysterious lover from the past (there's a mysteriously creepy lover from the past who is not supposed to be creepy) made me think that we would have some action. Lady fights or at least arguments. That kind of thing. Excitement. But the woman with the memory disorder moves away and is barely in the story at all. She makes few telephone appearances, but we really don't get any good arguments. The passive friend continues to be passive-aggressive. The pushy friend continues to be pushy and aggressive-aggressive.

I'm trying to rein myself in some here, because it wasn't as bad as I'm making it sound. There were moments of tension and points where I really did care what happened in the story. Overall, though, I have to say that I think it was largely forgettable. Ask me a year from now and I doubt I'd be able to tell you what it's about without looking up my review. So ultimately, I think it's not one I'd recommend. I think there are other books that are more well-written and more interesting.

The good news is that I am not the only person on the TLC tour for this one, so feel free to check out the other reviews. Several people on the tour really enjoyed this one. For a balanced look, check out some of their reviews as well! As always, thank you to TLC for sending me a copy to review! (less)

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Jun 12, 2011 Lydia Presley rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, contemporary, fiction

I'm going to flat out warn you right now - I did not like this book. If you have plans to read it, if you dislike reading negative reviews, if you read the book and loved it and would prefer not to read criticism of the book, this would be the point you should stop reading this review.

I don't like writing negative reviews. I prefer to pull what I did like out of each book I read and focus on that, with maybe a paragraph or so where I talk about why I didn't rate the book higher, or what I would...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, romance, contemporary, for-review

At First Sight: Melissa and Julie have been best friends since they were fourteen, being each other's rocks as they navigate through life; and eventually they both end up in New York City living the dream... until Julie is hit by a cab right before Melissa's eyes. Even though physically she's just fine, Julie isn't the same on the heels of severe brain trauma, which alters her personality and moods, leaving both Julie and Melissa feeling lost.

Not to mention that Julie, who has lost any kind of f...more At First Sight: Melissa and Julie have been best friends since they were fourteen, being each other's rocks as they navigate through life; and eventually they both end up in New York City living the dream... until Julie is hit by a cab right before Melissa's eyes. Even though physically she's just fine, Julie isn't the same on the heels of severe brain trauma, which alters her personality and moods, leaving both Julie and Melissa feeling lost.

Not to mention that Julie, who has lost any kind of filter between her mind and her mouth, is suddenly obsessed with Nathan, Melissa's college ex and possibly the one that got away. Only that Nathan didn't just get away, Melissa set him free because of Julie.

Away from Julie - who moves back with her parents - for the first time in nearly a decade, Marissa is forced to take a long, hard look at her life. At the fact she rarely sees her friends, that she doesn't loves her job anymore, that her tax lawyer boyfriend Dave might be a little boring, and that life might just not be as exciting without Julie in it and that Julie - the one she knows and loves - might never come back.

Second Glance: I don't know what made me pick up The Art of Forgetting, since is not really the type of book I usually read - it's more Chick Lit/Women's fiction than, say, romance. But I was so pleasantly surprised with how awesome, bittersweet and enjoyable this book was.

Camille Noe Pagan does an amazing job portraying the friendship between Melissa and Julie, this relationship is incredibly nuanced and feels real. While Julie is quite manipulative at times, she isn't exactly a toxic friend - she loves and cares for Mel, and she is possessive of her because Mel is her rock; and on the other hand, Julie makes Mel feel needed and wanted in the way she never really did before they met. One of my favorite aunts is a stroke survivor and she has severe brain injury, even if it didn't came out of a trauma, and I can say that the author makes a heartbreaking but quite accurate portrayal of how difficult and sad is to cope with this type of thing, which leaves this person you love still there but not quite the same.

Another thing I want to mention is that this is a very adult book and that Melissa has very adult problems, but she deals with them as an adult. There is a point in the story where she gets to run a bunch of "What Ifs" in her mind regarding Nathan and what she let go off because Julie asked her to, but it never occurred to her to cheat on her boyfriend; and Mel does realize that what she has going on with Dave is good, even if he is a bit of a workaholic and not perfect and too stable - he loves her.

Also, loved the way Melissa starts to find her own way - through running and a bunch of girls she coaches to run a 5 K race who often teach her more than what she can teach them. And her family, Dave's family and other friends are quite well drawn and do read like real people.

Bottom Line: I was happily surprised with The Art of Forgetting. I do think the ending was a bit neat, but I'm not letting it bothering me too much; and I'll definitely be checking out this author in the future.

Favorite Quote: "Honey, I think you should be more worried about yourself than about your future children." Joyel tells me with a wistful smile. "Because trust me, it's the weight of someone else's expectations that's harder to lose."
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May 29, 2011 marymurtz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Marissa Rogers and Julia Farrar have been best friends since high school. Julia is an accomplished and confident woman, with a magnetic personality and a rising career as a publicist for a New York ballet company. Marissa is an associate magazine editor, and with both women living out their dream jobs, life seems to be ideal.

Then, on her way to dinner with Marissa, Julia is struck by a car and sustains a terrible head injury. When she wakes up, she first can't remember anything, and then she rec...more

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May 28, 2011 Book Twirps rated it 3 of 5 stars

Marissa Rogers has lived in the shadow of her best friend, Julia, for as long as she can remember, and she is just fine with that. Marissa does well for herself as the editor for Svelte a health magazine, while Julia is a publicist for a ballet company in New York. Though Julia is extremely self-involved, Marissa has always stuck by her. Their friendship has weathered many storms, but despite the bad times, their friendship has always managed to stay strong. When Julia is hit by a cab and suffer...more

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May 24, 2011 Angela rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, summer-reads-2011, contemporary, debut, netgalley

**I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley from the fine peeps over at Penguin USA**

O-kay-doe-kay. I am going to be upfront: If I had not received this book from NetGalley for review I probably wouldn't have finished it. And not because this book is terribly written or that the subject matters wasn't interesting but solely because I did not like the protagonist nor did I care about her problems. This was a huge stumbling block for me while reading this book.

The Art of Forgetting is the s...more **I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley from the fine peeps over at Penguin USA**

O-kay-doe-kay. I am going to be upfront: If I had not received this book from NetGalley for review I probably wouldn't have finished it. And not because this book is terribly written or that the subject matters wasn't interesting but solely because I did not like the protagonist nor did I care about her problems. This was a huge stumbling block for me while reading this book.

The Art of Forgetting is the story of Maressa a young woman who works in NY at a top health magazine. She has an amazing boyfriend, who aside from being (in her words) boring is incredibly supportive and adorable, she's got a fantastic job in which she is steadily making a name for herself, and she's got a great sister who tells her when she needs to check herself before she wrecks herself. Her biggest problem? Her co-dependent relationship with her self involved best friend who gets hit by a car and ends up with brain damage. A relationship she seemed to pursue because it made her feel popular and important back in high school. Oh, and there is her some what cliquishly verbally abusive mother who says random hurtful things from time to time. But this just seemed forced and unnecessary to me.

The novel is well written (meaning the plots well thought out, Mr. King would approve of the authors dialogue tags, and in general, nouns and verbs all line up mighty nicely). The theme of loving yourself and learning to love others in a healthy non-self-deprecating way is strongly present and a great message. And the little tidbits and factoids are fun. fyi: I will now be spending an hour a day scrubbing my kitchen counters! *shudders*

But even in the face of all the good, I just didn't find Maressa's story gripping nor did I really care. I felt like this was a person with the world at her feet, who had an amazing life and was just too blind to notice. It's like someone complaining because they only have a 10 million dollars when they really deserved 20.

Sadly, this story was just not for me. If I were to rating the writing and depth of the research the author did for this story, I'd give her a 3 1/2. If I were to rate the storyline and characters sadly it would get a one and a half so I'm slappin' a 2 on this one and callin' it a day. (less)

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Apr 29, 2011 Vivian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Julia Ferrar and Marissa Rogers have been friends since their high school days in Michigan. Marissa is an editor for a health magazine and Julia is a publicist for a ballet company in New York. Their friendship survives quite a bit over the years, including an onerous boyfriend breakup in college at the behest of Julia. Now Julia is suffering from traumatic brain injury and isn't the pivotal point in Marissa's life. Julia returns to Michigan to recover and Marissa must find the nerve to move on...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Cynthia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2011

Mean Girls: The adult version.

Marissa watches from across the street as her best friend Julia is hit by a cab. At first Julia seems unhurt but then the doctors tell her she’s suffering from a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). This is a timely topic since so many of our vets are coming back from the Middle East with the same injury. Marissa works for a women’s health magazine so she pitches the idea of writing about TBI rather than one more diet article. Her boss agrees so she’s off on an odyssey to...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Lindsay rated it 3 of 5 stars

You know your favorite pair of slippers? The one where they have been worn in just right for superior softness, the ones that are molded to your foot? Well this is how I perceive writing this book was to the author. Ms. Noe Pagan has experience in every topic that she wrote about in this book and conveys it in a natural way. When describing brain injuries, she didn't make it sound text bookish or boring, but wrapped it in to the story, keeping the plot interesting while sneaking in some learning...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads-and-early-reviews

THE ART OF FORGETTING by Camille Noe Pagán is a young adult novel, and my four-star rating is for a YA book. I made the mistake of assuming it was a more advanced book, which I prefer, and would give it one star that. But I don't think one star would be fair just because I accidentally picked the wrong book for me.

I call this YA, but I'm over 50, and the term "chick lit" is new to me. I suppose that people more familiar with "chick lit" would call it that. But THE ART OF FORGETTING is one of the...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Audrey rated it 2 of 5 stars

This is a modern fairy tale for the thirty-something middle-class career woman. The lesson? Let go of the past, move forward into the future, believe in yourself, and don't let anyone trap you into a life you don't want. Need more? How about don't let yourself be bullied, change can be good, like who you are, forgive. Forgive and forget. This quaint little cup of tea is great for a feel good read, something light and positive. If you can possibly identified with the very lucky Marissa, then her...more

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May 10, 2011 Shannon rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 06, 2012 Michelle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, chick-lit

This book started off strong. It centers on a pair of best friends and a traumatic brain injury that befalls the non-protagonist. Part of my issue with this book, I think, was expectations. The cover is fairly sedate as is the subject matter but this is basically chick lit. It’s somewhat reminiscent of “Something Borrowed” by Emily Giffin. I was just expecting something deeper I guess.

The plot moves along quickly but there were several bothersome attributes. The first of which is the introductio...more This book started off strong. It centers on a pair of best friends and a traumatic brain injury that befalls the non-protagonist. Part of my issue with this book, I think, was expectations. The cover is fairly sedate as is the subject matter but this is basically chick lit. It’s somewhat reminiscent of “Something Borrowed” by Emily Giffin. I was just expecting something deeper I guess.

The plot moves along quickly but there were several bothersome attributes. The first of which is the introduction of Marissa’s sister. The author goes to great lengths to explain these sisters have, if not a contentious relationship, a sort of stilted one. If nothing else, they are somewhat chilly toward each other. So after not seeing each other for awhile, Marissa goes to visit her sister, awkward hugs ensue, and then the sister starts unleashing onto Marissa all these problems in her life. It was so, so, so unbelievable unless the author was lying to us about how closed off the sister is and how surfacey their relationship. I am really close to my sister and I’d never tell her those things so quickly. After much bonding? A couple glasses of wine? Okay, perhaps. But the way it was presented left me agog. So the “growth” in their relationship over the course of the book just seemed pointless.

Also I found the running-with-the-underprivileged-kids subplot useless and the love triangle angle (or whatever you want to call it) resolves in an almost ludicrous fashion. It’d be like reading a book that’s all, “it’s a dog, it’s a dog, it’s a dog” and then at the end “actually it’s a cat.” And not in a twisty, blow your mind kind of way. It just resolves completely out of step with the way the characters are developed. Also everything is wrapped up way too neatly.

I did enjoy the protagonist’s position at a fitness-related magazine and the absurdity she has to deal with on a daily basis. The author offers good satire on this world, unless it’s not really satire. Hard to tell I guess. The prose itself is fine and, actually, highly readable. This book just could’ve been so much more.(less)

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