Thanks for the Memories

According to Wikipedia, Chick Lit can be defined as “genre fiction within women’s fiction written for and marketed to young women, especially single, working women in their twenties and thirties, generally dealing with the issues of modern women humorously and lightheartedly.” Cecelia Ahern’s latest offering, Thanks for the Memories, fits squarely in this definition. With an alternating first and third-person narrative, the reader always knows who the main character is, even when the division of coverage is evenly split. The female lead provides us with humor and pain, uncertainty about where life is taking her and boldness in the face of the unbelievable.

Set in Dublin, Ireland, with occasional side-trips to England, this novel follows Joyce Conway, a woman whose life is at a major fork in the road. Facing a personal tragedy and a pivotal moment in her marriage would be challenging enough, but then she begins to experience something that she can only attempt to describe as akin to deja vu, and her life really takes a turn. Meanwhile, Justin Hitchcock’s path in life is unclear as well, and of course, this novel forges a story that brings these strangers together, although not in a typical fashion. While the plot twist that makes this story tick is not all that realistic, the characters have a believability about them that helps the reader to suspend any resounding disbelief.

A previous novel of Cecelia Ahern’s was adapted into a motion picture, and I would not be surprised if Thanks for the Memories finds itself in a theater near you in the coming years. The novel almost read like a movie to me– especially during the humorous scenes, I could really envision the characters bumbling along on the big screen. If you’re looking for light and fun reading fare for the beach this summer, pack this book along with your sunscreen.

Reading and blogging are two of Dawn’s favorite ‘ings. She calls my thoughts exactly her cyber-home.