The Memory of Forgotten Things
By Kat Zhang
Hi! Did you get to see the Solar Eclipse we had last year? Well, Sophia is going to have an eclipse on the upcoming Sunday. And guess what? Sophia’s science project is on solar eclipses! She’s partnered up with DeAndre (“DJ”) and Luke to do it. She soon finds out that DJ has the Memories, too.
Sophia’s mom died when she was six years old. Yet, she remembers stuff from after that. Like, when she was 10 years old, Sophia remembers her mom baking a cake with her, yet it never happened. Those are the Memories (with a capital “M”) – things that she remembers that never actually happened. DJ’s dad ran away and he’s had Memories about his step-father, which isn’t even real; he doesn’t actually have a step-dad. Luke doesn’t have the Memories, but his sister has recently died. Sophia and DJ were both born on the same day – the day of the last solar eclipse. They think that has something to do with the Memories.
Anyway, back to the project. Sophia, DJ and Luke go to look up things about solar eclipses at the school library. Luke overhears Sophia and DJ talking about the Memories. When Luke asks them questions about the Memories, Sophia tries to deny it, but she could tell that Luke already knows. Later that day, Luke tells them that if they want to know more about the Memories, maybe they should ask his neighbor who’s an astrophysicist. An astrophysicist is someone who studies about solar eclipses. So, later that day, they head over to the astrophysicist’s house. Sophia doesn’t get a good first impression of him. But, she sees a bulletin board in his house about Donway Shallows and parallel universes. So, Sophia gets really excited and so she keeps coming back after a while.
Then, Sophia, DJ and Luke head to the library to see if there is anything about Donway Shallows. And there is! They see an article about someone who disappeared and reappeared and they think it was someone who crossed into a parallel universe, but Luke isn’t so sure. Sophia is confident, though. She keeps going to the astrophysicist’s house and then, eventually, she heads to Donway Shallows. Then, the missing piece clicks! She sees Mae, an old lady who everyone in the town makes fun of. She thinks Mae is the crosser. She goes over to ask some questions, but Mae doesn’t give her any of the answers she wants.
Later… It’s the day of the solar eclipse. Eveyrone is excited, but DJ, Sophia and Luke have made a plan to meet at Donway Shallows for the eclipse. But there’s a problem – Luke has been suspended and is at home with a sitter. But Sophia is determined to get Luke because he helped them so much that it wouldn’t be fair to go without him. They managed to get Luke out. They run to Donway Shallows. It’s time. Here comes the solar eclipse. Everything turns black…
Will they make it across to the other world? Or will everything just be useless and Sophia never see her long-lost mother again? As I always say, read the book to find out!
I recommend this book to readers who like excitement. This book is very exciting and you get so nervous to find out what will happen to them. I was on the edge of my seat!
A few helpful things I like to say about the books I read:
“Run and Get Mom” (how I describe the scariness factor):
There were a few scary parts in this book.
“Yucky-Lovey Stuff” (how I describe the romance factor):
Zero. None. Nada.
I give this book 5 wands.
I absolutely loved this book. It was awesome! I really think that you will enjoy it, whether you’re a five year old or thirty year old. I think anyone could enjoy this book. And parents, if you think that your child is too young to read this book, you can read it aloud to them.
Source: Review Copy
