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"The Half Life of Molly Pierce" (2014) by Katrina Leno REVIEW


"You live and you remember. Me, I live and I forget."

Seventeen year old Molly Pierce has been having one issue for a year now: She's missing parts of her life. Instead of some kind of memory there is only darkness. However, when she witnesses a vehicular accident involving a boy she doesn't know yet he knows who she is, Molly's memories are slowly revealing themselves, showing her another life she lived and a relation she was completely unaware of.

The Half Life of Molly Pierce is Katrina Leno's debut novel and it is a mind-bender! Even though I may not be in the target audience (it's geared more towards the female demographic), I was still intrigued with the book's concept and the story itself. The structure is inspired by Christopher Nolan's first film Memento, and I can honestly say that if you are a fan of Christopher Nolan's story structure in his movies you will certainly find enjoyment in this book. All the characters in the book feel real, which is another mark of victory when it comes to the Young Adult genre. The narrative is also descriptive, another mark of victory (even though some readers may be put off by the slow-and-steady pace close to that of a Stephen King novel).

Even though it is a bit wordy and the mystery was not entirely unpredictable, it is still well-paced and well thought out, making The Half Life of Molly Pierce one of my highly-recommended books in the Young Adult genre and I will most certainly read Leno's next book!

Rating: 15+
4/5 Stars

You can order a copy from Amazon right here!

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