Review: Before You Forget by Julia Lawrinson

Sweet and sad is the flavour of the day in this tale of a young woman who is coming of age just as her life is falling apart. Amelia is in year twelve at a visual arts school in Perth. She loves art, but her teacher hates everything she does. Her best friend has stopped talking to her, and it soon becomes obvious that Gemma is suffering from a serious illness. At home, her parents marriage is strained and her father is acting peculiarly--and he seems to be forgetting a lot of things, including Amelia. The year will prove to be a challenging one for Amelia, and she learns some valuable life lessons along the way ...

Though this novel was quite sad, and a bit depressing, I found myself lapping it up. The author perfectly captures something that a lot of novels and authors have missed--just how lonely year twelve can be. The author offers a sympathetic look at a year in the life of a young woman who is expected to behave like an adult, yet treated like a kid, just as her life is falling apart. Amelia's growth as a person--and as an artist--was pleasing to read, as was the subtle backstory about her disagreeable teacher. Surprisingly, I found Poppy to be an interesting side character, someone who drifts through life and is able to succeed because of, rather than in spite of, a complete lack of depth. (The ending of Poppy and Amelia's friendship is bittersweet, as it becomes obvious that while Poppy has a perfect right to do things on her terms, she lacks the depth to understand Amelia's deeper motives.)

Overall, this is an enjoyable YA novel. Recommended.

This book was read as a part of the Aussie Author Challenge 2017.

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