What an amazing novel - describing someone who has a brain injury and the tactics that the family establish to keep her safe. The medical routine goes radically away when her parents dash to Paris to see her brother Jacob and Flora heads off on an adventure when for the first time she remembers a kiss on the beach. No ordinary destination is involved and she manages via a collection of characters to cope. A fascinating and insightful story, that really gets into the mind of Flora and with my experience of working with brain damaged children should be read by all.

The protagonist's voice appears fresh and convincing throughout. While she may go on a madcap dash of an adventure, and while some of the twists do seem rather surprising, the underlying issue of parental responsibility and love is explored in a convincing and thought-provoking manner.

Such a cleverly written book with a brilliant narrator - as an English teacher, it has been brilliant discussing this with my students! The narrator here is so brilliantly crafted and with such insight that the author makes an unbelievably difficult situation entirely relatable. Add to this wonderful character a masterfully twisting and turning plot and you've got the perfect recipe for a book that no teen can fail to love.

This book is one which confused me. I was really intrigued by its utter originality but it's hard to connect with a character who is continually forgetting everything. It's what made me lose interest in the book as a whole. That and the repetition. I got the need for it but it did get a bit boring. Also, I didn't enjoy the fact the characters maturity level didn't match their age. I know it was part of the forgetting but it didn't make it any more enjoyable to read.

I think this is a book where I went in expecting one thing and ended up with something completely different. It happens to the best of us but it was frustrating to realise.

No reader on the planet would have known where this book would lead. Every character was well developed and you were kept guessing right up to the end. I'm super proud of Flora! Hoping for a sequel.

What would happen if you had no short term memory since the age of 10? Then, one night before your best mate, Paige's boyfriend leaves town, kisses you and your memory comes back. You follow him of course, to Norway, convinced he can make you normal again. A very interesting concept. I liked the idea more than the content. Found some of it repetitive and found myself skipping pages. I understand the story deals with amnesia and wanted to like it more.

Imagine doing your everyday tasks and having some of the best moments of your life but 2 hours later those events are completely erased from your memory. The only way you can remember anything at all is by checking the notes you have written yourself on your hand. This is exactly what Flora Banks has to do. She had a tumour removed from her brain when she was 10 and this disabled her ability to create any new memories from that point.

This book and its entire concept drew me in so quickly just after reading the synopsis. I was drawn into the idea of being able to read an entire book from the perspective of someone with amnesia. I have quite a good memory and I remember certain things in extreme detail years later. I wanted to be immersed in a book where the character had an extremely short term memory.

I read this book a lot faster than I had anticipated. I was in a slight bit of a reading slump when I began this book and felt like it would have taken me a long time to get into it and then a couple of weeks to finish it completely. But after a couple of days of reading two or three chapters a night I couldn’t put the book down and was reading this book every free moment that I had.

I was a big fan of Flora in this book. Emily Barr has written her character perfectly. She has given Flora Banks the real and raw characteristics of someone who is an amnesiac. Although I couldn’t relate to her in any way at all I was still a big fan of the character. There is something about her that makes her character as likeable as she. I think one reason for this is because of how determined she is as a person. She is so strong-willed and I look up her for that because although I am determined I am nowhere near as much as her. The secondary characters in this book are all characters I enjoyed reading about too. There are only a couple of characters I was not a fan of in this book but you will have to read the book to find out who they are.

Emily Barr has done a fantastic job of writing this book from the perceptive of an amnesiac. You can tell that she did a lot of research before she began writing this book. This is something I am glad that she has done otherwise the book wouldn’t have had the feel that is does have. The plot of this book is one that kept me so immersed for the entirety of reading it and I would happily reread it.

The only problem I had with this book was how repetitive it was in points. Obviously, this had the purpose of showing what it is like to have amnesia but at times it does get frustrating to read the same thing repeatedly.

Overall, I would recommend this book to any young adult book fans. Especially if you want to know what it is like to be inside the mind of an amnesiac. The book touches on a lot of issues and is an poignant read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Emily Barr and Penguin Random House UK for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book.

My favourite type of books are those that flow easily and allow me to read without having to push myself to do so.
This was one of them!

Flora Banks is a 17 year old girl who has Anterograde Amnesia, this means that she is unable to create short term memories after an event/trauma. Flora retains memories from her earlier years but every day after that hasn't occurred (to Flora anyway!)

One day she's kissed by a boy but miraculously remembers this day after day, this alone grabbed me, I needed to know more, will she recover? Will she start to make new memories? I had to know, I must know more!

It's a really interesting read and I loved every second of it.

What can I say about this book?? Well I think I enjoyed it and it made me realise what having retrograde amnesia is like, but my goodness I read the same sentence a million times! I would have liked to have known more about what happened to Agi an what happened to Flora after agreeing to meet Dr Epstein in Paris (maybe they'll be a second book).

Overall I did enjoy the book and found Flora wonderfully endearing, I would recommend this read even if it does seem to go round in circles

This is a book that shouldn’t work. But it does so brilliantly. The One Memory of Flora Banks tells the story of Flora, a girl with no recent memory and who astonishingly is the sole narrator. As she faces the world and herself anew every few hours the reader quickly becomes as one with Flora and her confusion, despair and growth.

As a result of treatment for a brain tumour at the age of ten Flora Banks has anterograde amnesia. The seven years following the operation are a void to her although she remembers much of the first decade of her life, especially her parents, her best friend, Paige and her brother Jacob. However each day she’s startled by her older self, family and friends as she wakes to fear what is happening, what has happened. No wonder she has ‘Flora, be brave’ written on one of her hands.

Writing is one form of survival for Flora as she seeks to navigate her disjointed life and for her aid, she covers her hands and arms with words to remind her of her life, events, people. She also keeps a detailed notebook throughout the days which becomes vital for her sanity and further notes direct her to the book.

This is Flora’s life until one day something amazing occurs – she kisses a boy on the beach and remembers it! The boy is called Drake and also Paige’s boyfriend. This pivotal event transforms Flora’s life and she will do anything to chase her memory of Drake – even to the extent of travelling to the Artic alone in search of him. Her one and only memory in seven years. She’s sure he holds the key to her future self.

Memory forms not only ourselves and our lives but is also critical in storytelling with a beginning, a middle and an end. The One Memory of Flora Banks is unique in that the past, present and future become the now and along with Flora we face each new moment with a tangible sense of fear and anticipation. Her bewilderment and turmoil are brilliantly conveyed and the reader immediately mirrors the unpleasant surreal sensation of her existence. Life becomes akin to a waking dream, at times nightmarish, at times exquisitely beautiful. Whilst Flora’s life in Penzance is written with a more concrete grounding in reality, her time in Spitsbergen gains a stunning dreamlike quality whilst her new-found friends remind her about themselves and herself, helping her, losing her as she chases Drake further.

Unlike Flora, the reader has one major advantage – memory! With this ability, the brave, tenacious and surprisingly whimsical nature of Flora shines through and the remote location in the frozen depths of the Artic takes prominence, the bleak white landscape a metaphor of Flora’s blank spaces where her memories should reside. Gradually a more complete picture of her life is created, how her parents dealt with her illness, how her brother wanted her to have a more free, less protected life. His belief in her strength and ability to do anything is the driving force that carries her closer to Drake. But will she ever find him? Will it help her recover her memory?

This is a book that lived with me through the days even when not reading and to which I couldn’t wait to return to every evening. Its magical enchanted feel fluttered like lilting music over me, the absolute unknown a welcome break from formulaic writing.

Why on earth it is marketed under the YA (Young Adult) category beggars belief. This is truly a disservice to a superb book which would be loved by readers of all ages, so please don’t be put off by this pigeonholing.

This is a wonderful unexpected unusual book which will delight you with its story, its originality and its deft and clever execution; I really can’t recommend this highly enough.

What a fabulous opening. It really made me want to read the book to find out how Flora got into that situation. I was left guessing all the way through, much like Flora herself. A very satisfying read.

Wow. I wasn't quite sure where this book was taking me and I certainly didn't expect that journey! At first I was a little apprehensive as 17 year olds in love aren't really my thing but boy, this was a story like no other. Not your typical love story and not your typical ending.

I really fell in love with the character Flora and the book has left me with a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

I read it in less than 24 hours because I literally didn't want to forget a thing and felt the need to keep up the momentum..... just like Flora

Great book. Such a shame it's over so soon. Hopefully I'll read it again one day

I decided to read The One Memory Of Flora Banks because I thought the premise was rather interesting. Imagine only remembering the bare minimum of your life? Imagine then, that you're finally able to remember something for the first time since your were a kid. This is essentially the main drive of the book. Protagonist Flora Banks has never been able to remember anything beyond her childhood years, but one kiss changes all of that.

The book was well-written, and I enjoyed that at times you do find yourself getting confused - it takes you a little while to realise that Flora has just forgotten everything she was thinking about as you're reading it. I quite enjoyed it overall, although I feel that the book could have used a bit more of a resolution at the end.

This book is classed as YA but I honestly couldn't find any difference in it to an adult fiction book.
Emily Barr is a brilliant author so I trusted it would be a good read.
As it says above Flora has anterograde amnesia after having a brain tumour removed when she was ten years old,she is now seventeen. Flora is helped in life by her best friend Paige but when she betrays Paige their friendship is over.

Flora's mum wraps her in cotton wool and does not let her lead a normal life but when her son needs his parents they have to leave their daughter at home in the care of Paige. Of course, Flora forgets that Paige no longer wants to be her friend and forgets to tell her parents, so just how will Flora cope on her own?
Flora has to write everything down to remind herself what to do in all different situations. On her hand is written, FLORA BE BRAVE and this girl must be one of the bravest characters I have met in a book.
As Flora takes it upon herself to follow a boy to the Artic I never believed she would get there in one piece. As she meets new people along her journey who don't know of her medical condition I worried about her and when turning the page I was concerned what trials Flora would face next.

This was a book I really enjoyed, yes some parts could be a bit repetitive but that's what happens with memory loss and it didn't annoy me,it was part of this story. Flora was a lovely character, one you just want to hug and make everything okay for her.
It's about love and loss and trying to work out just how this old world and the people in it work.
Surprisingly this is the fourth book in a row I have read with memory loss as it's theme. This is the second I have written a review for so two more to come.

I have already bought these books for my libraries, I loved the first half but found myself skipping ahead to get to the end to see if Flora would regain her memory and really to figure out what was happening faster!

Thank you for the opportunity to review this title. I was intrigued by the premise, but ultimately the construction just didn't keep my interest. :-(

I loved and lived this book. I felt the reader was immediately drawn into the life of Flora banks. The repetition was hypnotic and really worked to focus the story. This was unlike any book i have read before and kept me completely entranced throughout. There are enough twists to the tale to add real dimension and leave the ending well worth waiting for, I would certainly look for more books by this author.

The one memory of Flora Banks could definitely be classed as a page-turner. Flora is a genuinely lovely character, one who is bound to captivate anyone who reads this book.
The book captured my attention from the first page with the first few lines:
“I am at the top of a hill, and although I know I have done something terrible I have no idea what it is.
A minute or an hour ago I knew, but it has vanished from my mind, and I didn’t have time to write it down so now it is lost. I know that I need to stay away, but I don’t know what I am hiding from.”
Flora Banks is 17 years old and has anterograde amnesia. When she was ten she had a brain tumour and when the doctors removed it they took her ability to retain memories from that time onwards. Flora has to write herself notes about important things so she doesn’t forget them. She writes these notes mostly on her hands.
In chapter one Paige is at her friend’s house at a going away party for Paige’s boyfriend Drake. “I look at my hand. Party, it tells me, in thick black letters.”
“I imagine I dressed for what I thought a party was like. I stand out as the person who has got it wrong.
I look at my hand. It says I am 17. I look down at myself again. I look like a teenager, but I don’t feel like one.”
Initially I didn’t like Paige, for reasons that will become clear when reading the book, but I ended up becoming fond of her. “Paige is my best friend. I am on sure ground with Paige. I met her for the first time when we were four years old and starting school…I know Paige, and when I look at her, I am surprised to see that she is an adult.”
“Paige is beautiful, with long black hair that is thick and slightly curly, and creamy skin, and cheeks that dimple when she smiles. She looks like a china doll. “
Paige has a bit too much alcohol and goes out for some fresh air. “I should not be out on my own. I Shouldn’t stand in the middle of roads. I have only just been allowed to start crossing rounds without a grown-up…I am ten years old. I don’t know why I am in a grownup’s body. I hate it and I want to go home.”
Drake come out to check on her and they sit on the beech talking. “We stare at the words together. Flora, be brave, he says, reading the other hand. ‘I love the words on your hands. Does it work? Do they help you remember?”
Whilst they are talking Drake tells Flora that he and Paige have split up because there was not much point in staying together when he was moving to Svalbard. After that he kisses her.
“The thing is’ says Drake, ‘I can say this, because, like, what the hell? You won’t remember anyway. I would be like, in the pub with you and Paige and looking at you, all like pretty and blonde and different from every other girl in the world, and wondering what it would be like to be with you.”
When Flora gets home she writes down what happened with Drake so she can remember it. “I read it, but I don’t need to because I can remember it.” Flora is very excited by this because it is the first new memory she has been able to make since the age of ten. “I have to spend my life with him because he makes my memory work.”
Paige sees one of Flora’s notes and discovers what happened with Drake. “And you know what else? I’ve been the only looking out for you for years and years, you know. I’ve taken you out when your mum would have kept you wrapped in cotton wool at home…Every time you forgot where you are I help you. My mum always hated me doing it, she said I shouldn’t have to be your carer. But sure have my boyfriend.”
Paige tells her that she had promised Flora’s mother she would do her a favour but she wasn’t going to do it anymore as they were no longer friends.
When Flora gets home she find out her parents had asked Paige to look after her whilst they went to visit Flora’s brother Jacob in Paris. Jacob was sick. Flora decides not to tell her parents that she and Paige aren’t speaking.
I liked Paige’s brother and father but I really disliked her mother even though I understood her reasons for being controlling and over-protective.
“My father is funny and lovely. At work he is an accountant but when the doors are closed at home he wears patterned jumpers that he knits for himself. His hair sticks up in the air, when mum hasn’t patted it down. He says funny things. He would do anything for me, I know that, and I would do anything for him, if I were capable of doing anything. Everything about him fills me with relief when I see him. He is my home.”
Jacob was probably my favourite character in the book, after Flora. “I know Jacob. He is the person I love most in the world. He is bigger than me. He used to pick me up and carry me around, and he let me sit on his lap to watch television, and I have a very clear memory of him allowing me to paint his toenails.”
Whilst her parents are away Flora decides to go to the Arctic to find Drake with some interesting consequences.
This was the best YA book I have read so far this year and Flora’s rules to live by are pretty sound advice.