Best Forgotten by Paula Vince is a mystery with an unusual twist. While running away from something or someone, Courtney Lockwood is hit by a car and loses his memory. He can’t even remember his own name; let alone what he was running from. It creates other unanswered questions – what’s happened to his best friend, Joel and how did Jasmine become his girlfriend? Is it only his lack of memory that is causing her to act strangely?
The temporary amnesia gives Courtney the opportunity to re-evaluate his life, but is this wise when there is so much he doesn’t remember? Nevertheless without the memory of the underlying pressures of peers and families, and without the need to rebel against authority figures, Courtney starts making better decisions. I found this aspect of the story particularly thought provoking. Memory loss operates like forgiveness in that it allows Courtney to let go of the past. Furthermore it creates the opportunity for him to look at his life through the eyes of an apparent stranger. Subtly the story shows us how much our decisions are affected by our need for significance and acceptance as well as how damaging unforgiveness can be.
I enjoyed this story very much. I liked the way Courtney reassesses his life and finds resolution. It is a well paced novel with just enough information being revealed to keep the story moving without becoming frustrating or getting bogged down.
A great read.
Thanks to Paula Vince for providing a free book for review.
