Persistence of Memory by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

In this book the main character Erin has mental problems, and not just the everyday 16 year old kind, the padded cell kind. (So endearing, don’t you think?). Add to this a lovely vampire named Shevaun, and a strange bond between them that drives them both mad = a whole rats nest of plot! Supportive and strong boyfriends (because every teen has one those!) are there to help unravel the situation, but its all mixed up in magic, history and a host of useless characters. (See rats nest below for a visual).

What it boils down to is: readable. I found the characters lacking enough in substance that I didn’t care about what happened to them, but the book is short and fast paced enough I figured I’d follow through to the end (as if I were a lawyer following an ambulance to a car crash).

For Tweens?
As a whole this book is acceptable for Tweens –there is an appealing fantasy meshed with today's world element, the language is simple, the plot is not adult-only content, and the characters are few. If you need something to fill the shelves, this might do the trick! But as a recommend for an excellent book, it falls extremely short.

Final Word:
I must add that I found the use of the word ‘Chortle’ in this book extremely upsetting and find myself wondering if many tweens spend time chortling? Have you chortled lately? As for myself, I prefer to guffaw. (I once found a children’s book that featured the word Masticate, so I think I will put Chortle as a close second). So now I am off to try my best not to chortle while I masticate. Wow, that sounds wrong.

Atwater-Rhodes, A. (2010). Persistence of Memory. New York: Delacorte Books For Young Readers. ISBN#9780440240044