I should begin by saying that this young adult novel that discusses sensitive themes such as death and depression is written by a 17-year-old named Ashley Royer.
Entitled Remember to Forget, the story of an Australian teenager named Levi who chose to stop talking (selective mutism) after the death of her girlfriend, Delia, gained a huge following on Wattpad. Fan fiction drove Royer’s work to the publisher and then… to my mailbox.
As a 29-year-old woman reading this book, I got bored. I was reading about a teenager who decided to stop talking from page 1 to 198 and I was close to just throwing this book in a box and say “goodbye”. To the 29-year-old Me, it was just page after page of teenage angst and corny teenage romance.
But as a 29-year-old mother of three children, I appreciated the drama that is inherent to the story because really, that’s how it is with teenagers, there’s so much drama and a rollercoaster of emotions. I’ve been through that stage and it was the most awkward, most difficult, and most challenging part of my life because I wanted to be an adult who can make her own decisions, but I was still dependent to my parents. Having gone through that stage, I am now scared for the adolescent years. What goes around comes around, indeed.
Reading this book is like a reminder of my teenage years. At the same time, it is also a reminder of things to look out for when you have teenagers in the house at present or in the future. I particularly didn’t like the scenes of teenagers talking and hanging out in the bedroom so I make a mental note of making sure that this is not followed in our home.
Some parts of the story may be unrealistic. A 17-year-old character named Delilah works for a psychiatric clinic where Levi goes to attend sessions. Or that of teenagers going out randomly and I’m not reading whether or not they’ve asked permission from their parents. I must remind people of my age or those who can’t stand teenage angst and drama: if you choose to purchase this book, stock up on patience.
However, I reminded myself that this is written by a 17-year-old young lady who’s writing from the perspective of a 17-year-old young lad. Ashley Royer deserves a big round of applause for the courage and determination to put all of these — characters, setting, plot — into writing.
Hidden behind Levi’s long struggle against depression is the fact that Delia, the girlfriend who passed away, died of a car accident. She wasn’t focused on the road as she was TEXTING. So many accidents happen because people are distracted, thinking that they can do both — texting and driving — at the same time. If anything the death of Delia teaches readers, it is to pull over to send that text message or answer the call or… to just wait until you’ve safely arrived in your destination before getting absorbed by your smartphone. This is a good subject of discussion in high school.
On the entirety, this book is not for me. Clearly, I am not part of the target audience. This is a book meant to be read by teenagers though as it goes through the rollercoaster emotions and changing tides of feelings so characteristically evident in this stage of a person’s life.
However, I admire the author, young as she is, for delving into the subjects of depression and death. These are subjects that maybe difficult to discuss head on but Ashley Royer utilized storytelling as a medium of discussion.
On this regard, she succeeded.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from the Booklook Bloggers program for review consideration. I was not required to write positive reviews. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”.
