"As I sleep, my mind will erase everything I did today. I will wake up tomorrow as I did this morning. Thinking I'm still a child, thinking I have a whole lifetime of choice ahead of me...
Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love--all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may only be telling you half the story.
Welcome to Christine's life."
A Review of "Before I Go To Sleep"
Written by S.J. Watson
If you've seen the movie 50 First Dates, this book will immediately remind you of it. Unlike that movie, though, there is very little in the way of humor. Instead, we see the serious--and often depressing--side of living with this rare condition through Christine's eyes. The story can be repetitive at times due to Christine's daily journal entries, which make up the majority of the book. She constantly rehashes what it's like to wake up each morning with no memory of the prior day (or years for that matter). However, as the story progresses, less is made of this with new information becoming more of the focal point.
The story slowly builds to a dark and sinister climax, the pace definitely picking up during the second half of the book. I had my suspicions about the big reveal at the end, but I can honestly say it still surprised me. I felt the final pages (post-climax) were rushed and proceeded to tie things together too neatly. There were some obvious plot holes as well. That being said, the mystery component of the book is what makes it a worthwhile read, and if you don't see the end coming, it will make the experience that much more rewarding.
