I’ve read a lot of Margaret Peterson Haddix’s books. And I noticed that no matter what the plot is or who the main character is, there’s one common theme – the main character is a kid, and the adults won’t tell him or her anything.Not that it’s a bad thing, mind you. The “what the heck is going on?” element is half of what makes her books so interesting. But the thing is, when I picked up this book, I expected that Kira’s mother wouldn’t tell her anything. And so I didn’t find that nearly as frustrating as I would have if I didn’t expect it.This book is a pretty average length, but it seemed really short. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I just flew through it.Kira, as best as I can figure, was your normal girl with a strange mother who had no idea her past wasn’t quite normal. And strangely enough, she was pretty much a normal girl throughout the book. A few hidden reserves of resourcefulness, sure, but a pretty average girl. And she was still pretty much the same girl at the end. Which I’m not sure I liked so much.Lynne was a fun character. She’s the smart, always does her homework, A-plus student kind. But I enjoyed her willingness to hide in a suitcase and her attempts to help Kira. Because in the beginning, I didn’t think she was going to play a bigger part than any of the other girls. It was a pleasant surprise to find her along for the ride.Sophia, Kira’s mother, was a little strange. But it makes sense, considering… never mind, that’s a spoiler.Hmm…I feel like I can’t comment on the plot without giving too much away.The premise – or, more accurately, where Kira really came from – was highly interesting. Even though I wouldn’t really want to live there. Okay, scratch that. Living there would be kind of cool. But I’m not really sure I’d want to be one of them.The plot was well-done and held my attention (especially once I found out who kidnapped Kira’s mother). But I’m not a big fan of the ending. I won’t give any spoilers, but let’s just say it’s not exactly happily-ever-after.This is one of those books that are hard to review. I didn’t love it. I didn’t hate it. It was more of a “meh” book – I could take it or leave it and not really care either way. I think it’s the fact that the characters weren’t really remarkable. But either way, it’s hard to put my feelings about this book into words – because I don’t really have any, except “meh.”
I chose this book because my friend recommended it. This book is about a girl named Kira who was hypnotized by her friends and woke up with a memory of fleeing a war-torn country with her mother. Her mother disappears and a woman, Aunt Memory, takes Kira to Crythe, a place that doesn't really exist and is destined to find her mother. My favorite quote is "I am your Aunt Memory." I chose this quote because this "Aunt Memory appeared out of nowhere, which is creepy, yet strange, and is to help Kira find her mother. How does "Aunt Memory know Kira's mom? I like how the author uses first person point of view because I get to feel Kira's inner emotions and what she has to say about Aunt Memory and losing her mother. I would recommend this book to my other friend because she loves stories that have to do with friends and then waking up in some unknown place and have to fid their way back, which includes losing someone and then finding them.
What do You think about Escape From Memory (2005)?
Margaret Peterson Haddix is an amazing author, and, having read her other books, I was actually kind of disappointed by this read. It was a very good book, but didn't keep me "wanting more," like her books usually do. I think I would've enjoyed this book more if I hadn't known that it was by her.The book was very suspenseful, but it was hard to understand the plot sometimes. It is definitely not a fast read, even though it is a pretty short book. You have to pay attention to everything that is r
—Caroline
Kira lives in a small town in Ohio with her librarian mother who shuns television and other technology that is normal in all of her friends’ houses. Needless to say, Kira spends a lot of time at her best friend Lynne’s house. Every Friday night, the girls have a sleepover and watch sappy movies, but this time, they decide they want to try hypnotizing each other. Somehow, Kira is chosen. She relates a memory that she has never remembered before and her friends are shocked. Lynne, especially, begins to analyze what happened, wondering if Kira is a refugee from some war-torn third world country. Kira asks her mother about it but finds no answers. Then her mother disappears and a strange woman calling herself Aunt Memory shows up to take Kira to a place named Crythe where everything starts to come together Read the full review here.
—Amber
Have you ever forgotten an important date or forgotten to do something that you promised to do? When you remembered, how did it make you feel? In Escape from Memory, Kira discovers that she hasn’t just forgotten a homework assignment or a friend’s birthday. She has forgotten her whole history. Kira makes this discovery when she and her friends decide to experiment with hypnotism at a sleepover. Sounds fun, huh? But how much fun will it be when Kira’s discovery leads to the kidnapping of her mother, her best friend and herself? How much fun is it to discover everything you’ve ever known was a lie? Kira finds herself in a waking nightmare and her only escape is her forgotten memories. Will Kira learn the truth before its too late?
—Dotty
