Zoey wishes she had done a lot of things differently. Had she spoken up about her father's affair before his mistress got pregnant, maybe her parents wouldn't have gotten divorced. If Zoey had gotten home a few minutes earlier from her duties as swim team captain, maybe her mom wouldn't have been able to overdose on her sleeping pills. So it comes as no surprise that she really wishes she didn't suffer from amnesia about the night she had a horrific car accident.Enter Brandon and Doug. Brandon is Zoey's boyfriend, well sort of. They've had a close friendship all summer long while working at her dad's sleazy water park. When it comes time for school to be back in session, Zoey and Brandon get together. But ever since her accident he's been acting funny. He's avoiding her calls and dodging their few chances at hanging out, while Doug, the devastating handsome boy with a record, keeps popping up in unexpected places.
As the days go on and Zoey still can't remember what happened that night, or with whom, she starts to question everything she has ever presumed about every one. Most of all, herself.
Jennifer Echols has done it again! In another magnetic read about a boy and a girl, Echols manages to spin a new tale about truth, facades, and connecting with others. Zoey is an exceptionally bright girl, with many things going for her. She's trusting, academically gifted, and a leader. Unfortunately, these are also the things that flaw her. All of these attributes contribute to her inability to see the truth that's right in front of her the entire novel. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as I'm sure we all know people in our lives who are either, as I like to say, "book smart" or "street smart."
Undoubtedly, Zoey is the "book smart" kind of gal, while Doug is definitely a "street smart" kind of guy. He knows the truth, not only because he experiences it with Zoey, but because he's not blind. He doesn't ignore signals and obvious hints. His facade is what allows him to peacefully exist in a world full of people to afraid to admit the truth.
My favorite part about the whole novel are the connections that all the characters make with one another. There are quite a few subplots and Echols's ability to intertwine all those into one cohesive storyline is incredible. I have to hand it to the woman, she really knows how to create a wonderfully enticing story about real people with real problems and how they deal with the ramifications of their actions and choices. A must read, Forget You is, in a word, stunning.
