BOOKS: Before I Go To Sleep

Congratulations to Michelle Rosborough on winning this week's book giveaway!  While this contest is now closed, please come back to SixSeeds for more giveaways for good, family, fun!

How well do you trust your own memory? What if every day was a clean slate, and you couldn’t remember what had happened the day before?

Title: Before I Go To Sleep

Author:  S.J. Watson

Buy it: Here

Christine wakes up every morning confused, not recognizing her surroundings. As she gets up and glances in the mirror she realizes she is in her late forties, not in her twenties, as she expects. Her bathroom walls are plastered with pictures and explanations; she realizes someone has provided her with a brief pictorial history. She goes downstairs where she meets her husband, who is cooking breakfast and preparing to tell her, as he does every day, that a bad auto accident killed her short-term memory twenty years before. 
Unbeknownst to her husband, Ben, a psychiatrist approaches Christine and suggests she begin writing a journal to help her memory. Every morning he calls her and tells her where to find it, and as she reads she begins to uncover her history. Slowly some memories return. But her memories and her journal are not always consistent with Ben’s story of the day, and Christine begins to distrust him. 

Christine’s crisp, compelling voice gives authenticity to what could otherwise be an implausible plot line. But as the story develops, the reader realizes his dependence on her version of reality. She thinks she knows the truth, but does she? If every day a new reality presents itself, can Christine be reliable? Ultimately, Christine’s dependence on her knowledge of just one day converts this novel to a psychological thriller.

Before I Go to Sleep explores the nature of memory: how it eludes and deceives us, and how much we depend upon it. Our memory defines us. It allows us to know ourselves and build our own persona. Without a history, we don’t exist. As Christine begins to build her memories, she realizes how much she has lost and how much she cannot trust those closest to her. 

Before I Go to Sleep is a compellingly quick read, but its haunting story line and subtle terror remain with the reader long after the last page. 

To Consider:
Christine pays dearly for betraying her husband.  What are the consequences of our bad decisions? Her relationship was like Pandora’s box: once she opened that door, events were out of her control. 

What role should family play in the life of an impaired family member? Christine’s husband makes a decision that he thinks is in her best interest, but in reality he leaves her vulnerable. How do we best care for family members who are mentally ill or have dementia?

How do our memories change? How do we allow them to shape our reality?

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