The Knowing (The Forgetting, #2) by Sharon Cameron Published by Scholastic Press on October 10th 2017
Pages: 448
Goodreads
Samara doesn't forget. And she isn't the only one. Safe underground in the city of New Canaan, she lives in a privileged world free from the Forgetting. Yet she wonders if she really is free, with the memories that plague her and secrets that surround her. Samara is determined to unearth the answers, even if she must escape to the old, cursed city of Canaan to find them.
Someone else is on their way to Canaan too . . . a spaceship from Earth is heading toward the planet, like a figment of the city's forgotten past. Beck is traveling with his parents, researchers tasked with finding the abandoned settlement effort. When Beck is stranded without communication, he will find more in Canaan than he was ever trained for. What will happen when worlds and memories, beliefs -- and truths -- collide?
4.5 Nuts
Somehow between all the craziness in my life I’ve managed to read one book, and that book was all I needed. I’d rather read one amazing book in the small amount of time I have than blast through a thousand ok ones. So in picking up a new book when I’m this buy I try to be very discerning.
When my eyes fell on THE KNOWING I knew I was going to have to pick it. I called to me, just as its predecessor THE FORGETTING did. But after THE FORGETTING my expectations were high. After all it was one of my favorite books of the year. Would THE KNOWING hold up?
THE KNOWING is not a direct sequel. It does not feature any of the characters from the previous book or even take place in the same city. This book takes place generations after the previous one and thus is more of a companion.In fact it’s almost like a whole new world, society is not how Nadia would have left it. Not after everything she went through in THE FORGETTING. So I was already very curious, how had things gone so badly? This is the first hook.
The only major issue I had with the book was very early on. It’s a dual POV story, with the New Canaan girl on one side and the explorers from Earth on the other. To start I didn’t find myself very interested in the explorers. I wanted to know what happened to Canaan, not spend time with a couple of Earth kids who have no idea what they’ve stepped into. This was very difficult to let go of, to allow for these new characters when all I wanted was to know what went wrong and what happened to Nadia. But that is always a risk with companions.
I got over it eventually, and once the book picked up I was rearing to go. The action was fantastically done. Sharon Cameron’s handling of a mystery is masterful. It is something I admired in THE FORGETTING and that continues in THE KNOWING. The suspense is perfect, keeping you from daring to set down the book and reading late into the night. I seriously could not stop.
I have always been more of a fantasy reader than a sci fi fan but this book had me drooling for more like it. These two companions, THE FORGETTING and THE KNOWING are two of my favorite sci fi stories and some of the best I’ve ever read. Intriguing characters, addicting plots, the thread of mystery for your mind to tug on. It actually gave me chills.
If I have to recommend a book for 2017 I think it would be this one. For fans of otherworldly space stories without the space travel, this book is for you. Discover what happens to Canaan generations after and enjoy some pretty cool techie toys too.
How did you like THE KNOWING? Or THE FORGETTING? Share your thoughts in the comments.
From my shelf to yours,
Erin
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