I’d bought this book at a clearance sale and it had been collecting dust in my bookcase for quite some time now, spine uncracked, when last week – whilst reading Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness – I needed some lighter reading to alternate with. Once again, this was one of those books that went against my expectations and became a surprising favorite.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox raises some very interesting questions on the worth of a human being, the importance of a soul and the boundaries of scientific advance. The topic is tackled with a certain youthful clarity that will appeal to readers of all ages, making it a speedy read with long lingering aftereffects.

I hardly ever feel the urge to read a book in one sitting – even my very favorite ones (or maybe especially those) – but this one I could’ve finished in one day had I had the time. It’s like a quite literal version of a “train of thought”, which you can’t get off of anymore after you’ve boarded because it just speeds on relentlessly.

However, when I tried to summarize this novel to my boyfriend to explain why I liked it, it turned out to be impossible to do so. When you recount the storyline, it sounds rather dull – which it truly isn’t. I guess it’s just one of those books you’ll have to read to appreciate and understand.

In conclusion: the subject matter is current, the questions posed are well worth pondering and the writing is as fluent as the wispy thought of the teenage girl they cumulate to be. A special story that I will not soon forget and maybe even reread someday.

PS: I actually read this book in Dutch, and for once I have to say: kudos to the translator, Sabine Mutsaers! It was impossible to tell that this was a translated novel, which is so very rare.

PS2: I just found out this is a series … Well … Uhm … That confuses me? The ending seemed so final? How … Wait … What?