If You Liked Memento...

I finished reading Before I Go To Sleep, by S.J.Watson, last night, and all I can say is WOW!  Mr. Waters has crafted an excellent debut novel.  The story centers around a woman named Christine.  Years ago she suffered an accident that affected her memory.  Every time she goes to sleep, she loses almost all of her memories.  When she wakes, she's lying next to a stranger.  The stranger turns out to be her husband, who must then go through the daily process of explaining everything.  "Yes, we are married.  Yes, this is your home.  Yes, we are in love.  Here are some pictures of us." 

The story is mainly told from the perspective of Christine's journal.  During the month of November, Christine keeps a journal at the request of a doctor.  Every day she writes.  Who she meets.  What her husband told her that day.  What the doctor told her that day.  Flashes of memories that spontaneously overtake her.  After she wakes the following day, the doctor calls her to remind her of the journal.  The journal is now her memory.  Through this act of writing and reading and remembering, Christine starts to have flashes of memory at more frequent intervals.  That is when she starts to realize that the people she believes she can trust are not telling her the whole truth. This is when the story gets real interesting. 

This book is a very easy read.  The story pulls you in from the first page, and holds on for the entire trip.  I applaud Mr. Watson on his debut, and I hope that he can repeat his success in the future.  I look forward to enjoying his work again.