The Amnesia Clinic

by James Scudamore

Anti, a quiet English boy living in Quito, Ecuador, strikes up a friendship with flamboyant classmate Fabián, who is everything Anti isn't: handsome, athletic and popular. What's more, he lives with his rakish Uncle Suarez, while Anti is stuck in the dull ex-pat world inhabited by his parents. Suarez, a storyteller par excellence, infects the boys with his passion for outlandish tales, and before long their relationship becomes one conducted entirely through the telling of tales. One subject, however, is taboo: Fabián's parents. But when details surrounding their disappearance begin to emerge, Anti decides to console his friend with a story suggesting that Fabián's mother may be living at a bizarre hospital on the coast for patients with memory loss. With confused emotions and reality losing its grip, the boys embark on a quixotic voyage across Ecuador in search of an 'Amnesia Clinic' that may, or may not exist.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Young Adult

Paperback

First published April 5, 2006

About the author

James Scudamore is the author of the novels English Monsters, Wreaking, Heliopolis, and The Amnesia Clinic. He has received the Somerset Maugham Award and been nominated for the Costa First Novel Award, the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, the Dylan Thomas Prize and the Man Booker Prize.

Reviews

[Gohnar23 (hiatus but still reading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

#️⃣5️⃣1️⃣3️⃣ Read & Reviewed in 2025 💔🩸
Date : 🚀 Saturday, September 27, 2025 🚫🔻❌
Word Count📃: 79k Words 🧨🔪🎈

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( ˶°ㅁ°) !! My 87th read in "READING AS MANY BOOKS AS I CANNN 😢 cuz smth....happened.....irl.........😥" September ⚡

5️⃣🌟, my favorite genre of literature is gay literature that isn't originally meant to be gay.....
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This is pretty much a action adventure story about my two baby boiss 🥰🥰🥰. Looking for a so called "amnesia clinic" we're supposedly one of their mothers is located. Anti & Fabian are such great characters and their friendship is really great and have a cute dynamic. My two baby bois may not be gay but I headcannon both of them as gay because their relationship is just the best for a coming-of-age story. Their uncle, Suarez is also a great character that introduces the amnesia clinic to both of them and serves as the hope for my two baby bois for their future and meet their mother even though that event has only a slim possibility as the amnesia clinic itself may just be a fictionalized location all for the sake of making Anti & Fabian have hope for being with their families once again. The writing style is great and have impeccable imagery of their adventures across the country (just different locations) and well crafted descriptions of the places that they interact with, the setting being Ecuador is also a great way to introduce to the scenery of the country so well that's great if you want some depictions of another country in your book. Highly recommend for a coming of age story of two boiss experiencing and realizeng the loss of family for the first time.

[Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable listen despite very slow narration speed.

This story is a fictional travelogue detailing two 15 year old boys journeying through Equador in search of The Amnesia Clinic - a kind of refuge for those with no memory of their previous lives and no other place to go.

This book contains much colourful description and, what certainly sounded to be, authentic local detail (I stand ready for correction on that having never been to Equador!)

Very original and surprising tale of dubious morality. Includes many a parents worst nightmares!

[Malibustaceyy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed how descriptive this book was; I could visually see the settings (Ecuador) in my mind. The storytelling was also captivating, although I didn't know what was true or made up at times (which I guess is the point). Not sure if I'm just stupid but I didn't expect the book to end the way it did.... it was really hard to put down in the last quarter!

Would have given it 4 stars, but the author described a 17 year old girl as "ripe". RIPE. Bro, just describe a woman normally!

[Bookwormthings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friendship, truth, reality, when is reality up for distortion, and how easy it is at 15 to think you know everything before you realise you are seriously out of your depth. I really enjoyed this tale.

[caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite an engaging read. Bonus points if you're traveling in Ecuador or hold the place near to your heart. The descriptions of life and the landscape is spot on. Always enhance reality and question the technology truth

[Лина Сакс · Rating 5 out of 5]

Спастись в фантазиях.
Как выглядит мир, когда мы на него смотрим? Он выглядит ровно так, как мы его представляем. Мы откидываем все, что нам не нравится, промаргиваемся, забываем, и оставляем только то, что нравится, а иногда мы его дорисовываем, дофантазируем и нельзя потом сказать, что мир не такой, ведь мы действуем сообразно тому, что придумали, что видим своими глазами через свою голову. Именно поэтому для кого-то каждая осень дождливая, хоть если посмотреть это не правда. Именно поэтому для кого-то все зимы холодные, и он забывает о том, что были года, когда и зимой шли дожди и не нужны были шубы. Именно поэтому для кого-то все мужики козлы, потому что кто-то не оценивает себя объективно, а только через то, что он придумал для себя, в своей голове, в своей памяти он даже говорит и выглядит иначе.
И книга как раз об этом. О том, как фантазии формируют нас. Как изменяют реально-объективный мир, на наш, тот что только у нас в голове.

Сложно обвинить мальчишек в фантазиях. Каждый в них спасается от собственной неустроенной жизни, хоть и хочется сказать, а что тебе не хватает-то? А оказывается не хватает простого, одному матери, точнее прощания с ней. Отпустить воспоминания, похоронить наконец-то человека, перестать ждать невозможного. А другому не хватает любви в семье. Для него все может поменяться в любой момент, и он словно не имеет права обняться с родителями в тот момент, когда ему хочется. Вроде бы нет потрясений, но уверенности тоже нет. А когда потрясение случается, то фантазия старается удержать его в сознании, не дать погрязнуть в вине.

И вот мы и получаем книгу, пропитанную неустроенностью и приправленную фантазиями, которые позволяют жить. И все это среди двух культур, одной, которую привезли родители нашего главного героя в Эквадор из Британии и местную. Это как два воздушных фронта, холодный и теплый, нельзя было ожидать спокойствия при таких фронтах. И громыхнуло. Громыхнуло не только из-за культур, в которую мальчишки очень быстро встраиваются, потому что одному хочется знать больше о стране, где он проживает, а другому уже привили европейские стандарты. Но еще есть взросление, причем рядом друг с другом, надо ведь самоутвердиться, показать кто тут главный самец. Да и что самец тоже надо доказать и это опять два фронта, потому что мальчишки, хоть и приятели, но не друзья, когда "в связке одной с тобой".

Кстати, если присмотреться к тому, что выдумывают мальчишки, как они обыгрывают свои фантазии, то легко можно увидеть, чего им не хватает. Нет, это не волшебство и необычность, а всегда любовь, всегда понимание и всегда умение выйти из положения. Помните в "Благих знамениях" ситуацию с подмигиванием?

Она метнула взгляд на сестру Мэри, однако, узнав в мистере Янге человека, который в жизни не видывал ни единой пентаграммы, ограничилась лишь тем, что показала на Ребенка № 1 и заговорщицки подмигнула.
Сестра Мэри кивнула и подмигнула в ответ.
Монахиня выкатила из палаты коляску с ребенком.
Подмигивание — весьма многозначный способ человеческого общения.

А дальше там расшифровываются подмигивания, когда оказывается, что сестры "подмигивали" каждая о своем и все мимо того, что имела ввиду другая) Ну, вот примерно также мальчишки умели разговаривать и понимать друг друга. Это только казалось, что у них с общением все в порядке, но как мы видим по книге, получался у них "полуслоненок" (с). И вот как в Благих знамениях покатилось и понеслось у них именно тогда, когда их "подмигивания" каждый стал трактовать, как им хотелось, а не так, как было на самом деле. И стало появляться не один мир фантазий, а два. У каждого свой, мимо мира приятеля.

В этой книге нет ничего сложного. Даже нагромождение фантазий - это всего лишь крики о помощи. Если вчитываться, а не придумывать, то окажется, что и смысл у книги самый простой, не замысловатый. Да, здесь все обернуто в переливающийся фантик из легенд, выдумок, сказок, напичкано культурой и природой, но только все это отбрасывается прочь. Появляются просто два подростка, которые взрослеют, крепнут, набираются опыта, страдают и не умеют разговаривать.

Красивая книга. Печальная книга. Удивительная книга. И очень-очень простая.

зы. Забыла написать про название. С одной стороны - это главная выдумка мальчишек, а с другой стороны - это именно их спасение - забыть страшное и жить спокойно в уютном кубике. Говорящее название.

[Aneta Jilkova · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Amnesia Clinic by James Scudamore describes the journey of two friends, Anti and Fabian, on their adventurous trek through Ecuador. I would give this book a rating of 4 stars out of 5. The one star is off because in some parts, especially in the beginning, the descriptions were too long and almost got boring. Some of the descriptions could be shorter and still would describe the situations and settings effectively. The author still managed to hook the reader into the story and kept them on their toes because you have to question everything that is said in the book, to keep track of what is the truth and what is not. I had to read The Amnesia Clinic for my English class and I still found the overall plot interesting. I always wanted to know what was going to happen next with Fabian and Anti since I found them very relatable. Another great thing about this book is that the setting in Ecuador enables you to find out more about the place plus the overall Ecuadorian culture. The whole journey makes you think about friendship, how upbringing affects people, dealing with grief, what makes people different and especially the power of lies.

[Martin Schön · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Amnesia Clinic by James Scudamore, the story is about Anthony, also known as Anti, and Fabián trying to find an “Amnesia Clinic” spans over about a week, so it was inevitable for the author to introduce a lot of detail, which may be on the other hand a bit troublesome for non-native or not advanced readers, as the vocabulary used is also pretty extensive. This was successfully achieved, as many times I found myself imagining the picture of what was happening thanks to the vivid and thorough descriptions and images which could span a whole page. The concept of the novel is also very interesting. Even though the main goal is to find and reach the “Amnesia Clinic”, the main focus is on the surroundings and other sub-stories, which hinted at the storytelling that both boys, Anthony and Fabián, enjoyed and built their friendship upon. I find this book interesting for its focus on how lies may become an important, or rather crucial, part of a person’s life after certain, perhaps tragic, events. Even though the story in itself wasn’t that interesting to me (except the treasure hunt and the ending which I enjoyed), I find it excellent for analysis purposes.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The five stars I'm giving are not completely objective: the story is not a "feel good" one, is not too much engaging, we're being told the ending from the very beginning and some of the detailed descriptions slow down the pace of the storytelling.
But the atmosphere has been built with so much precision, although you might not feel involved in Fabian and Anti adventure, you will definitely feel as if you're visiting Quito and Pedrasca too.
The language is simple but classy too.
The story explores how memories can be contaminated by our imagination in a very clever way, to the point you question everything the characters are saying.
Bonus points, and this is why I'm giving 5 stars, if you've been in Quito around the '90s. Being born and raised in Ecuador, I can confirm the accuracy of the setting, it brought back lots of personal memories.

[Elp]

I felt directly immersed in the atmosphere of The Amnesia Clinic. Descriptions allowed me to be by the side of Anti during the whole book. The friendship between Anti and Fabian, the two main characters, is based on lies and a taboo subject: the death of Fabian’s mother.
Diving into this book is traveling through Ecuador with a teenage eye. The contrast between the two boys is very interesting, especially in the world where we live. James Scudamore’s talent is widely demonstrated in this piece. He is able to use various language techniques and in the end, I was more dazzled by the writing than the story itself.
If you search for a way to improve your writing skills, then this book is made for you.

[Janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book The Amnesia Clinic by James Scudamore is a bit confusing but unexpected, which makes you hooked on some parts. Because it is very descriptive, the plot progresses slowly. It is about two “friends” whose relationship is based on made-up stories. From my point of view, you can’t really call Anti and Fabian friends. A friendship should work differently than theirs, not like them making up stories and lies for every single thing. I also found the end not too surprising, because at the beginning of the book we already knew Fabian is going to die. So when we came to that point it was not really surprising because you were just waiting for that event to happen. So throughout the whole book nothing really exciting happens, it was all just one long journey. Just lies...lies...lies.

[The Bamboo Traveler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book set in Ecuador during the Ecuador-Peru War. It's about 2 15-year-old boys, Anti (British) and Fabian (Ecuadorian). They attend Quito International School. Despite being complete opposites, they become best friends. Anti lives with his parents in the northern part of Quito and is immersed in the expat life. Fabian's parents died years ago and he lives with his eccentric and cool uncle Suarez. The boys love to listen to Suarez tell these wonderful stories, which infuses them with a desire to tell their own stories. It also leads them to go off on an adventure to the coast of Ecuador looking for Fabian's mother and a clinic for people with amnesia.

Writing is good, characters are well-developed, and the story moves quickly.

[Sivert · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Scudamore has written a beautiful novel that unravels the unlikely friendship between two teens, and storytellers, Anti and Fabián through their journey across Ecuador to find an “Amnesia clinic” -which only exists in the mind of one boy and in the hope’s of the other. The friendship, heavily based on the storytelling between the two teens leaves the reader wondering until the very end what is reality and what is not, as Anti tells the story in retrospect. The story itself has a slow start and the journey itself is a bit uninteresting at times but the beautiful imagery of Ecuador makes up for that! I would give The Amnesia Clinic a solid 4/5!

[Miriam T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, I was surprised to see the characters’s evolution and how I ended up not liking Fabian during certain situations. I was also surprised when I found out the real story of how his parents died and I felt sorry for him and somehow I then understood his behaviour more. Anti impressed me at the end as a thought of him as being more responsible than Fabian!

If you read this book be ready to go through a lot of stories and descriptions and details of things, sometimes I wanted to get to the point quicker.

[Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Amnesia Clinic by James Scudamore has some good narration and description of characters' emotions in the story which makes it far more credible and vivid.Vibrant descriptions of the places and nature in Ecuador. Made me really want to experience their adventure. Imagery is used throughout the whole book and it makes you want to be in the book.

[Claire Binkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read it, it made me think of Island of the Blue Dolphins, but the GR book summary suggested maybe Scudamore had something different in mind.

[Vickie Taylor-Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the descriptions were lovely and I understood Fabians need to make sense of his mothers death. I couldn’t work out what was the truth and what was a story though, which was kind of the point I suppose.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very sad, but touching story, about grief and how it can warp our memories and shape our future.

[Mary Isaac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ecuador

[Molshri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely, underrated book

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is about two 15 year old boys who are friends. Anti tells us the story in retrospect, a short amount of time after the events he describes have happened. It is set pretty much in the present day. He is English, living a polite existence in an ex-pat bubble, quiet and a little unsure of himself. He becomes friends with Fabian at school, an adventurous and charismatic boy who lives with his unconventional uncle after the death of his parents. The two of them live on stories that they tell each other, enjoying each others ability to lend their imaginations to the everyday, bending reality to suit their will.
Anti loves to visit Fabian at his uncles grand house, where Anti is allowed a more liberal lifestyle than at his parents house. The only thing that is out of bounds is talking about the death of Fabian's parents. That is until one evening Fabian, aided by tequila, tells a fabricated version of their deaths in a road accident, where his mothers body was never found. Fabian believes she is still alive but has lost her memory. To help his friend, Anti constructs a newspaper article about an Amnesia clinic on the coast. Anti thinks that the rules of this game are clear, an indulgent story that keeps the reality at bay. That is until Fabian persuades Anti to skip school and go on an adventure with him to find the clinic that doesn't exist. From then on it is unclear who is playing what game and with who.
This book is a coming of age story that explores the use of construction to replace a painful reality, and how deeply those illusions can run and become confused. It is easy to read, although some sections are a little long winded. There are some interesting descriptions along the way. I enjoyed the episode in the service lift...
"The interior was padded with thick brown material, put there to absorb the blows of furniture or appliances as they were delivered to the show apartments above. It had absorbed more than that, too -the smells of stale sweat, of coffee and polution... It was as if I had momentarily slipped into an alternative version of reality. Even the ping of the doors...was louder, and more ragged, as if some crucial, restraining parts of its apparatus had been snapped off... I reached up, pressed button number seven and wiped the oily deposit this left from my fingertip on to the brown cladding. The machine jerked into action."
I found that the story held some surprising developments, especially towards the end, and it was difficult to predict exactly where it was going. I found the boys friendship a little unconvincing at times. Because it is based on lies and fabrications, and also on deep needs, it is never really warm, despite the way Anti describes it. I also found Fabian's tantrums annoying. I was left wondering why no one stood up to him. Mostly though, I found it a pleasant read that kept me interested on the whole, especially near the end. The place descriptions and South American setting intrigued me. However, I suspect that it did not have enough to remain in my thoughts much after it has finished. Time will tell.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A captivating read.slow at times but manages to get you hooked again.The descriptions were so vivid I could visualize the characters and their locations throughout the journey.The ending was heart tugging and Leaves you in a dilemma of what ifs just like the narrator.I loved the book.The only downside was that some of the language used might be offensive to some,especially the young adults who might relate with the main characters of the story.

[Annet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what a wonderful book and what a talented writer! I loved it, the story is so intriguing and at times weird and tragic, fascinating, descriptions of the various characters in the story and Equador and the city of Quito surroundings are fabulous and beautiful. It's a story about a British boy (15) Anti living in Equador with his expat parents, quiet father and sort of dominant mother living an expat life. Anti befriends Fabian at school, an Equadorian boy who lives with his uncle Suarez (great, fascinating character). This way, Anti gets a way to step outside the expat life and a way into the Equadorian life, amongst others by his visits and stays at Suarez's house. Fabian's parents have died in a mysterious car accident in the mountains, although his mother never was found. The boys set out on adventure travelling to a place at the coast of Equador, searching for an imaginary Amnesia clinic where Fabian hopes to find his mother. It's a story about storytelling, the more fantastic the better. It also has a tragic edge to it, made me think of The Beach (because of the weird beach scenes and the character development of Fabian) and Sabbath Ceek (Judson Mitcham) because of the coming of age and growing up story part of it. The end is unexpected (the story of Anti), wow, what an imagination and what a great ending. Sad, but also good. Just as you thought you knew it all, the story takes an unexpected turn. Really loved this book, it seems to be a debut of writer James Scudamore. I will be looking out for his next book! 4.5 stars for an excellent book.

[Kaite Stover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anti and Fabian are unlikely friends in Quito, Ecuador who share a love for outlandish storytelling and yearn to "discover" something remarkable. While they talk about everything, one subject goes unmentioned--the deaths of Fabian's parents. One night, after too much tequila, Favian spins the tale of his parents' demise. Anti, sympathetic, yet disbelieving, crafts a false newspaper story to demonstrate his support for Fabian and the fictions that help him get through this tragedy. However, Fabian reads the clipping and also notes the bogus story next to it, one for an Amnesia Clinic serving victims of accidents or kidnappings with no memories of who they are. Fabian is certain his mother, whose body was never recovered, is staying in the Amnesia Clinic. The boys set off on a journey that will reveal more about their friendship and future than either can imagine.

Special appeal for teens: The relationship between the two friends; the natural dialogue and the wild tale telling; the search for family will all draw in teen readers.

I enjoyed this book for its compelling story, natural and likeable characters, realistic portrayals of the adults in the teens's lives, and the sense of wonder and familiarity the boys experience with their shared world and with each other.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This adult novel definitely kept my interest and I was surprised at the ending. Two fifteen-year-old boys are friends growing up in Ecuador. That alone makes the novel different. Anti is the white outsider while Fabian is the outrageous local boy who lives with his eccentric, rich uncle. Storytelling is a central theme of this novel. The uncle can really spin a tale and the two boys eat up every word. Fabian can really tell a tale, too, and at the end of the novel, Anti is pretty good, too. I read another review that compared this novel to Life of Pi, and I agree with the comparison. Both have the "who knows what happened" plot line. Unreliable narrators are stinky!

[Natalie Awdry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read James Scudamore before and loved his writing. I have found his pace and excitement very engaging but I feel like The Amnesia Clinic just missed the mark. While the story itself was an interesting narrative, it felt obvious what was going to happen through the tale (until the end) and it wasn't as fast-paced as I would have liked.

The ending did surprise me and I did "enjoy" it but I felt that, up until that point, everything else was expected and the book trundled along in the direction I felt it would. That being said, I did enjoy it, it was an easy read and fairly enjoyable - just not as engaging when compared with Scudamore's other novels.

[Kat Doll · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Sometimes it doesn't hurt to let people believe what they want to believe', says Uncle Suarez.

I loved this so much, I am walking around with a bit of a glow on this morning. 2 teenage boys go on a journey of discovery in modern day Ecuador. Their relationship is so wonderfully painted and drawn out. From the banal subdivisions for expats in Quito, to exotic mountains and beaches, many stories are told between them, but what is real and what is invented?

5 stars you say? Absolutely. I couldn't put this down. The writing was flowing and effortless, love, love, loved it.

[LizG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imaginative story, light read, characters who drew me in, lyrical prose. I was whisked away to South America, envisioning each scene without the need for flowery descriptions. I am encouraged to leave behind a strictly literal view of life's events and allow a more creative interpretation that appreciates the magic of life. Facts and figures are, after all, rather mundane. Do we really need to see ALL of life strictly in those terms? Calls to mind a certain reminiscence of The Life of Pi.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scudamore's prose is as majestic and lush as the Ecuadorian landscape he describes in The Amnesia Clinic. Details both gorgeous and gritty are relayed with equal linguistic delicacy. Nostalgia infuses the pages of this novel, both for Ecuadorian culture and for the carefree life of boyhood. Ultimately, The Amnesia Clinic illuminates the power of nostalgia, and it's potentially dangerous grip on our perception of reality.

[bobbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was good kinda "the beach-ish".

plays with the reliability of the narrator, how memory toys with our version of events, perspective... all things i'm very interested in, in writing and life.

so, i enjoyed it, but it did lack something to fuse my emotions to it. something in the writing held me at length a little as a reader.