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THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES PB
Thanks for the Memories
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
909 people are currently reading
25108 people want to read
About the author
Cecelia Ahern
99 books19.5k followersCecelia Ahern was born and grew up in Dublin. She is now published in nearly fifty countries, and has sold over twenty-five million copies of her novels worldwide. Two of her books have been adapted as films and she has created several TV series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,544 reviews
June 23, 2017
Ένα υπέροχο βιβλίο. Απολαυστικά συγκινητικό και ευχάριστα κωμικό σε αρκετά σημεία με γρήγορη εξέλιξη και τοσο ενδιαφέρουσα υπόθεση που δεν το αφήνεις πριν το τελειώσεις.
Το καλύτερο από τα τρία βιβλία της Cecelia Ahern που έχω διαβάσει.
Παρόλο που αυτό το οποίο συμβαίνει στην ιστορία μας και περιγράφεται τοσο όμορφα δεν ειναι επιστημονικά τεκμηριωμένο ούτε κοινώς αποδεκτό, καταφέρνει να πείσει τον αναγνώστη και ίσως ίσως να τον βάλει σε σκέψεις για την αντιμετώπιση ή τα αποτελέσματα ενός τέτοιου συμβάντος αν υποθέσουμε πως ισχύει!!
Επίσης, καταφέρνει την απόλυτη ταύτιση και σίγουρα οι περισσότεροι θα βρουν πολλα κοινά σημεία στις διαπροσωπικές τους σχέσεις με αυτές των ηρώων του βιβλίου.
Η συγγραφέας περιγράφει εξαιρετικά με απίστευτη τρυφερότητα αληθινά συναισθήματα μέσα από οικογενειακες,φιλικές,κοινωνικές και ερωτικες σχέσεις και αντιδράσεις που εχουμε βιώσει ή λαχταράμε να βιώσουμε όλοι.
Αγωνία και συμπόνοια μαζί με ενδιαφέρον και θαυμασμό ειναι ότι λιγότερο μπορείς να αισθανθείς μέχρι την τελευταία σελίδα,όπου όλοι κατανοούν και πιστεύουν πως πραγματικά και αδιαπραγμάτευτα όσο υπάρχει η ανθρώπινη υπόσταση, τα πάντα μπορεί να χαθούν να αλλάξουν και να καταστραφούν έκτος από τις αναμνήσεις...!
Καλή ανάγνωση!
Πολλούς ασπασμούς!!
Το καλύτερο από τα τρία βιβλία της Cecelia Ahern που έχω διαβάσει.
Παρόλο που αυτό το οποίο συμβαίνει στην ιστορία μας και περιγράφεται τοσο όμορφα δεν ειναι επιστημονικά τεκμηριωμένο ούτε κοινώς αποδεκτό, καταφέρνει να πείσει τον αναγνώστη και ίσως ίσως να τον βάλει σε σκέψεις για την αντιμετώπιση ή τα αποτελέσματα ενός τέτοιου συμβάντος αν υποθέσουμε πως ισχύει!!
Επίσης, καταφέρνει την απόλυτη ταύτιση και σίγουρα οι περισσότεροι θα βρουν πολλα κοινά σημεία στις διαπροσωπικές τους σχέσεις με αυτές των ηρώων του βιβλίου.
Η συγγραφέας περιγράφει εξαιρετικά με απίστευτη τρυφερότητα αληθινά συναισθήματα μέσα από οικογενειακες,φιλικές,κοινωνικές και ερωτικες σχέσεις και αντιδράσεις που εχουμε βιώσει ή λαχταράμε να βιώσουμε όλοι.
Αγωνία και συμπόνοια μαζί με ενδιαφέρον και θαυμασμό ειναι ότι λιγότερο μπορείς να αισθανθείς μέχρι την τελευταία σελίδα,όπου όλοι κατανοούν και πιστεύουν πως πραγματικά και αδιαπραγμάτευτα όσο υπάρχει η ανθρώπινη υπόσταση, τα πάντα μπορεί να χαθούν να αλλάξουν και να καταστραφούν έκτος από τις αναμνήσεις...!
Καλή ανάγνωση!
Πολλούς ασπασμούς!!
February 24, 2012
How is it possible to know someone you've never met?
With her marriage already in pieces, Joyce Conway nearly lost everything else. But she survived the terrible accident - and now, inexplicably, she can remember faces she has never seen, cobblestone Parisian streets she's never visited.
Thanks For The Memories is like a bubble gum, it stretches until it bursts. And unfortunately my patience stretched and burst with it and then I wasn't interested in what was to happen next, not at all. I indeed wouldn't mind if Joyce went nuts and killed everyone around her, well, perhaps I would be even glad because it would be more interesting than waiting for her encounter with Justin all the time.
And I didn't like Justin, he was sooo selfish and such a pig to Sarah and then there is that odd blood transfusion.. Occasional fits of laughter and my resolve not to abandon yet another book were the only things that made me finish it, neverthless I skimmed a lot and the ending wasn't worth the effort. I was waiting for one scene, expecting it to be great and that scene came only at the very last pages and left me mad. Was I waiting for that all the time?!
With her marriage already in pieces, Joyce Conway nearly lost everything else. But she survived the terrible accident - and now, inexplicably, she can remember faces she has never seen, cobblestone Parisian streets she's never visited.
Thanks For The Memories is like a bubble gum, it stretches until it bursts. And unfortunately my patience stretched and burst with it and then I wasn't interested in what was to happen next, not at all. I indeed wouldn't mind if Joyce went nuts and killed everyone around her, well, perhaps I would be even glad because it would be more interesting than waiting for her encounter with Justin all the time.
And I didn't like Justin, he was sooo selfish and such a pig to Sarah and then there is that odd blood transfusion.. Occasional fits of laughter and my resolve not to abandon yet another book were the only things that made me finish it, neverthless I skimmed a lot and the ending wasn't worth the effort. I was waiting for one scene, expecting it to be great and that scene came only at the very last pages and left me mad. Was I waiting for that all the time?!
February 7, 2012
"Sometimes we need all the glue we can get, just to hold ourselves together." This is one book that I just didn't want to have an end. It taught me so much. Specially the things that I knew but couldn't quite come one to. Thanks for the Memories has two parallel stories looking for one common destination. An Irish woman Joyce has just had a tsunami of troubled times in her life. She's going through the loss of her unborn child, a failed marriage and has to face all those sorry faces that she could clearly do without. She has her 75 year old father with her (the best best BEST character in the book who'd make you laugh your hearts out), and her two best friends, indeed. An American man Justin, who has moved across the country just to be close to his daughter Bea, is recovering from his divorce. An art and architecture freak, he comes to Dublin as a guest lecturer and has to donate his blood just to get in the good books of this gorgeous doctor Sarah. This blood saves Joyce's life when she has the miscarriage. After the blood transfusion, Joyce learns Latin and Italian overnight; apart from the great, great knowledge about the Renaissance Paintings and architecture. The rest is for you to find out! :P
It is an amazing, amazing story which would make you laugh and smile through the tears. This fiction, ironically, will help you a great deal in going through the reality and not to forget, a better understanding of life and death and everything in between!
Happy Reading! :)
It is an amazing, amazing story which would make you laugh and smile through the tears. This fiction, ironically, will help you a great deal in going through the reality and not to forget, a better understanding of life and death and everything in between!
Happy Reading! :)
July 31, 2022
I really got into this as there has been reports of this happening in real life which made it feel more timely and relevant and I though it was a great concept to tap into in this format.
Five stars.
Five stars.
March 30, 2016
Thanks for the Memories is a standalone, women's fiction novel written by Cecelia Ahern. This book has a bit of magical realism added to it that gave it a pretty unique storyline. Imagine having a blood transfusion and suddenly being linked to the donor and vice versa. Pretty unreal, huh? Overall, I thought Thanks for the Memories was fun, sweet, and creative. But...Ms. Ahern took the slow lane on the highway just to go to the corner store in my opinion. This would have been the perfect plot for a short story versus a full-length novel. It's slow-going and long and I felt it for sure. I won't be reading this for a second time but it was an OK read overall. I had to add a star to my initial 2-star rating because you know it's Cecelia Ahern ♥
My favorite quote:
“We all get lost once in a while, sometimes by choice, sometimes due to forces beyond our control. When we learn what it is our soul needs to learn, the path presents itself. Sometimes we see the way out but wander further and deeper despite ourselves; the fear, the anger or the sadness preventing us returning. Sometimes we prefer to be lost and wandering, sometimes it's easier. Sometimes we find our own way out. But regardless, always, we are found.”
My favorite quote:
“We all get lost once in a while, sometimes by choice, sometimes due to forces beyond our control. When we learn what it is our soul needs to learn, the path presents itself. Sometimes we see the way out but wander further and deeper despite ourselves; the fear, the anger or the sadness preventing us returning. Sometimes we prefer to be lost and wandering, sometimes it's easier. Sometimes we find our own way out. But regardless, always, we are found.”
July 17, 2015
What a wonderful book!!!! This book was one of those rare books that grabbed me from the first chapter, one that you can't put down, you just have to keep reading to find out what is going to happen to the characters and you read as fast as you possibly can.
This was such a beautifully told story from the first page to the last. I loved the diversity of the characters, the pain, the relationships, I laughed until I nearly cried and then I cried when I felt their pain.
The story is set mainly in Ireland and in a clever way tells you about a lot of the local architecture. It is about 2 people whose lives cross in a most unusual way and their, at times hilarious interactions with their own families and friends. There is a scene in a hotel room between Joyce and her Dad when they laugh hysterically and just can't stop, then her elderly father laughs so hard he farts (her word not mine) and then has a little 'accident'. This scene was so funny I had tears rolling down my face. It also had a touch of fairytale magic in it, yet was more a story about family relationships than romance.
So thank you to Cecelia Ahern for a very entertaining book, I will definitely read more of your books now!
This was such a beautifully told story from the first page to the last. I loved the diversity of the characters, the pain, the relationships, I laughed until I nearly cried and then I cried when I felt their pain.
The story is set mainly in Ireland and in a clever way tells you about a lot of the local architecture. It is about 2 people whose lives cross in a most unusual way and their, at times hilarious interactions with their own families and friends. There is a scene in a hotel room between Joyce and her Dad when they laugh hysterically and just can't stop, then her elderly father laughs so hard he farts (her word not mine) and then has a little 'accident'. This scene was so funny I had tears rolling down my face. It also had a touch of fairytale magic in it, yet was more a story about family relationships than romance.
So thank you to Cecelia Ahern for a very entertaining book, I will definitely read more of your books now!
June 27, 2017
Although I started reading this book and got a reading slump I started reading it all over right from the start and I just finished it today and I totally loved it. *happy dancing*
It was a very interesting story, something that I never heard of, and I didn't expect this at all. I just loved the way that every chapter kept blowing my mind.
It had some little jokes and funny parts that made me smile and laugh,
but sometimes it was a bit annoying like the parts when Joyce's dad kept talking on how to make "jealous" an old man named Donald, by having a nice trip. And although he is a nice person sometimes he really annoyed me.
Anyway, Joyce and Justin's adventures kept making me so excited. They basically saw each-other almost everywhere they went and it was so adorable, so lovely to see them struggle just to meet. And then in the end the things were complicated but they made it, although I didn't like the ending that much,it could have lasted a few more pages before the end but it was cute and it still works. [image error]
I gave this book 5/5 stars because it has a beautiful and very mysterious story, it is told in two different perspectives: one from Joyce's and the other one from Justin's, the story never got boring, the author gave lots of information of architecture, art, some info of deja vu, deja vecu and deja senti, some blood donation information,trips and a lot of stuff, and there were a few inspiring quotes like: "I've got the big remote control of life in my hands, and I'm ready to start pushing some buttons." "Sometimes we need all the glue we can get, just to hold ourselves together." "Don't let anybody dictate your speed." "Down I go, falling, then floating,and falling again, I wait for the land of my life."
In three words I can say: I loved it.
[image error]
It was a very interesting story, something that I never heard of, and I didn't expect this at all. I just loved the way that every chapter kept blowing my mind.
It had some little jokes and funny parts that made me smile and laugh,
but sometimes it was a bit annoying like the parts when Joyce's dad kept talking on how to make "jealous" an old man named Donald, by having a nice trip. And although he is a nice person sometimes he really annoyed me.
Anyway, Joyce and Justin's adventures kept making me so excited. They basically saw each-other almost everywhere they went and it was so adorable, so lovely to see them struggle just to meet. And then in the end the things were complicated but they made it, although I didn't like the ending that much,it could have lasted a few more pages before the end but it was cute and it still works. [image error]
I gave this book 5/5 stars because it has a beautiful and very mysterious story, it is told in two different perspectives: one from Joyce's and the other one from Justin's, the story never got boring, the author gave lots of information of architecture, art, some info of deja vu, deja vecu and deja senti, some blood donation information,trips and a lot of stuff, and there were a few inspiring quotes like: "I've got the big remote control of life in my hands, and I'm ready to start pushing some buttons." "Sometimes we need all the glue we can get, just to hold ourselves together." "Don't let anybody dictate your speed." "Down I go, falling, then floating,and falling again, I wait for the land of my life."
In three words I can say: I loved it.
[image error]
April 22, 2014
I picked up this book because of the blurb on the back that said, "Cecelia Ahern is queen of the modern fairytale." I love fairytales, and I thought that a chick lit book with a fairytale feel would be awesome.
But it seems that whoever wrote that blurb has never actually read a fairytale, only knows that they have something to do with magic. Or something. And this book does have one incredibly unlikely magical element, which is already hard to buy into.
So you know that the hero and the heroine are fated to be together from the very beginning. Unfortunately, they're both too childish, immature, and downright stupid to be able to manage it. The book would be about 50 pages long, if either character had a grain of sense to them. Since they don't, they manage to drag on the tale for 489 pages, by the end of which, I was hoping more for some kind of crippling accident to put them out of my misery than the promised "happy ending."
But lo, there was no "rocks fall, everyone dies" moment, and everyone is happy by the end. Lalalala.
Whatever.
But it seems that whoever wrote that blurb has never actually read a fairytale, only knows that they have something to do with magic. Or something. And this book does have one incredibly unlikely magical element, which is already hard to buy into.
So you know that the hero and the heroine are fated to be together from the very beginning. Unfortunately, they're both too childish, immature, and downright stupid to be able to manage it. The book would be about 50 pages long, if either character had a grain of sense to them. Since they don't, they manage to drag on the tale for 489 pages, by the end of which, I was hoping more for some kind of crippling accident to put them out of my misery than the promised "happy ending."
But lo, there was no "rocks fall, everyone dies" moment, and everyone is happy by the end. Lalalala.
Whatever.
July 26, 2010
Thanks for the Memories is the latest book by Cecelia Ahern, acclaimed author of bestseller PS I Love You as well as the youngest daughter of former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern. The 28-year-old seems to have all going well for her: Her third novel, If You Could See Me Now, will be the second novel adaptation hitting the screens soon while her fourth novel, A Place Called Here, is to be made into a US TV series.
After a devastating miscarriage which also spells the last of her fast falling apart marriage, Joyce Conway moves in with her muddled and eccentric father. She begins recalling memories that do not belong to her. Instead, they belong to Justin Hitchcock, a divorced architecture guest lecturer in Dublin.
Despite reading several rave reviews of Thanks for the Memories and of the author herself, I was unable to apprehend the book's success. Barely reading up to a third of the book, it became so obvious what happened that it left me wondering when I would reach the romantic climax. I must say, I was kept waiting for a pretty long time. First I had to suspend all disbelief of the premise that two individuals might be connected through a blood transfusion. Second, after much waiting, there was hardly much of a romantic climax per say. The two instantly deemed each other perfect upon finding out the source of their connection. Third, the book delivers far less than expected – characters show much promise with fun-loving, vegetarian Joyce and a geeky-cute architecture lecturer of a love interest. Interestingly, the supporting cast, Joyce's father, proves much more entertaining to read instead.
That said, it was characters like this that kept me through the book. Otherwise, Thanks for the Memories was hardly a chick lit read and only worth an attempt by Ahern's avid fans.
For more book reviews, visit FreshGrads Reads. We also do reviews on food, movies and more in Singapore. Check us out here!
After a devastating miscarriage which also spells the last of her fast falling apart marriage, Joyce Conway moves in with her muddled and eccentric father. She begins recalling memories that do not belong to her. Instead, they belong to Justin Hitchcock, a divorced architecture guest lecturer in Dublin.
Despite reading several rave reviews of Thanks for the Memories and of the author herself, I was unable to apprehend the book's success. Barely reading up to a third of the book, it became so obvious what happened that it left me wondering when I would reach the romantic climax. I must say, I was kept waiting for a pretty long time. First I had to suspend all disbelief of the premise that two individuals might be connected through a blood transfusion. Second, after much waiting, there was hardly much of a romantic climax per say. The two instantly deemed each other perfect upon finding out the source of their connection. Third, the book delivers far less than expected – characters show much promise with fun-loving, vegetarian Joyce and a geeky-cute architecture lecturer of a love interest. Interestingly, the supporting cast, Joyce's father, proves much more entertaining to read instead.
That said, it was characters like this that kept me through the book. Otherwise, Thanks for the Memories was hardly a chick lit read and only worth an attempt by Ahern's avid fans.
For more book reviews, visit FreshGrads Reads. We also do reviews on food, movies and more in Singapore. Check us out here!
August 24, 2018
Thanks for the memories is hilarious, moving and sad all at the same time, I've read this book about 4 times now and it never gets old I still find myself giggling when I put it down.
I really do highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a little cry and a fun pick me up 😂
I really do highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a little cry and a fun pick me up 😂
May 13, 2017
I normally enjoy Cecelia Ahern's books. Firstly, she writes with elegance, humour and skill; and her books draw you in to a world that is often strange and whimsical, but nonetheless very real and believable. I liked the sound of this one - the little teasers piqued my interest and I thought 'this sounds good'. It started well, good character development and scene setting so that I was drawn in very quickly. Then ... I just lost interest or perhaps concern about the characters. I just did not care what happened to them. It was okay - a great beach read - but I was disappointed. So much so, that I abandoned it half way through and returned to it many weeks later! I never do that with books so I am mystified. It might just be me so I am reluctant to condemn it but I just could not get excited.
January 18, 2018
”He told me that story way back when I sucked my thumb and when he was as big as an oak tree. When mum’s yawns sounded like songs. When we were all together. When I had no idea there would ever come a time when we wouldn’t be. When we used to have chats in the garden, under the weeping willow. Where I always used to hide and where he always found me. When nothing was impossible and when the three of us, together forever, was a given.”
3.5/5
The narrative follows two very different people as their lives begin to entwine. Justin is visiting Dublin to give a lecture on art and is persuaded to give blood. Joyce has just awoken after a terrible accident which has caused her to lose her baby and, by the looks of it, her marriage too. After the accident she has a blood transfusion to save her life and suddenly remembers things that have never happened to her, and information she didn't know before. The pair have never met and yet are magically drawn to one another, due to Justin's blood saving Joyce's life.
Both Joyce and Justin have become despondent with their lives; Joyce moves in with her father after the accident and her marriage falls apart. Justin is divorced and spends most of his time traveling around giving lectures to students that he feels really aren't that interested. Their paths cross several times throughout the story, and each time they meet they become ever closer.
I cried and I laughed more than I thought I would. The narrative is somewhat predictable and the story got slow and boring at times, but Thanks for the Memories is still a compelling read and makes for a delightful, if somewhat unbelievable, love story.
3.5/5
The narrative follows two very different people as their lives begin to entwine. Justin is visiting Dublin to give a lecture on art and is persuaded to give blood. Joyce has just awoken after a terrible accident which has caused her to lose her baby and, by the looks of it, her marriage too. After the accident she has a blood transfusion to save her life and suddenly remembers things that have never happened to her, and information she didn't know before. The pair have never met and yet are magically drawn to one another, due to Justin's blood saving Joyce's life.
Both Joyce and Justin have become despondent with their lives; Joyce moves in with her father after the accident and her marriage falls apart. Justin is divorced and spends most of his time traveling around giving lectures to students that he feels really aren't that interested. Their paths cross several times throughout the story, and each time they meet they become ever closer.
I cried and I laughed more than I thought I would. The narrative is somewhat predictable and the story got slow and boring at times, but Thanks for the Memories is still a compelling read and makes for a delightful, if somewhat unbelievable, love story.
April 28, 2009
Honestly, I wasn't a huge fan of this book. It took me a while to figure out what the problem was, because it's not that Ahern can't write. The prologue is beautifully written and sets up an intriguing mystery. Who is this woman? How pregnant is she? Has she lost the baby? How did she fall down the stairs? Who was on the phone?
I couldn't wait to get into the book and find out what happened. And then - I just didn't believe it. And I'm not even talking about the plot, as implausible as it is. (Boy donates blood, girl gets boy's blood after falling down the stairs, girls suddenly has all of the dude's memories.) The problem was that I didn't believe the characters, at all. They didn't seem like real people, they seemed like devices to churn the plot.
I feel the need to give examples of what I mean, though they probably will seem petty. Joyce's dad is described as having planned his entire life out, yet when they're in London doesn't know how to pack a suitcase and makes a disaster of it. It seems like anyone who is all about organization should be able to fold his clothes and put them in a bag. Joyce, on the other hand, is described as just rushing into things in life without thinking them through - yet she's spent the past ten years redecorating her house in a loveless marriage. Really? So, she flies by the seat of her pants, but no affairs or other craziness outside of choosing drapes in all those years of boredom? Ooooooo-kay.
Other stupid things that annoyed me: Justin, the boy blood donor, makes a slightly cheeky remark at an elderly lady in the dentist waiting room. Her response is to throw a magazine at his head. Really? That's just not really something people do, and Justin appears unsurprised and just keeps walking away. Then, Joyce again. She miscarries in the middle of her second trimester, and in one scene there is very detailed description of her pulling on her jeans. So ... she's already back in pre-pregnancy jeans? And if so, she doesn't feel a pang or anything about that during the FIVE PAGES she's busy pulling them on?
I could go on, but I suspect I'm the only one who would be interested.
Other that all that crap, though, there are other really well-written pieces sprinkled throughout the novel. At one point Ahern describes staring into a mirror, how your face looks like a stranger's. (I never knew other people did that.) The grieving that Joyce does for her baby, including her wanting to just be alone and feel self-pity - that was great. (Not for Joyce, but you know what I mean.) And the way Joyce and her dad talk about slowing down and enjoying the present rang very true for me.
So, in summary, eh. It wasn't my favorite, and I wouldn't recommend it to most people I know - though I do know a few that would probably really like it.
I couldn't wait to get into the book and find out what happened. And then - I just didn't believe it. And I'm not even talking about the plot, as implausible as it is. (Boy donates blood, girl gets boy's blood after falling down the stairs, girls suddenly has all of the dude's memories.) The problem was that I didn't believe the characters, at all. They didn't seem like real people, they seemed like devices to churn the plot.
I feel the need to give examples of what I mean, though they probably will seem petty. Joyce's dad is described as having planned his entire life out, yet when they're in London doesn't know how to pack a suitcase and makes a disaster of it. It seems like anyone who is all about organization should be able to fold his clothes and put them in a bag. Joyce, on the other hand, is described as just rushing into things in life without thinking them through - yet she's spent the past ten years redecorating her house in a loveless marriage. Really? So, she flies by the seat of her pants, but no affairs or other craziness outside of choosing drapes in all those years of boredom? Ooooooo-kay.
Other stupid things that annoyed me: Justin, the boy blood donor, makes a slightly cheeky remark at an elderly lady in the dentist waiting room. Her response is to throw a magazine at his head. Really? That's just not really something people do, and Justin appears unsurprised and just keeps walking away. Then, Joyce again. She miscarries in the middle of her second trimester, and in one scene there is very detailed description of her pulling on her jeans. So ... she's already back in pre-pregnancy jeans? And if so, she doesn't feel a pang or anything about that during the FIVE PAGES she's busy pulling them on?
I could go on, but I suspect I'm the only one who would be interested.
Other that all that crap, though, there are other really well-written pieces sprinkled throughout the novel. At one point Ahern describes staring into a mirror, how your face looks like a stranger's. (I never knew other people did that.) The grieving that Joyce does for her baby, including her wanting to just be alone and feel self-pity - that was great. (Not for Joyce, but you know what I mean.) And the way Joyce and her dad talk about slowing down and enjoying the present rang very true for me.
So, in summary, eh. It wasn't my favorite, and I wouldn't recommend it to most people I know - though I do know a few that would probably really like it.
October 29, 2016
شتاب. شتاب. شتاب. ما همیشه عجله داریم. هیچ وقت زمان کافی نداریم. نمی توانیم کمی صبر و تامل کنیم. این عجله و شتاب چه حاصلی دارد؟ آیا به خواسته هایمان می رسیم؟ آیا تصمیمات صحیح می گیریم؟.
جویس، زنی که به علت عجله برای پاسخ دادن به تلفن، از پله ها سقوط می کند و فرزندی که در شکم دارد و همین طور زندگی زناشویی اش را از دست می دهد. زمانی که جویس خون زیادی از دست داده، خون اهداکننده ای بیگانه به او تزریق شده است. خونی که مستقیما از قلب جاستین بیرون آمده است، اکنون در رگ های جویس جریان دارد. آن دو که قبل از این ماجرا بیگانه بودند، با یکدیگر پیوند می خورند. خاطرات یکیدگر را می بینند و روحیات و علایق دیگری در آن ها متاثر است.
در پرانتز
نویسنده فانتزی غیرقابل باوری ارائه می دهد. اما آیا هرچیزی که در اطراف ماست، قابل باور است؟ آیا ما فقط آنچه باور کنیم، می پذیریم؟ حتی موضوعات ساده مثل سلیقه ی دیگران ممکن است برای ما غیرقابل باور باشد. چطور کسی چیزی که از نظر ما زشت ترین است، زیبا می پندارد؟ ما هیچ گاه درک نخواهیم کرد چه طور ممکن است انسانی قساوت آمیزترین اعمال را با رضایت کامل و بدون وجدانی متاثر انجام دهد؟ ما نمی توانیم درک کنیم، اما می پذیریم که ممکن است رخ دهد.
برای خاطرات سپاسگزارم
جویس و جاستین بواسطه این پیوند خونی و خاطرات القا شده، به یکدیگر کشش پیدا می کنند. اما از طرف دیگر جویس از کانر جدا می شود. با وجود اینکه به واسطه ی ده سال زندگی مشترک، طبیعتا ده سال با یکدیگر خاطرات مشترک داشته اند؛ حتی ممکن است خاطراتی از گذشته ی خودشان را برای دیگری بازگو کرده باشند؛ روحیات و علایق شان بر دیگری تاثیر گذاشته باشد و چه بسا مشابه شده باشد. سوال اینجاست که چطور صرفا خاطرات غریبه ای کشش و علاقه می آورد؟ آیا داشتن خاطرات مشترک برای رابطه ای استحکام می آورد؟ آیا بابت هر خاطره ای باید سپاسگزار بود؟
البته شاید اگر داستان، کمی قبل از حادثه شروع می شد، و خواننده درک بهتری از شخصیت کانر پیدا می کرد، همسو با جویس خواستار جدایی می بود.
جویس، زنی که به علت عجله برای پاسخ دادن به تلفن، از پله ها سقوط می کند و فرزندی که در شکم دارد و همین طور زندگی زناشویی اش را از دست می دهد. زمانی که جویس خون زیادی از دست داده، خون اهداکننده ای بیگانه به او تزریق شده است. خونی که مستقیما از قلب جاستین بیرون آمده است، اکنون در رگ های جویس جریان دارد. آن دو که قبل از این ماجرا بیگانه بودند، با یکدیگر پیوند می خورند. خاطرات یکیدگر را می بینند و روحیات و علایق دیگری در آن ها متاثر است.
در پرانتز
نویسنده فانتزی غیرقابل باوری ارائه می دهد. اما آیا هرچیزی که در اطراف ماست، قابل باور است؟ آیا ما فقط آنچه باور کنیم، می پذیریم؟ حتی موضوعات ساده مثل سلیقه ی دیگران ممکن است برای ما غیرقابل باور باشد. چطور کسی چیزی که از نظر ما زشت ترین است، زیبا می پندارد؟ ما هیچ گاه درک نخواهیم کرد چه طور ممکن است انسانی قساوت آمیزترین اعمال را با رضایت کامل و بدون وجدانی متاثر انجام دهد؟ ما نمی توانیم درک کنیم، اما می پذیریم که ممکن است رخ دهد.
برای خاطرات سپاسگزارم
جویس و جاستین بواسطه این پیوند خونی و خاطرات القا شده، به یکدیگر کشش پیدا می کنند. اما از طرف دیگر جویس از کانر جدا می شود. با وجود اینکه به واسطه ی ده سال زندگی مشترک، طبیعتا ده سال با یکدیگر خاطرات مشترک داشته اند؛ حتی ممکن است خاطراتی از گذشته ی خودشان را برای دیگری بازگو کرده باشند؛ روحیات و علایق شان بر دیگری تاثیر گذاشته باشد و چه بسا مشابه شده باشد. سوال اینجاست که چطور صرفا خاطرات غریبه ای کشش و علاقه می آورد؟ آیا داشتن خاطرات مشترک برای رابطه ای استحکام می آورد؟ آیا بابت هر خاطره ای باید سپاسگزار بود؟
البته شاید اگر داستان، کمی قبل از حادثه شروع می شد، و خواننده درک بهتری از شخصیت کانر پیدا می کرد، همسو با جویس خواستار جدایی می بود.
April 2, 2011
If anybody asked me what three things I'd like to take with me on an island, I would say 2 books and a sunscreen lotion. I had two books with me on my trip to Koh Chang (Elephant Island), and one of them was Thanks for the Memories.
The reason I bought this book was P.S. I Love You, the movie. I just loved that movie (I must confess Gerard Butler helped a lot in that regard) and even though I haven’t read the book this movie was based on or any other book by this author for that matter, I decided it was time to break the ice.
Thanks for the Memories is what I like to refer to as ‘light reading’. After “The Poisonwood Bible” and “The Passage” I felt the need for something different, something romantic and more optimistic.
The story is pretty uncomplicated and even though you can see where it’s going, it’s the journey that counts and not the destination, as the saying goes.
Joyce and Justin (it almost sounds like Jack and Jill, doesn’t it) are two people at a crossroads in their lives and it almost felt like fate said, let’s take these two and put them together, they would do just fine. How that happens is a bit out of the ordinary and without giving too much away I can safely say it was quite fun to read as Joyce decided to follow her instincts and walk the path that would eventually take her to Justin.
Even though the book doesn’t start on a lighter note, there are quite a few scenes and characters too, that soon change that. Joyce’s father spices things up a bit in a very old fashioned and endearing way, followed closely by Justin’s sister in law whose “inch-long leopard print nails and skin-tight leather-trouser-clad hips” brought back to mind Peggy Bundy from the “Married with Children” tv series.
All in all an entertaining read, just perfect for a day on the beach under a big tree with the sun winking cheerfully through the leaves above and the sound of the waves in the background.
The reason I bought this book was P.S. I Love You, the movie. I just loved that movie (I must confess Gerard Butler helped a lot in that regard) and even though I haven’t read the book this movie was based on or any other book by this author for that matter, I decided it was time to break the ice.
Thanks for the Memories is what I like to refer to as ‘light reading’. After “The Poisonwood Bible” and “The Passage” I felt the need for something different, something romantic and more optimistic.
The story is pretty uncomplicated and even though you can see where it’s going, it’s the journey that counts and not the destination, as the saying goes.
Joyce and Justin (it almost sounds like Jack and Jill, doesn’t it) are two people at a crossroads in their lives and it almost felt like fate said, let’s take these two and put them together, they would do just fine. How that happens is a bit out of the ordinary and without giving too much away I can safely say it was quite fun to read as Joyce decided to follow her instincts and walk the path that would eventually take her to Justin.
Even though the book doesn’t start on a lighter note, there are quite a few scenes and characters too, that soon change that. Joyce’s father spices things up a bit in a very old fashioned and endearing way, followed closely by Justin’s sister in law whose “inch-long leopard print nails and skin-tight leather-trouser-clad hips” brought back to mind Peggy Bundy from the “Married with Children” tv series.
All in all an entertaining read, just perfect for a day on the beach under a big tree with the sun winking cheerfully through the leaves above and the sound of the waves in the background.
February 4, 2009
After a horrible accident, Joyce Conway is trying to put her life back together.
Her life and her marriage are in pieces, but Joyce tries to get back to living a normal life, despite advice from others. But something is stopping her.
She keeps having dreams of a beautiful blond haired girl, of places she has never been. She knows things that she shouldn’t about art, about architecture. She sees a beautiful woman in her dreams.
Joyce sees and knows things she should not know. And it all started after her accident. Wanting to get to the bottom of things, to discover the reason for her newfound knowledge, Joyce tracks down her blood donor…
Justin Hitchcock is a lonely man.
He hasn’t dated since his marriage broke up. Instead, he contends himself with touring universities, talking about art, about the only thing he has passion for in life. He knows he’s lonely, knows that he needs to heal.
What he doesn’t know is that his life is about to change.
When a beautiful woman convinces Justin to give blood for the universities blood drive, Justin has no idea that giving away a few drops of his blood will change his life forever. He has no idea that by giving something from his heart, he may receive the very things he needs to heal it…
I have been a long time fan of Cecelia Ahern since her novel P.S. I Love You. I also never miss an episode of her hit show, Samantha Who. Even so, I wondered how good her new novel would be; no one can be so consistently funny, it just doesn’t happened.
Well, with Thanks for the Memories, the impossible has indeed happened! This is a heartwarming, laugh out loud romantic comedy that has everything you could want: laughs, strong characters, excellent writing, wonderful plot twists and a happy ending.
Though the novel requires you to suspend your disbelief for a moment or two, that’s okay because the characters make this story worth it. Joyce’s father, Justin and Justin’s friends are stand out secondary characters made all the more enjoyable because of Justin and Joyce themselves.
They’re such wonderful characters; you’re rooting for them to get together from the very beginning of the novel. It’s rate that I read a novel with such a wonderful cast of characters, but Ahern has created wonderful people that I actually cared about by the time the book was over.
Thanks for the memories is a magical, incredible read that will hook you from the first page and not let go. It’s summer reading at it’s best and an absolute delight. If you read one good book this summer, make sure it’s this one.
You’ll remember it for a long time to come.
Her life and her marriage are in pieces, but Joyce tries to get back to living a normal life, despite advice from others. But something is stopping her.
She keeps having dreams of a beautiful blond haired girl, of places she has never been. She knows things that she shouldn’t about art, about architecture. She sees a beautiful woman in her dreams.
Joyce sees and knows things she should not know. And it all started after her accident. Wanting to get to the bottom of things, to discover the reason for her newfound knowledge, Joyce tracks down her blood donor…
Justin Hitchcock is a lonely man.
He hasn’t dated since his marriage broke up. Instead, he contends himself with touring universities, talking about art, about the only thing he has passion for in life. He knows he’s lonely, knows that he needs to heal.
What he doesn’t know is that his life is about to change.
When a beautiful woman convinces Justin to give blood for the universities blood drive, Justin has no idea that giving away a few drops of his blood will change his life forever. He has no idea that by giving something from his heart, he may receive the very things he needs to heal it…
I have been a long time fan of Cecelia Ahern since her novel P.S. I Love You. I also never miss an episode of her hit show, Samantha Who. Even so, I wondered how good her new novel would be; no one can be so consistently funny, it just doesn’t happened.
Well, with Thanks for the Memories, the impossible has indeed happened! This is a heartwarming, laugh out loud romantic comedy that has everything you could want: laughs, strong characters, excellent writing, wonderful plot twists and a happy ending.
Though the novel requires you to suspend your disbelief for a moment or two, that’s okay because the characters make this story worth it. Joyce’s father, Justin and Justin’s friends are stand out secondary characters made all the more enjoyable because of Justin and Joyce themselves.
They’re such wonderful characters; you’re rooting for them to get together from the very beginning of the novel. It’s rate that I read a novel with such a wonderful cast of characters, but Ahern has created wonderful people that I actually cared about by the time the book was over.
Thanks for the memories is a magical, incredible read that will hook you from the first page and not let go. It’s summer reading at it’s best and an absolute delight. If you read one good book this summer, make sure it’s this one.
You’ll remember it for a long time to come.
November 17, 2010
A bookclub choice that I was excited about reading after not reading a romantic novel for ages! I read the whole thing but the story was so unbelievable that I actually got so irritated with it but at the same time was being lightly entertained and had to finish it to see what happened in the end. When I was younger I used to devour these kinds of books and read one after the other but maybe my tastes have changed and I'm not such a romantic anymore?! (How sad!) I normally rate books well if I learned something while reading it and I didn't learn anything from this book!
My favourite parts of the book was the relationship that Joyce has with her father and their visit to London and the Antiques Roadshow was amusing so it wasn't all bad.
My favourite parts of the book was the relationship that Joyce has with her father and their visit to London and the Antiques Roadshow was amusing so it wasn't all bad.
January 30, 2021
I’m allowing this to become my second DNF of the year. I just can’t stand this book. I reached page one hundred something and literally nothing is happening, like the “bizarre action” that is supposed to jumpstart the story is so obvious and silly. I felt this book pushing me into a reading slump, so I just decided to let myself not finish it. Why waste my time when I could be reading something I love?
Such a disappointing start on Ahern’s books.
Such a disappointing start on Ahern’s books.
November 27, 2016
3.5 stars (but not enough to round up)
This book had its moments… but not enough of them. It was basically “Sleepless in Seattle” with a twist.
This book had its moments… but not enough of them. It was basically “Sleepless in Seattle” with a twist.
August 7, 2018
Easy, enjoyable read. Fans of Cecelia Ahern would love it.
April 16, 2015
This is a “will they, won’t they” story with a magical twist. After an accident Joyce finds she “knows” things that she had no knowledge of before – she has acquired an expert knowledge of the arts and architecture. She now likes ballet and opera. Heck, she is even eating meat again after years of being a vegetarian! Even more strange is the fact that she is “seeing” someone else’s memories.
On one of his regular work visits to Dublin, Justin bumps into Joyce, the girl he comes to know as the “girl in the red coat” and immediately feels a connection to her. He keeps bumping into her and losing her time and time again and the story really has you wondering whether or not they will ever get to meet each other and get to know each other properly.
It is a charming, witty and often moving read and on the whole, I really enjoyed the story but, unlike other Cecelia Aherne books, I wasn’t gripped and quite often found myself skimming pages.
On one of his regular work visits to Dublin, Justin bumps into Joyce, the girl he comes to know as the “girl in the red coat” and immediately feels a connection to her. He keeps bumping into her and losing her time and time again and the story really has you wondering whether or not they will ever get to meet each other and get to know each other properly.
It is a charming, witty and often moving read and on the whole, I really enjoyed the story but, unlike other Cecelia Aherne books, I wasn’t gripped and quite often found myself skimming pages.
June 29, 2015
I really enjoyed this, and every time I read a Cecelia Ahern book I am reminded why I love her writing so much. I listened to the audio book of this, and I thought it was excellent. I actually tried to read part of the physical book myself after listening to the audiobook, and I found that I actually preferred listening to the voice of the narrator of the audiobook.
I didn't give the book a full five stars, though, just because it is completely unrealistic and is more fun than believable. Also, I wasn't a huge fan of Justin, and I felt like he spent the majority of the book saying sorry for being a kind of sucky person.
Anyway, it was a fun story that kept me interested and had me laughing, feeling sad, excited, joyful, etc. and if was a very good read!
I didn't give the book a full five stars, though, just because it is completely unrealistic and is more fun than believable. Also, I wasn't a huge fan of Justin, and I felt like he spent the majority of the book saying sorry for being a kind of sucky person.
Anyway, it was a fun story that kept me interested and had me laughing, feeling sad, excited, joyful, etc. and if was a very good read!
June 7, 2020
I wonder where Cecelia Ahern gets all these interesting, creative and magical ideas from. The hint of magic she has in all her contemporary fiction stories is something I always aspire in books.
The leading lady in Thanks for the Memories, after an accident, gets a blood transfusion from a stranger - a stranger who has a lot of knowledge on architecture. And now, Joyce has miraculously been gifted with an amazing amount of knowledge on historical architecture, and an obsession on meat. She can’t figure out where all this coming from in her head, and at a point she doesn’t even care as she gets drawn to a stranger called Justin – the stranger who had anonymously donated his blood to her.
Oh my! *Squeaking*. The plotline might sound kind of dumb and funny, but trust me; the author puts everything in such an interesting and sophisticated way, that you’re going to end up loving the story. And the book had something I absolutely love and admire in all books regardless of how some individuals devotedly hated it. And that is: SLOW BURN ROMANCE. The book was filled with many beautiful quotes and explanations, some even worked therapeutically for me.
Joyce had a sweet and soft personality, but that didn’t mean she’d let people step over her. That’s something I found absolutely admirable about her. Justin was funny, handsome and interesting. But oh boy was he an arrogant soul. But as the story progressed, he grew wiser and thus nicer. I loved that about him.
However, the ending felt a little unsatisfying. Even though it was all right, I was still expecting a lot more. Some things felt undone. So, 4.5 out of 5 stars. 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The leading lady in Thanks for the Memories, after an accident, gets a blood transfusion from a stranger - a stranger who has a lot of knowledge on architecture. And now, Joyce has miraculously been gifted with an amazing amount of knowledge on historical architecture, and an obsession on meat. She can’t figure out where all this coming from in her head, and at a point she doesn’t even care as she gets drawn to a stranger called Justin – the stranger who had anonymously donated his blood to her.
Oh my! *Squeaking*. The plotline might sound kind of dumb and funny, but trust me; the author puts everything in such an interesting and sophisticated way, that you’re going to end up loving the story. And the book had something I absolutely love and admire in all books regardless of how some individuals devotedly hated it. And that is: SLOW BURN ROMANCE. The book was filled with many beautiful quotes and explanations, some even worked therapeutically for me.
Joyce had a sweet and soft personality, but that didn’t mean she’d let people step over her. That’s something I found absolutely admirable about her. Justin was funny, handsome and interesting. But oh boy was he an arrogant soul. But as the story progressed, he grew wiser and thus nicer. I loved that about him.
However, the ending felt a little unsatisfying. Even though it was all right, I was still expecting a lot more. Some things felt undone. So, 4.5 out of 5 stars. 🌟🌟🌟🌟
February 10, 2017
3,5/5 stars! It was an easy read and a sweet story, though most of the time it felt like the narration was focused more on the relationship between Joyce and her father than the actual story between the two protagonists, Joyce and Justin. Although the events are kind of surreal and not scientifically proven it's an honorable attempt at pointing out the strong connection that two people, with very little in common, may share for, sometimes, unknown reasons. Cecelia Ahern created this book as if the readers were watching an film, the action, the instant changes among scenes and characters, that kind of brought to my mind films like "Serendipity" and "In your eyes". In the end the story seemed a little rushed to me and left me quite emotionally hanging but on the whole it was a really enjoyble book! Also recommendable for doses of laughter where Joyce's adorable old father is involved! Maybe my favourite character in the book!
April 22, 2009
*spoiler alert: If I could give this book a rating less than 1 *, I would. I can't even remember the last time I did this but, I skipped to the end and read the last chapter. It had the dumbest plot. A lady is in a accident that requires a blood transformation, and soon after she has it she starts having memories, likes and dislikes of the man who gave her the blood. Thank goodness I only paid 6 euros @ Tesco for it.
September 28, 2017
Sé que no estoy siendo muy parcial con la calificación de esta novela porque quien se robo mi corazón fue Henry el papá de Joyce, la protagonista de la historia. Su sola presencia hizo que quisiera seguir leyendo.
Me he reído, me ha conmovido mucho y me ha dado una tarde maravillosa.
Es la primera novela que leo de Cecelia y voy por más a ver que sorpresas me tiene.
Léanla. La van a disfrutar mucho.
Me he reído, me ha conmovido mucho y me ha dado una tarde maravillosa.
Es la primera novela que leo de Cecelia y voy por más a ver que sorpresas me tiene.
Léanla. La van a disfrutar mucho.
March 13, 2016
Suprise .... Di bagian Akhir yang penuh mengejutkan dan mengharukan, hampir saja aku menangis hal itu. Aku suka semua karakter dalam Thanks for the memories ini. Apalagi Henry Conway, ayah Joyce yang lucu, perhatian, kocak. Seakan2 Aku terhanyut dunia Joyce dan ayahnya. Aku merasakan itu amat senyatanya. Sukaaaa sekali Joyce dan Justin.
December 26, 2019
This book touches some pretty hardcore themes like losing an unborn child or suicide. The most outstanding part of this book to me was the relationship of the MC with her father because while it's a little over the top sometimes it also paints a pretty realistic picture of what it feels like to see your parent age with all anxieties that brings with it. I'm writing this because I think for a lot of people this will be a very good book, but in the end the pace was just too slow to fully draw me in. A story with a strong start and nicely fleshed out relationships that could have used more speed in the last third.
September 13, 2010
"So what's the point in saving someone's life if they don't even know you're the one who saved them?" (p. 396)
Justin Hitchcock.
Empat puluh tahun. Duda cerai dengan satu anak. Professor dalam bidang Art and Architecture. Sinis, sedikit egois, childish, bitter. Dengan semua masalah yang dihadapinya, pengalaman pertamanya dalam mendonorkan darah mengubah semuanya.
"How can you even die when you haven't even been born yet?" (p. 416)
"I want to be on my own to grieve. I want to feel sorry for myself without sympathetic words and clinical explanations. I want to be illogical, self-pitying, self-examining, bitter and lost for just a few more days, please, world, and I want to do it alone." (p.424)
Joyce Conway.
Tiga puluh tiga tahun. Pernikahannya diambang perceraian. Tidak bahagia menjadi alasan terbesarnya, kemudian bayi yang telah ditunggu-tunggu selama ini harus pergi karena kecelakaan yang dialaminya.
Hidupnya berubah setelah kecelakaan itu. Mengapa?
"Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim. Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you." (p. 520)
Henry Conway.
Tujuh puluh lima tahun. Ayah yang menyayangi putrinya, dan mengingat mendiang istrinya, dengan caranya sendiri. Terkadang salah memanggil Joyce dengan Gracie, nama mendiang istrinya.
"When she died, he surrounded himself with all the things she adored. he put Gay (Byrne) on the radio every morning, watched Mum's television shows, bought her favorite biscuits in his weekly shopping trip even though he never ate them. He liked to see them on the shelf when he opened the cupboard, liked to see her magazines beside his newspaper. He liked her slippers staying beside her armchair by the fire. He liked to remind himself that his entire world hadn't fallen apart. Sometimes we need all the glue we can get, just to hold ourselves together." (p. 464)
"Do you miss her?"
"It's been ten years, love."
It stings that he can be so dismissive. I fold my arms and look away, silently fuming.
Dad leans closer and nudges me. "And everyday, I miss her more that I did the day before."
Oh. I immediately feel guilty for wishing that on him.
"It's like my garden, love. Everything grows. Including love. And with that growing everyday how can you expect missing her to ever fade away? Everything builds, including our ability to cope with it. That's how we keep going." (p. 594)
Cecelia Ahern sekali lagi menunjukkan kepiawaiannya dalam memengaruhi emosi pembaca.
Membaca buku ini, gue bisa ikut menangis merasakan kepedihan, terharu atas kekuatan cinta, hingga tertawa sampai keluar air mata membaca kekonyolan-kekonyolan tokoh Henry Conway.
Ide ceritanya sungguh menarik. Cukup familiar. Terasa begitu nyata dengan semua rasa sakit dan cinta yang dituliskan dilembar-lembarnya. Seakan-akan kita adalah bagian dari ceritanya. Tidak banyak penulis yang bisa menghanyutkan pembaca seperti halnya Cecelia.
Tapi buat gue, jalan cerita yang awalnya begitu nyata ini mulai terasa fiktifnya saat Joyce mengirimkan tiket opera kepada Justin melalui perantara Thomas.
Sampai disini, gue langsung berasa antiklimaks. Seperti halnya kita sedang melamunkan hal-hal yang indah, begitu indah sampai terasa seakan-akan nyata, tapi kemudian dengan satu kedipan saja semua kembali ke dunia nyata.
Tapi ini menjadi salah satu buku favorit gue lagi dari Cecelia Ahern. Kalau bukan untuk membaca kisah Joyce dan Justin, pasti untuk 'menghidupkan' Henry Conway di dalam kepala gue.
Dibawah adalah potongan dialog saat Henry dan Joyce terbang ke London, dan ini adalah pengalaman pertama bagi Henry. Di bagian ini gue ketawa ngakak kenceng banget jam 2 malem. hahaha..
'What's this for, Gracie?'
'It's a sick bag.'
'What does this do?'
'It's for hanging your coat up.'
'Why is that there?'
'It's a table.'
'How do you get it down?'
'By unlatching it, at the top.'
'Sir, please leave your table-top up until after take-off.'
Silence. *muahahahaha*
'What are they doing outside?'
'Loading the bags.'
'What's that yoke?'
'An ejector seat for people who ask three million questions.' *HUAHAHAHAHA*
'What's it, really?'
'For reclining your chair.'
'Sir, could you stay upright until after take-off please?'
Silence. *hihihihihi*
'What does that do?'
'Air conditioning.'
'What about that?'
'A light.'
'And that one?'
'Yes, sir, can I help you?'
'Eh, no, thanks.'
'You pressed the button for assistance.'
'Oh, is that what that little woman on the button is for? I didn't know. Can I have a drink of water?'
'We can't serve drinks until after take-off, sir."
Udah yah, segini aja. Nanti kalo dilanjutin yang ada gue nyalin satu buku disini hahaha..
PS: Buku yang gue baca ini sebenernya jadi satu sama buku A Place Called Here. Jadi 2 books in 1 gitu. Makanya jumlah halamannya banyak. Tapi di Goodreads, belum ada edisi bukunya. Jadi sementara dibuat terpisah dulu.
Justin Hitchcock.
Empat puluh tahun. Duda cerai dengan satu anak. Professor dalam bidang Art and Architecture. Sinis, sedikit egois, childish, bitter. Dengan semua masalah yang dihadapinya, pengalaman pertamanya dalam mendonorkan darah mengubah semuanya.
"How can you even die when you haven't even been born yet?" (p. 416)
"I want to be on my own to grieve. I want to feel sorry for myself without sympathetic words and clinical explanations. I want to be illogical, self-pitying, self-examining, bitter and lost for just a few more days, please, world, and I want to do it alone." (p.424)
Joyce Conway.
Tiga puluh tiga tahun. Pernikahannya diambang perceraian. Tidak bahagia menjadi alasan terbesarnya, kemudian bayi yang telah ditunggu-tunggu selama ini harus pergi karena kecelakaan yang dialaminya.
Hidupnya berubah setelah kecelakaan itu. Mengapa?
"Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim. Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you." (p. 520)
Henry Conway.
Tujuh puluh lima tahun. Ayah yang menyayangi putrinya, dan mengingat mendiang istrinya, dengan caranya sendiri. Terkadang salah memanggil Joyce dengan Gracie, nama mendiang istrinya.
"When she died, he surrounded himself with all the things she adored. he put Gay (Byrne) on the radio every morning, watched Mum's television shows, bought her favorite biscuits in his weekly shopping trip even though he never ate them. He liked to see them on the shelf when he opened the cupboard, liked to see her magazines beside his newspaper. He liked her slippers staying beside her armchair by the fire. He liked to remind himself that his entire world hadn't fallen apart. Sometimes we need all the glue we can get, just to hold ourselves together." (p. 464)
"Do you miss her?"
"It's been ten years, love."
It stings that he can be so dismissive. I fold my arms and look away, silently fuming.
Dad leans closer and nudges me. "And everyday, I miss her more that I did the day before."
Oh. I immediately feel guilty for wishing that on him.
"It's like my garden, love. Everything grows. Including love. And with that growing everyday how can you expect missing her to ever fade away? Everything builds, including our ability to cope with it. That's how we keep going." (p. 594)
Cecelia Ahern sekali lagi menunjukkan kepiawaiannya dalam memengaruhi emosi pembaca.
Membaca buku ini, gue bisa ikut menangis merasakan kepedihan, terharu atas kekuatan cinta, hingga tertawa sampai keluar air mata membaca kekonyolan-kekonyolan tokoh Henry Conway.
Ide ceritanya sungguh menarik. Cukup familiar. Terasa begitu nyata dengan semua rasa sakit dan cinta yang dituliskan dilembar-lembarnya. Seakan-akan kita adalah bagian dari ceritanya. Tidak banyak penulis yang bisa menghanyutkan pembaca seperti halnya Cecelia.
Tapi buat gue, jalan cerita yang awalnya begitu nyata ini mulai terasa fiktifnya saat Joyce mengirimkan tiket opera kepada Justin melalui perantara Thomas.
Sampai disini, gue langsung berasa antiklimaks. Seperti halnya kita sedang melamunkan hal-hal yang indah, begitu indah sampai terasa seakan-akan nyata, tapi kemudian dengan satu kedipan saja semua kembali ke dunia nyata.
Tapi ini menjadi salah satu buku favorit gue lagi dari Cecelia Ahern. Kalau bukan untuk membaca kisah Joyce dan Justin, pasti untuk 'menghidupkan' Henry Conway di dalam kepala gue.
Dibawah adalah potongan dialog saat Henry dan Joyce terbang ke London, dan ini adalah pengalaman pertama bagi Henry. Di bagian ini gue ketawa ngakak kenceng banget jam 2 malem. hahaha..
'What's this for, Gracie?'
'It's a sick bag.'
'What does this do?'
'It's for hanging your coat up.'
'Why is that there?'
'It's a table.'
'How do you get it down?'
'By unlatching it, at the top.'
'Sir, please leave your table-top up until after take-off.'
Silence. *muahahahaha*
'What are they doing outside?'
'Loading the bags.'
'What's that yoke?'
'An ejector seat for people who ask three million questions.' *HUAHAHAHAHA*
'What's it, really?'
'For reclining your chair.'
'Sir, could you stay upright until after take-off please?'
Silence. *hihihihihi*
'What does that do?'
'Air conditioning.'
'What about that?'
'A light.'
'And that one?'
'Yes, sir, can I help you?'
'Eh, no, thanks.'
'You pressed the button for assistance.'
'Oh, is that what that little woman on the button is for? I didn't know. Can I have a drink of water?'
'We can't serve drinks until after take-off, sir."
Udah yah, segini aja. Nanti kalo dilanjutin yang ada gue nyalin satu buku disini hahaha..
PS: Buku yang gue baca ini sebenernya jadi satu sama buku A Place Called Here. Jadi 2 books in 1 gitu. Makanya jumlah halamannya banyak. Tapi di Goodreads, belum ada edisi bukunya. Jadi sementara dibuat terpisah dulu.
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