One of the Things I Can't Forget

Miranda Kenneally.  She's not for everyone.  Her books are good at addressing subjects that make some people feel uncomfortable.  They're pretty real, and even if the relationships in them are paced quickly, you can tell that she captures the feelings quite well.  I always feel something when I read one of her books.


Soooo admission: Of her Hundred Oaks series, I read books 1, 2, and 4.  I don't know why I didn't read lucky #3, but I never got around to it.  So last night, I finally decided I needed to buy this book, and Ohmygravy it was worth it.

Things I Can't Forget by Miranda Kenneally is about a girl named Kate.  She's reeling because of a huge decision she played a part in, and the regret she feels for doing something that strongly contradicts what she sees as her faith is astoundingly real.  Then she goes to work at church camp, where she meets Matt, the adorable literature major who was her first kiss when she was eleven.  The camp itself is known for giving out signs from God, and she's desperate to have him tell her there's a way for her to be forgiven.


This is a story about faith.  Kate, who has always been made fun of for her abundant eagerness to do everything exactly as she learned it in church, is at a breaking point, where she has to figure out that faith is a very personal thing and no one worships God the exact same way.


The story itself is not the perfect story.  It's clearly not going to be for everyone, and some of the scenes are cheesy in a cute way.  But it is for anyone who is struggling to reconcile their beliefs (whether religious or not) with those of others.  The heartbreak this girl feels over trying to decide where she truly wants to stand really hit me.


Also, Matt.  We can't leave out such an integral part of the story.  Early on, we learn that Matt was picked on a lot as a child, made fun of for playing guitar and writing his own music.  At camp, when he was 13 and she was 11, he was asking for something to give him a reason to live.  Then little Kate came along and asked him to play for her, and that basically shaped how his life ended up. With characters from the others books thrown into the novel, it really showed how people's beliefs shape who they are and how they interact with others.


I was oddly connected to this book.  Not for the writing, though the light way Kenneally pushes these issues definitely helps more people to connect.  Not for the characters, though Kate and Matt are good for each other.  I connected to the message.


And even if it was a little cheesy, it's still one of the Things I Can't Forget.