Review - The Song Remains the Same

by: Allison Winn Scotch

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
One of only two survivors of a plane crash, Nell Slattery wakes in the hospital with no memory of the horrific experience-or who she is, or was. Now she must piece together both body and mind, with the help of family and friends, who have their own agendas. She filters through photos, art, music, and stories, hoping something will jog her memory, and soon, in tiny bits and pieces, Nell starts remembering. . . .

It isn't long before she learns to question the stories presented by her mother, her sister and business partner, and her husband. In the end, she will discover that forgiving betrayals small and large will be the only true path to healing herself-and to finding happiness

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Nell gets to reflect on the question of who we are without our memories. Does it give us a chance to start over and fix parts of ourselves that were not working right? Well maybe if you are surrounded by family who care about you more than themselves. I felt her frustration that she couldn't get a straight answer out of anyone around her. And I was supper annoyed with her sister and husband...you'll have to read the story to find out why.

The characters were very complex, and the story was so well written that hours disappeared as I read this. I liked Nell and her ability to roll with complete amnesia. The lady chose to change how she behaved based on what her sister and mother told her about who she was before. Then there was the actor she survived the plane crash with. He remembered the crash and had another fight on his hands - getting over the mental trauma. He said that Nell saved his life and forged an everlasting friendship with her. He stood up for her more than anyone else did.

The only thing I had a hard time with was her creepy husband. I didn't like him from the beginning, and neither did she but she gave into pressure even after learning they had been separated. I mean, if you knew you were heading for divorce would you allow someone in who you couldn't remember and disliked on sight? But I gave her the benefit of the doubt, because I've never been in the situation.