LitPick Review
Thanks to a violent alter ego by the name of Shevaun, Erin Misrahe has spent over half her life hospitalized. Now, at the age of sixteen, her symptoms have been in remission for years, and she is able to attend public school. But just as Erin's life is gaining some semblance of normalcy, she witnesses her friend transforming into a tiger and soon after finds herself in Shevaun's body. Though she takes this as a dream, Shevaun is in fact a vampire who does not appreciate her unwanted connection to this human girl. She and her 'family' set out to find Erin, who is innocently reconnecting with an old boyfriend who knows the truth of Shevaun's identity. Her quest to free Shevaun of Erin's swelling influence threatens to unravel both their minds forever.
Opinion:
The primary flaw of the Persistence of Memory lies in its protagonist. Erin, whose mind is described as never having been a "single entity," lacks a developed personality. The other flaws--occasionally poor pacing, clumsy errors indicative of poor editing--only slightly detract from the elegantly written and occasionally clever tale. Luckily, the banality of Erin's personality is not shared by the other characters, who more than make up for the stories' flaws. The most interesting character by far is Sassy, a witty and protective boy with a habit of lying about everything. Fierce, occasionally compassionate Shevaun and her lover Adjila are also beautifully developed. The portrayal of nonhuman characters is brilliant and unique, creating a detailed world without sinking into labored descriptions. The author avoids the cliches of good and evil, instead portraying twisted moralities that blend tenderness and cruelty. Though the characters' vices are demonstrated frequently, there are no true villains in the story.
