The Song Remains the Same

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Allison Winn Scotch
ISBN: 0399157581
Putnam Publishing
Source: BookSparks PR
Rating: Highly Recommended

About the Book:
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.


My Thoughts:
I am keeping my thoughts short because I want you all to read Allison's answer to my question regarding what this book means to her.  I think it really helps tie in the emotion and effort that went into this book, which make it so great.  Since I have an eternal fear of plane crashes, this one was, at first, difficult for me to start reading but quickly became an engrossing story that swept me away with it's beautifully developed characters and realistic events.  I find the idea of loosing your memory and then regaining it to be one of the most interesting components in this book because it ultimately changes her life.  It is like starting over, starting fresh and seeing the world through a whole new set of eyes.  The person you were before is a mystery and the person you are now is a work in progress.  To say the least, this is one of my favorites by Allison and I suggest you read it too!  Enjoy the answer Allison has for my question below!

What Does This Book Mean to You?

Wow! What a great question. And there are a few ways to answer it. First, as an author, I think I'm more proud of this book than any other I've written. I really try, every single time, to push myself to improve my work and make myself a stronger writer, and I do feel like (thanks to a fantastic editor who forced me to dig deeper!) this book is the best thing I've ever written. Yes, even we authors play favorites with our own stuff, and we (usually) can tell when something's not up to snuff. :) But this one? Well, I'd fight for it any day of the week. (And on Sundays.) Also, I really struggled to write my third book (the one before SONG REMAINS THE SAME). But SONG reminded me of what I love so much about both writing and storytelling – sure, it was hard work to write, but it was also lovely work, something I looked forward to almost every day. And that reminder was really important, almost revitalizing for me. If I hadn't rediscovered that passion with SONG, I don't know how many more books I would have in me. So I'm grateful to SONG for what it rekindled.

From a different perspective, the book also meant that I spent a year considering my life choices, and if I'd have made those same choices if my memory, my history, had been erased. What enriching (if not exhausting!) exploration! But a good one all the same. I'm a big fan of stepping back and trying to make small tweaks in my life that can lead to greater happiness. You don't have to make drastic changes to really rejigger things. A few shifts here and there over the course of time really can add up. So while figuring out how Nell would deal with amnesia and her reaction to a totally clean slate, I got to consider my own clean slate…and make adjustments when necessary. For me, I gained the perspective that I wanted to lead a more balanced life. That, if I woke up with no memory of what came before, that I'd still probably choose to hang out with my kids over anyone else. So why wasn't I spending more time with them if that's what I really love to do most? I downshifted my work schedule, I prioritized them more, and I made a point to be less wrapped up in work success because at the end of the day, I simply didn't care enough. (I don't mean to imply that I don't care about professional achievement! Only that I came to realize that if given the choice, I'd choose family achievement without a second thought.) So while examining my character's choices, I also examined my own. And that is and was invaluable. And I hope the book does much the same for readers. That's the whole point of a novel, in my opinion: to take readers on a journey and hope that by the very last page, they've learned something not just about the heroine, but about themselves as well.