Before I Go To Sleep by S J Watson

This book gripped me from the start. It is about a woman, Christine Lucas, who forgets everything when she falls into a deep sleep. She wakes up with the mind of a child, but in an adult body. The man beside her says he is her husband. She doesn’t recognise the photos around the house. She doesn’t remember the past. She doesn’t remember the doctor who calls her daily.

I thought this book would be repetitive. I also thought that it would just be a story of her rediscovering her memory. Being a psychology student, this intrigued me anyway, but what I really found was beyond intriguing. It was addictive.

The author, who I was surprised to find out was a man, uses a brilliant writing style that made the story flow in a way that was the opposite of repetitive. The novel begins with Christine waking up, thinking she is a young adult after a one night stand, and is horrified to discover that she has amnesia. The man carefully explains that he is her husband and shows her a photo album. After her husband has left for work, her doctor calls to remind her of their meeting, and gives her a journal that she has been writing in for the last few weeks. The majority of the story is her rereading over this journal, and it becomes clear that something is not right about how she lost her memory.

There is so much to this novel. It is so beautifully written; you would feel a connection to Christine, because whilst she is discovering herself, you are discovering her. This book is definitely worth the read. It will make you appreciate your memory, your family, your life.