Paradox Book Response

Title of book: Paradox
Author: A. J. Paquette
Genre: Science-Fiction
Number of pages in book: 240

Before Reading Prompt #1: What do you predict this book will be about? What part of the book leads you to believe this?
I think this book is about a girl who wakes up on a strange, alien planet. She doesn’t know who she is or have any memories, but she soon learns that she is on a dangerous mission that involves saving life on Earth. The cover of the book has an illustration of a girl standing in front of a huge worm-like monster, and at the top are the words “Survive One World. Save Another.” Also the back cover has a short description that reveals a little about the story.

During Reading Prompt # 2: Again & Again – What did you find keeps coming up over & over again? Why do you think the author keeps repeating this?
Ana has no memory of her life before she landed on Paradox, and it is something that she struggles with constantly. She is told that she had her memories erased from her mind but does not know why. She does know how to survive as though she has been specially trained, and that is when Ana feels most in control of her life. It gives the reader a clue into Ana’s personality and what she was like before her memories were erased. Ana must react on instinct since she doesn’t remember any past experiences. I think the author also uses her memory loss to illustrate how confused, frightened, and uncomfortable she feels. Ana often questions herself and doesn’t trust the others because she doesn't have much to base her judgments on.

After Reading Prompt #3: Do you like the ending of the book? Is there more to tell? What might happen next?
I really liked the ending! It was a great twist and a surprise to find out that Ana volunteered to have her memories erased, and why. But the fact that having no memory is how she was able to save Earth was the most surprising. It was a paradox that the worm virus needed memories to infect its victim, and Ana couldn’t be infected because she didn’t have any memories, but in order to defeat the worm virus she needed her memories back. I liked how she accepted her bad memories and used the worm’s attack against itself to save the world. After saving herself she saved Todd next, and I think that together they will find and heal other survivors. The ending appendixes explained all of the remaining unanswered questions. I think the next thing that would happen is that the Earth will rebuild and repopulate.