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The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Middle Grade & Children's (2018)A ten-year-old girl is determined to find her missing neighbor, but the answers lead her to places and people she never expected—and maybe even one she’s been running away from—in this gorgeous debut novel that’s perfect for fans of The Thing About Jellyfish .
Guinevere St. Clair is going to be a lawyer. She was the fastest girl in New York City. She knows everything there is to know about the brain. And now that she’s living in Crow, Iowa, she wants to ride into her first day of school on a cow named Willowdale Princess Deon Dawn.
But Gwyn isn’t in Crow, Iowa, just for royal cows. Her family has moved there, where her parents grew up, in the hopes of jogging her mother Vienna’s memory. Vienna has been suffering from memory loss since Gwyn was four. She can no longer remember anything past the age of thirteen, not even that she has two young daughters. Gwyn’s father is obsessed with finding out everything he can to help his wife, but Gwyn’s focused on problems that seem a little more within her reach. Like proving that the very strange Gaysie Cutter who lives next door is behind the disappearance of her only friend, Wilbur Truesdale.
Gwyn is sure she can crack the case, but when she does she finds that not all of her investigations lead her to the places she would have expected. In fact they might just lead her to learn about the mother she’s been doing her best to forget.
Guinevere St. Clair is going to be a lawyer. She was the fastest girl in New York City. She knows everything there is to know about the brain. And now that she’s living in Crow, Iowa, she wants to ride into her first day of school on a cow named Willowdale Princess Deon Dawn.
But Gwyn isn’t in Crow, Iowa, just for royal cows. Her family has moved there, where her parents grew up, in the hopes of jogging her mother Vienna’s memory. Vienna has been suffering from memory loss since Gwyn was four. She can no longer remember anything past the age of thirteen, not even that she has two young daughters. Gwyn’s father is obsessed with finding out everything he can to help his wife, but Gwyn’s focused on problems that seem a little more within her reach. Like proving that the very strange Gaysie Cutter who lives next door is behind the disappearance of her only friend, Wilbur Truesdale.
Gwyn is sure she can crack the case, but when she does she finds that not all of her investigations lead her to the places she would have expected. In fact they might just lead her to learn about the mother she’s been doing her best to forget.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 12, 2018
About the author
Amy Makechnie
5 books117 followersAMY MAKECHNIE is the author of the middle grade novels, THE UNFORGETTABLE GUINEVERE ST CLAIR, TEN THOUSAND TRIES, and THE MCNIFFICENTS.
Like Guinevere St. Clair, Amy once set sail for the Mississippi on a large piece of Styrofoam (she didn't make it.) Like Golden from TEN THOUSAND TRIES, she's a little obsessed with soccer. And those funny children in THE MCNIFFICENTS? Well, she has a few - plus a miniature schnauzer that's really named Lord Tennyson (just like in the book).
Amy lives with her family in in a small New Hampshire town, and when she's not dissecting body parts with her A&P students, you might see her out running; that's where she works out her best plot points.
Subscribe to the newsletter, where she talks about happy things like books! https://amymakechnie.substack.com
https://www.instagram.com/amymakechnie/
https://twitter.com/amymakechnie
Like Guinevere St. Clair, Amy once set sail for the Mississippi on a large piece of Styrofoam (she didn't make it.) Like Golden from TEN THOUSAND TRIES, she's a little obsessed with soccer. And those funny children in THE MCNIFFICENTS? Well, she has a few - plus a miniature schnauzer that's really named Lord Tennyson (just like in the book).
Amy lives with her family in in a small New Hampshire town, and when she's not dissecting body parts with her A&P students, you might see her out running; that's where she works out her best plot points.
Subscribe to the newsletter, where she talks about happy things like books! https://amymakechnie.substack.com
https://www.instagram.com/amymakechnie/
https://twitter.com/amymakechnie
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
July 26, 2018
I don't know what I expected from this book, but it was not what I got. Makechnie has created a world here, not just a strong central character, and there needs to be a sequel as soon as possible. That being said . . . the book is set in the present, but the four children at the heart of it live the kinds of lives we all did back in the day. No cell phones, no video games. They play outside, and the rhythms of their lives are set by the small Iowa town in which they live. Gwyn and her little sister Bitty have been brought back to the place in which their parents grew up and fell in love. All they have known previously is New York City, so culture shock ensues. The father is caring for his wife, who has suffered a brain injury that leaves her as a willful 13 year-old mentally, with no real memory of her daughters.
There is a mystery (several, actually) and a raft of unforgettable characters. The story is occasionally reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird, though never derivative. But the friendships among the children remind you how complicated life is at that age. And Iowa is as distinctive a backdrop of the St. Clairs as Alabama is for the Finches.
This is aimed at the young adult market, and should delight that age group. But I am 64 and I couldn't put it down, either. Well-done, and highly recommended.
Sequel, please. I am not getting any younger!
There is a mystery (several, actually) and a raft of unforgettable characters. The story is occasionally reminiscent of To Kill a Mockingbird, though never derivative. But the friendships among the children remind you how complicated life is at that age. And Iowa is as distinctive a backdrop of the St. Clairs as Alabama is for the Finches.
This is aimed at the young adult market, and should delight that age group. But I am 64 and I couldn't put it down, either. Well-done, and highly recommended.
Sequel, please. I am not getting any younger!
August 30, 2020
Not everyone comes home. But sometimes, they do.
Guinevere St. Clair has just moved to Crow, Iowa, from New York City. She wants to be a lawyer and when a neighbor disappears, ten-year-old Gwyn is certain she can solve the mystery. It was heartwarming and hair-raising to hang out with Gwyn, her sister Bitty, and their new friends -- Jimmy and Micah. Gwyn's family moved back home to Crow to help her mom recover from brain damage. There are secrets from her mom & dad's childhood that seem to be lurking around every corner. Is history doomed to repeat itself? Will Gwyn's mom Vienna remember anything past her 13th birthday? I loved Gwyn's stubborn resolve to follow clues -- even going after fingerprints on Wilbur's tractor (the Blue Mistress) using cocoa powder. The ride down the Crow river on pieces of styrofoam is reminiscent of Huck Finn and also "This Tender Land." Her cow's name is Willowdale Princess Deon Dawn! So many great bits. Highly recommended!
Guinevere St. Clair has just moved to Crow, Iowa, from New York City. She wants to be a lawyer and when a neighbor disappears, ten-year-old Gwyn is certain she can solve the mystery. It was heartwarming and hair-raising to hang out with Gwyn, her sister Bitty, and their new friends -- Jimmy and Micah. Gwyn's family moved back home to Crow to help her mom recover from brain damage. There are secrets from her mom & dad's childhood that seem to be lurking around every corner. Is history doomed to repeat itself? Will Gwyn's mom Vienna remember anything past her 13th birthday? I loved Gwyn's stubborn resolve to follow clues -- even going after fingerprints on Wilbur's tractor (the Blue Mistress) using cocoa powder. The ride down the Crow river on pieces of styrofoam is reminiscent of Huck Finn and also "This Tender Land." Her cow's name is Willowdale Princess Deon Dawn! So many great bits. Highly recommended!
March 3, 2022
*More like 3.5 stars than 3.*
There were parts of this book that I liked and parts I didn’t. Overall, it was definitely better than average but I couldn’t label it as completely amazing.
What was strange about this book was that the protagonist was somewhat interesting but not completely likeable. The way she wanted to solve the mystery but immediately assumed who was guilty irked me. That’s not at all how you’re supposed to investigate. And Guinevere, for all her wonderfully unforgettable nature, was actually rude at times and almost heartless in the way she voiced without hesitation her hatred for one of her friend’s mother and her hope that the missing character was dead so that she could solve his murder. Those aspects made it hard in my mind to really like Guinevere like I was supposed to.
The mystery itself was a sort of quasi-mystery most of which could’ve been solved if the adults just stopped hiding the past from Guinevere. Even then she was extremely slow on the uptake and took forever to see what was so obvious to begin with.
The real emotional parts came from the true sadness of Vienna’s memory loss and the twist at the end. I loved that I really appreciated the realism of her disability and the exploration of how that affected her and her family. As for the twist at the end, I genuinely cried when I thought and I was so so happy when And that just shows how the true strength of this book lies in the friendships formed and nicely portrayed.
There were parts of this book that I liked and parts I didn’t. Overall, it was definitely better than average but I couldn’t label it as completely amazing.
What was strange about this book was that the protagonist was somewhat interesting but not completely likeable. The way she wanted to solve the mystery but immediately assumed who was guilty irked me. That’s not at all how you’re supposed to investigate. And Guinevere, for all her wonderfully unforgettable nature, was actually rude at times and almost heartless in the way she voiced without hesitation her hatred for one of her friend’s mother and her hope that the missing character was dead so that she could solve his murder. Those aspects made it hard in my mind to really like Guinevere like I was supposed to.
The mystery itself was a sort of quasi-mystery most of which could’ve been solved if the adults just stopped hiding the past from Guinevere. Even then she was extremely slow on the uptake and took forever to see what was so obvious to begin with.
The real emotional parts came from the true sadness of Vienna’s memory loss and the twist at the end. I loved that I really appreciated the realism of her disability and the exploration of how that affected her and her family. As for the twist at the end, I genuinely cried when I thought and I was so so happy when And that just shows how the true strength of this book lies in the friendships formed and nicely portrayed.
July 8, 2018
I wasn't altogether certain what type of book I was getting into from the description. It compared the book to The Thing About Jellyfish, but I really ended up feeling like it's truly an original gem of its own. To me, the voice of the novel was so authentic and natural~ the kind of book that you imagine just flows from the author with not an ounce of revision. Amy Makechnie has created something unique, funny, sad, and SO SO POIGNANT that I have trouble putting my feelings into words. I cried at the end, not so much because I was sad for the characters, but because I was so full of feelings and they had to spill out somehow. Gwyn and her two friends have a wonderful bond, and the way they stand up for each other warmed my soul ("Kindness is his superpower!"). Gaysie Cutter is maybe the most fascinating adult character I've come across in an MG contemporary book. This is absolutely a book for all ages. Loved it so much. I eagerly wait for the next Amy Makechnie book.
June 17, 2018
Though a book for young readers, I was drawn in from the start and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. Ten-year-old Guinevere St. Clair's world changes when her father moves her and her sister from New York to his hometown in Iowa, in hopes of triggering a recovery for Guinevere's brain-injured mother. New friends are made, a mysterious disappearance is explored, and her mother's past is discovered. This is a lot for a child to handle, but the precocious Guinevere deftly navigates her new world, in a tone that's both poignant and humorous.
Makechnie's prose is a joy to read, and her ability to create such a vivid setting and mood is impressive. The characters are fully dimensional, and as Guinevere will learn, all are not as they first appear.
I highly recommend this debut novel. In fact, I'll be donating my copy to my sons' former school's library so that more readers can enjoy this gem.
Makechnie's prose is a joy to read, and her ability to create such a vivid setting and mood is impressive. The characters are fully dimensional, and as Guinevere will learn, all are not as they first appear.
I highly recommend this debut novel. In fact, I'll be donating my copy to my sons' former school's library so that more readers can enjoy this gem.
June 16, 2018
I. Loved. This. Book.
I read a lot of middle grade, and per usual, I love the ones that speak not only to kids, but adults. As I feel this one did. I really didn't know what to expect going in, especially when a book is compared to a best seller like The Thing About Jelly Fish. The bar is already set high when you make a promise like that: so truthfully, I expected to be disappointed. So I was happy when part way in I kept thinking, Wow, I love this. I kept turning pages faster and faster.
I loved the complex relationship between the main character and her mother and the father. So much was said about the complexity of family without the author directly saying it and the author stayed true to the perspective of a child. The main character's thoughts when dealing with her mother, who no longer acts like a mother, seemed true especially weighed against the father's wishful thinking that a return home would spark memories.
I absolutely loved the friendships formed and the mystery around one of them disappearing. Gaysie Cutter was an amazing character with so much mystery behind her and her past. I enjoyed seeing how our first perceptions can be proved wrong with time.
The writing was fantastic. For me, it had a classic, timeless feel. I thought about Tuck Everlasting and Where the Red Fern Grows. And, to be honest, I enjoyed this book more than The Thing About Jelly Fish. It was entertaining but it wasn't just entertainment (I love those books, too, but they don't stay with me). The deeper truths and mysteries of family and friendship were present as the story unfolded in a subtle, skillful way. I laughed. I cried. I can't ask for more in a book.
(I received an arc for this review--but I would have read it and reviewed without the arc.)
I read a lot of middle grade, and per usual, I love the ones that speak not only to kids, but adults. As I feel this one did. I really didn't know what to expect going in, especially when a book is compared to a best seller like The Thing About Jelly Fish. The bar is already set high when you make a promise like that: so truthfully, I expected to be disappointed. So I was happy when part way in I kept thinking, Wow, I love this. I kept turning pages faster and faster.
I loved the complex relationship between the main character and her mother and the father. So much was said about the complexity of family without the author directly saying it and the author stayed true to the perspective of a child. The main character's thoughts when dealing with her mother, who no longer acts like a mother, seemed true especially weighed against the father's wishful thinking that a return home would spark memories.
I absolutely loved the friendships formed and the mystery around one of them disappearing. Gaysie Cutter was an amazing character with so much mystery behind her and her past. I enjoyed seeing how our first perceptions can be proved wrong with time.
The writing was fantastic. For me, it had a classic, timeless feel. I thought about Tuck Everlasting and Where the Red Fern Grows. And, to be honest, I enjoyed this book more than The Thing About Jelly Fish. It was entertaining but it wasn't just entertainment (I love those books, too, but they don't stay with me). The deeper truths and mysteries of family and friendship were present as the story unfolded in a subtle, skillful way. I laughed. I cried. I can't ask for more in a book.
(I received an arc for this review--but I would have read it and reviewed without the arc.)
July 7, 2018
The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair, by Amy Makechnie, is now one of my favorite books. It's beautiful. And my cousin wrote it, which makes me famous by association.
Guinevere St. Clair and her sister Bitty have been moved to their parents' hometown of Crow, Iowa. It's an attempt to get their mother, Vienna, to get her memories back.
When Guinevere was four years old, her mother's heart stopped beating. After precious minutes were lost, she came miraculously back to life, but without any of her memories since the age of thirteen. So now Guinevere is helping her father take care of Vienna (who she does not call Mom, since she doesn't act like one.) Vienna doesn't remember her children, and usually acts like a child herself.
Also, now that they're in Iowa, Guinevere has made fast friends with the neighbors, discovered her arch-enemy, and is working on a missing-persons case in her spare time (behind her father's back, since he keeps telling her to stop poking her nose in other people's business.)
This is a well-written story that will plant you straight into the Midwest, manure and all. It's brilliantly written, and offers a realistic, yet still optimistic, look at grief and life's sometimes horrible surprises. It offers character everywhere it offers pain.
And, as an added bonus for me, there's little family-story cameos scattered in a couple places. But if you didn't grow up around Copes, you probably won't catch those. Which means they're aptly woven into the text.
I know the author, so I have a bias. I'll admit that. But as objectively as I can say this, I think this should win the Newbery. And everyone should read it.
Guinevere St. Clair and her sister Bitty have been moved to their parents' hometown of Crow, Iowa. It's an attempt to get their mother, Vienna, to get her memories back.
When Guinevere was four years old, her mother's heart stopped beating. After precious minutes were lost, she came miraculously back to life, but without any of her memories since the age of thirteen. So now Guinevere is helping her father take care of Vienna (who she does not call Mom, since she doesn't act like one.) Vienna doesn't remember her children, and usually acts like a child herself.
Also, now that they're in Iowa, Guinevere has made fast friends with the neighbors, discovered her arch-enemy, and is working on a missing-persons case in her spare time (behind her father's back, since he keeps telling her to stop poking her nose in other people's business.)
This is a well-written story that will plant you straight into the Midwest, manure and all. It's brilliantly written, and offers a realistic, yet still optimistic, look at grief and life's sometimes horrible surprises. It offers character everywhere it offers pain.
And, as an added bonus for me, there's little family-story cameos scattered in a couple places. But if you didn't grow up around Copes, you probably won't catch those. Which means they're aptly woven into the text.
I know the author, so I have a bias. I'll admit that. But as objectively as I can say this, I think this should win the Newbery. And everyone should read it.
February 13, 2019
The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair is the story of Guinevere, who, true to her namesake, is brave and daring. A lawyer in the making Gwyn, as she is lovingly called by her father and little sister Elizabeth (Bitty), finds herself in her parents' hometown as her family tries to heal from a tagic accident that resulted in permaneant brain damage to her mother. Her mother is stuck in her own past which includes a childhood mystery involving the neighbor Gaysie. Gwyn and Bitty make friends with Gaysie's son and his best friend and together they try to solve all of the small-town mysteries and instead find friendship, the more innocent truth, and a place to call home.
I absolutely loved how complicated these characters were considering this was a middle grade novel. This book has a lot of depth and hard learned lessons weaved throughout the story line including not judging people by how they look, sticking up for what is right, patience, home is where your heart is etc. etc.
The story started a little slow and I didn't think I would love it as much as I ended up loving it in the end, but the spectacular finish to the story is what sold me. This book is perfect for fans of Bridge to Terebithia
I absolutely loved how complicated these characters were considering this was a middle grade novel. This book has a lot of depth and hard learned lessons weaved throughout the story line including not judging people by how they look, sticking up for what is right, patience, home is where your heart is etc. etc.
The story started a little slow and I didn't think I would love it as much as I ended up loving it in the end, but the spectacular finish to the story is what sold me. This book is perfect for fans of Bridge to Terebithia
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September 1, 2020Not everyone comes home. But sometimes, they do.
Guinevere St. Clair has just moved to Crow, Iowa, from New York City. She wants to be a lawyer and when a neighbor disappears, ten-year-old Gwyn is certain she can solve the mystery. It was heartwarming and hair-raising to hang out with Gwyn, her sister Bitty, and their new friends -- Jimmy and Micah. Gwyn's family moved back home to Crow to help her mom recover from brain damage. There are secrets from her mom & dad's childhood that seem to be lurking around every corner. Is history doomed to repeat itself? Will Gwyn's mom Vienna remember anything past her 13th birthday? I loved Gwyn's stubborn resolve to follow clues -- even going after fingerprints on Wilbur's tractor (the Blue Mistress) using cocoa powder. The ride down the Crow river on pieces of styrofoam is reminiscent of Huck Finn and also "This Tender Land." Her cow's name is Willowdale Princess Deon Dawn! So many great bits. * Reviewed by Darla from Red Bridge *
Guinevere St. Clair has just moved to Crow, Iowa, from New York City. She wants to be a lawyer and when a neighbor disappears, ten-year-old Gwyn is certain she can solve the mystery. It was heartwarming and hair-raising to hang out with Gwyn, her sister Bitty, and their new friends -- Jimmy and Micah. Gwyn's family moved back home to Crow to help her mom recover from brain damage. There are secrets from her mom & dad's childhood that seem to be lurking around every corner. Is history doomed to repeat itself? Will Gwyn's mom Vienna remember anything past her 13th birthday? I loved Gwyn's stubborn resolve to follow clues -- even going after fingerprints on Wilbur's tractor (the Blue Mistress) using cocoa powder. The ride down the Crow river on pieces of styrofoam is reminiscent of Huck Finn and also "This Tender Land." Her cow's name is Willowdale Princess Deon Dawn! So many great bits. * Reviewed by Darla from Red Bridge *
November 2, 2018
Fantastic debut author! Great read!
November 24, 2018
I didn’t enjoy this. I thought the writing was a mess and couldn’t get invested in the story or the characters.
February 23, 2019
This book was full of wonderful characters and was so well written. I think it shouldn’t be hidden away in Junior Fiction.
September 22, 2018
Thank you to Amy Makechnie for providing a review copy of The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair.
Gwyn’s family has moved back to her parents’ hometown from the big city. Country life takes adjusting to, but with an intriguing collection of small-town characters, it also provides adventure and mystery.
The family has moved because Gwyn’s mother, Vienna, suffers from a brain injury that has her living her life as a thirteen year old. With Gwyn approaching this same age, it's no surprise that Gwyn and Vienna no longer share the mother-daughter bond they once had. But Gwyn becomes fascinated by Vienna’s actual childhood~ a tragic accident ~ which has connections to present day mysteries.
She finds herself taking piano lessons from her mother's instructor, and adventure-seeking daily with the sons of her mother's best childhood friend, Gaysie. The opening line, “I was ten when Gaysie Cutter tried to kill me,” is a wonderful introduction to the puzzle of Gaysie’s character.
I cannot forget Guinevere, but this is true for the entire cast in this book. Vienna, who cannot remember anything past her thirteenth year, is no longer a mother to Gwyn. But Gwyn flashes back to many wonderful memories of the mother she used to be. Gwyn’s father is a tireless advocate for his wife. His hope for her recovery, while unrealistic, is indicative of his unending love. Gwyn’s grandmother now has two granddaughters to care for, while having to suffer through her daughter’s unending adolescence.
But Gwyn’s two new friends, Micah and Jimmy, also captured my heart. Micah is sweet and fragile to Jimmy tough bravado. Together these are a perfect pair, but Gwyn and Bitty (her little sister) insert themselves into the friendship and the four of them are also perfection together.
The adventure and mystery are captivating, and the other townspeople grab the reader’s attention. But these main characters are wonderful, and true to the title’s word, unforgettable. Highly recommend to fourth grade and up.
Gwyn’s family has moved back to her parents’ hometown from the big city. Country life takes adjusting to, but with an intriguing collection of small-town characters, it also provides adventure and mystery.
The family has moved because Gwyn’s mother, Vienna, suffers from a brain injury that has her living her life as a thirteen year old. With Gwyn approaching this same age, it's no surprise that Gwyn and Vienna no longer share the mother-daughter bond they once had. But Gwyn becomes fascinated by Vienna’s actual childhood~ a tragic accident ~ which has connections to present day mysteries.
She finds herself taking piano lessons from her mother's instructor, and adventure-seeking daily with the sons of her mother's best childhood friend, Gaysie. The opening line, “I was ten when Gaysie Cutter tried to kill me,” is a wonderful introduction to the puzzle of Gaysie’s character.
I cannot forget Guinevere, but this is true for the entire cast in this book. Vienna, who cannot remember anything past her thirteenth year, is no longer a mother to Gwyn. But Gwyn flashes back to many wonderful memories of the mother she used to be. Gwyn’s father is a tireless advocate for his wife. His hope for her recovery, while unrealistic, is indicative of his unending love. Gwyn’s grandmother now has two granddaughters to care for, while having to suffer through her daughter’s unending adolescence.
But Gwyn’s two new friends, Micah and Jimmy, also captured my heart. Micah is sweet and fragile to Jimmy tough bravado. Together these are a perfect pair, but Gwyn and Bitty (her little sister) insert themselves into the friendship and the four of them are also perfection together.
The adventure and mystery are captivating, and the other townspeople grab the reader’s attention. But these main characters are wonderful, and true to the title’s word, unforgettable. Highly recommend to fourth grade and up.
August 2, 2018
Best novel I have read in years.
I love the way it uses a child as the voice. She keeps this voice true to the age, yet mature. The issues that come and go in a daily life as summer passes is like Ray Bradbury, fun, fresh and viewed through a child's eyes. You see a child's fears, dreams and aspirations, and this child has more to fear and greater aspirations than most. Like Bradbury the events of that summer get woven into a tapestry that doesn't reveal itself until the end. You find yourself thinking about the book long after you finish it.
It is great to have a story that doesn't need a huge conspiracy, a nuclear bomb, gratuitous sex or violence, or high death count to draw me in and enjoy it. Perhaps living in the moment is enough. In short, it leaves a good taste in your mouth.
I love the way it uses a child as the voice. She keeps this voice true to the age, yet mature. The issues that come and go in a daily life as summer passes is like Ray Bradbury, fun, fresh and viewed through a child's eyes. You see a child's fears, dreams and aspirations, and this child has more to fear and greater aspirations than most. Like Bradbury the events of that summer get woven into a tapestry that doesn't reveal itself until the end. You find yourself thinking about the book long after you finish it.
It is great to have a story that doesn't need a huge conspiracy, a nuclear bomb, gratuitous sex or violence, or high death count to draw me in and enjoy it. Perhaps living in the moment is enough. In short, it leaves a good taste in your mouth.
July 4, 2018
I absolutely loved, loved, loved this book! What an amazing story for Amy’s debut.
Guinevere’s mother, Vienna, has brain damage from an accident in her teens. It’s frustrating for the family because she doesn’t remember much, including Guinevere and her sister. The family moves back to Iowa with the hope that seeing friends and family will help Vienna regain important memories.
Guinevere becomes friends with the neighborhood boys and soon find themselves trying to solve the mystery of a disappearance and possible murder of a local townsman.
This book is filled with humor, mystery, and lots of heart and tender moments. It is a well-written story that will be hard to put down. It’s a must read. I will be sharing it with my 6th graders as a read-aloud his year.
Guinevere’s mother, Vienna, has brain damage from an accident in her teens. It’s frustrating for the family because she doesn’t remember much, including Guinevere and her sister. The family moves back to Iowa with the hope that seeing friends and family will help Vienna regain important memories.
Guinevere becomes friends with the neighborhood boys and soon find themselves trying to solve the mystery of a disappearance and possible murder of a local townsman.
This book is filled with humor, mystery, and lots of heart and tender moments. It is a well-written story that will be hard to put down. It’s a must read. I will be sharing it with my 6th graders as a read-aloud his year.
July 13, 2018
Once I started this book I couldn't put it down! There was a wonderful juxtaposition between the innocence of childhood and dealing with some significant trials - such as having a mother who no longer knows who you are and needing to step into that role for a younger sibling. Amy's breakout book contains some poignant scenes written with laser focus - especially the one with her mother at the grocery store. I could see the exact scene in my mind and could hear each cantaloupe fall. The main character, Guinevere, would be an unstoppable force - and best friend to both Lee's famous Scout and Bradley's Flavia De Luce. I can't wait to see what Amy writes next - this is one author I'll be sure to follow!
June 16, 2018
Really interesting kids book. I was expecting a silly light book, but it really wasn't. It's about a girl who's mother has an undiagnosed heart condition. When she wakes, she has no memory of anything that happened after she was 13 years old. Imagine having a mother that doesn't remember you and acts like she is a child? The family moves to her home town to try and spark her memory and ends up in a bit of a mystery with some drama from the past thrown in. The ending was sad and happy and exciting and unexpected!
February 21, 2020
“I WAS TEN WHEN GAYSIE CUTTER tried to kill me. It was just like her too—always leaving a bad first impression.”
I love a book with great opening lines and I knew after reading these I was going to enjoy this one. I also love a young girl who is a witty, strong willed, independent thinker as the main character. This book was so fun! The characters were authentic, the setting interesting, the story line on point. I thought this was a great first novel, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope to read more by this author. Well done!
I love a book with great opening lines and I knew after reading these I was going to enjoy this one. I also love a young girl who is a witty, strong willed, independent thinker as the main character. This book was so fun! The characters were authentic, the setting interesting, the story line on point. I thought this was a great first novel, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope to read more by this author. Well done!
June 16, 2018
This book is sure to become a classic! Great for younger and more mature readers, alike. I loved the characters, the lessons learned, and the surprises inside. It's not very often that I find a book so enjoyable and CLEAN, anymore! Amy is an excellent writer and pulls you into the story immediately. A fabulous read - don't pick it up if you don't want to be up all night reading!
October 21, 2018
If you ever wondered what you'd get if you crossed "Huck Finn" with "Bridge to Terabithia" and "To Kill a Mockingbird", this might be the answer! Long and complex story, but well paced and very readable. The characters are deep and relatable, and the plotlines give your heartstrings a real workout. Highly recommended for 5th grade +
July 26, 2018
This read is packed to the gills with emotion, warmth, mystery, hope and heart.
Gwyn moves with her parents from New York back to her mother's childhood town—a very small town—with the hope that the environment will help her mother's memory return.While there, Gwyn befriends the neighborhood boys and soon finds herself investigating a man's disappearance. In the process, Gwyn uncovers so much more than she ever expected to.
This was not the book I expected, and the surprise was a treat. Gwyn is a loving girl with spunk, who is trying to handle the situation with her mother's memory loss. Considering her mother acts and thinks like a little child, Gwyn's reactions and hesitations are understandable. The culture shock of moving from New York to the little town adds to her difficulties, and is also very well done and believable. Gwyn has a lot on her plate and she has a personality to go with it, which makes her easy to sympathize with and cheer for.
The other characters are colorful and, especially Gaysie, have a personality all of their own. And it's this which makes the read unexpected and quirky and sometimes, simply, odd.
There is a lot going on in these pages. Not only is Gwyn trying to come to terms with her mother's condition, but the mysteries in the town hit many levels. There are many layers not only to the plot but to the feelings, making this a read even adults will enjoy. That said, the complexity also slows the read down and keeps the pacing at bay.
Still, this is an engaging read with characters who are hard to forget after the last page is done.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed it enough...especially the characters...and wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
Gwyn moves with her parents from New York back to her mother's childhood town—a very small town—with the hope that the environment will help her mother's memory return.While there, Gwyn befriends the neighborhood boys and soon finds herself investigating a man's disappearance. In the process, Gwyn uncovers so much more than she ever expected to.
This was not the book I expected, and the surprise was a treat. Gwyn is a loving girl with spunk, who is trying to handle the situation with her mother's memory loss. Considering her mother acts and thinks like a little child, Gwyn's reactions and hesitations are understandable. The culture shock of moving from New York to the little town adds to her difficulties, and is also very well done and believable. Gwyn has a lot on her plate and she has a personality to go with it, which makes her easy to sympathize with and cheer for.
The other characters are colorful and, especially Gaysie, have a personality all of their own. And it's this which makes the read unexpected and quirky and sometimes, simply, odd.
There is a lot going on in these pages. Not only is Gwyn trying to come to terms with her mother's condition, but the mysteries in the town hit many levels. There are many layers not only to the plot but to the feelings, making this a read even adults will enjoy. That said, the complexity also slows the read down and keeps the pacing at bay.
Still, this is an engaging read with characters who are hard to forget after the last page is done.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed it enough...especially the characters...and wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
September 21, 2018
10 year old Gwyn has moved from New York City to the town where her parents grew up in Iowa. Her mother has suffered a brain injury and can't remember anything past the age of 13. This means that she can't remember Gwyn or her little sister Bitty. Her father is determined to to do everything possible to help his wife and Gwyn is determined to prove that her neighbor Gaysie Cutter is responsible for the disappearance of Wilbur Truesdale. In her quest to crack the case she learns more than she bargained for about destructive cows, family and friendship.
I loved this story. The characters were endearing, the insights touching, and the children's antics made me laugh out loud. This book was unforgettable.
I loved this story. The characters were endearing, the insights touching, and the children's antics made me laugh out loud. This book was unforgettable.
December 7, 2018
This book was written well, but it didn't stay with me long.
September 13, 2018
When I emailed a former co-worker about Amy Makechnie's book, I told her that Gwyn is a new character to adore. As I made progress with the book, I realized that Gwyn was quite a character. Unforgettable? Sure, but Gwyn is also hard to like. You have to give it to her, though, because she was having a hard time adjusting with the long-term effects of her mom's brain injury. This book sends a powerful message about kindness and withholding judgment against people whose stories we don't really know about. It also reminds us that the answers we seek are sometimes not the ones we were hoping to find.
January 6, 2019
Excellent story. For some reason the book had a To Kill A Mockingbird feel to it. Love the characters—especially Guinevere.
July 29, 2018
I heard about this book from our local newspaper. The author graduated from the same college as I did, which got me a little curious. The book is fine and I like it okay, but I don't know that I would particularly recommend it.
December 26, 2019
To Kill a Mockingbird meets Harriet the Spy.
May 25, 2018
Guinevere St. Clair is full of quirky, authentic characters. There’s Gaysie Cutter, huge in body and personality, who lives in a giant farmhouse painted the color of a clementine and who has a rep for burying things in her backyard and speaking her mind. And Gwyn’s Nana, who reminds Gwyn of “a perfectly tied bow… a woman who always buttoned her top button.” You can’t help but love Gwyn’s friend Micah, who likes to wear sparkly shoe laces and purple capes, and who, as a result, earns the unwanted attention of mean kids from school. And then there’s Jed, Gwyn’s father, who is devoted to his wife and his determined to help her. Says Gwyn of her father, “He was not a quitter; he was a man who fixed things.”
Guinevere leads this entertaining cast, searching for clues of a farmer’s mysterious disappearance, as well as for any sign that her mother knows and loves her. I related to Gwyn immediately, as my mother suffered from a neurological disease, and I have spent much of my life gathering clues about what she was like when she was healthy. Gwyn evokes empathy with her candid and poignant descriptions of what it’s like to live with a mother who doesn’t remember her daughter. When speaking about her Nana, Gwyn says,
“I once overheard my father say that Vienna’s condition was the great tragedy of Nana’s life. But from where I sat, Nana should be happiest of all of us; she had at least had the best of Vienna.”
Wow.
And when Gwyn runs into people in the small town of Crow who ask about her mom, “Everyone was curious about Vienna, but few were comfortable talking about her.” As a current resident of a small town, I say this is spot on!
And this line brought tears to my eyes, I could relate to it so well:
“I held the handmade book tightly, suddenly feeling a great wave of homesickness for a person I hardly knew.”
I knew my mother much better than Gwyn knows hers, however, I understand the need to cling to physical representations of people we have lost in a desperate attempt to bring them closer.
Amy Makechnie explores several themes in The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair, including loss, being true to oneself, and acceptance. By the end of the book, Gwyn learns to accept her mother’s condition, but she isn’t without hope. And into all of this, the characters and the themes, Makechnie weaves a mystery, with suspense that kept me turning pages long after I should have turned off my bedside light.
Some of the pieces of the mystery didn’t play out well for me, but I loved the characters and the themes so much that I didn’t care.
If you enjoy middle grade books with lots of character and some mystery, you will enjoy The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair. I highly recommend it for lovers of kid lit!
Full review at Diary of a Word Nerd
Guinevere leads this entertaining cast, searching for clues of a farmer’s mysterious disappearance, as well as for any sign that her mother knows and loves her. I related to Gwyn immediately, as my mother suffered from a neurological disease, and I have spent much of my life gathering clues about what she was like when she was healthy. Gwyn evokes empathy with her candid and poignant descriptions of what it’s like to live with a mother who doesn’t remember her daughter. When speaking about her Nana, Gwyn says,
“I once overheard my father say that Vienna’s condition was the great tragedy of Nana’s life. But from where I sat, Nana should be happiest of all of us; she had at least had the best of Vienna.”
Wow.
And when Gwyn runs into people in the small town of Crow who ask about her mom, “Everyone was curious about Vienna, but few were comfortable talking about her.” As a current resident of a small town, I say this is spot on!
And this line brought tears to my eyes, I could relate to it so well:
“I held the handmade book tightly, suddenly feeling a great wave of homesickness for a person I hardly knew.”
I knew my mother much better than Gwyn knows hers, however, I understand the need to cling to physical representations of people we have lost in a desperate attempt to bring them closer.
Amy Makechnie explores several themes in The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair, including loss, being true to oneself, and acceptance. By the end of the book, Gwyn learns to accept her mother’s condition, but she isn’t without hope. And into all of this, the characters and the themes, Makechnie weaves a mystery, with suspense that kept me turning pages long after I should have turned off my bedside light.
Some of the pieces of the mystery didn’t play out well for me, but I loved the characters and the themes so much that I didn’t care.
If you enjoy middle grade books with lots of character and some mystery, you will enjoy The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair. I highly recommend it for lovers of kid lit!
Full review at Diary of a Word Nerd
July 29, 2018
4.5 stars
What a fantastic read. This story was more entertaining than I had anticipated as it has interesting characters with captivating storylines. I enjoyed the character of Gwyn as she was a spunky, sassy ten-year old who I found, was unpredictable. As her family moves to Iowa to try to help her mother, Gwyn discovers just because Iowa has small town living, doesn’t mean it is short on adventure.
Gwyn’s father is hoping that moving to Iowa will help his wife who has a brain injury. As the family moves in with Nana, into their mother’s old childhood home, mother moves into a care center in town. With familiar faces and sights surrounding them, the town offers the family comfort and history. As Gwyn and her sister Bitty make new friends, they find that the connections that they are now making were once friends with her parents or they were somehow connected to her parents. This is definitely not like New York where they had come from.
When Wilbur goes missing, Gwyn puts on her mystery hat and she becomes Nancy Drew. She starts her own investigation because she feels that there’s not enough being done to resolve Wilbur’s whereabouts. As Gwyn investigates, she discovers other information about individuals in her life, information that gets Gwyn thinking. Gwyn never thought living in Iowa would be this interesting.
I loved all the characters and the energy they added to the novel. Gaysie was a handful, the more I read about her, the more I started to understand her yet I wondered who else in the town really understood her. The Christmas gift that Gwyn got from Gaysie was priceless and that gift surprised me. Chapter #13 had to be one of my favorite chapters. I was having a good time as I laughed, was alarmed, was surprised and just kept on reading as this chapter thrilled me. I was touched by Bitty and Gwyn’s unspoken code. They warranted the code, as it was one of the benefits of Vienna being their mother, “benefits.” I liked that.
I think this would be a great read aloud and definitely a book to share in the classroom. I really enjoyed it.
“Sometimes quiet Iowa was way scarier than cray, loud New York ever was.”
What a fantastic read. This story was more entertaining than I had anticipated as it has interesting characters with captivating storylines. I enjoyed the character of Gwyn as she was a spunky, sassy ten-year old who I found, was unpredictable. As her family moves to Iowa to try to help her mother, Gwyn discovers just because Iowa has small town living, doesn’t mean it is short on adventure.
Gwyn’s father is hoping that moving to Iowa will help his wife who has a brain injury. As the family moves in with Nana, into their mother’s old childhood home, mother moves into a care center in town. With familiar faces and sights surrounding them, the town offers the family comfort and history. As Gwyn and her sister Bitty make new friends, they find that the connections that they are now making were once friends with her parents or they were somehow connected to her parents. This is definitely not like New York where they had come from.
When Wilbur goes missing, Gwyn puts on her mystery hat and she becomes Nancy Drew. She starts her own investigation because she feels that there’s not enough being done to resolve Wilbur’s whereabouts. As Gwyn investigates, she discovers other information about individuals in her life, information that gets Gwyn thinking. Gwyn never thought living in Iowa would be this interesting.
I loved all the characters and the energy they added to the novel. Gaysie was a handful, the more I read about her, the more I started to understand her yet I wondered who else in the town really understood her. The Christmas gift that Gwyn got from Gaysie was priceless and that gift surprised me. Chapter #13 had to be one of my favorite chapters. I was having a good time as I laughed, was alarmed, was surprised and just kept on reading as this chapter thrilled me. I was touched by Bitty and Gwyn’s unspoken code. They warranted the code, as it was one of the benefits of Vienna being their mother, “benefits.” I liked that.
I think this would be a great read aloud and definitely a book to share in the classroom. I really enjoyed it.
“Sometimes quiet Iowa was way scarier than cray, loud New York ever was.”
August 24, 2018
When Gwyn and her family move in with her Nana in rural Iowa, it’s a big change from living in New York City. It’s all to help her mother, Vienna, develop new memories. Vienna remembers nothing since she was thirteen, including Gwyn and her little sister Bitty. Gwyn and Bitty quickly befriend two boys from the neighborhood, Micah and Jimmy. They live with Micah’s mother, Gaysie Cutter, a woman who tries to bury Gwyn alive the first time they meet. So when a man goes missing, Gwyn knows that Gaysie had to have something to do with it. Now she just has to prove it and not damage her friendship with Jimmy and Micah along the way. But there are many secrets in their small town, ones that threaten to topple Gwyn’s theory of Gaysie’s guilt.
This is Makechnie’s first novel, and it is very impressive. Gwyn is a stellar character, who doesn’t shy away from being entirely herself and different from everyone else. She is a girl who will learn how to lift fingerprints, share her theories directly with the police, stand up to a group of bullies, and dare to speak up around Gaysie Cutter. All of the characters are well drawn and interesting, including Gwyn’s mother who is struggling with the limits of her memory, her father who could be a suspect too, and the two boys who are as different as possible but also brothers through and through.
This story has many layers, making it a very rich read for middle graders. One piece that really works well is the layering of the previous generation growing up in the same small Iowa town. As Gwyn learns of the connection between her mother, father and Gaysie during their childhood, she also finds out about a terrible accident that changed them all forever. That element is then echoed through to the present day with the new generation of children getting into trouble themselves.
A great read, a grand mystery, and a strong protagonist. Appropriate for ages 9-12.
This is Makechnie’s first novel, and it is very impressive. Gwyn is a stellar character, who doesn’t shy away from being entirely herself and different from everyone else. She is a girl who will learn how to lift fingerprints, share her theories directly with the police, stand up to a group of bullies, and dare to speak up around Gaysie Cutter. All of the characters are well drawn and interesting, including Gwyn’s mother who is struggling with the limits of her memory, her father who could be a suspect too, and the two boys who are as different as possible but also brothers through and through.
This story has many layers, making it a very rich read for middle graders. One piece that really works well is the layering of the previous generation growing up in the same small Iowa town. As Gwyn learns of the connection between her mother, father and Gaysie during their childhood, she also finds out about a terrible accident that changed them all forever. That element is then echoed through to the present day with the new generation of children getting into trouble themselves.
A great read, a grand mystery, and a strong protagonist. Appropriate for ages 9-12.
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