I am super excited to talk to you about Lala Palacio‘s short story Blank Slate. You can see/learn more about Palacio’s work here.
(While I have your attention, you can click here to pop over and see my vlog!)
Let me tell you, I read through this story so fast, and it’s not just because it’s a short story. It was mostly because it was so intriguing and engaging!
We readers wake up alongside main character Donovan… in his subconscious. Everything is hazy, memories float about, some pleasant, but many of them aren’t. When Donovan wakes up in the hospital some time later, he realizes he’s lost a chunk of his life–high school and most of middle school are suddenly wiped from his brain.
Anxious to leave, he rips out his IV and escapes, but once outside, he realizes he needs backup and calls upon his best friend, Car. But… he and Car aren’t exactly thick as thieves anymore. Still, seeing that his (former) friend is in trouble, Car steps up to the task and picks Donovan up off the street.
This is a beautiful little story about friendship. I loved reading it–Palacio is descriptive in a lovely, subtle way. There isn’t a lot of action, and really, not a lot of physical descriptions, instead, she expertly explores the emotional journey of two friends as they try to reconcile…and remember.
I want so badly to say more, but I’m afraid of spoiling too much. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and really think you will too. It is just such an interesting, thoughtful look at humanity and connection, that it’s incredibly relatable, even if you haven’t had a huge falling out with your best friend and then forgot about it.
If you have a minute (or twenty), definitely check out this story.
That’s all I’ve got for now. I’m excited to announce that I’ll be participating in Twist in Time Magazine‘s blog tour of
by Juliette Van der Molen, so look out for those posts!
Happy Reading!
A Little Bit of Happiness 