Contains spoilers!!
The moment you think you have everything figured out, you’re wrong. While reading, the details seem to fall into place, making the reader believe they know what’s going to happen, but in reality, they don’t. That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally is a captivating novel that engages its audience with a thrilling storyline and a gut-wrenching plot twist.
We see a two-sided perspective: one from a girl with no memory, including her own name, and the other from Drew, who is searching for his missing girlfriend, Lola Scott. Other characters in the story are the perceived father, Wayne Boone, who seems to be a good father figure. We also meet Max and Autumn, both friends of Lola and Drew.
Major themes in the story include identity, memory loss, manipulation, and the control of truth. Although suspense drives the main objective of the novel, love is also deeply woven into the storyline.
This novel describes the lengths a person will go to find someone they love and how easily others can give up. There are moments when manipulation hides behind the gentlest smiles and caring actions. Lally includes some of the smallest yet most important details, which significantly impact the ending.
The details are crucial to the plot, as small differences the main female character notices determine whether she can escape. Characters take risks that could leave them in jail, with Drew taking some of the biggest risks in hopes of the greatest reward: bringing Lola home.
The ending left me heartbroken, but not for a single moment did I regret reading this book. This story will forever be engraved into my mind, leaving me to wonder how things might have changed if the outcome had been happier. Nonetheless, it’s a novel worth reading that’s deserving of recognition. If you enjoy incredibly creative plots filled with suspense and mystery, this book is for you.
