Books like The memory of things by Gae Polisner

When the Twin Towers fall on September 11, 2001, sixteen‑year‑old Kyle Donohue watches the collapse from Stuyvesant High School. In panic, he crosses the Brooklyn Bridge, finding a girl covered in ash and wearing costume wings, presumed lost. With his mother and sister in California and his father— a New York detective—presumed trapped, Kyle decides to bring the mysterious girl home to protect her. The story unfolds in alternating perspectives, following Kyle’s efforts to solve the girl’s identity mystery while grappling with a growing friendship. As he pieces together her forgotten memories—including the possibility she no longer remembers her own name—Kyle realizes that the deeper his connection becomes, the harder it is to let her go. Exploring themes of memory, loss, and the bonds forged in crisis, the narrative captures the emotional impact of 9/11 while tracing the evolving relationship between two teenagers seeking understanding and hope.

First publish date: 2016