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ra22ouille's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
My brain has been marinating in so many questions about identity, collective memory, and submission. The Memory Police deftly tackles slippery existential concepts and guided me through an exploration that wound downward into dark hole.
The characters were repulsive because of a deep fear that they stirred with their submission.
The characters were repulsive because of a deep fear that they stirred with their submission.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Minor: Rape
jediprincess's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is such a beautiful novel. I love how the world wasn’t explained - why were the memory police doing what they were doing? No clue, other than the need for power/control. So with the characters not fighting back against them, that fact made the world even more haunting. It kind of reminds me of Broken April. This will be a reread
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Moderate: Police brutality
Minor: Rape
chaos_animates's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality and Grief
Moderate: Body horror
Minor: Rape
drapetomaniac's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality
Minor: Rape
3eggomelet's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Confinement, Rape, and Police brutality
Minor: Body horror and Death of parent
theliteratewalrus's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Death of parent and Dysphoria
Minor: Domestic abuse and Rape
oceanwriter's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Though I wouldn't quite label this Orwellian, The Memory Police certainly was haunting.
Somewhere in the ocean off Japan, there's an island run by the Memory Police who can make objects (and people) disappear forever at a whim. One day there are birds, the next day they're ordered to be set free, and soon enough, the people of the island can hardly recall the word 'bird' let alone what they looked like or any memories associated with them. Disappearances are a common occurrence and compliance is expected. Most people are able to erase their memories without effort. Unfortunately for those few who can't, it means their lives are in danger and they must go into hiding. Such is the case for R who is hidden by the unnamed narrator of the book.
Lacking in world-building, we don't learn exactly how the Memory Police operate, only that they are stoic figures who think nothing of barging into people's homes and tearing the contents apart in search of disappeared items or evidence of resistance. We don't know how these people came to power, what their origin is, or how long they've been in power. It's been a while at least, and several hold out hope that they will someday be the ones to disappear.
The story itself has a slow pace for a dystopian novel but it worked for me. Less focus on the technicalities of this universe allowed for a lot of attention on the characters. I especially loved the narrator's friendship with the old man. Their scenes were my favorite parts of the book. I also liked R's efforts to try and get the two to remember items they'd long forgotten, even if it's just one of the associated memories.
The narrator is a novelist and some sections of the book follow the book she's writing. While these passages give a deeper look into the narrator's mind and how she's internalized life beholden to the Memory Police, I would have traded them for more world-building. So many questions go unanswered. Perhaps this is fitting for a book about people losing their memories (and in turn knowledge), however as a reader, it's difficult not to crave more build-up for a full understanding of the islander's lives. Nevertheless, the ideas of this book — manufactured memory loss — are too intriguing not to enjoy.
Somewhere in the ocean off Japan, there's an island run by the Memory Police who can make objects (and people) disappear forever at a whim. One day there are birds, the next day they're ordered to be set free, and soon enough, the people of the island can hardly recall the word 'bird' let alone what they looked like or any memories associated with them. Disappearances are a common occurrence and compliance is expected. Most people are able to erase their memories without effort. Unfortunately for those few who can't, it means their lives are in danger and they must go into hiding. Such is the case for R who is hidden by the unnamed narrator of the book.
Lacking in world-building, we don't learn exactly how the Memory Police operate, only that they are stoic figures who think nothing of barging into people's homes and tearing the contents apart in search of disappeared items or evidence of resistance. We don't know how these people came to power, what their origin is, or how long they've been in power. It's been a while at least, and several hold out hope that they will someday be the ones to disappear.
The story itself has a slow pace for a dystopian novel but it worked for me. Less focus on the technicalities of this universe allowed for a lot of attention on the characters. I especially loved the narrator's friendship with the old man. Their scenes were my favorite parts of the book. I also liked R's efforts to try and get the two to remember items they'd long forgotten, even if it's just one of the associated memories.
The narrator is a novelist and some sections of the book follow the book she's writing. While these passages give a deeper look into the narrator's mind and how she's internalized life beholden to the Memory Police, I would have traded them for more world-building. So many questions go unanswered. Perhaps this is fitting for a book about people losing their memories (and in turn knowledge), however as a reader, it's difficult not to crave more build-up for a full understanding of the islander's lives. Nevertheless, the ideas of this book — manufactured memory loss — are too intriguing not to enjoy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, and Police brutality
Moderate: Infidelity and Death of parent
Minor: Animal death and Rape
lageante's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement
Minor: Rape
siobhan_oak's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book reminded me of the Inspector O stories by James Church, set in North Korea. Under an authoritarian regime, you must appear to think what they want you to think or you won’t think at all. And your friends and family may suffer.
And yet people try to find a way to go on, even in the midst of it all. To find small joys in daily life.
An artist who is permitted to create under the regime is still beholden to the regime.
This book may seem vague or that nothing happens but it isn’t that kind of book. What happens isn’t necessarily either story in the book. It’s the background. It’s the things people can’t speak of lest they be a disappearance also.
And yet people try to find a way to go on, even in the midst of it all. To find small joys in daily life.
An artist who is permitted to create under the regime is still beholden to the regime.
This book may seem vague or that nothing happens but it isn’t that kind of book. What happens isn’t necessarily either story in the book. It’s the background. It’s the things people can’t speak of lest they be a disappearance also.
Content Warnings
Minor: Rape
saenz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
classic dystopian novel. If you hate dystopian books like me then obviously don't read lol.
interesting plot, disturbing to read, with an extremely vague ending
interesting plot, disturbing to read, with an extremely vague ending
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
some of the content warnings only apply to the fictional story within the story