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essinink's review against another edition
4.0
In the first decades of the 20th century, a process is invented by which unwanted memories may be removed to exist as separate, corporeal beings. These memories--"Mems", as they're called--are a simple loop. They are incapable of recognizing stimuli outside the boundaries of the memory that spawned them, and remain ageless zombies until they 'expire.' Except for one. Dolores Extract No. 1 is different than other Mems. She's conscious of her environment, and actively forms new memories.
Set in turn-of-the-century alt!Montreal, Mem carries the time's sense of frantic innovation bounded by dubious ethical constraints. The glamour of possibility outweighs inevitable consequences, and Dolores Extract No. 1 is caught in the tide.
I was hesitant going into this, unsure if it would be some kind of edgy dystopian thing or something better. I'm pleased to report it's definitely the latter. The story of Extract No.1 (or Elsie) is a study of memory, of knowledge, and of growth. It's not uncommon to hear "I wish I could forget..." but what happens when you remove the memory of a major turning point from someone's mind? How much can be removed before the source mind fails? Memory is the scaffolding upon which our lives are built, and I found Elsie's internal journey to understanding just what she is quietly touching.
What's keeping this from five stars? *sigh* The ending. I think I see what Morrow was going for, but despite some beautiful moments in the setup, the resolution of the love plot doesn't work for me. Others may disagree; that's fine.
Set in turn-of-the-century alt!Montreal, Mem carries the time's sense of frantic innovation bounded by dubious ethical constraints. The glamour of possibility outweighs inevitable consequences, and Dolores Extract No. 1 is caught in the tide.
I was hesitant going into this, unsure if it would be some kind of edgy dystopian thing or something better. I'm pleased to report it's definitely the latter. The story of Extract No.1 (or Elsie) is a study of memory, of knowledge, and of growth. It's not uncommon to hear "I wish I could forget..." but what happens when you remove the memory of a major turning point from someone's mind? How much can be removed before the source mind fails? Memory is the scaffolding upon which our lives are built, and I found Elsie's internal journey to understanding just what she is quietly touching.
What's keeping this from five stars? *sigh* The ending. I think I see what Morrow was going for, but despite some beautiful moments in the setup, the resolution of the love plot doesn't work for me. Others may disagree; that's fine.
hannah_doc's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
megpsmit's review against another edition
4.0
I had no expectations going into this book, I revived it from a summer reading challenge. I really enjoyed this last read of the year. The idea of memory extraction was interesting and the characters were very well written. The end did leave something to be desired though.
ashley_pl's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
What an enriching read! I was engrossed start to finish. It scratched my "brain itch" when a story really gets in my head. The author doesn't spell out everything so your brain is constantly puzzling to draw connections and meaning.
shea_proulx's review against another edition
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
katrinky's review against another edition
4.0
I think I really liked this book, but it's also hard to tell because it's derivative of lots of things I DEFINITELY like: eternal sunshine, never let me go, minority report. The idea of epiphanies regenerating while memories expire is clever, though I think most memories of really good or really bad things, which are usually what get extracted, include epiphanies, so it seems unlikely Dolores 1/ Elsie would really be unique...
Also the note from the author at the end about refusing to ignore Canada's racist history, while then explaining that there will be no racism in the book, was irritating. Just... Why even write the note??
Also the note from the author at the end about refusing to ignore Canada's racist history, while then explaining that there will be no racism in the book, was irritating. Just... Why even write the note??
talesoftheraven's review against another edition
4.0
If memory could be excised...
The last lines of this short novel really blew me away in their tenderness. The idea that our memories could just be delicately snipped out of our brains,becoming a whole new person who can only exist reliving that memory is, in some aspects a curiosity and in others horrifying.
Memories exist as a source of growth and learning - our experiences shape who we are. I feel bad for the Source Delores. Her father never really gave her a choice, instead excising all the bits that bothered him about her. There is so much depth in these pages, in the interactions Delores’s first extract has while seeking to understand her existence in a world that does not even believe she is a real person.
Read, and please enjoy.
The last lines of this short novel really blew me away in their tenderness. The idea that our memories could just be delicately snipped out of our brains,becoming a whole new person who can only exist reliving that memory is, in some aspects a curiosity and in others horrifying.
Memories exist as a source of growth and learning - our experiences shape who we are. I feel bad for the Source Delores. Her father never really gave her a choice, instead excising all the bits that bothered him about her. There is so much depth in these pages, in the interactions Delores’s first extract has while seeking to understand her existence in a world that does not even believe she is a real person.
Read, and please enjoy.