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deliacaroline's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sonjbean's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked this book but I found it hard to suspend my belief in some parts. I wish it had gone more into the science ... like, why is it necessary for these memories to be put into a body? If they've worked out how to extract them, why not just erase them?
mariocomputer's review against another edition
3.0
It's a really cool premise and I love that it's set in Montreal and has a protagonist of colour, but I had a hard time following what the rules of the world were and didn't find it super engaging.
littledebby's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
leannj's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This novella started off slow, which worried me because of the story's short length. But by the end, the themes in this that explored memory and personhood won me over. The climax and ending of this felt very poignant and even left me surprised at just how emotionally invested I'd become.
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.