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september12's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
sammietai's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
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? No
3.0
jjaori26's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ghiblireads's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Wow. This was a stunning book. It had been on my TBR for years and I’m so glad that it lives up my expectations! The writing was beautiful and I loved the way it described everything. I would describe this book as quiet - the characters were simple yet so easy to like and the horrors that were happening were ambiguous. I really loved the characters and enjoyed seeing them interact with each other. The book within the book added an extra layer to the story and a look into the mind of the narrator - it complimented the story well. The things disappearing was so strange and haunting in a way; it was quite moving to see how things happened after something vanished. It was a really interesting take on the effects of police and oppression and a unique tale within the dystopian genre. I really loved the lack of information on how things disappeared and how the Memory Police came to be because it made it feel much more creepy. The ending was amazing, emotional and shocking to me. It is definitely a book that makes you think and it will stay with me for a while.
jdgppp's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
veecundill's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-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
3.75
This is a gentle, quiet dystopian vision which is presented through the lives of outwardly unremarkable characters. There is no real rebellion or resistance as you find in many books of this type and in some ways I missed that, but that’s also what made this unique.
heisenburger's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
mathman329's review against another edition
5.0
2023 Book Review - Book No. 19: “The Memory Police” written by Yōko Ogawa
Date started: 6/5/23
Date finished: 6/23/23
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (would recommend reading if you like temporal mysteries, works in translation, and shadowy political corruption)
Spoiler free review: I picked this novel up on Independent Bookseller’s Day as the premise immediately grabbed my attention. It also seemed like a natural companion to my previous read, “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue”, as it’s another tale of things forgotten. However, Ogawa’s story focuses more on the act of forgetting rather than the feeling of being completely forgettable.
At the heart of “The Memory Police” is an unnamed writer living on an unknown island where each day brings the threat of some item and anything that may be associated with that item - such as boats and their use as ferries - being forgotten. There’s no real rhyme or reason for what is forgotten, but ensuring that these things do in fact remain this way is the titular Memory Police. When some citizens are found to still be in possession of these memories, they are the ones that begin to disappear along with the help of the Memory Police. As the book proceeds, these disappearances occur more frequently and with greater impacts than those previous.
When books are soon forgotten, the protagonist is faced with an interesting predicament - forget all she knew about making a living and pivot to something new, or try to retain the ability to write with the help of her editor and ignore the dangers posed by not forgetting. On top of this, she is tasked with hiding her editor once it’s discovered he is one of those who cannot forget. Along with an old fisherman, the protagonist and her editor navigate the increasingly dangerous life on their island while trying to retain some sense of normalcy.
A thought provoking work of speculative fiction, Ogawa’s story is a not so subtle critique on the dangers of censorship and the power of those who oppose such actions. In a brilliant build-up, Ogawa makes clear that the disappearances of simple or minute items of importance leads to a slippery slope of the people giving up more and more things before it may be too late. The ambiguity of the setting makes this a cautionary tale for all people and allows it to easily fit in amongst classics like “Anthem” or “Fahrenheit 451”. While most of the science fiction I tend to read is English, I really loved the translation of this Japanese work and felt like its voice was all it’s own compared to most sci-fi. All in all, I’d certainly recommend this book if you’re looking for something to reflect on.
Date started: 6/5/23
Date finished: 6/23/23
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (would recommend reading if you like temporal mysteries, works in translation, and shadowy political corruption)
Spoiler free review: I picked this novel up on Independent Bookseller’s Day as the premise immediately grabbed my attention. It also seemed like a natural companion to my previous read, “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue”, as it’s another tale of things forgotten. However, Ogawa’s story focuses more on the act of forgetting rather than the feeling of being completely forgettable.
At the heart of “The Memory Police” is an unnamed writer living on an unknown island where each day brings the threat of some item and anything that may be associated with that item - such as boats and their use as ferries - being forgotten. There’s no real rhyme or reason for what is forgotten, but ensuring that these things do in fact remain this way is the titular Memory Police. When some citizens are found to still be in possession of these memories, they are the ones that begin to disappear along with the help of the Memory Police. As the book proceeds, these disappearances occur more frequently and with greater impacts than those previous.
When books are soon forgotten, the protagonist is faced with an interesting predicament - forget all she knew about making a living and pivot to something new, or try to retain the ability to write with the help of her editor and ignore the dangers posed by not forgetting. On top of this, she is tasked with hiding her editor once it’s discovered he is one of those who cannot forget. Along with an old fisherman, the protagonist and her editor navigate the increasingly dangerous life on their island while trying to retain some sense of normalcy.
A thought provoking work of speculative fiction, Ogawa’s story is a not so subtle critique on the dangers of censorship and the power of those who oppose such actions. In a brilliant build-up, Ogawa makes clear that the disappearances of simple or minute items of importance leads to a slippery slope of the people giving up more and more things before it may be too late. The ambiguity of the setting makes this a cautionary tale for all people and allows it to easily fit in amongst classics like “Anthem” or “Fahrenheit 451”. While most of the science fiction I tend to read is English, I really loved the translation of this Japanese work and felt like its voice was all it’s own compared to most sci-fi. All in all, I’d certainly recommend this book if you’re looking for something to reflect on.