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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Tell Me an Ending by Jo Harkin is a unique speculative fiction novel about a world where people can erase their worst memories. Thank you @scribnerbooks for the gifted copy, this comes out tomorrow!
The story rotates POVs of a psychologist at a memory removal clinic, plus four other characters all grappling with the decisions and ripple effects of the procedure.
The premise is incredibly thought-provoking. How have traumas shaped how I interact with the world? Would I erase those memories? Would my personality be different without them? Is it even ethical to do? I don’t know any of these answers, but the book explores them all.
Admittedly I often thought “What is happening and who are all these people?” in the first half. It all gradually merged with a few unexpected connections. There’s plenty of mystery!
However I think this would benefit from a tighter scope. The world-building and storylines were busy and I would prefer a deeper look at fewer characters.
Trauma and mental health are central to the story, so I encourage you to consider that before diving in. Content includes suicide, death of a parent, and car accidents. Please feel free to DM me if you would like more detail.
If you enjoy books with multiple POVs, Black Mirror vibes, and moral grayness, Tell Me an Ending might be a good read for you!
The story rotates POVs of a psychologist at a memory removal clinic, plus four other characters all grappling with the decisions and ripple effects of the procedure.
The premise is incredibly thought-provoking. How have traumas shaped how I interact with the world? Would I erase those memories? Would my personality be different without them? Is it even ethical to do? I don’t know any of these answers, but the book explores them all.
Admittedly I often thought “What is happening and who are all these people?” in the first half. It all gradually merged with a few unexpected connections. There’s plenty of mystery!
However I think this would benefit from a tighter scope. The world-building and storylines were busy and I would prefer a deeper look at fewer characters.
Trauma and mental health are central to the story, so I encourage you to consider that before diving in. Content includes suicide, death of a parent, and car accidents. Please feel free to DM me if you would like more detail.
If you enjoy books with multiple POVs, Black Mirror vibes, and moral grayness, Tell Me an Ending might be a good read for you!
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In my last year of college, I did a thesis project where I focused a lot on memory and how it’s written about in literature – how time affects our perspective on memories, how our memory of events in our lives affects the decisions we make, how it all shapes our sense of self and how it evolves… Is it really any surprise, then, that when I read the description of Jo Harkin’s debut novel Tell Me an Ending it immediately went to the top of my ‘To Read’ list? The idea of being able to erase (usually) painful memories is not a new one – Harkin’s characters make references to several famous examples of memory loss throughout the novel. But Harkin’s exploration of the concept also explores at length the ways that such an ability would be at the mercy of human nature in its implementation and asks the age-old question, just because something can be done, does it follow it should be done?
Noor has worked at Nepenthe for years. But the company that specializes in deleting memories from its patients – some choosing to remain consciously aware that they’ve had the procedure done and others choosing to have the knowledge of the procedure deleted as well – has been forced to confront the fact that their promise the deleted memories were gone for good wasn’t true. In fact, rumors that some folks have had traces of their deleted memories popping back up. Some public trials and further medical advancements led to the decision that those who chose not to remember having had the procedure be notified and given the opportunity to have those memories restored at no cost. But as Noor and several others find out, that might not be entirely true either. It may not cost them financially, but there are other costs to consider.
To read the rest of my review, please visit my blog: https://wp.me/pUEx4-1aC
Noor has worked at Nepenthe for years. But the company that specializes in deleting memories from its patients – some choosing to remain consciously aware that they’ve had the procedure done and others choosing to have the knowledge of the procedure deleted as well – has been forced to confront the fact that their promise the deleted memories were gone for good wasn’t true. In fact, rumors that some folks have had traces of their deleted memories popping back up. Some public trials and further medical advancements led to the decision that those who chose not to remember having had the procedure be notified and given the opportunity to have those memories restored at no cost. But as Noor and several others find out, that might not be entirely true either. It may not cost them financially, but there are other costs to consider.
To read the rest of my review, please visit my blog: https://wp.me/pUEx4-1aC
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
<blockquote>"The problem with thinking about forgetting things is that it always makes you think about the things you want to forget."</blockquote>
Nepenthe is in the business of memory removal (they don't call them wipes). Clients may be self-informed - she knows she witnessed an accident, but doesn't actually remember the event - or self-confidential - not even the knowledge that they had a memory removed. Some people have been against it since the beginning, of course, but the number of protestors outside the clinics has increased in the past year, since the scientists found that memories can be recovered. The result of the following lawsuit is that all the self-confidential patients must be contacted and given the option to have their memory restored.
Noor has been a psychologist at Nepenthe for 10 years now. She's straightlaced - aside from that relationship with a client. She had been working up the courage to ask her boss Louise to okay a slightly dodgy memory wipe for her, but then some slightly dodgy things started to pile up with Louise herself. Noor spotted something with the phrase "RASA" on Louise's phone, but Louise denied any knowledge of...whatever that means. And Louise has been having Noor approve her to look at some patient files, ostensibly because their contact information has changed, and they have to be contacted as self-confidential clients. But on further inspection, Noor discovered, these folks WERE successfully contacted - and they all said they wanted a memory restoration, until Louise got in touch with them and they all changed their minds.
And then there's Mei, who left university a year ago and recently started experiencing traces - she must have had a memory removed, and now snippets have returned. A view of some houses along a canal, a man's voice she doesn't recognize. Contact with her old friends leads her to believe answers lie in Amsterdam, so she leaves her dad's in Kuala Lumpur to chase her memory. And Finn and his wife Mirande, who discovers she had a memory removed when she receives the notification from Nepenthe. Regardless of the controversy over traces and memory restorations, William feels like it may be the only way to restore his former life and relationship with his wife after he finds himself struck with PTSD due to seeing a photo of a crime scene - highly unexpected given his position as chief inspector. And finally Oscar. He has no idea what's going on, just in general. He's currently living in Morocco, but knows very little about himself - no memories before the age of 16, and then only spotty bits for years. Some of the memories don't give him much confidence in his past self - a gun, a white room, men he doesn't know in suits. He does have a lot of money in his bank account to fund his travels - helpful as he goes on the run anytime someone seems to recognize him - but he has no idea where that money came from.
Like any memory wipe/restoration story (Bourne Identity, Eternal Sunshine...), there are elements and differing opinions on how your memories make you who you are and what can be changed by altering them. Sometimes books with different points of view can result in a mush of voices, but I found the characters distinct here. I thought the way characters and relationships melded was interesting. Oscar's sections were my favorites to read - it's of course exciting to read the story of the man on the run who doesn't know why, and he's also good hearted.
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the eARC. Tell Me An Ending will be published March 1st, 2022.
Nepenthe is in the business of memory removal (they don't call them wipes). Clients may be self-informed - she knows she witnessed an accident, but doesn't actually remember the event - or self-confidential - not even the knowledge that they had a memory removed. Some people have been against it since the beginning, of course, but the number of protestors outside the clinics has increased in the past year, since the scientists found that memories can be recovered. The result of the following lawsuit is that all the self-confidential patients must be contacted and given the option to have their memory restored.
Noor has been a psychologist at Nepenthe for 10 years now. She's straightlaced - aside from that relationship with a client. She had been working up the courage to ask her boss Louise to okay a slightly dodgy memory wipe for her, but then some slightly dodgy things started to pile up with Louise herself. Noor spotted something with the phrase "RASA" on Louise's phone, but Louise denied any knowledge of...whatever that means. And Louise has been having Noor approve her to look at some patient files, ostensibly because their contact information has changed, and they have to be contacted as self-confidential clients. But on further inspection, Noor discovered, these folks WERE successfully contacted - and they all said they wanted a memory restoration, until Louise got in touch with them and they all changed their minds.
And then there's Mei, who left university a year ago and recently started experiencing traces - she must have had a memory removed, and now snippets have returned. A view of some houses along a canal, a man's voice she doesn't recognize. Contact with her old friends leads her to believe answers lie in Amsterdam, so she leaves her dad's in Kuala Lumpur to chase her memory. And Finn and his wife Mirande, who discovers she had a memory removed when she receives the notification from Nepenthe. Regardless of the controversy over traces and memory restorations, William feels like it may be the only way to restore his former life and relationship with his wife after he finds himself struck with PTSD due to seeing a photo of a crime scene - highly unexpected given his position as chief inspector. And finally Oscar. He has no idea what's going on, just in general. He's currently living in Morocco, but knows very little about himself - no memories before the age of 16, and then only spotty bits for years. Some of the memories don't give him much confidence in his past self - a gun, a white room, men he doesn't know in suits. He does have a lot of money in his bank account to fund his travels - helpful as he goes on the run anytime someone seems to recognize him - but he has no idea where that money came from.
Like any memory wipe/restoration story (Bourne Identity, Eternal Sunshine...), there are elements and differing opinions on how your memories make you who you are and what can be changed by altering them. Sometimes books with different points of view can result in a mush of voices, but I found the characters distinct here. I thought the way characters and relationships melded was interesting. Oscar's sections were my favorites to read - it's of course exciting to read the story of the man on the run who doesn't know why, and he's also good hearted.
Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the eARC. Tell Me An Ending will be published March 1st, 2022.
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What if you once had a painful memory removed? And what if you were offered the chance to get it back? Tell Me an Ending follows four characters grappling with the question of what to remember—and what they hoped to forget forever.
Hello speculative fiction goodness! Tell Me an Ending was a gripping, thought-provoking, sad and page-turning read from start to finish. Noor, the introductory character, works at a memory removal clinic, Nepenthe. When Nepenthe lands in hot water regarding failed procedures, Noor discovers that not everything at Nepenthe is what it seems. Mei, Finn, William and Oscar each struggle with their own circumstances regarding their memories, each with their own tragic or happy endings.
I really appreciated how to-the-point the opening scenes were in establishing what Nepenthe is, what they do and what the major conflict is. Not all dystopian/spec fiction books do this well, but this one certainly did—no confusion to be found.
Each of the main characters were distinct and interesting, with their own unique voices and conflicts. The POVs throughout the book change at great points to kept the reader guessing. The timelines differ a little, so it was confusing at times to place events in the correct order. However, by the end, you can clearly see all the stories connecting. I really enjoyed how everything got tied together by the ending. I grieved for some characters, celebrated others, and contemplated how some could possibly move forward.
In some instances, I was expecting worse “reveals” and was surprised that not everything was as severe as I anticipated. However, this actually worked in the book’s favor, highlighting how deeply a singular event could affect someone and how someone could or could not move on.
I found the story to be cohesive and satisfying overall. It’s a very intriguing story that kept me thinking long after I turned the final page.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Addiction, Sexual content
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me this arc inexchange for an honest review.
This book has a really cool premise. What if we lived in a world where it was possible to remove memories. We follow several characters, some who have had their memories removed and the story explores that premise.
I personally found the execution of the story to be okay. Because it had several characters there were some that i wanted to know more of and others i didn't care for. I don't regret reading it. There are many other who will enjoy it.
This book has a really cool premise. What if we lived in a world where it was possible to remove memories. We follow several characters, some who have had their memories removed and the story explores that premise.
I personally found the execution of the story to be okay. Because it had several characters there were some that i wanted to know more of and others i didn't care for. I don't regret reading it. There are many other who will enjoy it.