Review by asourceoffiction - The Memory Library

asourceoffiction 's review for:

The Memory Library by Kate Storey

4.0

emotional hopeful lighthearted sad 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: Yes

I couldn't tell if this started a little slowly, or if I was just in a New Year stupor. But once Ella and Sally's stories started to develop, I was totally engrossed. And that was heightened every time I would get to know one of the brilliant set of supporting characters (Jakub and Nathan are wonderful). They're all so well drawn and I could see them so clearly - I wanted to give Pru a bit of a shove for most of the book, but actually I quite enjoyed that!

For me I think this imagery was helped enormously by the setting. I used to live in Greenwich and Storey brings the area to life so wonderfully that the whole thing was brimming with delightful nostalgia for me, which helped me identify with Ella even more. The book also has books at its heart, with every character connected by a different love of stories. And how can a book lover not love to read about book lovers?!

This is a hopeful book, but it's one that doesn't gloss over the characters' mistakes. It doesn't pretend to fix everything that's broken and really highlights how we often have no choice but to live with regret. But it does carve a way forward despite that; the end is so touching I was quite emotional. It's a lovely, fitting end to a book filled with complex issues and fantastic characters.

Content Warnings