A review by hardkaapi
The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa

mysterious tense medium-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

I picked this up to get myself out of a frustrating slump and it did to an extent. The story is about an island governed by an authoritative Memory Police that has the power to make any item disappear from the island's collective memory. These disappearances continue but the Memory Police is on the hunt for the people who still remember. For those wondering about the logic of this, basically, the item still exists but once disappeared, even the mention of it invokes no memory. Our unnamed narrator is a writer who must protect her friend who remembers everything. Unfortunately, the plot is the only cool thing about this book. The story goes in weird places and almost repeats itself a couple of times. There isn't a proper explanation for anything and maybe this is because it's a translation, but I wasn't a fan of the writing style either. Having loved Ogawa's Housekeeper and Professor, this one disappointed me:( Just read Animal Farm instead.