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A review by essinink
MEM by Bethany C. Morrow
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.