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A review by rachaelwinterling
The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa
3.0
The Memory Police is a book about an unnamed island that seems to be detached from the real world. For the last 15 years, the memory police have begun systematically removing items from the island with no discernible rhyme or reason. Birds. Ribbons. Boats. Perfume. Emeralds. They come in and remove all traces of it, and suddenly all of the inhabitants forget the item ever existed… all but a few, that is.
So what is this story really about? I’ve seen many different interpretations of the story online, but here’s what I think: this story is about an Alzheimer/dementia-esque disease.
This book highlights the devastation of not only the loss of our memories, but the slow erosion of our personal identities. The narrator is constantly confronted with the unsettling realities of her increasingly disoriented existence with the elimination of each memory.
To me, this book is a good interpretation of a devastating disease. Personally, I think the end fizzled a bit. I initially gave it a 4.5, but am bumping it down one star because I don’t find myself thinking about this book enough afterwards to warrant the higher rating.
So what is this story really about? I’ve seen many different interpretations of the story online, but here’s what I think: this story is about an Alzheimer/dementia-esque disease.
This book highlights the devastation of not only the loss of our memories, but the slow erosion of our personal identities. The narrator is constantly confronted with the unsettling realities of her increasingly disoriented existence with the elimination of each memory.
To me, this book is a good interpretation of a devastating disease. Personally, I think the end fizzled a bit. I initially gave it a 4.5, but am bumping it down one star because I don’t find myself thinking about this book enough afterwards to warrant the higher rating.