A review by bigolarlocat
The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa

dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.5

Im not really sure what to say about this book. I definitely was gripped by it, surprising given its slow plot and lack of character exploration. The major draw here is the concept. A world not fading away but being systematically disassembled by an authoritarian regime. The response of our characters to this, the fear of the memory police and how the island does or doesn't band together during this. So much of this really intrigued me, R lacking a name, his relationship with the protagonist and his wife, the dual narrative weaved throughout. Unfortunately the ending didn't draw the conclusions I wanted together and left me a little dissatisfied.
Altogether though I liked the experience, I think you can get a lot out of this book.