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danubooks 's review for:
The Memory Ward
by Jon Bassoff
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Are there some things it is better not to know?
In the small remote town of Bethlam, Nevada, living is simple and each day is very much like the next. Mail carrier Hank Davies lives in a small house there with his wife Iris pondering the sameness of his life when he trips over a branch on the sidewalk and a few letters slip out of his mail sack. That random mishap will set off a chain of events that will make him question the reality of his world. He was in an accident recently, and wants to chalk up the strange thoughts and dreams he's been having to the effects of that night. He has a good job, a loving wife, and everyone agrees that there is no better place to live than Bethlam...so why is he so uneasy? What would it mean if his memories aren't truly his memories at all?
Within the first few chapters of The Memory Ward it becomes clear that all is not what it seems in Bethlam, but the truth of what is going on remains a mystery for much of the book. What is true and what is a lie? Can you remember something or someone and have the memory not be real? Can any of us ever escape who we essentially are? With traces of The Truman Show and The Stepford Wives all through a Twilight Zone-like filter, this is a psychological thriller that pulls the reader down into Hank's mental rabbit hole. There is an eeriness in the tone of the story as well, as the image of the picture perfect town where everyone is safe and happy is overshadowed by the doubts that Hank begins to harbor. I found the plot fairly predictable despite the occasional twists, and apart from the main protagonist I didn't find much depth to the characters...overall I found it an okay read, but not particularly original. Based on other reviews I have read, some readers have found it unputdownable and a fantastic read, so take my opinion with that contrast in mind. It will likely appeal to readers of authors like Blake Crouch, Iain Reid and Gillian Flynn. My thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me early access to The Memory Ward in exchange for my review.
In the small remote town of Bethlam, Nevada, living is simple and each day is very much like the next. Mail carrier Hank Davies lives in a small house there with his wife Iris pondering the sameness of his life when he trips over a branch on the sidewalk and a few letters slip out of his mail sack. That random mishap will set off a chain of events that will make him question the reality of his world. He was in an accident recently, and wants to chalk up the strange thoughts and dreams he's been having to the effects of that night. He has a good job, a loving wife, and everyone agrees that there is no better place to live than Bethlam...so why is he so uneasy? What would it mean if his memories aren't truly his memories at all?
Within the first few chapters of The Memory Ward it becomes clear that all is not what it seems in Bethlam, but the truth of what is going on remains a mystery for much of the book. What is true and what is a lie? Can you remember something or someone and have the memory not be real? Can any of us ever escape who we essentially are? With traces of The Truman Show and The Stepford Wives all through a Twilight Zone-like filter, this is a psychological thriller that pulls the reader down into Hank's mental rabbit hole. There is an eeriness in the tone of the story as well, as the image of the picture perfect town where everyone is safe and happy is overshadowed by the doubts that Hank begins to harbor. I found the plot fairly predictable despite the occasional twists, and apart from the main protagonist I didn't find much depth to the characters...overall I found it an okay read, but not particularly original. Based on other reviews I have read, some readers have found it unputdownable and a fantastic read, so take my opinion with that contrast in mind. It will likely appeal to readers of authors like Blake Crouch, Iain Reid and Gillian Flynn. My thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me early access to The Memory Ward in exchange for my review.