A review by astrofeldy
The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

An intriguing premise and executed well - the things that annoy you about it, should, and are a central point to its success. Reading other reviews, particularly critiques of character styling, narration and dialogue, I see similarities to critiques of other Japanese-translated modern novels (such as Nakano Thrift Shop, Convenience Store Woman, etc) and become more convinced that some cultural experiences just don’t translate that well to English. If you’ve spent time in Japanese culture, then my feel is that you’re more likely to be forgiving of the awkwardness between the characters and their interactions with the world. 
Overall a compelling novel about memory, community and oppression in times of trauma, and the collective narratives that help us through them.