A review by ilana_pop
De geheugenpolitie by Yōko Ogawa

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

“On an unnamed island allsorts of things disappear [...]. The world is getting a little emptier and the memories of the inhabitants are showing bigger and bigger gaps. The few who continue to remember fear for their lives.”
A terrifying premise for what is in fact a simple, uncomplicated, subtle, modest novel. An easy to follow story, without complex twists or characters. This may seem boring and unchallenging after that poignant permise, but the simplicity is the strength of this novel. You need to keep your head in the story, because your imagination is invited to challenge itself. Think of this story as a meditation on memories, existence and the depths of memory and the mind. 

The main character is a novelist and sometimes we get to read little bits of her script. The parallel between the real story and the script is very clear. How she takes inspiration from her reality, what she goes through and the symbolism hidden in the text… Reflection on decay of the body and mind takes up a lot of her thoughts. Both in her script and in her mind, it is often discussed. Like the question: “Is your body decaying, perishing, when in the end you forget everything?”

This is classified as dystopian fiction, but do not expect dizzying science fiction, dark motives or a grand apotheosis from this book. You’ll be very disappointed. This is for the readers who love magic realism, Murakami, Marquez and Ishiguro, for the Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind-enthusiast. Those readers will find this a highly rewarding story.
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