A review by serendipitysbooks
The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna

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

4.5

 The Memory of Love is a powerful sweeping tale set in Sierra Leone. It’s the intersecting stories of three men - Adrian who is a British psychologist who has left his family to work in Sierra Leone, Elias, a former academic who is dying in hospital, and Kai, an orthopaedic surgeon - and one woman who connects them all. The novel highlights the lasting effects - physical and mental - of trauma, even trauma not consciously remembered at both an individual and national level. Friendship, love and betrayal are some of the key themes. As the story unfolds the lasting legacy of colonialism and the horrors of war are brutally revealed, and the connections between past and present emphasised. There is lush writing and intricate storytelling that requires some effort from the reader due to the shifting perspectives and temporal jumps. However, this effort is well rewarded. The Memory of Love is a story well worth reading, and one that held my interest the entire time.
 
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