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A review by annettenis
Hymn of Memory by S. Jean
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Hymn of Memory by S Jean is a beautiful and haunting book about the importance of identity that will linger in the readers mind for all the right reasons.
Morgan is the "Divine" of Blackburn, a sacred role that he has fulfilled since he was called to it in childhood. His role is to send the souls of the departed into the afterlife, and it is a difficult and emotional one since the process involves taking the dead persons memories inside his mind , and sharing their experiences. Not only does this take an emotional toll, it seems that all of these imported memories are causing his own memories to erode, and Morgan is staring to wonder how long he can continue with his sacred duties before he loses himself entirely.
When Fin, a young man whose Grandmother recently died, breaks into Morgan's room and begs him to revisit his Grandmother as he is sure there is something she was trying to tell him before she died, and offers him a chance to escape, Morgan knows he has to take this opportunity, it may never come again. The intrepid duo flee and soon find themselves on a road trip to give Morgan a chance to experience all the things he has missed out on because of his sacred role and restricted upbringing. Before long they grow close and Morgan finds himself imagining a future that he had never contemplated. In the end the choice will be his, will he return to his role as the Divine and lose himself completely or will he reach for the future that could bring him personal happiness but would mean that the souls of the dead would not cross and so they would die completely instead of being reborn.
This is such a beautiful book, and I do not just mean the striking cover. It is clear that the author has spent a lot of time thinking about the ethical dilemma that lies at the heart of the book and it is a testament to their skill that the outcome of Morgan's decision is not a forgone conclusion. The development of the relationship between Fin and Morgan is deliciously sweet, the protective Fin and the naive Morgan coming together is a treat , and never seems heavy handed or rushed in any way . I found myself feeling so much sympathy for Morgan, his fate as the Divine is genuinely terrifying , and I could really see in his character the struggles of many children made to grow up too fast and take on burdens that were never meant for them to bear as well as the self doubt that comes with losing his memories and his sense of self.
A powerful and beautiful book that I would highly recommend.
I read and reviewed an ARC supplied by the author , all opinions are my own.
Morgan is the "Divine" of Blackburn, a sacred role that he has fulfilled since he was called to it in childhood. His role is to send the souls of the departed into the afterlife, and it is a difficult and emotional one since the process involves taking the dead persons memories inside his mind , and sharing their experiences. Not only does this take an emotional toll, it seems that all of these imported memories are causing his own memories to erode, and Morgan is staring to wonder how long he can continue with his sacred duties before he loses himself entirely.
When Fin, a young man whose Grandmother recently died, breaks into Morgan's room and begs him to revisit his Grandmother as he is sure there is something she was trying to tell him before she died, and offers him a chance to escape, Morgan knows he has to take this opportunity, it may never come again. The intrepid duo flee and soon find themselves on a road trip to give Morgan a chance to experience all the things he has missed out on because of his sacred role and restricted upbringing. Before long they grow close and Morgan finds himself imagining a future that he had never contemplated. In the end the choice will be his, will he return to his role as the Divine and lose himself completely or will he reach for the future that could bring him personal happiness but would mean that the souls of the dead would not cross and so they would die completely instead of being reborn.
This is such a beautiful book, and I do not just mean the striking cover. It is clear that the author has spent a lot of time thinking about the ethical dilemma that lies at the heart of the book and it is a testament to their skill that the outcome of Morgan's decision is not a forgone conclusion. The development of the relationship between Fin and Morgan is deliciously sweet, the protective Fin and the naive Morgan coming together is a treat , and never seems heavy handed or rushed in any way . I found myself feeling so much sympathy for Morgan, his fate as the Divine is genuinely terrifying , and I could really see in his character the struggles of many children made to grow up too fast and take on burdens that were never meant for them to bear as well as the self doubt that comes with losing his memories and his sense of self.
A powerful and beautiful book that I would highly recommend.
I read and reviewed an ARC supplied by the author , all opinions are my own.