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bookishlibrarian 's review for:
The Memory Hunters
by Mia Tsai
In this dystopian world wrecked by climate change, whole communities are often in danger of being wiped out, and their memories with them. Some people have abilities as memory hunters who are able to divine memories of a place or person with the help of hallucinogenic mushrooms. But trying to go too far back or too deep in the memory poses risks to the hunters who may be left with intrusive memories, so they must be watched by trained guardians. The memories are both a spiritual practice and an anthropological one, as museums vie for memory collections.
Our main pair (and slow burn love interests) are Key, a legacy memory hunter, and her scrappy guardian Vale. One memory dive results in intrusive memories for Key alongside questions about her world's traditions, and her mentor and family's motives.
I really liked how this novel questions the role of memory and stories in our lives and delving into the ethics of museum collecting and anthropology and black markets. What makes memories significant, to selves or others? Who has the right to a story and its telling? How are these memories shaped by what is collected and preserved and who is doing so? And the intrusive memory aspect brings in elements of PTSD as well. In addition to these aspects, I also liked how it explored both Key and Vale's relationship with their mentors.
The worldbuilding was a little confusing and the pacing on the slower side, but I'm interested in learning more of this world and the love story if I get to future volumes.
Our main pair (and slow burn love interests) are Key, a legacy memory hunter, and her scrappy guardian Vale. One memory dive results in intrusive memories for Key alongside questions about her world's traditions, and her mentor and family's motives.
I really liked how this novel questions the role of memory and stories in our lives and delving into the ethics of museum collecting and anthropology and black markets. What makes memories significant, to selves or others? Who has the right to a story and its telling? How are these memories shaped by what is collected and preserved and who is doing so? And the intrusive memory aspect brings in elements of PTSD as well. In addition to these aspects, I also liked how it explored both Key and Vale's relationship with their mentors.
The worldbuilding was a little confusing and the pacing on the slower side, but I'm interested in learning more of this world and the love story if I get to future volumes.