This was a quiet and brilliant accounting of a dystopian society, perfect for fans of 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and The Handmaid’s Tale. Set on an island where things are disappeared from existence and memory, this is a resonant ode to the power of words and memories. We witness our nameless heroine slowly start to lose her memories, and eventually her selfhood, under the watchful eyes of the oppressive “memory police”. This is a smart and thoughtful story that moves slowly, but is no less impactful for it. I loved the snippets of our heroine’s novel woven into our present story. Ogawa is an excellent writer, using few words to paint a compelling picture of this world & to draw the readers into it. I look forward to reading more translations of her work.