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A review by booksbythewindow
The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
(Full review to come)
Summary: The Memory Police follows a novelist who lives on a remote island where items keep disappearing from memory: while the items still exist, the inhabitants of the island no longer have any recollection of their purpose or any emotion towards them. With every disappearance, the Memory Police are deployed to ensure that the now-useless item is fully removed from society, using brutal and authoritarian means. In the midst of this, the protagonist enlists her friend, known only as the old man, to help her editor, R, after he reveals a dangerous secret that he has been hiding. Together, they attempt to survive the increasing disappearances without drawing the attention of the Memory Police.
Overall Thoughts: I am so glad that I picked up The Memory Police: it is definitely one of the strongest novels I have read this year. Ogawa’s writing really shines in her characters and the descriptions of the world surrounding them, allowing for the reader to become really invested in the relationships and tensions between the characters. I particularly enjoy Ogawa's portrayal of inter-generational relationships: for me, the emotional heart of the narrative is the friendship between the protagonist and the old man. Ogawa’s quiet and understated writing really aids the overall tone and atmosphere of The Memory Police. Throughout all the interactions between the three primary characters lies an undercurrent of things that are left unsaid, both for fear of what would happen if they were voiced but also, in some cases, because they are unable to put into words what is going on in the world around them. I would definitely recommend The Memory Police for those who enjoy more literary dystopian fiction, such as Owell’s 1984 or Butler’s Parable of the Sower. I am looking forward to reading more of Ogawa’s work in the future.
Summary: The Memory Police follows a novelist who lives on a remote island where items keep disappearing from memory: while the items still exist, the inhabitants of the island no longer have any recollection of their purpose or any emotion towards them. With every disappearance, the Memory Police are deployed to ensure that the now-useless item is fully removed from society, using brutal and authoritarian means. In the midst of this, the protagonist enlists her friend, known only as the old man, to help her editor, R, after he reveals a dangerous secret that he has been hiding. Together, they attempt to survive the increasing disappearances without drawing the attention of the Memory Police.
Overall Thoughts: I am so glad that I picked up The Memory Police: it is definitely one of the strongest novels I have read this year. Ogawa’s writing really shines in her characters and the descriptions of the world surrounding them, allowing for the reader to become really invested in the relationships and tensions between the characters. I particularly enjoy Ogawa's portrayal of inter-generational relationships: for me, the emotional heart of the narrative is the friendship between the protagonist and the old man. Ogawa’s quiet and understated writing really aids the overall tone and atmosphere of The Memory Police. Throughout all the interactions between the three primary characters lies an undercurrent of things that are left unsaid, both for fear of what would happen if they were voiced but also, in some cases, because they are unable to put into words what is going on in the world around them. I would definitely recommend The Memory Police for those who enjoy more literary dystopian fiction, such as Owell’s 1984 or Butler’s Parable of the Sower. I am looking forward to reading more of Ogawa’s work in the future.