The Memory Police

3:

Overall, I think this is worth the read if you're into the more contemplative face of dystopias. I was pretty enraptured while reading, and the story flowed very easily, but I feel it could've done with a bit more world building. I wish she'd touched a bit upon WHY things were the way they were, you know? I know it wasn't that kind of story but still, I have questions!

Anywho, the characters were interesting, and the story very allegorical. It focuses on the characters, their bonds to each other, to themselves, their past, and their future. If you like this kind of story, you'll probably really enjoy it. I've read it's a 1984 sequel in spirit, but I've never read 1984 so I wouldn't know.

And this is more of a personal thing but I didn't like the romance angle at all. It took me right out of the story; I just can't understand why it had to be taken in that direction. Romance is not crucial in order to convey the depth of a relationship, and in fact I believe it would have been more poignant to show the lengths people are willing to go to for the sake of protecting their friends. It felt off to me, and the guy was married and expecting a child, too. It's like they completely forgot about that until it got to the phone ringing part. For me, it affected my enjoyment of the story.

I did have a good time with the book, because I enjoy Ogawa's prose. I liked The Professor and The Housekeeper loads more, though! It made me cry.

(There was one detail that irked me, and it was that the mom and the girl at the train station gave them an apple AFTER fruit disappeared. What was that about??? They were all casual about it, even though it should've been the riskiest, most careless ‘thsnk-you' in existence? Maybe it signifies something but I can't grasp the meaning with my tiny little brain. Whatever the case, it was an odd choice that fucked with the story's continuity, so weird.)