The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Memory Police is a dystopian novel following the story of an unnamed author living on an unnamed island. One by one, things disappear on the island, though no one knows why. As objects such as perfume, birds, books, and hats disappear, the memory of these objects also recedes. Some civilians retain their memories, however, and are hunted by the Memory Police, a government organization determined to rid the island of these “dangerous” individuals. 

I loved this book from start to finish. Some of my favorite books don’t have specific plots and are more character studies, which is something I also really liked about The Memory Police. I love being introduced to a character in the middle of a story already in the process of taking place. For this book in particular, we begin the story at a time where the disappearances and the Memory Police are very familiar to our narrator. 

The relationships in this book are realistic and one of the strongest/most important aspects of the story. The Memory Police emphasizes the importance of human connection, our relationship to the past, memories, and the strength we gain from those we love. The thread to which our souls are tied to our memories is so fragile, yet so detrimental to our personhood. 

I read that Yoko Ogawa was inspired by Anne Frank’s diary and the story definitely reflects Nazi Germany and the S.S. Guards, but I was really impressed by the author’s ability to build a unique world for the Memory Police to operate in. 

Overall, I really loved this book. Metaphors live and breathe in The Memory Police and the story affected me on a deep, emotional level. The Memory Police is filled to the brim with loss, love, friendship, and pain, so I only recommend this if you are in the mood for a sadder story with a lot of heart. It’s definitely one of my favorite reads of the year!

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Mallory Quinn is a recovering drug addict - she is eighteen months sober and trying her hardest to rebuild her life. Mallory's sponsor believes she will have a higher chance of success if she has a change of scenery, so he introduces her to Ted and Caroline, the parents of five year old Teddy. Mallory is hired as a live-in babysitter for the summer and moves to Spring Brook, New Jersey for a new life. Everything is going perfectly - Mallory and Teddy form a very close bond and his parents are grateful for all the hard work Mallory is doing to keep their household in order - at least until Teddy's imaginary friend Anya causes Mallory to worry. Teddy begins to draw violent pictures at Anya's request, and Mallory is determined to find the truth behind the drawings and Teddy's imaginary friend.

Hidden Pictures was so much fun, and I will come right out and say it - this is the only book that I have read this year that has an ending that completely shocked me. I mean... talk about a twist! And it's a good one! Not to mention the fact that once you finish the book, you look back and realize all of the hints/clues you missed while reading! I was so impressed with this book and the story!

This is also a great portrayal of addiction - Mallory's struggle is evident throughout the narrative, but it wasn't used as a character trait, which I found very refreshing. I also think the judgement that many recovered addicts experience when trying to rebuild their lives is really nicely touched on in this book! Mallory's relationships in this book are really special, and the evolution of her character was great to witness, too!

Hidden Pictures is a slow burn, which I personally love, though I can understand why other people may not enjoy that!  The only reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is because I felt like the ending was abrupt! The pace of the book was perfect in my opinion, but the ending and the epilogue are rather quick in comparison! 

Overall, I loved Hidden Pictures! It was really well written, fun, and the twist at the end really surprised me! I would highly recommend this book if you enjoy thrillers and/or mysteries! It's totally worth it and this is by far my favorite thriller I've read this year!

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark
⭐⭐⭐⭐

In Ring Shout, P. Djeli Clark reimagines the history books and writes an alternative world where the Ku Klux Klan consists of more than just hateful white people. Ku Kluxes are Klan members possessed by demons who are feeding off of the hate that they spew. Maryse and her friends are resistance fighters, monster hunters, and badass women who make it their goal to eradicate every single Ku Klux in existence. With the help of a sword gifted by some unknown higher power, Maryse slashes through these evil creatures in the hopes of building a safer, brighter tomorrow. 

This book was awesome! It is an amalgamation of historical fiction, science fiction, horror, and fantasy. I loved how wild this story was, from start to end, and how effortlessly P. Djeli Clark kept the book historically accurate. This is a short book, more of a novella I guess, but somehow it was well-rounded, fully formed, and fast paced! There are no plot holes, no lags, and you get all of the backstory, character development, and details that you would expect from a much longer story. 

I was also impressed with how imaginative the creatures in the story are. They are unique and creepy, and it was so much fun to envision all of the action and gore! Each character has a distinct voice and history, and they all add something really unique to the narrative. Maryse was also an awesome main character! She's conflicted, flawed, and human, but she's also determined, focused, and her character development was one of my favorite parts of this book.

Overall, I highly recommend Ring Shout! It's fun and gory, but it's also about a really important time in our history and unfortunately, a lot of the issues raised in the story are still prevalent today. This little book packs a huge punch and I would love to see this turned into a movie. Also - strong, independent, badass female main characters - of course I loved this! If you enjoy horror, historical fiction, or fantasy, definitely give this one a try!!

Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Moshfegh

Death in Her Hands
by Ottessa Moshfegh
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Death in Her Hands isn't so much a story told as it is a story experienced. On one hand, we bear witness to the internal monologue of our main character, Vesta, a 72 year old widow whose sole companion is her dog - looking through her eyes only. On the other hand, however, it is as though Vesta is speaking directly to us, sharing her story in painstaking detail as if we are a friend with whom she is sharing her deepest thoughts. 

The story begins as Vesta, while going on her daily walk with her dog, finds a note on the path in the woods. This note reads, "Her name was Madga. Nobody will ever know who killed her. It wasn’t me. Here is her dead body." Strangely, there is no body accompanying the note. Vesta is immediately intrigued by the mystery of the message and thus begins her investigation into (and obsession with?)  Magda and who could have possibly killed her. 

Death in Her Hands is small but mighty - it's thought provoking, unique, honest, and brutal in its portrayal of loneliness. Vesta is an unreliable narrator in my opinion. She's likeable, vapid, judgmental, compassionate, delusional, and straightforward all at the same time. I loved her for all of these reasons. She is a character that I found extremely hypocritical and extremely human. I feel like we all have a little bit of Vesta inside of us. 

The story itself is well written and there were moments where I had to stop because it felt like I was being personally called out by Ottessa Moshfegh. I resonated so much with the grief, loneliness, and the conflicting emotions that were truly at the heart of this novel. Moshfegh is an author that is understandably divisive - some readers adore her work and others, not so much. Death in Her Hands is similar in that not everyone has enjoyed this book. I honestly loved it and found it a really refreshing and profound story.

Overall, if you haven't picked this one up yet, take a chance on it! It's not very long and I feel like it is just weird enough without being TOO weird for the general reader to enjoy it. I chose purposefully not to go too deeply into the synopsis/my feelings in this review because it's impossible to do so without giving spoilers. Just read it!! I, personally, was enchanted by Death in Her Hands and I can't wait to read more by Ottessa Moshfegh! 

- trigger warnings - fatphobia, ab*rtion