Friday 25 June 2010

My Name is Memory - Ann Brashares

My Name is Memory – Ann Brashares

Pages: 324 (ARC)
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Release Date: 1st June 2010

Other Titles by this Author: The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, The Second Summer of the Sisterhood, Girls in Pants, Forever in Blue, Girl of Lost Things, The Summer (of You and Me), The Summer That Changed Everything

‘I have fallen in love, and she is the one who endures. I killed her once and died for her many times and I still have nothing to show for it. I always search for her. I always remember her. I carry the hope that someday she will remember me.’

Their story spans a thousand years. Time and again, they have been together, yet apart. He knows they are meant to be one. Only he carries the memory of their love.

Discover a love story with the power and intensity of The Time Traveller’s Wife and the passion of Twilight.

My Name is Memory is an epic tale of a love that spans centuries and continents.

I have to get a few minor criticisms out of the way first. One of the reasons that o agreed to review the book was the claims likening My Name is Memory to two of my favourite books: The Time Traveller’s Wife and Twilight, and I honestly didn’t see a very strong connection. I did, however, think that it is reminiscent of Lauren Kate’s Fallen with reincarnation, the guy remembering and even the names Lucy and Daniel. But I still loved it!

This is a slow-moving novel that is very character driven. There are only about ten pages of action near the end and this as well as the dual narration really allowed Ann Brashares to explore the characters of Lucy and Daniel deeply. All of their feelings, actions and motivations are clearly explained and even though Lucy and Daniel were barely together, their love for each other is so obvious.

And, man, did I want a happy ending for them. After nearly 1500 years of being kept apart, I think they deserved it. But as often happens, as soon as things are going well (and, oddly, usually after they’ve slept together for the first time) everything begins to unravel and you can never guess where the story will go next. And I was extremely anxious to find out how Lucy and Daniel’s story would end (in this life, anyway) as they changed so much after their reunion.

My Name is Memory is a beautiful novel and I hope to get to read more of Ann Brashares’ work at some point.

For my 2010 100+ Reading Challenge

Sophie

15 comments:

  1. Great review, Sophie! I think this is the third positive review I've read for this book in less than 25 HRS. I would like to read this one but I've heard that it is going to be a while for the sequel is out so I think I have to wait a bit.

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  2. I really enjoyed this book and while there is not a lot of fast-paced action I did not find the pace slow. I was surprised with the ending, but I am thinking a sequel will be very exciting. Enjoyed your review.

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  3. This book has one of the sweetest book covers I've ever seen. :-)

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  4. I also got this for ARC and i wouldnt read any of the hearsay beforehand alot of people said to me dont read it you wont like it as its so a copy of fallen but i had to dissagree i love it.

    www.thereadingsofabusymom.blogspot.com

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  5. This sounds really good! A unique twist on a classic love story.

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  6. Gosh!So true! So many book, So Little Time!

    Hopped onto your blog.
    My book home is at Ruz's Bookshelves

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  7. Thanks for the review, I really want to read this book, everyone is saying that its amazing!

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  8. Nice review, I've been wanting to read this one. The story just sounds so romantic and sad.

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  9. I definitely want to read this one :] Thanks for the review!

    Check out my blog- http://karissaaddictedtoreading.blogspot.com/

    -Karissa

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  10. I've read mixed reviews of this one. I was always a bit wary of the TTW/Twilight comparison, 'cause honestly, those books are very hard to live up to.

    I'm looking forward to seeing what I think of this. Thanks for a fab review!

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  11. Hmmm, I'm not sure about those comparisons either. I can see some parallels but I agree about it being closer to Fallen in a few obvious ways. The characters are really different though. This one really is beautiful, isn't it?

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  13. I totally agree it is nothing like Twilight. There is hardly any teenage angst at all. But then I guess that's natural when the main male character has lived thousands of years. This one was not for me. Great review though!

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  14. That's what I keep hearing about this book .. mostly that's it's slow-moving with an unsatisfying ending. Doesn't make me excited to read it, though I will.

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  15. I'm glad you liked this one. I haven't read Time Travellers Wife so I can't compare it to that one but I do agree that it wasn't anything like Twilight! You're right that it was much more like Fallen but I hadn't read that one when I wrote my review LOL. I've added your link to my review :o)

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