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The Memory Thief

by Emily Colin (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 830 ratings · 173 reviews

In Emily Colin’s exquisite debut novel, perfect for the fans of Kristin Hannah, one man’s vow to his wife sparks a remarkable journey that tests the pull of memory and reaffirms the bonds of love.

Before Madeleine Kimble’s mountaineer husband, Aidan, climbs Mount McKinley’s south face, he makes her a solemn vow: I will come back to you. But late one night, Maddie gets the...more

ebook, 448 pages

Published August 21st 2012 by Ballantine Books

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Sep 10, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, 2012-debuts

"Listen," he says. "I swear I'll come back to you, all right? I promise I will come home."

Madeleine (Maddie) is married to Aidan and they have a young son, Gabriel. Aidan is a mountain climber, but dies in an accident on Mt McKinley. On the same day, Nicholas has a motorbike accident and wakes up in hospital with no memories of his own, but he can remember Maddie and a mountain-climbing accident.

This is more women's fiction than romance, but it does contain romance. A lot of romance actually, as...more

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May 03, 2013 Nora rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sigh. Big sigh. The premise of this book sounded so interesting - Aidan, the husband of Maddie and father of Gabe, dies in a mountain climbing accident but is somehow able to usurp the mind of Nicholas, the victim of a motorcycle accident that occurred the same day as Aidan's death. That all sounds great. But the execution was pretty terrible. Some spoilers ahead.

First of all, the dialogue. No one talks like these people. All of the conversations felt so stilted! And Gabe? He's supposed to be 4...more Sigh. Big sigh. The premise of this book sounded so interesting - Aidan, the husband of Maddie and father of Gabe, dies in a mountain climbing accident but is somehow able to usurp the mind of Nicholas, the victim of a motorcycle accident that occurred the same day as Aidan's death. That all sounds great. But the execution was pretty terrible. Some spoilers ahead.

First of all, the dialogue. No one talks like these people. All of the conversations felt so stilted! And Gabe? He's supposed to be 4 years old, but I've never met a 4-year-old as precocious as Gabe was written to be. He sounded more like 10, which was kind of annoying. Despite that, Gabe was probably my favorite character, because everyone else was a hot mess.

Aidan was really annoying. He seemed like a loving husband and father, which is great, but he was really cavalier about manipulating Nicholas (you'll get it when you read it). I get why he did what he did, but he was just so selfish about it. And the way he kept showing up for Gabe was pretty messed up. Each time the kid says goodbye to his dead father, he just pops back up again. A little much for a 4-year-old.

Ugh, JC. WHAT THE HELL. The love triangle between him, Maddie and Aidan seemed soooo contrived. Nothing was original about it. There's a way to write a compelling love triangle (I'm not talking Twilight), and Emily Colin did not succeed in this for me. The way the men acted around each other in regards to Maddie was ridiculous. I don't know any guys who would have acted that way (thank God). And then, on the DAY OF AIDAN'S FUNERAL, JC sleeps with Maddie. Neither feels particularly guilty (JC doesn't at all). And then, when Maddie expresses uncertainty about her feelings for JC and what's happening between them (maybe because she just buried her husband, I don't know), JC FLIPS OUT. Okay, so JC may have been really good to Gabe and helpful around the house, but he's a dumbass of a person. I couldn't find it in me to like him, and that's a problem.

And oh my God - when Maddie and JC are about to have sex, this is what he says to her: "Mama always told me good things are worth waiting for. And damn if she wasn't right!" ARE YOU SERIOUS. That's some sexy bedroom talk you got there, JC, I'm sure everyone wants to visualize their mothers as they're about to bone down. I cracked up at this part and I'm laughing right now. He's so dumb.

The sex scenes were pretty PG13, so be prepared. The sex seemed pretty weird a lot of the time. Don't get me wrong, it sounded fun, but I don't get why certain things had to be included. Like when Nicholas bit his girlfriend so hard she bled? Like really? And when Aidan and Maddie were carrying on a normal conversation while they were in the middle of things? Come on.

The ending was nice, I did like that in a way. I thought it was super strange and awful how Nicholas just abandoned the dog that had been there his whole life, that's for sure. JC annoyed me to the very end as well, but other than that it was fine. I was mainly just glad I finished the damn thing. It kept me curious throughout, I will say that much about the book. That's why it gets 2 stars instead of 1. But be prepared for cliche upon cliche.(less)

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Jun 05, 2013 skein rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-star, e-book, ghost-stories, rrrrromance-novels, 2013

I want a sequel.

Strong words when I've only granted it three stars -- but I was gripped by this (surprised me, too.) -- and by the end, I was sort of furious about what actually happened.

SO! Aidan (mountain climber) is married to Madeline (writer), with child in tow. They are a great big smooshy nest of love, but in a realistic way. If you happen to be a beautiful and woman with no need for a job who is married to a beautiful and rugged adrenaline junkie who loves poetry.
Which I am.
So it fit i...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Kim Tomasic rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a wonderful read and I will look for more from this author. This was a tear jerker at the end for me. I knew the love story between Aiden & Madeleine was going to be good from the start, I just didn't know how wrapped up in it I was going to get. It broke my heart when she begged him not leave her and their son Gabe for the mountain, and then Gabe's dream and the phone called that ended it all. I loved the character development, the love triangle with J.C. and Nicholas's attempt to shut...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Ally Blue rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The premise of this book intrigued me, and I'm glad I read it. The use of tense, point of view and language was quite unusual and something not every reader will like, but I loved it. LOVED it. The writing was lyrical and lovely, and characters felt real to me. I did have a few nits, so my true star rating would be more like 4.5, but to me the nits were minor. Example: I found the character of Aiden not that likable. I didn't see what Maddie saw in him. If it were me, I probably would've never m...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Julie Barrett rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Madeline Kimble is a mother and a wife in Boulder, CO. Love the story of how she met and dated her husband Aiden. He's off on another of his high climbing mountain adventures and has promised to come home, always to them.
Problem is the avalanche. Reason why I wanted to read this book is because we were traveling up the hill to Paradise at the top of Mt. Rainier in Washington state when the guards had just closed the road we were on due to an avalanche. We waited a bit of time before we could tra...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Addy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Vonnegut once said that every character should want something. Aiden James wants to get back to his wife and son, but he died on the cold, unforgiving slope of a mountain. Nicholas Sullivan doesn’t know what he wants. He’s got amnesia, and nothing about his life is familiar or comforting except the strange dreams he’s been having of a mysterious woman and her son, and of falling down a mountain he knows he’s never seen.

And so Emily Colin’s debut novel, The Memory Thief, lives up to Vonnegut’s re...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Selena rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013

Oh where to begin. There were parts of this book I really liked--the characters were well developed, the plot was interesting. A woman (Maddie) loses her husband (Aidan) in a mountain climbing accident and a stranger across the country (Nicholas) starts having memories of Aidan. The other main characters, JC, Aidan's best-friend and Gabriel, Maddie and Aidan's four year old son, were my two favorite characters. The story is told in alternating point of view, between Maddie, Aidan and Nicholas. I...more Oh where to begin. There were parts of this book I really liked--the characters were well developed, the plot was interesting. A woman (Maddie) loses her husband (Aidan) in a mountain climbing accident and a stranger across the country (Nicholas) starts having memories of Aidan. The other main characters, JC, Aidan's best-friend and Gabriel, Maddie and Aidan's four year old son, were my two favorite characters. The story is told in alternating point of view, between Maddie, Aidan and Nicholas. I liked seeing how Maddie and Aidan's relationship developed. I liked the overall story, though there were things that annoyed me: the use of initials for names. Aidan is also known as AJ, for unknown reasons. There is the aforementioned JC. I guess that's only two, but I found it annoying. Gabriel is four years old (almost five, they mention), yet he acts like an older child--more like 7 or 8, maybe 9. He doesn't speak like any four year old I've ever seen or met. His mother puts on a movie and it's...Harry Potter? What? Four year olds are watching Harry Potter? What?

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

I don't see why Nicholas had to have a dog. The dog wasn't involved in the story at all and in the end he just ends up abandoning him. It made Nicholas seem like kind of a jerk in a small way. I was annoyed with Aidan's ghost or whatever for making his FOUR YEAR OLD SON say goodbye to him three times over, each time leaving Gabe crying. That is awful! And just for your own needs. The sex scenes were a tad ridiculous. A bit overly graphic. There was a common factor in almost every one of them that I won't mention, but it made me say, "What? Why?" every time.

I was ready to really not like the story, I hated Aidan for taking over Nicholas' life for his own needs. However, I did feel the author wrapped it up nicely. I liked the ending a lot and how it all came together. I loved the character of JC--he was warm, caring, kind, considerate (for the most part, and the times he wasn't, his behavior was understandable).

(END SPOILERS)

One last thing--the editing was sloppy. I noticed several errors (incorrect grammar, a random / at the end of a word). The tense was awkward, I wish she'd stuck to past tense instead of switching between the past tense and present tense.

Overall, I did like the book, and I would read more from Emily Colin. It was well researched in regards to the mountain climbing aspects, and as I said before, I thought the characters were well developed and fleshed out, and the overall plot was a very interesting concept. Saying that, I would've just read a book about the whole Maddie/Aidan/JC triangle. (less)

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Nov 29, 2012 Kathleen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Love lost, love found ... memories made, memories lost ... the continuity of life ...

Mountain climbing enthusiast Aidan Kimble informs his wife Maddie that he is leaving their Colorado home for a climbing expedition on Mt. McKinley in Alaska. Maddie has bad premonitions and pleads with Aidan not to go, but he promises her that he will come back to her and their four year old son Gabe. Unfortunately the climbing expedition has disastrous results, Aidan is killed in an avalanche, leaving his best...more Love lost, love found ... memories made, memories lost ... the continuity of life ...

Mountain climbing enthusiast Aidan Kimble informs his wife Maddie that he is leaving their Colorado home for a climbing expedition on Mt. McKinley in Alaska. Maddie has bad premonitions and pleads with Aidan not to go, but he promises her that he will come back to her and their four year old son Gabe. Unfortunately the climbing expedition has disastrous results, Aidan is killed in an avalanche, leaving his best friend J.C. to inform the news to the grieving widow and son.

J.C. is consumed with survivor's guilt and grief, he questions whether he could have prevented Aidan's death. To add to his angst, J.C. has been in love with Maddie for years, but he never wanted his chance to be with her to come in this way. He vows to be always be there for Maddie and Gabe.

Meanwhile in North Carolina, Nicholas Sullivan wakes from a coma, he learns that he had been in a motorcycle accident and suffers amnesia. He has vivid dreams of falling down a mountain and is haunted by a vision of a sad dark haired woman named Maddie and her preschooler son. Haunted by his dreams of a woman whom he has never met, he yearns to search for them, unaware that he is the instrument of fulfilling a husband's promise to his wife.

The Memory Thief is a hauntingly poignant story of love lost and found, memories made and lost, and life's renewal. In her debut novel, author Emily Colin weaves a bittersweet tale told in the first person narrative with alternating perspectives of Aidan, Maddie and Nicholas. Reminiscent of the movie Ghost, this story has a paranormal twist mixed in with adventure and romance that draws the reader into the lives of Aidan, Maddie, Nicholas and J.C., it is a story that will keep the reader captivated as the story unfolds. Rich in detail and vivid descriptions of the climbing expedition and the emotional pull of the characters, this story will take the reader on a journey that will make you laugh, cry and sigh with contentment.

The cast of characters are realistic with complexities and flaws that the reader can easily relate to. The character development is phenomenal: a larger than life Aidan; the steady and kind J.C.; the haunted searcher Nicholas; the grieving, conflicted Maddie and her adorable young son Gabe. Each must learn to find their way through a tangled web of intense emotions and deep connections that binds them together through the continuity of life. With an engaging dialogue and intriguing interactions; and a storyline filled with adventure, romance, drama and emotional intensity; The Memory Thief is a powerfully compelling story that will resonate with you long after the last page has been read.

Author Emily Colin has created a wonderful story that captures the beauty of the human spirit and what it means to live a life full of passion. She weaves a tale of loss, love, grief, promises, memories, and the serendipity and continuity of life that will simply touch your heart and soul.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by JKSCommunications.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...(less)

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Feb 20, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Compelling doesn't even begin to describe it. I just raced through 300 pages in three hours, which isn't the fastest but isn't something I do every day, either.

I saw someone describe this as a mountain-climber's romance novel, or something along those lines, and it's not far from the truth. Soft porn would be another way to describe it, though there IS other story. There is a LOT of sex in this book, all of it described out. It can be skipped and you don't miss anything of the story, however. I...more Compelling doesn't even begin to describe it. I just raced through 300 pages in three hours, which isn't the fastest but isn't something I do every day, either.

I saw someone describe this as a mountain-climber's romance novel, or something along those lines, and it's not far from the truth. Soft porn would be another way to describe it, though there IS other story. There is a LOT of sex in this book, all of it described out. It can be skipped and you don't miss anything of the story, however. I kind of wish that authors wouldn't write out sex itself, as it rarely adds anything to the story, but it doesn't actually bother me either.

I think the reason I liked this book so much was that, while it is NOT what one might want to read right after a breakup (go me!), at the same time it reminded me so much of everyone I know and the lives that are lived out here in the Pacific NW. I loved it for that. The writing is solid, and that helped too. It takes place mostly in Colorado, but that hardly matters--I have friends like Aidan and J.C., though not professional climbers. I have friends who have lost friends young, in pursuit of an adventure. It all clicks. Then there's the emotional vulnerability of this book. I'm always ready to read some of that. Very college-like...maybe this book reminds me of college? Not quite sure. I'm not a climber. I don't live in Colorado, or North Carolina. I'm unmarried, childless, recently single, and none of my male friends is in love with me (I'm pretty darn sure). And yet...these characters practically live and breathe.

The supernatural element of this book was still hard to take, as much as I liked everything else. I do believe in some sort of spiritual/soul life, in theory. Something to the extent of this story...well, you hear about these things once in a while. I'm a believer in the paranormal, and I'd have a really hard time swallowing any of this, if it happened to me. It reminded me of "Ghost". And yet...even as I smirked and shook my head, I read on.

It works. I'd be interested to see this author write something more believeable, with less written out sex, and equal amounts of emotional vulnerability.(less)

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Apr 28, 2013 Meredith rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

*Spoiler Alert* Have you ever read a review of a novel...and the premise is interesting and enchanting...so you pick it up, start reading it and discover that the author totally wasted the interesting premise? This is what happened in this book. After finishing the book Afterwife a couple of weeks ago, I discovered this book and decided to stick with the my-spouse-died-and-is-now-a-friendly-ghost theme. Maddie's husband is a mountain climber so, of course, he dies in an avalanche but his spirit...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

E’ come se i sogni avessero una memoria migliore della mia,
trattengono tutti i dettagli che avevo dimenticato...
Il libro che ho appena terminato, “La memoria incancellabile dei sogni”, è una delle letture più intense e riflessive in cui mi sia imbattuta.
Spesso mi capita di preferire libri poco conosciuti, come è successo con il libro di Emily Colin, leggo senza preconcetti e aspettative, come se fossi la prima a leggere il libro,la sola spettatrice di questa storia densa di sentimenti, quasi sur...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Radhika rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The story is about love and loss and keeping promises. Madeline Kimble and Aidan are very much in love, but Aidan has a need to be mountaineer. Mountaineering defines him. He has scaled a lot of mountains with his team mates JC and Roma. JC loves Maddie too but knows that he has no chance with her
Aidan and Maddie get married and have a boy Gabriel, when Aidan decides to climb Mt MCkinley's south face. Maddie has a prenomination and begs Aidan not to go on the trip,but he convinces and promises h...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Pat rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This first novel of Emily Colin caught my attention when I read a review in the Star-News of Wilmington, North Carolina. She is a local author, and based part of the book here.

While I was reading this story, I jotted down words that ran through my head when I would take a break from reading. They were: intriguing, addicting and heartbreaking. This novel stretches your imagination to impossible limits. You can feel the bite of the ice and snow, and exhilaration of being at the peak of an impo...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Christy English rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What makes a human being?

What defines the contours of a soul? Memory? The loss of it? Where we put our forks in the kitchen? Who we love? How hard we fight to come back to them?

These are just a fragment of the questions I began asking myself as I read Emily Colin's debut novel, THE MEMORY THIEF. This is a novel about people who have lost themselves and the story of how they find themselves again. A tale of grief, of letting go, but most importantly, of love.

In this novel, most of what they've lo...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Eve rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: debut, drama-stories, family, friendship-rocks, p-p, paranormal, romance, woman-lit

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 01, 2013 Jencey/ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Thank you Emily Colin and Librarything for sending me a copy of this novel The Memory Thief. Emily is a debut author with a wonderful novel!
Synopsis:
Maddie warns her husband Aidan that he shouldn’t go on this latest climb. There might be severe consequences. Aidan chooses to go on the climb anyway. While on the climb something happens. Over in another part of the country Nicholas is recovering from a car accident, but does not remember anything. Nicholas wakes up with someone else’s memories. Ma...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Read this over Spring Break. Loved how the story is told from multiple perspectives. The twists are wonderful. It's hard to talk too much about why I loved this book without giving away too much of the story. The key pieces Maddie and Aidan meet in NC and click. Aidan's history makes him run from those feelings. He's a mountaineer and during a climb after running from Maddie he realizes how much he loves her and wants to be with her. They marry, have a child and spend a great deal of time with J...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Heidi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

This was a First Reads giveaway book. The writing reminded me of one the Nora Roberts book I've read. The story was excellent and I wanted to find out how it ended. But there were quite a few detailed sex scenes. If you like Nora Roberts then you will love this book. The story alone would have warranted 4 stars but there was way too much detailed sex for my taste.

Aiden is a mountain climber. He is killed in an avalanche at the same time that Nicholas is in a motorcycle accident. Nicholas wakes u...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Kristi (Books and Needlepoint) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Memory Thief is told from three different points of view - Maddie's, Nicholas' and Aiden's (AJ). In the beginning I would get confused as to whether it was Nicholas or Aiden telling the story, but I quickly got into the flow of it.

Maddie is dealing with the loss of her husband. In her own way, she has been preparing for this day for years, as he was a mountain climber and they had lost friends in various accidents before. Somewhere in the back of her mind I think she knew it was only a mat...more The Memory Thief is told from three different points of view - Maddie's, Nicholas' and Aiden's (AJ). In the beginning I would get confused as to whether it was Nicholas or Aiden telling the story, but I quickly got into the flow of it.

Maddie is dealing with the loss of her husband. In her own way, she has been preparing for this day for years, as he was a mountain climber and they had lost friends in various accidents before. Somewhere in the back of her mind I think she knew it was only a matter of time. She had a bad feeling about the climb he was on and had begged him not to go.

Aiden's love for Maddie was so strong, and his promise to return so true, that nothing could stop him from coming back. He just has to keep his promise to her. He is determined to find some way to get a message to her. The problem is getting her to believe that it is truly him.

Nicholas can't stop obsessing over this woman and child he only sees in his dreams. But he has no other memories after a motorcycle accident has wiped his slate clean. He tries to adjust back to what his old life was, only to discover he has new habits that his friend's can't explain and his girlfriend even says he makes love differently. He begins to learn more about this other woman and eventually learns her name, as well as the man he sometimes sees in his dreams - Maddie and Aiden.

J.C. was Aiden's best friend, who also had the unfortunate reality of being in love with Maddie. He had approached her years before and had made his feelings known - but then backed off and let Aiden and Maddie live their lives. Maddie would have been lying if she said that she hadn't thought about what it would be like with J.C., but Aiden (and Gabe - their son) was her life. J.C. had been with Aiden when he died, and he feels guilt over not being able to save him, and guilt for wanting to be with Maddie now that he is gone.

Emily Colin is able to weave together all of these characters into a wonderful story of loss, love, grief, promises and discovering what it means to live a life of passion. I loved this book and can't wait to see what else Emily Colin writes in the future. (less)

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Oct 19, 2012 Linda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: early-first-reads

“The Memory Thief” by Emily Colin was a debut novel whose title attracted my attention. I wasn't disappointed. The story is about Maddie, Aiden and J.C. I had just finished reading Anita Shreve’s book “A Change in Altitude” and was taken by surprise when this book started out describing and upcoming climb and Maddie’s husband who was climber. It emphasized the fear she experienced and premonitions she had before his climb. From dealing with the dangers of a serious climb for her husband and the...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Chloe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

The cover has really grown on me.
This book far exceeded my expectations. I thought that I would get confused with three different narrators, but each of them had such a distinct voice, so it was easy to pick up where I left off without getting confused. The three different points of view benefitted the book rather than degraded it. The main characters felt real to me, and I really connected with them. I was hooked throughout the entire book. Through backflashes, switching points of view, and str

...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Jess rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 02, 2013 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bookcrossing, fiction-general

I can't really remember how I first heard about this book - not sure if a friend recommended it, or if I just found it. Regardless, I'm glad I read it. It's got an unusual premise, and the reader needs to suspend disbelief a bit. There is a bit of jumping around, between different character POVs, and even past/present tense, but it's not too confusing. The characters are mostly likeable, and I especially was drawn to JC. He seems like the kind of guy a woman would just swoon to be with -- which...more

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Sep 06, 2012 Shellie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, contemporary

I received a copy of this book from the publisher as a first reads giveaway.
Maddie Kimble fell in love with a climber. Six years into their marriage, he’s still seeking the rush of the next big mountain. But for some reason, she has a premonition that this time is his last. Aiden dismisses her pleadings for him not to go and promises her he will come back to her. He didn’t promise he’d be alive.
After Aiden is buried under an avalanche, Maddie struggles with what’s left: raising her four-year-ol...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Karin Solomonson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

People, buy your copy now because I'm sure the next run will have some famous person on it with the headline "Major Motion Picture!"
Incredible love story...2 warnings:
1) don't let your silly kids sneak-film you bawling. You won't remember anyone exists except for Maddie & her world.
2) get this book when you can either pull an all-nighter or sneak it at work. You will not want to continue with your life until you find out what happens in theirs.
Kudos to Ms. Colin for a debut that should de...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Traci Gentile rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-read

I won The Memory Thief in the first reads book give away. After reading the back cover I thought this book might not be for me, boy was I wrong! I was sucked in from chapter 1 straight through til the end!

The Memory Thief is told from three points of view...
Aidan, the gorgeous, thrill seeking rock climber that is out to climb every mountain he possibly can while at the same time winning Maddie's heart.
Maddie, the pretty writer that Aidan first sees while hanging upside down from a tree branch.
Ni...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Maryellen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A captivating debut novel from an author that has an amazing career ahead of her. Congratulations Ms. Colin~~you've got a winner with THE MEMORY THIEF. There's this song that I remember and some of the words are, "Love travels the miles/Upon the wings of angels/Love finds you/I swear it's true/I can love you from here/And I will always be near". I just kept thinking of that song when I was reading this fantastic novel. Aiden and Maddie fall in love. Aiden lives a life filled with the risks of be...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Kari Anderson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From Goodreads.com:

When Madeleine Kimble’s husband Aiden dies in a mountain climbing accident, Maddie can only think of his earnest promise to return to her and their young son. Aiden’s best friend J.C. feels great remorse over his inability to save him, but J.C.’s grief is also seasoned with the guilt of loving Maddie through the years. Meanwhile, across the country another young man wakes up in a hospital and finds that his memories have been wiped clean, and replaced with haunting dreams of...more

From Goodreads.com:

When Madeleine Kimble’s husband Aiden dies in a mountain climbing accident, Maddie can only think of his earnest promise to return to her and their young son. Aiden’s best friend J.C. feels great remorse over his inability to save him, but J.C.’s grief is also seasoned with the guilt of loving Maddie through the years. Meanwhile, across the country another young man wakes up in a hospital and finds that his memories have been wiped clean, and replaced with haunting dreams of a beautiful woman and a five year old boy whom he feels driven to find. What Nicholas Sullivan discovers upon his journey is utterly unexpected—and it will change all of their lives, especially Maddie’s

My Thoughts:

Every now and then I pick up a book that sticks with me for days, even weeks after I’ve finished it. The Memory Thief is one of those books that dig deep into your mind and soul and you can’t let go of it.

One of the things that I love about The Memory Thief is how is dances with reality and fantasy. The plot of this book could be ripped from the headlines of a local news station. But woven throughout are ghostly scenes that make you question what happens after death. Aiden is gone, but not for good.

When you read books like this, you can’t help but to wonder what happens in the first few days after death. Is there a possibility that you can stay around and make peace before heading to the pearly gates? I can’t say that I’ve ever encountered a scenario quite like what Emily Colin painted for us, but I’m eager to hear if she has (I have sent her a few questions for an interview, and that was absolutely one of them).

Another thing I like about this book was the emphasis on dreams. I’m a big dreamer. I’m one of those dreamers who remember 99% of what I dream and more often than not, I have reoccuring dreams that pick up where they left off. Most of the time I don’t mind them. My dreams are where a couple of my book ideas came from, so my motto is “Keep Dreaming Sister!”. But these dreams are different. They help tell the story of Maddie, Aiden and JC and even Nicholas’ role in their lives…. or their lives in his, I should say. I’ve read several books where dreams play a role, but never as big a role as Colin used in this book. But it worked so well, I can’t imagine it being laid out any other way.

I also appreciate learning from books. I definitely learned a lot in this book and it sparked my interest into mountain climbing. Now, I am a huge sissy and can’t even climb trees. I am also uncoordinated, which doesn’t help in the climbing department, but I’m always interested in the people who are extreme and how they live their lives and why they do the crazy things you do. Colin pointed out characteristics and introduced these mountain climbers to us in such detailed manner, I feel like I know about mountain climbing now and the kind of person it takes to do it.

I give The Memory Thief 5 out of 5 bookmarks.

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Mar 27, 2013 Kathie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kind of a weird concept but an interesting story. Before Aidan left for a climb of Mt McKinley his wife begged him not to go and he says not to worry, he will be back. Aidan dies in an avalanche but despite long hours of searching his body was not found. At the same time Nicholas is in a motorcycle accident and wakes up with amnesia which effects his memory of his life events and instead he dreams of Aidan, whom he doesn't know, and now has his personality. Through Nicholas, Aidan fulfills his p...more

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About Emily Colin

Emily Colin holds a BA in Psychology, with a second major in Literature/Media Studies, from Duke University, and an MS in Family Studies and Human Services, with a specialization in Youth Development, from Kansas State University. She is the Associate Director of DREAMS of Wilmington, a nationally award-winning nonprofit dedicated to building creative, committed citizens by providing youth in need...more

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