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The Memory Thief: A Novel
by
Rachel Keener (Goodreads Author)
"Burning down Black Snake trailer was easy. The hard thing was walking away, when what I wanted most was to watch it die... "
When Angel sets fire to her childhood home, it isn't the endit's the beginning. Left with nothing but a few memories in her pocket, Angel escapes into the fields of tobacco, the only place she has ever felt safe. Hidden by those green-gold leaves,
...morePaperback, 384 pages
Published
March 12th 2010
by Center Street
(first published 2010)
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"The Memory Thief" is a general fiction novel about two (well, actually, three or more) women who have to deal with the results of abusive childhoods. Hannah and her sister grew up with a mother who controlled every aspect of her daughters' lives in the name of her love for Hannah. Angel and her sister grew up with indifferent parents who were usually drunk, physically abusive, had affairs, and encouraged them to steal.
The novel was full of pain and disappointment. It did this in a very well-wri...more
The novel was full of pain and disappointment. It did this in a very well-wri...more
When Angel sets fire to the trailer that was her home and escapes into the surrounding tobacco fields, her greatest hope is for a chance to tell the story to the person she believes is out there waiting for her. The few trinkets she takes with her are the remnants of her past that pack the punches of the hurt she's endured. And while Angel is at the crux of our story, we also meet Hannah, the daughter of two missionaries. Her incredibly strict upbringing as a long-skirted "Holy Roller" doesn't p...more
The Memory Thief written by Rachel Keener is an amazing novel about two truly dysfunction families and the journey they take in the process of connecting with the past. Rachel Keener has woven an incredible tale illustrating the power of pride, love, hate, revenge and madness.
Initially we meet Hannah, a Holy Roller type, who finds herself at seventeen in circumstances she isn’t prepared for. As she struggles to find her own identity she meets Sam a young boy himself who validates her existence...more
What a wonderful surprise it is to select a book, serendipitously, and have it turn out to be a gem. Browsing the new fiction rack at the library recently, the title of this book jumped out at me and said "Pick me! Pick me!" So I did. This is a new to me author. I've never heard of her, never read her debut novel, and never read any reviews of the book before taking it home.
I was immediately pulled into the story. Angel and Hannah are such wonderful characters. The book is very well written and...more
I was immediately pulled into the story. Angel and Hannah are such wonderful characters. The book is very well written and...more
In The Memory Thief, Rachel Keener lays out an intricate tragedy of two people who have been searching for each other since the day they first met and have been kept apart by a misguided albeit well intentioned third party. At times the novel stutters in its story telling but overall a beautifully told tale.
There is nothing I love to read more than stories about the emotional scars of humans, except if it is a story about emotional scars that can eventually be healed. This story does just that....more
There is nothing I love to read more than stories about the emotional scars of humans, except if it is a story about emotional scars that can eventually be healed. This story does just that....more
This is a damn fine book. The narrative is engaging and the author's style is feminine and raw at the same time. The mother character makes you want to throw the book in the freezer (is is well written, but such a bitchachi), but Hannah and Angel are wonderfully drawn and developed in such a way that makes you want to see the ending that happens, happen. I wish more from the father character than I get, but, the novel is not about him. It is just unfortunate because he seems such an influence on...more
Hannah and Angel lead two completely separate lives, each dealing with her own struggles of identity and family. However as events converge, their meeting becomes inevitable.
Upon finishing the book, my first thought was that the title is misleading. It gives far too much importance to a secondary character who, yes, is pivotal to the plot, but does not deserve foremost billing.
Keener’s two main characters travel through independent timelines and lives. While I recognized her desire to keep the r...more
Upon finishing the book, my first thought was that the title is misleading. It gives far too much importance to a secondary character who, yes, is pivotal to the plot, but does not deserve foremost billing.
Keener’s two main characters travel through independent timelines and lives. While I recognized her desire to keep the r...more
Hachette Book Group
The Memory Thief by Rachel Keener (Rating--5)
Published by Center Street division of the Hachette Book Group
ISBN: 978-1-59995-112-6
At the request of The Hachette Book Group, a PB copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: (portions from the book's back cover) When Angel sets fire to her childhood home, it isn't the end-it's the beginning. Left with nothing but a few memories in her pocket, she escapes into the safety of the tobacco fields. She sets her ey...more
The Memory Thief by Rachel Keener (Rating--5)
Published by Center Street division of the Hachette Book Group
ISBN: 978-1-59995-112-6
At the request of The Hachette Book Group, a PB copy was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.
Synopsis: (portions from the book's back cover) When Angel sets fire to her childhood home, it isn't the end-it's the beginning. Left with nothing but a few memories in her pocket, she escapes into the safety of the tobacco fields. She sets her ey...more
Jul 13, 2010
Kathleen
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
folks who enjoyed Sarah Addison Allen and Amy Greene
This was a Can't-put-it-down book, caused some sleep deprivation! Reasons I liked it:
From my part of the world, I've lived in the Carolina Low Country and the southern mountains.
An unusual "villain" - won't say more on that subject.
And it kept me guessing.
You can tell by my book list, I'm a big fan of mysteries; while this is not remotely a "mystery" as far a genre goes, it does tackle mysteries of life. The two dysfunctional family stories roll drunkenly toward each other, and you feel like a...more
From my part of the world, I've lived in the Carolina Low Country and the southern mountains.
An unusual "villain" - won't say more on that subject.
And it kept me guessing.
You can tell by my book list, I'm a big fan of mysteries; while this is not remotely a "mystery" as far a genre goes, it does tackle mysteries of life. The two dysfunctional family stories roll drunkenly toward each other, and you feel like a...more
This is one that doesn't grab for several chapters, but is well worth the effort. This would be a good discussion book, too, since some of the ideas in it are quite controversial. The narratives of the daughter of missionaries and a young teen overlap to tell a story of a mother's loss and the child's deprivation. When the two finally come together, it is only after severe struggles for both. Think The Memory Keeper's Daughter----gone wrong.
What a great story! Heartbreaking story that tells the story of two women and their sad connection. It is so hard to not let other people shape our lives. Sometimes we allow other people to control us. As children it is hard to break away because we want to trust, we want to believe and we just don't know any better. As adults, we know better but we still WANT to trust, we WANT to believe. It's a vicious cycle.
One of those "Picked it up by accident" from the new books shelf. Thought it was something else (who knows what?)
But I'm a trooper and I started and finished it.
Complex plot line with scarred characters and much unhappiness in backgrounds. However, I wanted to know what happened and find some salvation for them. And was not disappointed that I finished it.
Read in 2010.
But I'm a trooper and I started and finished it.
Complex plot line with scarred characters and much unhappiness in backgrounds. However, I wanted to know what happened and find some salvation for them. And was not disappointed that I finished it.
Read in 2010.
I would list this book as a very strong 3.5. The characters were tragic and flawed - much like one would expect to find in a story of this sort. They were well-established,in my opinion. I thought the author did a very good job with plot development - even if it were somewhat predictable.
I would definitely read this author again.
I would definitely read this author again.
I really liked this book. It is the story of 2 women: the mother who had a baby at 17 and was forced to give her away by her extremely religious mother; and the baby girl who grows up in a miserable home and searches for her mother. Both are severely scarred by the decision made when she was born.
A very moving book. The desperate things people will do for love - destructive actions of mothers, selfish love, people cannot truly understand others, faith, the destrucion of loss and memories, and the things people will do to survive. However, people survive despite their circumstances.
I really am not sure what i think about this book, except that i wish we could give half stars because i didn't "not" like it but i didn't really enjoy it either. I liked the underlying plot but don't think there was enough "something", details maybe, i don't know. I felt the book was easy to read but it didn't grab hold of me and pull me in so I have to give it 2.5 stars.
This book was mediocre at best. It was predictable and just too much aimless, pointless reminiscing. I read it for my book club. I can't say it was a waste of my time, but if not for the book club, I would have put it down. Bloodroot by Amy Greene was sooooo much better.
Angel, a young girl burns down her family's trailer after her mother and father leaver her and heads for mountains on a search for what has always been missing in her life. Hannah, a girl brought up as the daughter of missionaries, following strict religious rules of modesty, begins to break those bonds when she her family moves to James Island. The direction of her life is forever changed. This book was fascinating and well written. The main characters were were well written. I enjoyed the begi...more
Read this for book club, Good story, easy to read, kept my interest. Tragic emotional stories are not my favorites, but this one " sucked me right in"
Aug 02, 2011
Marysia Welnicki
added it
it wasn't bad.. but it wasn't really great either.. though it did have some interesting "food for thought" so that's what made it worth it to me
Definitely a great plot. Interesting way of telling the story with different character point of views. It did a good job of building to the climax and did not disappoint.
Nov 06, 2012
Donna
added it
This was hard book to keep reading. It was a little disjointed at times, and it was depressing. I made it through and was glad to finish it. A rather strange family story.
Loved the story. Star deductions for writing-style. Author was trying too hard at times, to make this really good book an epic, and it backfired.
I have to say I did NOT like the first half of this book and where I thought it was leading. I found the story of these characters incredilby depressing. However I found myself very intrigued with the last 100 pages or so as to where the story would end. It ended up touching me more than I thought it would.
bitter sweet story of mother’s love and many of the ways it can hurt and heal. Really beautifully written book by a NC author.
I really enjoyed Keener's character development. The end seemed a bit rushed and tied together too quickly and simply, but overall a good read.
Whew! This one hit way too close to home! Period! I don't know what I can say about this. I'm speechless.
This book isn't what I expected. The characters were more intense than I thought they would be. In the end, I enjoyed it and would recommend this book.
i fell in love with this book! it really touched my heart. i think everybody should read this book at least once.
I loved this story about the southern mountain people. There are many twists and turns.
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“Love is like mud. Only as strong as the shape you give it. Love is like paint. It can color over all the empty places. If you drop it, Love will break you.”
—
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