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My Name Is Memory

3.69 of 5 stars 3.69 · rating details · 13,729 ratings · 3,024 reviews

The latest from the New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together-and he remembers it all. For all the times that he and Sophia have been connected throu...more

Paperback, 402 pages

Published January 1st 2011 by Hodder & Stoughton (first published June 1st 2010)

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May 21, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult

Tonight I lost my book-throwing virginity. Sure, I've been tempted to chuck something across the room before, but have never actually done it until now.

Maybe the book didn't make it all the way across the room, but it was thrust off my lap with a certain amount of ferocity. Why, you ask? Because no book should EVER have the ending that I was just subjected to.

'My Name Is Memory' should have been a 5 star book. It was beautifully written, and I was captivated by the journey of one man traveling t...more Tonight I lost my book-throwing virginity. Sure, I've been tempted to chuck something across the room before, but have never actually done it until now.

Maybe the book didn't make it all the way across the room, but it was thrust off my lap with a certain amount of ferocity. Why, you ask? Because no book should EVER have the ending that I was just subjected to.

'My Name Is Memory' should have been a 5 star book. It was beautifully written, and I was captivated by the journey of one man traveling through several lifetimes, trying to right the wrongs that he had inflicted upon his one true love. With each new life Daniel was given, I followed him on the search for his "Sophia," and found myself hoping that this time would be "the time" that he would finally have her.

There was a bit of back-and-forth in the timeline, as well as age differences that didn't match up (he'd be much older or younger than his love in some of the lifetimes), which vaguely reminded me of 'The Time Traveler's Wife.' However, this book transitioned much smoother and I never found myself confused like I did sometimes in TTW.

I was unable to find anything wrong with this book, up until the last two pages. Rarely do I mind open endings if they're done right - leaving you with some sort of assurance that things will be resolved in the end. This book was an example of the wrong kind of open ending. (view spoiler)

It isn't fair that such a great book had such an unresolved ending. Had this been a first book in a series, this is what would have been called a cliffhanger, which would have been no big deal because there would have been a book 2 to look forward to. Unfortunately, this one appears to be a stand-alone, which makes me sad.

*edit* As of right now, book 2 is in limbo. If a book 2 does eventually happen, I will revise my review to reflect a more positive outlook.(less)

247 likes · like · see review

Apr 28, 2011 Jenny Maloney rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: girly

Oh, I sure hope this is part of some kind of series because I was totally in love with this book until the end. And the end sooooo irritated me that I literally threw the book down. I don't do that. I love books. I love great stories. And I loved this story -- it's such a unique look at how a relationship functions.

Main character: Daniel, a dude who can remember his past lives. In love with: Sophia/Charlotte/Lucy, who cannot remember her past lives. Struggle: he needs her to remember him. Troub...more

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Sep 03, 2010 Sara rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Brashares took a fantastic and intriguing idea and ruined it.

Here are the ways this story is pathetic:

- Brashares has the freedom to put her characters in any time period, location, and situation, yet she never gives Daniel and Lucy a convincing love story. There's absolutely no substance or reason to their attraction.
- Such as their first encounter. A simple view of this girl, and Daniel is ready to spend miserable lifetime after miserable lifetime being, well, miserable because he can't be w...more Brashares took a fantastic and intriguing idea and ruined it.

Here are the ways this story is pathetic:

- Brashares has the freedom to put her characters in any time period, location, and situation, yet she never gives Daniel and Lucy a convincing love story. There's absolutely no substance or reason to their attraction.
- Such as their first encounter. A simple view of this girl, and Daniel is ready to spend miserable lifetime after miserable lifetime being, well, miserable because he can't be with a girl he found...beautiful. That's it.
- But on the other hand, neither character is particularly interesting, so maybe there's not much more to find attractive. Daniel = brooding, obsessive, quick to cry, and likely to quit when things get difficult. Lucy = submissive, passive, equally obsessive, and lacks concern for anyone other than a boy she barely knows.
- Even more disappointing is Brashare's equally obsessive antagonist. I hate flat antagonists. Give them a reason, a history, to be complete a--es. Irrational hatred is annoying in real life and even more so in books.
- The sexual tension is pathetic and unnecessary. Daniel and Lucy wait thousands of years to finally do the deed, and then they make themselves wait even longer for no reason whatsoever. At what they believe is the end of these lives, lives where their souls have finally met some sort of harmony, they decide they'd rather talk about death and how nice it'd be to have sex again rather than just enjoy this moment.
- So how do we make this solitary nookie session even more dramatic: why, a pregnancy of course! It is a known fact, after all, that ovulation is most likely to occur then a woman has one shot to consummate a tragic love affair.
- Also pathetic: Daniel's attempt at wooing Lucy after the senior dance. For a young man who remembers thousands of years of experiences, you'd think he'd have at least an inkling of how to woo the girl he fancies. Perhaps a movie, a picnic, dinner out. Even the most relationship-stupid boy or girl will agree that calling someone the wrong name, insisting both parties were reincarnated, professing a love that has lasted over multiple lifetimes, semi-violently ripping off the love interest's clothes and leaving him/her half naked and half drunk, and denying you're crazy after all of this is not at top of the "fool-proof ways to win the girl/boy of your dreams" list.
- I can't stand when characters make a resolution harder than it needs to be. If Lucy is going to be so safe with the monks, why can't Daniel go with her? At least for a little while. If he's going to ship Lucy to a foreign country and culture, away from her family, friends and him, the least he can do is accompany her for just a little bit. I think he likes to make life difficult and depressing.
- And get over the fact that you killed her. You were just doing your job. She doesn't remember it anyway. Plus, you didn't force her back into the house. The idiot went back in of her own volition.
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May 10, 2012 Raya rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: whine-and-cheese, adult-fiction, snooze, in-favor-of-nay

The max number of renewals the library allows is two. Frankly, I think they should allow three renewals -- three is a fair number, but who cares? I have a system. If I have a book I've renewed twice and still haven't read, I call up: "I returned this book through the college's drop box last week. Yes, I know it's not due for another week, but it should have been checked in three days ago. What if it never gets checked in? I don't want fees." (Current library fee: $6.45. I'm not sure how it manag...more

6 likes · like · see review

Nov 30, 2011 Ivana S. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, good-books, romance, nice-surprise, i-own

Very interesting and well written book.

When I first saw the blurb, I was not interested in reading the whole thing (reincarnation, Daniel, Lucy... it reminded me of another book I did not like so much), but then my friend said some good things about it and I decided to give it a try anyway. I was pleasantly surprised.

Characters are nicely developed and likable.
Daniel is really great. He talks about love so much and still sounds like a man, he is not pathetic or too dramatic like many other mal...more

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May 11, 2011 Cheyenne Schenck rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library, favorites, fantasy, romance, young-adult, own, bootcamp

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Also see the review on my blog.

I was so captivated by this book. It's one of my top all-time favorites. I was so emotionally gripped; it was really hard to put down!

I loved the character variation. There was Daniel, who was desperate not to lose himself in all of his identities, but there was also Ben, who is the exact opposite. Ben leaped into the identities full force. It really showed the two sides of having the memory. You could simply live with it, or you could embrace it. It made me wonder...more Also see the review on my blog.

I was so captivated by this book. It's one of my top all-time favorites. I was so emotionally gripped; it was really hard to put down!

I loved the character variation. There was Daniel, who was desperate not to lose himself in all of his identities, but there was also Ben, who is the exact opposite. Ben leaped into the identities full force. It really showed the two sides of having the memory. You could simply live with it, or you could embrace it. It made me wonder what I would do, if I had the choice.

I also love how birthmark, defects, and dreams were incorporated as souvenirs of sorts, from your past lives. Lucy was burned before, so she had nightmares of fires. She had been strangled, so she has problems with her throat. For some reason that little part of the book really appealed to me. What do you think is the cause of your birthmarks or nightmares?

The end of the book! Ugh. I can't even begin to describe how badly I wanted to chuck the book. Out of the window, off a cliff, it didn't matter. I wanted to either do that or keep trying to read the pages that did not exist. How could it end there? Daniel figured out how to kill Joaquim, but how? How can you get rid of someone permanently, when they will just come back to another life and continue their vendetta? Lock him in a cryogenic freezer for eternity? Is that even possible? I don't know. But Daniel figured it out, even though he didn't feel like sharing with the audience. It was as if the author ran of ideas or patience or both. I had expected some kind of closure, but now this life was spent just as the others: Lucy and Daniel still can't spend their lives together. That's hardly an ending.

That ending deserved 1 star. But I just can't bring myself to give it 1 star because just the last two pages (literally) ruined it. The entire rest of the book was a solid 5 stars. So I give it – somewhat reluctantly – 5 stars. I did some research, and it looks like this is going to be a trilogy. It had better be a trilogy, or at least there had better be something after this. It just can't end there! I'm going to wait eagerly and impatiently for the next book to come out.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 08, 2011 Samantha Oledan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned, love-story, serious-books, reincarnation, great-cover, fantasy, books-i-did-not-enjoy, adult-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. -------My complete review (updated)---------

As I said in my previous review of this book, I didn’t like the story. I felt depressed, tired and alone the entire time that I was reading it. I don’t know if it was because of how the story goes or it was just because I am a shallow person who couldn’t appreciate this kind of plot. Either way, I’m still entitled to my own opinion, so here goes my review:

1. At first I got attracted by this book because of its cover. There was something mysterious with...more

8 likes · like · see review

Aug 02, 2010 Nomes rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, alternating-m-f-pov, i-thought-i-would-love-this-but, not-for-me

At first I wasn't sure if I would read it all - the first chapter, while definitely compelling, is pretty intense with the depth of romance and the soul mate connection thing and I wasn't sure if it was a too hard-core love story for my taste...

However, it swiftly moves along in chapters that not only alternate in POV, but also in time periods including ancient settings and exotic and varied locations around the world. While a lot of these chapters recounted the love and history between Daniel a...more

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Apr 24, 2011 Athira (Reading on a Rainy Day) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: source-own, source-review, 2010, fiction, f-romance, cat-series, f-general

Daniel has been looking for the same girl for centuries. He first saw her in 541 AD. Since then, he has come across her in several of their future lives. He remembers her; she doesn't. In their current lives, Daniel and the girl, Lucy, attend the same high school. She is smitten by him but they do not get a chance to talk until prom night, when an incident at school puts the two of them in the same room. That night when they kiss, Lucy is frightened both by the images that come to her mind and b...more Daniel has been looking for the same girl for centuries. He first saw her in 541 AD. Since then, he has come across her in several of their future lives. He remembers her; she doesn't. In their current lives, Daniel and the girl, Lucy, attend the same high school. She is smitten by him but they do not get a chance to talk until prom night, when an incident at school puts the two of them in the same room. That night when they kiss, Lucy is frightened both by the images that come to her mind and by Daniel's insistence in calling her Sophia.

I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this book quite a lot. It is not exactly my usual genre, and there were some aspects that did turn me off. But in the end, I am truly glad to have read this book.

At the outset, this book accepts that when people die, their souls come back as a different person. Not exactly something I would believe in, so you can see why it is not my usual genre. I find it easy reading science, or steampunk, or dystopian fiction, but when it comes to souls and afterlife and rebirth, I usually go uh-uh. Although I was expecting to be bothered by that, I found it rather easy to accept the "principles" of life in this book. Maybe because there is no talk of religion or because there is no hand of God in any of these happenings. Far from it, it happens to be the accepted way of life, and very few of them retain memories from their old lives. Kind of like recycling - instead of paper, souls go through that process here.

Being as it is composed of fantastic ingredients, there will always be questions about how anything happens in this book - be it soul "recycling", or how Daniel's memory is intact but not many of the others'. I wasn't entirely satisfied with some of these answers, but Daniel himself admits to being unaware or unsure of them. Another thing that bothered me quite a lot, was the ease with which Daniel gave up his lives - most of the times for Sophia. Maybe if I knew that I will be born again, I may be just as lax, but it makes me cringe, when he does it just because he "loves" a woman with whom he hasn't spent much time together. The "love" Daniel feels for Sophia is fascinating, and when one has lived for centuries the way Daniel has, priorities probably take shape, and Daniel's must have been Sophia. But I would have appreciated to see a little more respect towards the life he had at the moment. This is a debatable point, and I have kept vacillating against and in defense of Daniel, but it makes me wonder, if we had all of eternity to live, would we be just as indifferent to life? (Somehow a part of me tells 'yes'.)

Daniel and Sophia's story is actually quite pleasing to read about. Although none of Sophia's "lives" initially falls for Daniel's insistence that he has known her for centuries, I'm sure my reaction would be far more outrageous than Sophia's. A story like this wouldn't be complete without a villain, and we have Daniel's brother (in one of his lives) take that role, due to a shared history in which Daniel's brother came off as the loser.

My Name is Memory is an adult book, but I was very disappointed with the writing. I found it too simplistic, sometimes repetitive, and almost always the two characters behaved like fifteen-year olds. The dialogue at many points was too cheesy. This is disappointing because this book has a good idea which Ann Brashares has executed well. If the writing was better, I would have enjoyed it more.

I understand that this is the first book in a trilogy, and sure, the battle is far from over. But much of this book is slow, since there is a lot of history doled out to show the emotional or spiritual connection between Daniel and Sophia. I expected an ambiguous ending, but I can't say I am exactly eager to grab the next book in the trilogy. The cliffhanger wasn't so much one. So while I may choose to read the next book some time, I won't be exactly impatient for it.(less)

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Aug 18, 2010 Carrie Kindred rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, fiction

My Name is Memory is a love story unlike any I have ever known. Ann Brashares unravels her tale a bit at a time and toys with her audience much like a cat bats a ball of yarn. We are tossed to and fro throughout the ages clinging to the memories of Daniel -- a soul who is both blessed and cursed with the incredbile ability to remember all of his many lives as he is reincarnated over centuries.

Daniel's stories pull us into the ancient worlds of Northern Africa and Crete, to the not-so-distant pas...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Sophia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, owned, i-cried, must-read, all-time-favorite, fiction

What does it feel knowing the things that happened in your previous life (being reincarnated with Memory)? What will you do to continue living like an ordinary human? Would you consider that having the Memory is a way of redoing things that you regret before? Or would you regret on living with your Memory again? Would you do the same things you did before just to be sure that you’re still the same person in your first life? Would you still search for someone who became your anchor in your past l...more

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Oct 02, 2010 Jan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, reincarnation-fiction

In Daniel's world, almost everyone is reincarnated at least once. The difference between Daniel and most people is that he can remember all his previous lives in vivid detail. Through the centuries he has been trying to connect with his one true love, Sophia. In his current life he has found her in Lucy.

Lucy finds herself drawn to the mysterious Daniel even though they have never spoken. But when they finally do talk, he frightens her by calling her another name and talking about past lives and...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Vivienne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reincarnation, romantic-suspense

You have been with me from the very first life. You are my first memory every time, the single thread in all of my lives.

The male lead of this reincarnation-themed novel is Daniel, who has the ability to recall his past lives as well as being able to recognise the souls of those he has previously known. He is one of the few blessed (or cursed) with 'The Memory'. Since 541 AD, his first remembered life, he has been in love with the same girl. Life after life he has been drawn to the girl he calls...more You have been with me from the very first life. You are my first memory every time, the single thread in all of my lives.

The male lead of this reincarnation-themed novel is Daniel, who has the ability to recall his past lives as well as being able to recognise the souls of those he has previously known. He is one of the few blessed (or cursed) with 'The Memory'. Since 541 AD, his first remembered life, he has been in love with the same girl. Life after life he has been drawn to the girl he calls Sophia, though she has no memory of him and each time they meet, they have been torn apart, often tragically.

In this present lifetime Sophia is named Lucy and in 2004 she is a high school junior in Virginia. Daniel keeps his distance not wanting to upset her though as time passes this changes and she finally begins to awaken to their shared past. However, there is danger in the form of Daniel's brother from a previous lifetime; a brother who not only shares 'The Memory' but has used it for sinister ends and is determined that there will be no lasting happiness for the couple.

Ann Brashares is well known for her YA series The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants. This is her second novel marketed for adults, though I think it still would have appeal for older teens. Their story from 2004 onwards alternates between Lucy/Sophia's and Daniel's perspectives with other chapters narrated by Daniel that recounts their various encounters throughout history. Their former lives tend to quite ordinary; Daniel reflects at one point that "the great hits of history go along without the notice of most. I read about them in books like everybody else."

It is not necessary to believe in reincarnation or the concept of soul mates to enjoy this novel. Unlike the M. R. Rose reincarnation novels Brashares doesn't seek to make a case for reincarnation and does not provide an author's note to state her own position on the subject. Reincarnation is something I consider in a very matter-of-fact way so I had no issues with the metaphysical aspects of the novel and was able to suspend belief about the concept of the highly detailed memories of Daniel and a sprinkling of others in the story.

The novel ends on a rather ambiguous note, which suggests that there is more story to tell. I read that Brashares had planned this as a trilogy but her publishers apparently haven't encouraged this. I suspect the reason may be that this is quite a philosophical novel, which is not in keeping with the majority of novels with these kind of themes. I admired it for that depth and overall enjoyed reading it. I am sure that if Brashares feels strongly enough that this story needs to be told she may be willing to explore alternative methods as other authors have done when projects that they feel passionate about have been blocked.

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Aug 13, 2012 MizzSandie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: author-love-respect-admiration, chrushing-on-fictional-characters, cover-love, didnt-want-it-to-end, favourite, good-story, heartbreaking, interesting, loved-it, mind-blowing, moved-me-deeply, psychology, profound, page-turner, put-life-in-perspective, re-read-worthy, romance, spiritual, well-written, you-re-doing-it-right, want-to-own, movie-material, cant-stop-thinking-about-it

OH. MY. GOD.

there is no gif for these things that i am feeling

This book was EVERYTHING and more.

ill never forget it, its imprinted on my memory, for the rest of my life

It has left my brain stunned at it's utter genious, which is why this review probably wont be very coherent, but who am I kidding? there is no way I could caption this brilliance that is this book anyway.

So I wont say much I will just say this:

From the very first pages I was encaptured by this book - loving the writing, and intrigued by the story. And as the story moved along, spinning pieces together, I just fell in love with it. Madly. Deeply.

T...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Tina rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Tina by: Taryn

Shelves: 2011-reads, round-table-reads

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

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 08, 2011 Michelle/ The True Book Addict rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-tour-books, read-in-2011

I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. When I first read about it, I was fascinated by the reincarnation aspect of it. I was not disappointed. I'm not sure if this book is considered YA, but it really didn't have that normal YA feel, if you know what I mean. When Daniel and Lucy 'meet' in the present time, they are teenagers, but Daniel is various ages throughout the book as he recounts his past lives beginning in the 500s AD. These are the parts of the book that I most enjoyed.....more I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. When I first read about it, I was fascinated by the reincarnation aspect of it. I was not disappointed. I'm not sure if this book is considered YA, but it really didn't have that normal YA feel, if you know what I mean. When Daniel and Lucy 'meet' in the present time, they are teenagers, but Daniel is various ages throughout the book as he recounts his past lives beginning in the 500s AD. These are the parts of the book that I most enjoyed...the looking back in history. Daniel has been reincarnated many times over and he remembers every life he has led. I'm not sure if that would be a blessing or a curse and I do not think that Daniel always looked on it as a blessing either. Intertwined in the story is the love story between Daniel and Lucy/Sophia. Lucy does not remember her past lives and when Daniel approaches her with the idea, it spooks her. Understandable. I mean it would be pretty incredible for someone to come up to you and tell you that you have lived before. When Lucy and Daniel finally do meet again, there is an element of danger left over from the past that is hellbent to interfere. So, as we approach the end, it is very climactic and exciting and then...it just ends! I was pissed until I found out that this is a planned trilogy. Thank goodness because I'm not sure the book would have survived my wrath.

I am a person who likes to think that we are reincarnated each time we die. The reasons for my feeling this way are because of children who have imaginary friends, which I had when I was a child. I believe that these children are remembering past lives. Also, I believe that the feelings of deja vu we experience throughout life could be shadows of our previous lives. Sorry...didn't mean to get all new agey on you here, but my beliefs are just one of the reasons I liked this book. If you normally steer clear of YA novels, don't do it on this one. Like I said, it's not your normal YA book. And if you like an historical aspect in books, you will most probably like it as well. I'm not saying that it has the most extensively researched historical bits I've ever read, but it's believable in its own right. In all, I recommend this book.
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Dec 30, 2012 Rachael (Piper) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, I love the whole idea of past lives and life after death. It was really interesting how the author created certain rules and how there were people who could recognise souls and some who couldn't. It was also interesting to read about the different civilisations which Daniel saw and lived and died through and the whole migration aspect.

What I did NOT like was the ending. I felt like giving this book a 3 (not 4) star because of the ending. It didn't feel like the author...more

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Jun 27, 2010 Caroline rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: urban-fantasy, young-adult

This is a great book that I enjoyed reading a lot.

At first I was taken aback by the similarities with Fallen (storyline and names), not in the sense that they copied on each other, but in the sense "what are the odds to use the same names?". So I've been doing some research on the names (yes, I am that geeky) and haven't found anything relevant so I'm still very curious about it if anyone has an explanation (there is *nothing* like a mystery to keep you up at night - I so don't believe in coinc...more This is a great book that I enjoyed reading a lot.

At first I was taken aback by the similarities with Fallen (storyline and names), not in the sense that they copied on each other, but in the sense "what are the odds to use the same names?". So I've been doing some research on the names (yes, I am that geeky) and haven't found anything relevant so I'm still very curious about it if anyone has an explanation (there is *nothing* like a mystery to keep you up at night - I so don't believe in coincidences).

I find the whole concept of Daniel keeping his memory one life through the other to be fascinating. And yes I have been imagining my previous lives: I can only come up with rock star, witch and suffragette. I find all the historical parts extremely interesting, I love it when books offer a historical perspective to some situations, it gives characters a certain insight on the events, and this book is absolutely amazing for this.

I find that there has been a clear effort on words, rhythm and the musicality of sentences. Though the story is quite slow in its evolution, I found that it fits perfectly with the pace set by the storytelling. I'm not sure if I explain it right, but I found the writing very impressive compared to the paranormal romance stories I've read lately.

I liked the character of Daniel and how he dealt with his memory in opposition to Ben. I'm not saying that he is right or that it is the best way (I prefer Ben's way) but I find his point of view and his doubts interesting to read. I absolutely adore the character of Ben. He is amazingly (as in, shrouded in mystery just like I love my characters in books!) and there is so much meaning behind its different incarnations that it was a real pleasure to read his small appearances in the story.

I like the role of women in the story: Lucy/Sophia/Constance are different, yet very much alike, characters, and they have such a profound effect on Daniel. I particularly liked reading about one of Daniel's latest mother, Molly and the relation they had, or more precisely hadn't, with each other.

I know the most important point of the book is the romance, and even though I enjoyed the love story at first, I got a little tired with it and I am more interested in the other aspects of the book.

I have to admit that towards the ends I have fallen a little out of the story. I'm not getting the whole Joaquim (Daniel's brother) thing, may it be his vengeance or how he reincarnates.
I am also a bit surprised about the ending. I'm assuming that a sequel is in the works, otherwise I just don't get the ending at all.

So all in all I thoroughly enjoyed a large part of the book, and I think that the language used, the memory/reincarnation plot and the general tone of the book are incredible, but some tiny details towards the end tend to bring a bit more reservations from me.

If there *is* a sequel though, I will most definitely read it to understand better the whole concept of memory which I found absolutely fascinating.(less)

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view all 10 comments

Amanda That was what I thought after I'd found out about Fallen. Both books came out within a month of each other, if I remember correctly and the name thing...more
Nov 19, 2011 01:38am

Amanda I just have to add that My Name is Memory was published jan 1, 2010 and fallen was published dec 8, 2009. No way they could have copied each other. th...more
Nov 19, 2011 01:51am

Feb 12, 2012 Clarissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"I read Fallen by Lauren Kate, then I read this one later that week. The similarities are striking. First, there is the unrequited love thing going where Daniel (same name and everything) loves Lucy (in fallen, it was Luce) for thousands of years. He remembers, she doesn't. That in itself is interesting. Luckily, the similarities end there, as I really did not like Fallen, if I could have given it negative stars I would have. However, I would give My Name is Memory 4. There were a few notable d...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Marianne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Finding true love is never easy. And sometimes, when you find it, you are only given a short time to be with your true love because eventually you'll have to face the inevitable heartbreak and separation - death. In this book, it showed that love does not end in death. Your souls continue to love each other and search for each other to be together again in your next lifetimes. That is how the cycle goes because true love is for eternity.

This is a good read for those "in love", for those who are...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Andrea Mora rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My Name Is Memory by Ann Bashares, is the kind of book you most likely read while on your period. In the way that it'll make your heart sink as it goes on. The only thingI disliked about the book was the fact that its timing wasn't exactly accurate, but besides that, it's a truly amazing book full with romance, teenage daily life, and tragedy. I really recommend this book for those suckers for love like me, and twilight fans. There's this detail I fell in love with I want to point out, you'll fi...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Teresa Lukey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

When I first started this book, I found myself comparing it to The Gargoyle. I do think it has some similarities, but it lacked in depth, in the sense that it could have had so much more from a historical perspective.

I thought the premise of Daniel trying to find his soul mate through 1500 years of reincarnations to be a sweet story, but the story just barely skimmed the surface of there relationship and the places they shared together. The end is enough to drive you nuts if you hate books that...more

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Jun 26, 2010 Bec ♥ Live for the ones you love ♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, books-that-made-me-cry

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

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Apr 21, 2012 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: great-reads

This is a sweet love story about ordinary human beings with one exception Daniel has a memory that never forgets even with death! I guess the plot is similar to the fallen books with always remembering and that one true love however there is nothing extraordinary about the two main characters except for daniel who as I stated before remembers all his past lives! When his brother from a past live comes and to take 'her' away it's Daniels mission to find her and save her. It's quite a sweet book b...more

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Aug 01, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

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

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Aug 28, 2011 E Reyes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favourites

"Thoughts were nothing. Memories were nothing. They were nothing you could touch. They took no time. You could fit them all on the point of a pin. You could bring your entire world into doubt in a span of a few seconds."

When you love, you wait and hold on to faith. An extraordinary love story. It is a story of Daniel and Lucy/Constance/Sophia. 3 different names in one soul, and then there's Daniel - one strong guy with a very unusual memory.
Great character building and plot.

I'm hoping for a seq...more

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Aug 09, 2011 Jennifer added it · review of another edition

Shelves: gen-fic

If you liked The Time Traveler's Wife you'll probably like this one - I couldn't put either down and the two novels share a lot of themes although the actual premise is different.

At the end of my lunch break today I was left with 50 pages to go and no more time to read, and I didn't want to put it down. I have now had a chance to finish the book. Originally I was disappointed by the ending because you don't actually find out what happens to them, but the more I think about it the more I have de...more

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May 18, 2013 Queenie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

(Got this book at underground second handed bookstore for a buck)
THERE ARE SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Ok, I literally felt like my brain just exploded and several billion of my brain cells just died after reading this book.
First of all, I am a very creative and imaginative person, don't get me wrong. but there were many ti...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Leah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A compelling re-incarnation tale with an obvious set-up for sequels. Author Ann Brahsares is best known for her "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" books for young readers. This story is her second foray into the adult fiction category, and I would say it is a mostly successful one. That being said, it would be very unsatisfying if she fails to deliver on the rumored sequel. I dislike waiting around to complete a story, so if I had known this book was part of a possible trilogy, I would have wai...more A compelling re-incarnation tale with an obvious set-up for sequels. Author Ann Brahsares is best known for her "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" books for young readers. This story is her second foray into the adult fiction category, and I would say it is a mostly successful one. That being said, it would be very unsatisfying if she fails to deliver on the rumored sequel. I dislike waiting around to complete a story, so if I had known this book was part of a possible trilogy, I would have waited to read it until at least the second book had been published. That is the only reason I gave it 3 stars vs. the 4 I originally considered. The characters are interesting and complex enough to draw you into the fantastic premise that Daniel is one of a handful of people who remembers every life he has ever lived. Part of what motivates him from life to life is his undying love for "Sophia". Sophia is another soul that re-appears in almost all of Daniel's many lives, but unlike Daniel, she does not possess the "memory". The story opens in present day, where "Sophia" is a high school senior, now known as Lucy, who is strangely drawn to the handsome and mysterious transfer student, Daniel. Their eventual, inevitable encounter frightens Lucy, as she does not understand what Daniel is trying to explain to her, and why he insists on calling her Sophia. From that point on, the story continues to move back and forth between the present and many of Daniel's past, remembered lives. The historical aspects of each of these past lives is intriguing, and shed light on the enduring connection between these two souls. There are a few other souls with memory that recur in many of Daniel's lives and serve the story by filling the roles of antagonist (Joaquim) and guide/friend/advisor (Ben). One of my favorite scenes from the book takes place near the end, when Daniel visits his own grave, from the life just previous to his current one. In this previous life, Daniel had died as a teenager. He finds his grave well-tended by his previous mother, Molly, and sees that there are flowers, candles, and a framed picture of the two of them together. "He thought of Molly tending this grave, bringing these flowers, lighting the candles. His impulse was to go and find her. "I'm fine," he wanted to say to her. "I still love you, and I think about you all the time. I'm not down there, I'm right here." He looked at the photograph again. He looked down at his hands and remembered his old hands -- the nail of his left middle finger, which grew in funny, his bony knuckles, his freckled skin. Those hands weren't here; they were down there. Or whatever was left of them. Those fast legs weren't here; they were buried too. That was him, Molly's son, and he was under there; he wasn't right here.
*That was me.*
He missed that body. He heard music so well in that body. His fingers were graceful and quick on the piano keys. It was a talented body...As he looked at Molly's face in the picture, he knew he hadn't loved that body because it was fast and heard music so well. He would have liked to think so, but he knew it wasn't true. He loved it because he had been loved. Because Molly had loved him. In this present body he hadn't been loved, and he found almost nothing to love about himself. He didn't want to give a mother that kind of power, but Molly had it anyway. It was amazing how he thought he could take his whole self with him to every new life, not remembering that when you left someone like Molly, you left a part of yourself behind forever. Sometimes he wondered if his memory for the important things was really very good at all."
I will wait impatiently for the promised sequel(s) to "My Name is Memory". I am curious to know what happens next to Daniel and Sophia. I recommend this book to fans of Audrey Niffeneger's "The Time Traveler's Wife" or Ken Grimwood's "Replay".(less)

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Apr 01, 2013 Lucinda rated it 4 of 5 stars

An unforgettable, haunting love story that pierces the soul with such acute poignancy.

This stunningly beautiful tale sent chills running down my spine and made the hairs on the back of my arms stand-up. I was utterly mesmerized and enchanted by Daniel and Sophia, who are drawn together by fate and torn apart by time itself. The concept of them both being drawn to one another through the centuries and continents and dynasties, (regardless of changing forms and names) I felt was truly inspired. W...more An unforgettable, haunting love story that pierces the soul with such acute poignancy.

This stunningly beautiful tale sent chills running down my spine and made the hairs on the back of my arms stand-up. I was utterly mesmerized and enchanted by Daniel and Sophia, who are drawn together by fate and torn apart by time itself. The concept of them both being drawn to one another through the centuries and continents and dynasties, (regardless of changing forms and names) I felt was truly inspired. What astonished me even more was the remarkable ability that Daniel is in possession of and how he is able to recognize souls of those people he has previously known. Delicately interwoven and cleverly complex this multi-layered tale is something quite special, for it contains such profound depth and heartfelt meaning. Ann Brashares beautifully blends modern day with historical elements – from England in 1918 to Virginia in 1972 and the twentieth century, to create a timeless classic.

This supremely magical, suspenseful and heartbreaking story perfectly proves that those who are destined to be together will endure everything. I was taken on a sweeping journey which was powerfully dramatic, heartrending and emotionally stirring as to have me in tears. I personally feel that when It comes to matters of the heart and the profound intensity of true love, regardless of time itself, this single emotion will never cease to amaze as it alters and defines our lives…for our future is shaped by those whom we love and have lost. I was so impressed by this deeply affecting, intricately woven tale that blew me away and certainly exceeded any expectations I had prior to reading. A personal study of relationships and that relationship we have with time is complex and fascinating, and which certainly makes you think and alter your perception on life…

Providence or fate lends a hand as love really does rule supreme throughout the ages - whether our own story ends happily or not.

Reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, Fallen or Twilight this dazzling Young Adult novel is one that will remain etched within your mind for all-time. Breathtaking and simply stunning, I am so pleased to have read something that ‘gets’ the reader and which reaches out to you on such a personal level – for the author’s insight and acuteness is unmatchable. As a hopeless romantic this is a tale of true love, heartbreak and unrequited feelings which merge together to create a spellbinding story.
(less)

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About Ann Brashares

Ann Brashares grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with three brothers and attended a Quaker school in the D.C. area called Sidwell Friends. She studied Philosophy at Barnard College, part of Columbia University in New York City. Expecting to continue studying philosophy in graduate school, Ann took a year off after college to work as an editor, hoping to save money for school. Loving her job, she ne...more

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Books by Ann Brashares

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Sisterhood, #1)

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood, #2)

Girls In Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood, #3)

Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood, #4)

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Quotes from My Name Is Memory

“Love who you love while you have them. That's all you can do. Let them go when you must. If you know how to love, you'll never run out.” — 258 people liked it

“Love demands everything, they say, but my love demands only this: that no matter what happens or how long it takes, you`ll keep faith in me, you`ll remember who we are, and you`ll never feel despair.” — 212 people liked it

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