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A Portrait Of Memories
A short psychological-thriller that focuses on the journey of two twin brothers, reliving moments of their forgotten pasts in an eerie world that resembles theirs to discover the reason behind their existence here. Where is "here" exactly? That is what they intend to find out by opening door after door to their memories, putting the pieces back together to find their answer on the walls of their empty rooms. Background summary: From the city of falling angels to the ball where devils dance . . . Let's take a stroll down memory lane with the twins . . . Gabriel: The twin with good nature who wants nothing more than getting through the day in peace. Lucifer: The evil twin who hungers for finding mischief ways of ruining one's day just for fun. Our memories are shattered. Their shards lay scattered, waiting to be recollected. We're lost in boxes of emptiness we call "rooms" forced to walk amidst lights and smoke to pass through. There's only one way out of this conscious-dwelling prison, and that's through the doors to what grim memories that awaits us on the other side. Far beyond our haunting pasts is where these doors will eventually lead us to. "To where?" we keep on asking ourselves. The answer hides behind those doors and on the walls of their rooms. It is what the twin brothers seek by opening the doors and walking out of their rooms, to relive memory after memory, then come back to do it again . . .
206 pages, Paperback
Published October 28, 2016
1 person is currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Hesham N. Ali
7 books17 followers“Some believe writing is a lost form of art. To others, writing may just be another tedious fulltime job . . .”
Born and raised in a minuscule Middle Eastern island known to man as the Kingdom of Bahrain. His entire life, Hesham had traversed through the infinite cosmos and amidst the time of the dinosaurs, falling all the way down the rabbit hole. When he finally emerged on the other side into the backward world of fiction writing where he battled his greatest demons in a multiverse of genres—that was when his reign of madness began.
2014 was the year he was diagnosed with the infamous “Writer’s Bug”. By 2016 he debuted with two novels: {Fear in Flesh} and {A Portrait of Memories}. Hesham was 23 when he published both titles only 2 months apart during that year. As his passion for making up stories keeps on growing, so does his love for creating fictional worlds then tearing them asunder.
“. . . To me, writing is an artistically driven lifestyle. We make of it what we envision and desire.”
Find out more and stay in touch with the author through . . .
Instagram: @h.madrex
Amazon.com: @Hesham N. Ali
Goodreads: @Hesham N. Ali
Email: hesham_nasser@outlook.com
Born and raised in a minuscule Middle Eastern island known to man as the Kingdom of Bahrain. His entire life, Hesham had traversed through the infinite cosmos and amidst the time of the dinosaurs, falling all the way down the rabbit hole. When he finally emerged on the other side into the backward world of fiction writing where he battled his greatest demons in a multiverse of genres—that was when his reign of madness began.
2014 was the year he was diagnosed with the infamous “Writer’s Bug”. By 2016 he debuted with two novels: {Fear in Flesh} and {A Portrait of Memories}. Hesham was 23 when he published both titles only 2 months apart during that year. As his passion for making up stories keeps on growing, so does his love for creating fictional worlds then tearing them asunder.
“. . . To me, writing is an artistically driven lifestyle. We make of it what we envision and desire.”
Find out more and stay in touch with the author through . . .
Instagram: @h.madrex
Amazon.com: @Hesham N. Ali
Goodreads: @Hesham N. Ali
Email: hesham_nasser@outlook.com
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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February 4, 2017trapped in a fluffy room with a golden Door, Gabriel find himself, and whenever he darted to leave through the door he traveled to one of his life memories, and there he always meet his twin brother Luciefer whose also trapped in another room thaough it was hediuos and with a red door.
in each memory, the look alike twin struggles aginst each other as one resembles the good boy While the other resembles the evil one, starting with small mischeviouse and ending with wild massacres, even though the Angle doesnt look as an angle to me but as coward who always fail to put a stop to his brother and to the time when he watched him kill another person without stopping him.
Gabriel had always fall as the escape goat for blaming of his brother stunts and crimes untill he reach the nonreturn point.
the story of a philosophy that no one borned an angel or a devil, and each of us have two sides struggling and we are who we are by the afternath of these long struggles
will done Hisham, a great work
in each memory, the look alike twin struggles aginst each other as one resembles the good boy While the other resembles the evil one, starting with small mischeviouse and ending with wild massacres, even though the Angle doesnt look as an angle to me but as coward who always fail to put a stop to his brother and to the time when he watched him kill another person without stopping him.
Gabriel had always fall as the escape goat for blaming of his brother stunts and crimes untill he reach the nonreturn point.
the story of a philosophy that no one borned an angel or a devil, and each of us have two sides struggling and we are who we are by the afternath of these long struggles
will done Hisham, a great work
November 22, 2017
A book best suited for young adults discussing good and evil. The book started off a bit too quick but in later chapters events started unfolding slower. Best of luck to the author
May 9, 2021
The ending was not expected! I literally did not see the twist coming my way!
This is an enjoyable read. The story is very interesting. I love the characters, especially Lucifer, his way of mischief is really smart. Lucifer has a dark sense of humor that could get irritating at some point, but at the same time that humor matches with his personality very well. I believe that both perspectives were written in a good way. I liked the descriptive language in the book. I was able to imagine everything that is going on in the story. I felt like the characters were trying to figure out who they are by following some certain memories that could lead them to the absolute truth of their own existence. I believe that the book got a bit brutal and intense at at the end. People who enjoy thriller/ horror fiction reads will love this story. I think it would be very enjoyable to read this book as a graphic novel, it would be really interesting to see this story turned into illustrations.
This is an enjoyable read. The story is very interesting. I love the characters, especially Lucifer, his way of mischief is really smart. Lucifer has a dark sense of humor that could get irritating at some point, but at the same time that humor matches with his personality very well. I believe that both perspectives were written in a good way. I liked the descriptive language in the book. I was able to imagine everything that is going on in the story. I felt like the characters were trying to figure out who they are by following some certain memories that could lead them to the absolute truth of their own existence. I believe that the book got a bit brutal and intense at at the end. People who enjoy thriller/ horror fiction reads will love this story. I think it would be very enjoyable to read this book as a graphic novel, it would be really interesting to see this story turned into illustrations.
July 6, 2020
Very light and easy read, sutible for young adults. Going through memories to reveal the mural which is his entire life, it basically talking about the good and evil, each person has two sides to struggle with and chose the path to go on with.
Good will always collide with evil. Even when most folk and stories will tell you that good always trumps evil, both forces have equal chances of winning. P#103
The devil's always up to something no good. P#116
Good will always collide with evil. Even when most folk and stories will tell you that good always trumps evil, both forces have equal chances of winning. P#103
The devil's always up to something no good. P#116
April 5, 2018
The book had a lot of evilness it could have been better if there was an elongation about the fight between the good and the evil and since the book is meant for teenagers it would have been better if the moral of the novel was presented in a clearer manner
July 30, 2025
Reading Hesham's book A Portrait of Memories felt like slipping into a lucid dream. The dual narrative of Gabriel and Lucifer struck a chord—two sides of one soul, each navigating twisted memories and buried truths. I found myself drawn to Lucifer’s mischievous sarcasm and surprisingly sharp insights, while Gabriel’s quiet strength brought emotional balance.
One line that stayed with me: “Even silence, in the absence of pain, becomes unbearable.” That sentence alone made me pause and reread it several times.
Some parts could've been fleshed out more, but the book’s philosophical edge and surreal atmosphere kept me invested. It's not a typical thriller—it's a mirror into consciousness, identity, and grief.
One line that stayed with me: “Even silence, in the absence of pain, becomes unbearable.” That sentence alone made me pause and reread it several times.
Some parts could've been fleshed out more, but the book’s philosophical edge and surreal atmosphere kept me invested. It's not a typical thriller—it's a mirror into consciousness, identity, and grief.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2017
This was disturbingly thrilling.
June 11, 2022
1 star
Cool idea with shoddy execution. The overall plot is similar to another book – Identical by Ellen Hopkins – but this one is over the top and rushed. The idea of looking at a portrait of memories from two points of view trying to make sense of life is compelling, but this could've used a lot of polish from an editor. If it hadn't been short I might have DNF-ed it. I applaud the author for the creativity and symbolism, though!
Cool idea with shoddy execution. The overall plot is similar to another book – Identical by Ellen Hopkins – but this one is over the top and rushed. The idea of looking at a portrait of memories from two points of view trying to make sense of life is compelling, but this could've used a lot of polish from an editor. If it hadn't been short I might have DNF-ed it. I applaud the author for the creativity and symbolism, though!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews