Memory Game – Erinnern ist tödlich

by Felicia Yap

Wie findet man einen Mörder in einer Welt, in der es keine Erinnerungen gibt?

In Claires Welt gibt es zwei Arten von Menschen: solche, die wie sie sind und sich nur an die Ereignisse des vorangegangenen Tages erinnern können, und solche wie ihren Ehemann Mark, deren Gedächtnis zwei Tage zurückreicht. Claire hat nur eine Verbindung zu ihrer Vergangenheit: ihr Tagebuch. Was sie nicht rechtzeitig aufschreibt, geht für immer verloren. Eines Morgens steht die Polizei vor Claires Tür. Die Leiche einer Frau wurde im Fluss gefunden. Nach Aussage der Beamten war sie Marks Geliebte und er wird des Mordes verdächtigt. Sagt die Polizei die Wahrheit? Kann Claire ihrem Ehemann vertrauen? Und vor allem: Kann sie sich selbst vertrauen?

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Science Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Adult

448 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2017

About the author

Felicia Yap is the author of Future Perfect and Yesterday. She has been a cell biologist, a war historian, a university lecturer, a technology journalist, a theatre critic, a flea-market trader and a catwalk model. Facebook, Twitter & Instagram: @FeliciaMYap

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*

The setting is Cambridge in June 2015. and an election is imminent. Mark Evans is a best-selling novelist with ambitions to be the city’s next MP. His wife Claire is apparently loving and supportive. But then a woman’s body is fished out of the River Cam and the police rapidly establish an intimate connection between Mark and dead Sophia Ayling.

Is the discovery of a mistress, and a possible murder charge, going to derail his campaign? That’s certainly what DCI Hans Richardson intends to happen. 
So far, so straightforward. The twist in Yesterday is that everyone in Yap’s novel has a defective memory. To be precise, the world is divided between those who can remember only the day before (Monos) and those who are privileged enough to remember the previous two days (Duos).

There’s a scientific explanation for this, thrown in early on. So how do people recall their pasts? How do they know what they did, thought and felt last week, last month, last year? In the bad old days they wrote it down but now they commit their key memories to iDiaries at the end of each day or two. 

The story is told from four angles, husband, wife, mistress and policeman, through a mixture of present tense narration and diary entries. Things are further complicated by the fact that Sophie seemed to be unique in having perfect recall and that DCI Richardson is a Mono struggling to act like a Duo  -  because Duos get much more status, respect and money.

One of the most interesting things about Yesterday is the substitution of this Mono/Duo division for more usual class or racial ones. Monos are definitely second-class citizens. The domestic noir side of the book involves some very tortuous plotting and fairly soap opera antics which, oddly, strain belief more than the Mono/Duo set-up. But it’s an ambitious and intelligent thriller and I don’t think many readers will anticipate the final twist.    

[Meredith (Trying to catch up!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Unique take on the relationship between fact and memory.

Yesterday takes place in an alternate reality, in which class distinctions are not based on wealth, race, gender,etc; what separates people is their ability to remember. There are the elite duos and low class monos. Duos can retain two days of memory, whereas monos can only retain one. Both duos and monos record their memories daily, and must rely on what they write to be factual. However, one can write what they want to believe versus recording what actually happened creating the ability to create alternative “memories.” These memories become crucial in the investigation into the murder of the mistress of a prominent duo.

“We are all victims of the pasts we prefer.”

Acclaimed duo novelist turned political hopeful, Mark, has been married to mono Claire for 20 years. They are in a rare mixed marriage. Their marriage is less than happy, as Claire often feels inferior to her duo husband. When Mark’s mistress, Sophia a duo who claims to have full memory, is murdered their marriage is put to the test. Sophia is perhaps the most interesting character. Having spent 17 years in a mental institution, she has returned to seek vengeance on Mark and Claire, whom she blames for destroying her life.

Yesterday is told through the POV’s of Mark, Claire, Sophia, and Hans, a mono police officer masquerading as a duo.

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of fact vs. memory that plays out in Yesterday. I have a lot of unanswered questions about the mono/duo society. Also, the ending unraveled and went to a place that didn’t work for me. Nonetheless, this was an interesting read.

I won this book as a Goodreads giveaway.

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a unique and totally original book! "Yesterday" by Felicia Yap had me gripped from the start with a dystopian/science fiction style crime mystery set in present day. The story features two kinds of people - 'monos' who can only remember yesterday and 'duos' who remember yesterday and the day before. They are totally reliant on their 'idiaries' where they enter their day's events, thoughts and feelings and then learn them. With the capability of searching their idiaries for specific words and events they are able to recall their memories what actually happened on a particular day. When Claire Evans' discovers that her husband's mistress has been found in the River Cam and that it is believed he killed her two days ago, she can't recall what he did that day because she can only remember yesterday. She relies on her diary to tell her where she's been, who she loves and what she's done. But can she believe what is written, what the police say and can she trust her cheating husband?
This book does need you to suspend disbelief so you can fully enjoy it, regardless of the implausibility of it all. It was really an enjoyable read for me and I particularly loved the twist at the end and the way we were privy to different points of view regarding the same event. Set out in a layout of diary entries, facts and notes to self, first person thoughts, extracts from a novel and events as they happened, I found this story a pleasure to read and with the tantalising hint of a further book I look forward to reading more by this author, she's a new and fresh voice in an already flooded market of so-so thrillers but this stands out for its different approach and unique premise. Well written, she entices the reader in with intrigue and traditional suspense and I'd happily recommend to thriller/psychological readers looking for something just that little bit different.

4.5 stars

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire and Mark are a rare mixed marriage in a world that is divided not by race or religion but by how long of a memory you are born with. Claire is a mono, as is most of the population, that can only remember one day of her life at a time. Mark however is a duo and can remember that extra day which makes duos consider themselves better than monos. Every citizen however keeps a daily dairy to study to try to remember that which they forget.

One day a body of a woman is found nearby where Claire and Mark live and soon a detective shows up at the couple's door looking to talk to Mark. It seems that the victim had written quite a bit about Mark in her diary which is now property of the police and he is brought in for questioning in the woman's murder. The detective has his own secrets and is insistent he will solve the case in a day with Mark being his primary focus.

Yesterday by Felicia Yap is a bit of mix of fantasy and thriller which really had me intrigued when reading the synopsis. Being one that loves when an author goes a bit out on a limb and tries something a bit different than you normally find I just had to pick this one up and really wasn't disappointed as I found it a fun one to read.

The story is told from several different POVs, Mark, Claire, the detective on the case, and the also victim through her diary entries. It's easy to follow along though and fun to see all sides of the story as it developed.

I did however find a few flaws with the book but it really didn't bother me too much and bring down my enjoyment reading the story. Just in my opinion it could have used a tad more world building in the fantasy side and the thriller side really only had a few options so it isn't too hard to guess the outcome. However, being that the author took a chance and included both sides in the story I would still recommend checking this one out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yesterday by Felicia Yap is a story set in an alternate reality where people suffer from short time memory loss and have to keep a Diary to remember past events. I found the story interesting. A thriller about murder, infidelity and lies.
I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kristijan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh... Interesantna zamisao, ali avaj sa dosta rupa u prici. Ocekivao previse od ovoga, a na kraju dobio neku kombinaciju Iscezle i Devojke iz voza.

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
2.5 stars
Advertised as ‘The most compelling high-concept thriller of the year’, Yesterday, by debut novelist Felicia Yap, introduces a compelling premise and an original narrative concept. Described as a gripping story of love, betrayal, memory and identity, questions of trust swirl around this unusual psychological thriller.

Set in modern day times, but in a very different world to which we live in today, Yesterday looks closely at a dystopian universe, where society is divided into two different classes of citizens. There are monos, those who can only remember the last 24 hours. Then there are the duos, those who can recall the last 48 hours. Helping people bridge the past to the present are idiaries. These are a lifeline, assisting people to record down key events. When a woman’s body is found in the River Cam, police use the woman’s idiary to track down the possible perpetrator. This link tracks to Mark and Claire Evans. Mark, an author and an aspiring politician, has a mistress, the woman found in the River Cam. Mark was the last person to have contact with her. However, his wife Claire has memories of a bad event occurring, was she involved? It is a race against time to beat the memory clock and solve the case of this murdered woman in the river.

Yesterday is a ‘2017 literary event’, as described in the promotional material endorsing the book. Felicia Yap received plenty of early praise for this novel. Hailing originally from Kuala Lumpur, Yap read biochemistry and history at the University of Cambridge. Yap also had a number of different careers, including work as a catwalk model before penning her first novel. Yesterday is an ambitious novel for a debut writer. It presents a scenario that is almost beyond our realm of thinking. Yap shows us an alternative world where time and memory are the main focal points.

Where Yap succeeds in her novel is in the presentation of an alternative mode of living. This dystopian world, where memory divides society and determines everything, is an original concept that I have not seen explored before in other novels. There is a strong sci fi feel to Yesterday that didn’t work for me. However, I can see the merit in this angle. I particularly liked how the memory and the related technology focus taps into today’s society and our over reliance on technology.

Yap divides her narration between four main protagonists. We hear from Sophia, the victim of the case, Mark who is the suspect, his wife Claire and finally the detective Hans, who is assigned to the case. This gives the reader a well rounded picture of the main events and the case at hand. I did feel that Yap tended to skirt over the characters and the only one that I felt that was explored to some depth was Claire. She is also the only character that I developed some attachment towards. Each character clearly has their own secrets and failings, which Yap explores during the course of the novel.

A psychological thriller would not be complete without an unreliable narrator. Yap provides the reader with a number of unreliable narrators in Yesterday. Claire, Mark, Sophia and Hans are all plagued with memory issues. This makes it extremely unclear who to trust and which version of events are true. Solving the case is like a ticking time bomb. Hans, the lead police investigator, is reduced to a time frame of just 24 hours to solve this complex case. This adds an extra layer to what would be a fairly standard police procedural tale. Yap includes a last hour twist that works to heighten the mystery element of this tale.

Yesterday is not without its pitfalls. The main issue I had with this novel was the use of the idiaries. I had too many questions and what ifs. In the end, too much suspension of disbelief was needed, especially with so many distracting inclusions of journal articles, diary entries and newspaper articles within the narrative. In the end, Yesterday came across as messy and just a touch too implausible for this reader. I am keen to hear what others thought about this book.

There is no doubt that Yesterday covers an intriguing concept and it presents a society not too far removed to our own. Although I didn’t find this book overly fantastic and it did not live up to the hype it generated, I am very interested to read future work from Felicia Yap. I am sure she will present us with another fascinating concept.

*Book ‘Y' of the a-z author challenge 2018.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one really did it for me due to the cool concept beautifully executed (I'm definitely looking out for the different stuff now) and the fact that its kind of an old school mystery but not as you know it.

Clever, unpredictable and highly engaging.

A while until its out so I'll hold off on a full review until nearer the time. But you'll want to watch for this one I reckon...

[Louise Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Clare and Mark are in a rare mixed marriage. Clare is a Mono ( have only one day's worth of memory) housewife. Mark is a novelist-turned- politician Duo (have two day's worth of memory). Then, a woman is found dead, her body had been dumped in England's River Cam. The woman is Marks mistress and he is the prime suspect in her murder. But the Detective investigating the murder case and the murder victim both have secrets. With their memories constancy erased, how can anyone learn the truth.

This book is a bit confusing at the start. It took me until I was about 25% to understand the parallel universe. The characters use idiaries to record everything they do. It alternates between the four characters points of view. The murder victims is told through the contents of her Idiary. It is an interesting concept but don't try to overthink this book. An engaging but also a frustrating read. A good debut novel.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Headline and the author Felicia Yap for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was attracted to this book by that tagline “How do you solve a murder when you only remember….Yesterday” and I was intrigued to find out more! I had no idea what to expect so it was a relief to find out that this original idea had evolved into an enjoyable thriller unlike anything I’ve read recently! And I loved it!

I don’t want to spoil anything about the plot as I want it to surprise you just as much as it did me but I will say that it’s probably not what you have in mind when you first pick up Yesterday. Although the premise of Nono’s and Duo’s is something you would be more likely to expect in a fantasy novel, that’s the only thing “fantasy” about this psychological thriller. Claire is a Mono who can only remember what happens during one day of her life unlike her husband Mark who is a Duo and can remember two days at a time. Duo’s are seen as superior due to this extra memory so their mixed marriage is perceived as an unusual match. This isn’t as complex or unbelievable as it sounds and I very quickly became part of this parallel universe where remembering your past by checking your diary becomes the norm for everyone after the age of 18 or 23 which is when their “class” is determined. This is probably because my own memory has become shocking in recent years and I am constantly writing things down so I don’t forget them!

Told in 4 different POV by Mark, Claire, the victim and the detective in charge of solving the crime, it often felt like everyone was an unreliable narrator due to the fact that even THEY didn’t really know what had happened! I loved Hans the police officer, who’s a Mono masquerading as a Duo which means he really is working against the clock with 24 hours in which to properly investigate the suspicious death of the woman pulled from the Cam. The complex relationships between these four characters were well crafted with each thread tightly controlled as they were woven together to create a strongly developed and believable storyline.

There is a tremendous amount that we can relate to within our own society with the themes running throughout Yesterday. The issues of discrimination, believing that some people are superior to others and that all those belonging to a particular group have the same qualities, can easily be applied to prejudices within the world we live in today. Felicia Yap has very cleverly created a society not so different to our own which makes this tale even more convincing.

I read a lot of psychological thrillers and they often all blur into one big forgettable, melting pot of clichés when what I’m really looking for is just to be SURPRISED by something that little bit different! And that’s exactly what Felicia Yap has achieved here with her uniquely distinctive debut that I found enthralling from first page to last. Highly recommended by me.

[Linda Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though the premise of this story feels like a sci-fi alternate universe, it actually takes place in 2015. Society is split between MONOs ... who can only remember yesterday. They are considered the lesser of importance. DUOs are those lucky enough to remember 2 days. They are allowed to hold office and do important things.

Mark and Claire are a mixed marriage. She is a MONO. She types notes on a computer to help her remember what happened yesterday. He is DUO and is a novelist turned politician. Together they represent tolerance and equality.

When a woman is found dead, she is identified as Mark's mistress. He is now the prime suspect in her murder. Mark has secrets and the investigating detective has secrets. But with both of their memories being erased every 2 days, how can anyone learn the truth?

This story is told by 4 distinct voices ... Mark, Claire, the Detective, and the Victim. Its fast paced or maybe it feels that way because the clock continues ticking as their memories start to disappear.

This is an intriguing first novel by this author. It's well written with characters that stand out. It's a mix of a little bit sci-fi, a little bit contemporary fiction. Amazon has it listed as a Technothriller.

Many thanks to the author / Wildfire / Netgalley for the digital copy of this first novel. The author will bear following. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book enticed me with its unique premise. In the world that Felicia Yap depicts in Yesterday, society is divided into two groups: the majority, Monos, who only have a day's worth of memories, and the elite Duos, who can remember up to two days. When a woman is found dead, the detective on the case is literally racing against time to solve the mystery before his memory resets itself. When I read the summary, it reminded me a bit of the Nolan film Memento, which I love, so I decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, it was a major letdown.

My first major disappointment with this book came when I realized that Yap hadn't created a futuristic universe, but rather, a sort of half-baked parallel one. The events in this story take place in 2015... just a different 2015, where people have limited memories. But Virginia Woolf was still a writer, Quentin Tarantino is still making movies, and Steve Jobs is still patenting Apple products. It doesn't make any sense, and it feels lazy, like Yap took the easy road rather than putting sufficient effort into the world building. Am I really supposed to believe that civilization would have developed at the exact same rate with this massive neurological deviation?

The characters have this handy device called the iDiary, in which they record their activities each day, and which they can peruse at their leisure to recall details. Characters say things like 'According to my diary, I think she's a very nice woman' and 'According to my diary, I saw them have a fight last week.' So even though they can't 'remember' everything, they still have easy access to information, and the memory twist starts to feel more like a gimmick than a quintessential thread that holds the story together. Why does it matter that they can't remember, when they have the information at their fingertips anyway?

The mystery itself is bland and uninteresting. Without the memory twist, is there much of a story here? Not really. It's just window dressing. So with that in mind, what does this book have to offer? Not much. The characters are boring and paper thin, the writing is clumsy and amateur... There's nothing here that's noteworthy except for the premise, which is never utilized to its full potential. I'm glad I stuck with it, because it picks up steam about halfway through, but I have to admit I was quite relieved when I finished.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley, Mulholland Books, and Felicia Yap.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review forthcoming.

[Asmar Shah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75* untuk naskah ini!

Cerita ini berkaitan pembunuhan, penyiasatan, curang, dendam dan memori.

Terjemahan yang baik! Naratif cerita dan dialog yang diterjemah tak rasa janggal bila dibaca. Ada sebahagian buku terjemahan, bila baca rasa nak baling kat dinding je.

Aku agak terkejut apabila manusia di dalam naskah ini, dibezakan dengan tahap hafalan/ingatan memori mereka. Golongan manusia akan dibezakan sama ada seseorang itu adalah Duo atau Mono. Harta, duit, pangkat dan segalanya adalah perihal yang kedua. Malahan setiap watak juga perlu ada iDiari sendiri dan perlu mencatat segala apa yang berlaku setiap hari untuk hafalan dan rujukan di kemudian hari.

Sekiranya kau berstatus Mono, kau adalah golongan bawahan dan akan dikeji oleh masyarakat sekeliling sebabnya memori golongan Mono ini hanya mampu mengingat/hafal sesuatu perkara dalam tempoh yang lebih singkat berbanding Duo. Jadi mereka boleh dikelaskan sebagai lembab atau bodoh dan akan menyusahkan orang di sekeliling. Sampaikan aku tertanya-tanya adakah keadaan di UK seperti ini (sebab latar tempatnya adalah di UK) dan bila tanya Pak cik Gugel pasal Mono dan Duo ini, Pak cik Gugel jungkit bahu tak tahu dan tergelak tengok kenaifan manusia bernama Asmar Shah. Apabila rakan-rakan pembaca bagitahu yang itu hanya di dalam buku ini sahaja, aku rasa macam nak pukul diri dengan buku yang boleh tahan tebal ni. *gelak*

Cerita Semalam/Yesterday ini diadun dengan fakta dan memori/diari setiap pelaku. Kadang-kala aku agak bosan nak baca diari-diari sesetengah watak yang ada. Rasa meleret pun ada. Dan setiap diari yang ditulis, kekadang seperti ton-nya sama saja (atau perasaan aku saja?).

Watak-watak yang dipersembahkan hanya seedikit. Maka kau akan rasa seperti yang kau akan tahu siapa pelakunya dan mungkin kau yakin dia pelakunya. Tak tolong jangan yakin sangat sebab kat belakang nanti, kau takkan sangka itu yang akan berlaku walaupun kalau difikirkan logik, bolehkah semua itu dilakukan dan terjadi? Tapi ini kan dunia fiksyen ciptaan penulis sendiri. Jadi hanya layankan saja. Seronok sebenarnya apabila melayan dunia alternate dari dunia realiti ini.

Apa-apa pun tahniah buat cik/puan penulis. Moga terus success lagi di dalam dunia penulisan!

Peace!

[Sam (Clues and Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I read the tagline for Yesterday, by Felicia Yap, I was hooked. How do you solve a murder when you can only remember yesterday? This debut thriller has a few sci-fi elements combined with a fast paced plot that had me equally confused to what is going on and intrigued enough to let myself go and become lost within the world Yap has created.

The novel opens with the discovery of a body and Hans, the cop on the scene has about 13 hours to solve the murder before his brain, and every other duo, resets. The world is made up of monos (those who has memories for 24 hours) and duos (those who have memories for 48 hours); all of these members keep detailed diaries of their discussions and whereabouts for reference. So when the victim’s diary is discovered and a writer, turned politician, is the prime suspect, the race is on to bring justice before time (and memories) have run out. After all, how can a confession be given when no one remembers the crime?

Told through diary entries and personal perspectives, we hear from four different people directly affected by the murder: the victim (Sophie), the detective (Hans), Mark (the main suspect who happens to be a duo) and Claire (Mark’s wife and mono).

Sound a little bit confusing?
It is.
But do not let that deter you from this book!

I’ll be honest, it took me about 20% to really get into my groove, but once I understood the language of this parallel universe, I was completely hooked and entranced by Yap’s prose.

The characterization in Yesterday was my favourite part; every single character, big or small, adds something so significant to the plot. Are you a fan of an unreliable narrator? Well, imagine that every single character in a novel is unreliable. They physically cannot remember what happened days prior and are working solely off written “facts” in a diary. Absolutely none of these characters can be trusted and that is what makes this novel so delicious. There is nowhere to turn and no one to trust. No one’s motives are made completely clear.

And that cover? Come on.

Overall, the originality of the plot and the wit in Yap’s writing won me over completely; I do think this will be a love it or hate it type of book but I know that I loved it.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com

This wasn't exactly what I expected - it was way better! With elements of traditional crime/ mystery novels, mixed in with sci-fi elements (which I'm not always a fan of, but it's done so well in this novel), Yesterday is a hugely enjoyable novel which kept me turning the pages.

It was in no way predictable, which novels in this genre can fall into, and I found myself surprised along the way as more and more is revealed. I loved the whole idea of there being just two 'races' as such, determined not by skin colour or ethnicity but by whether you are a 'mono' or a 'duo'. Monos can remember only the last 24 hours, Duos can remember the last 48 hours - and are therefore seen as far superior. I liked the nod to Apple's increasing popularity (everyone carried around iDiaries to help them remember) and I loved the element of mystery. I couldn't wait to find out what had actually happened to Sophie, and how Mark and Claire may or may not have been involved. 

We hear the story from detective Hans, Sophie, Mark, and Claire's point of views, and this means you get to piece the missing elements together as the characters do and, at some points, know more than each individual does. There's still plenty of surprises, though, and the fact that the characters have to rely on their diaries to remember things means you're never quite sure who's completely reliable and who isn't - adding extra interest to the story!

I'd definitely recommend this for anyone looking for a new mystery/ crime novel with a difference. It's original, intriguing and beautifully written novel which I'd highly recommend - it might not be everyone's tastes I suppose, but I loved it!

Many thanks to Headline and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.

[Lashaan Balasingam · Rating 2 out of 5]

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

The memories we have can play some sneaky tricks on us. Two individuals can remember completely different things about the same event. Based on their experience, their angle, their perspective and their intentions, everything can be seen differently. It can get quite complicated when you realize that some things last longer than others. The mind can go ahead and retain information that you never thought you’d remember and then decide to forget the things that you so desperately need to know. Felicia Yap however has something much more simpler, yet so much more devastating to offer us with Yesterday. In this parallel universe or alternate reality, the world is classified into two categories: Monos and Duos. The difference, you wonder? Monos can only remember up to 24 hours, while Duos have the blessing to remember up to 48 hours. In this world, Monos are seen as an inferior, although numerous, class compared to the elite Duos. It is thanks to their unique little iDiary that everyone is able to remember their past. Or at least what they want to remember.

This is a story that revolves around four characters whose lives will cross paths when a woman is found dead and floating in England’s River Cam. Alternating between all four point of views, Yesterday presents us with the story of a unconventional married couple whose marriage goes against everyone’s beliefs: a Mono and a Duo together. As impossible to conceive as it may to be to the world, Mark, a novelist-turned-politician, vouches to show the world that this type of marriage is the future, right until he finds out that the dead woman is in fact his mistress and things are about to get quite shaky in his relationship and his career. You’d think that a thriller with a touch of science fiction will surely blow our minds away by bringing us a world that is completely believable and original, but unfortunately Felicia Yap’s debut is a thriller with incredible promise, but poor execution. As inventive and captivating as the premise was, the book never managed to grasp the full extent of its ideas or breath enough life into it to come out as sensational as it could have been. The writing style was also unremarkable, although it definitely helped in making this story fast-paced and easy to follow.

The world-building is definitely the biggest downside in my books. Having a world filled with individuals who could only retain up to 24 or 48 hours of their lives before the reset button is pressed is absolutely enthralling up until the point where you realize the author barely even explores the idea. Although there are random one-page-long pieces telling us about scientific advancements related to the memory of mankind or the iDiary, these little bits of world-building quickly disappeared from the narrative as soon as the thriller side of things kicked in. Never do we truly understand how this world came to be and how people survived before the iDiary was brought into the game. Never are we told how people lose their memories after 24 or 48 hours. Never do we know about the people who don’t write down facts to remember the next day. What happens if a Mono forgets to write down his or her day, doesn’t feel like writing down his or her day or simply forgets to write down his or her day? If people can only remember the past 24 hours, do they have to read through their whole diary since their earlier days in order to know who they are and what they do in life? Is it a complete tabula rasa every time they wake up or are there certain things that they’ll always remember? If so, how come certain things stay in our mind while others are forgotten? So many questions can only mean one thing: bad world-building.

Even if the science fiction side of things failed to prosper, you’d think that the thriller of side of things would come compensate for the short-comings. Unfortunately, it wasn’t really the case. Every character in this book felt unidimensional and lacked originality or even development. At the end of the day, this book offered some sort of revenge porn that simply failed to keep the intrigue and excitement high. It definitely didn’t help when the reader was given a free pass to a plot twist through one point of view only to see see it again in another point of view. The mere idea of suspense was quickly thrown out the door for me and it honestly never managed to climb back in. I also thought the direction was a bit too easy and sometimes overzealous. Even if it might not mean anything, I was able to guess what was going to happen because I had a feeling that Felicia Yap was going for plot twists in her story and the easiest roads were what she would aim for. Yesterday is definitely a debut with promise, but it lacked in several departments. If you’re intrigued by its blurb and premise, give it a shot. It might suit you.

Thank you to Hachette Book Group Canada for sending me a copy for review!

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/

[heril azwan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Penemuan mayat wanita di Sungai Cam mengemparkan penduduk setempat. Mark, penulis terkenal dan Claire, isterinya menjadi suspek utama dalam kes ini yang disiasat Inspektor Hans.

Sebuah thriller penyiasatan yang berlatar belakangkan dunia Mono/Duo, di mana masyarakat dibezakan berdasarkan daya ingatan memori mereka. Mono, hanya mampu mengingati perkara sehari sebelum, manakala Duo, dua hari sebelum. Oleh itu, setiap warga diwajibkan menyimpan diari harian yang dipanggil iDiari untuk mencatat perkara-perkara yang berlaku dalam hidup mereka. Ketiadaan iDiari ataupun keengganan menulis iDiari dianggap kurang siuman. Dan, bagi saya agak sukar untuk menghadam dunia ini pada permulaan cerita. Seakan tidak perlu, melengahkan dan melambatkan proses penyiasatan.

Dari segi penyiasatan dan jenayah, mungkin agak kurang bagi saya, dengan tidak banyak misteri yang boleh memeningkan pembaca. Malah, sejak membaca prolog saya seakan dapat mengagak siapa dalang disebaliknya. Pembunuh juga dapat diteka. Tidak banyak watak pun dalam naskhah ini.

Dari sudut yang lain, banyak sindiraan penulis dengan dunia masa kini, berkisar tentang diskriminasi, psikologi, sedikit saintifik dan artikel. Malangnya, disebalik semua itu, penulis seakan lupa untuk menguatkan motif dendam, cara dan strategi jenayah yang menjadikan ia seakan mudah ditebak. Dengan ketebalan buku dan bersulam fakta dan artikel, saya kira sedikit lelah untuk menghabiskan naskhah ini.

Apapun, tahniah untuk penulis atas kelahiran buku pertama ini!

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting: Cambridge, UK; 2015.
Claire and Mark Evans have been married for nearly 20 years - Mark is an author and prospective independent MP for Cambridge; Claire is his long-suffering wife, repeatedly subject to bouts of depression. Then DCI Hans Richardson turns up at their house and informs them that the body of Mark's mistress has been found in the River Cam nearby. This throws Claire completely as she had always trusted in her husband - or had she?...
The interesting concept of this crime novel is that it is set in a society where people's memories can only be retained for a very short period of time - Monos (who can only retain memories for a day) and the 'superior' Duos (who can retain memories for two days. Most high-ranking jobs are held by Duos, including DCIs in the police, but in fact Hans Richardson is a Mono masquerading as a Duo; and Claire and Mark's marriage is somewhat unique in that it is a 'mixed' marriage - Mark being a Duo and Claire being a Mono - which resulted in Mark being disowned by his wealthy Duo family. Both Monos and Duos record their memories every day - now using modern technology of Apple I-pads although earlier memories were recorded in writing, these diaries now needing to be securely locked away.
Making use of the theme that memories, even when written down, can still be manipulated to a certain extent (for example, by 'modifying' what is written down at the time) is a major theme of the book and how looking back at memories of the past and how these can now be interpreted can affect a person's opinion of another in the present day.
The book is told from the points of view of Mark, Claire, Hans and Mark's 'mistress' Sophia, who appears to have an axe to grind in relation to Mark and, to a lesser extent, Claire. All-in-all, a quite gripping crime read with several unexpected twists and turns as the book progresses - 9/10.

[Melissa Souza · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Thank you to Headline/Wildfire and Netgalley for sending me an ARC in return for an honest review.

3 stars!!!

Where do I even start with this book? I thought it was a very average read. There are a couple of parts that I found interesting enough while the rest of it was a drudgery to read. In addition, I found some parts to be rather mind boggling and confusing even though this book is classified as a sci-fi thriller.

The concept of the book is original enough. Set in a dystopian world where people are divided by the amount of memory they retain - Monos who retain a day's worth of memory while Duos retain memories of two days worth. The characters store their memories in iDairies which they refer to at the end of each day. This results in a world where Duos are considered more elite than Monos. The book follows the lives of 4 distinct characters and is told from each of their POVs. The plot is centered around a crime with the story following how each character is involved in it and the reader is taken into their worlds/thoughts. As the story unravels, we find out that each of the characters has a secret to hide. The plot is complex enough that it is layered with lies and plot twists. However, this is where the excitement ended for me.

The characters of this book came across as very one dimensional and I found them to be very unrelatable. The MC Mark and Claire Evans are in a mixed marriage of Mono & Duo. The novel contains a lot of political aspects with regards to their union and the hardships they face. At the heart of their struggle, as a couple, are dysfunction and infidelity. The book deals with this in depth. Unfortunately, the execution for this was lacking, in the sense, the author doesn't deliver raw emotion. I found the writing style to be very dry and this showed in the poor development of characters as they were not fleshed out. The only character that was mildly engaging was Sophia Ayling.

In terms of the worldbuidling, although a lot was told through newspaper cuttings and iDairy entries. However, this coupled with the writing style made for a rather boring read. I didn't find the world immersive enough. It was very lackluster. Additionally, there were some things that were not explained fully enough. I think more thought should have been given to creating a detailed narrative here. Vivid descriptions would have helped to build a richer storyline.

Another negative that I had with this book was with the reveals. I found them too far-fetched especially towards the end. This made me rate the book even lower. The only positives, I have is that the pacing was done well. The chapters were not too wieldy and made for quick reading. Although, I did breeze through the final pages. Initially, the book starts out slow but then gains momentum. Overall, the book has the potential to be better. I'm unsure as to whether I would read more by this author. I would recommend reading this book if you are looking for something a little unusual.

[Jacob Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of my reviews can be found at: http://jacob-reviews-books.blogspot.c...

I have been looking forward to reading Yesterday since I first heard about early last year and I was thrilled when my copy came in the post. I couldn’t wait to get started.

We all take memory for granted. It is only apparent how much we rely on memory during police investigations, exams and when a loved one passes away. In the world Felicia Yap has created in her debut novel, Yesterday, there are two types of people: Monos and Duos. A Mono can only remember the day before yesterday whereas a Duo can remember two days before. This is how people are segregated in this world, not by wealth or religion but by how much a person can remember. And Monos are often discriminated against by Duos.

Claire and Mark are going through a rocky period in their marriage. Claire is a Mono, her husband, Mark; bestselling novelist turned politician is a Duo. Their marriage is rare in Felicia’s world and The Queen has recently given Royal Assent to an Act of Parliament designed to encourage more mixed marriages between Monos and Duos. When the body of a young woman is found in Cambridgeshire’s river Cam, suspicion quickly falls on Mark. Can Claire really trust the person that she married, can she trust the facts that she has carefully stored over the years they have been together?

Felicia’s unique concept for her novel is intriguing: how do you solve a murder when you only remember yesterday? For the detective investigating the suspicious death of the young woman, this is all too true and he vows to have the mystery solved by the end of the day. I admired his determination as he got to grips with the case and his will power to see it through; this definitely added pace to the novel as the detective raced against the clock to get answers.

Perhaps it would make for a better world if we could only remember yesterday, after all no one would be able to hold grudges against others as they wouldn’t be able to remember the reason why particularly with the state of the world as it is at the moment.

Yesterday is a brilliant debut. If you loved Before I Go To Sleep you’ll love this book. Really, really excellent, I’m sure Yesterday will be one of the biggest hits of the summer. Thank you to Millie Seaward at Headline for sending me an advance proof copy.

[Daphne Lee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've written a review for The Star newspaper, so I won't say too much here right now, except that I did want to like this book, and feel quite puzzled at what all the hype is about. A disappointing, clumsily-written book.

Update: My review (below) was finally published on 17th Oct, nearly three months after I submitted it. The delay was requested by the book's iMalaysian distributor.

************

IMAGINE a world in which people’s memories go no further back than two days? Considering that I rarely remember what I’ve had for breakfast let alone what happened two days ago, this is not a scenario that sounds particularly unique to me.

But jokes aside, I approached Felicia Yap’s novel, Yesterday, with great anticipation because of the hoopla surrounding its acquisition: eight agents fought to represent Yap; the bidding war over her manuscript culminated in Headline Publishing Group paying a six-figures sum for it; and, as of December 2016, translation rights to the book had been sold to 11 countries. No wonder Newsweek predicted that Yesterday would be a 2017 “literary event” – naturally, I looked forward to reading it.

Sadly, I found the book disappointing.

In Yesterday, the world is inhabited by Monos (they remember yesterday) and Duos (they remember yesterday and the day before yesterday). Duos are considered superior to Monos, and mixed marriages are rare, but Mark Evans, a Cambridge-educated Duo and successful novelist and wannabe Conservative MP, is married to Claire, a Mono who was a waitress when she first met him.

We learn, right off the bat, that Mark and Claire’s union is far from successful, but it disintegrates totally following the discovery of a body in the River Cam, not far from the couple’s home. It appears that the corpse is of one Sophia Ayling. Subsequently, we learn that she is Mark’s mistress. This fact is revealed in Sophia’s iDiary, a device (created by Steve Jobs, the Duo CEO of Apple) into which everyone in that world is legally obliged to record the details of their lives.

Monos and Duos lose their long-term memory at 18 and 23 respectively. This loss is caused by a surge in the levels of a protein that inhibits memory. Without long-term memory, daily diary entries are the only way people are able to keep track of their lives. Studying the details of your life diligently will transfer the information permanently into your brain, but studies show that a maximum of only 70% of the information in their diaries may be retained by an individual. And what happens when people record lies about themselves?

I’m assuming that what you know about yourself before you lose your long-term memory is permanent. I’m assuming that Duos remember what they learn to earn their university degrees. Also, what did people do before the advent of written language; or before education was widely available; or, indeed, before information could be stored in microchips? How did this civilisation advance, technologically, at the same rate as ours despite having such a handicap? What are things like outside the UK depicted in this book?

It’s a sketchy world that Mark, Claire and Sophia live in, one that Yap is obviously not that interested in building.

She certainly doesn’t address the above questions and many more that I feel would occur to any thoughtful and perceptive reader. The only question that interests the author is the one she has mentioned, in at least two high profile interviews, as being the basis of her book: “How do you solve a murder when you can only remember yesterday?”

The thing is, when you’re solving a murder, you wouldn’t rely on your memory anyway, no matter how good it is.

Instead, you’d do whatever is required, same as if your memory wasn’t restricted to the day before: ask the relevant questions, read the clues correctly, make the right connections between everything, and, through it all, make copious and detailed notes.

Detective Chief Inspector Hans Richardson, a Mono masquerading as a Duo, does all of the above, and I think the story would have worked better if it had been told solely from his perspective. Instead, the entire first-person, present-tense, (unreliable) narrative switches from Claire to Mark to the Detective to Sophia and back again, with, as the story progresses, barely a difference in the four voices. There are also the characters’ diary entries and newspaper clippings (to provide some sorely lacking information about this alternate world in which they live).

The first quarter of the book is a quick read, but the style gets repetitive and boring after that, and the wooden, cliché-ridden and unlikely dialogue and over-writing doesn’t help. A couple of examples:

“‘Someone murdered Miss Ayling,’ he says with a growl, his face inches away from mine. ‘I sense it in my bones, even though my deputy thinks it was suicide.’”

“‘But the writing was on the wall,’ I say, unable to stop my voice from choking. ‘The facts were there from day one, Em. Mark’s not to be trusted.’”

Worst of all is how unappealing Yap’s characters are. They are predictable stereotypes: philandering rake of a husband; sniveling, downtrodden wife; hardboiled detective; sexy femme fatale. We don’t get close to any of them; never understand their motives and thought processes. Oh, we are told why they do this and that, but it’s like reading a comic with stick figure characters – all too basic and shallow to feel real.

Who killed Sophia Ayling? I didn’t care. Was Mark and Claire’s marriage doomed? Why would that interest me? Would DCI Richardson’s Mono status be revealed? I felt zero concern. I had to force myself to continue to the end, and I was quite shocked by what was finally revealed, including what was supposedly the big, shocking twist, because of how hokey and unlikely it all was. I really was reminded of the totally bonkers and extreme plots cooked up by my creative writing students who are under 10.

Six figures? If I were Headline, I’d ask for my money back.

[Jess The Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wife finds out that her husband's mistress was murdered two days ago. But she can't remember what happened two days ago, because she is a Mono: a person who only ever has one day's worth of memory at a time. Her husband is a Duo: a person who has two day's worth of memory at a time.

Everyone on earth has to keep very strict diaries to help them remember their lives, given that they either only have a day or two of memory at a time. But what happens when you can't seem to trust your diary entries? Can you trust your husband, who has his diary entries under lock and key? Is anything you have ever recorded actually factual?

This was a very interesting concept, I have to say. A very unique take on a murder mystery story, and it made for a fun quick read.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This twisty thriller comes with an unusual premise that hooked me from the start: it’s set in an alternate world where once people hit adulthood, their ability to make new memories is drastically reduced, resulting in a stratified society where Monos, who can remember only one day prior to today, are second-class citizens to Duos, who can remember the past two days.

If you’re wondering how a murder mystery can possibly work under those conditions, well, I was skeptical too, but for the most part Yap pulls it off. Characters are dependent on their iDiaries (Apple and Steve Jobs are called out by name), which are cell phone-like devices on which they record each day’s events for review later on. Of course, you can see the problem with a system like this--whatever a person chooses to write in their iDiary becomes fact for them in one or two days’ time, regardless of omissions or falsehoods. Hence the detective in the novel always tries his best to solve cases within a single day (which is probably the part I had the toughest time suspending my disbelief about).

Claire and Mark are a rare “mixed” marriage--she’s a Mono, he’s a Duo. A woman’s body is found in the river near their house, and the detective shows up to interview Mark. This stirs up all kinds of trouble, in their private and public lives. Mark is a famous novelist and aspiring politician, and any whiff of scandal could taint his name forever. If he was involved with another woman, let alone implicated in her death, Claire, needless to say, has questions.

I like mysteries and thrillers, but as they can start to all feel the same to me, I’m always looking for ones with a little something extra. The memory-challenged world Yap has created felt fresh, and couldn’t have been easy to execute. If I rated this book using the Olympic gymnastics scoring system, I would rate it very high for starting difficulty and add moderate style points, with a deduction for a slight loss of form in the air. (Tortured metaphor? Perhaps. But I like it! I think I might start rating all books like gymnastic routines. How did I not see before that books and gymnastics are basically the same thing?!)

More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com

[Sahidzan Salleh]

banyak juga pertanyaan yang muncul di benak tapi pantas dilupakan kerna antara duo dan mono, aku jatuh kategori 'memento'; tiap 15 minit hilang ingatan. satu-satunya yang melekat di ingatanku, apakah perasaan juga bisa dipupuk secara fitrah di dalam diri mono dan duo tanpa membaca idiari mereka? misalnya, aku seorang mono, jatuh cinta kepadamu sejak semalam dan hari ini cinta itu masih ada, tapi bagaimana pula di hari esok, apakah cinta itu masih wujud tanpa perlu merujuk idiari-ku? menariklah juga cerita ni. walaupun pada bab-bab awalnya agak janggal untuk memasukkan diri sendiri ke dunia 'mono/duo' Felicia Yap.

[Repix Pix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Flojo y poco creíble.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eine Welt wie unsere, nur ganz anders – Felicia Yap hat hat mit ‚Memory Game‘ eine Welt erschaffen, in der es zwei Klassen von Menschen gibt. Monos, die sich nur an den direkt vorangegangenen Tag erinnern und Duos, deren Gedächtnis zwei Tage umfasst. Alles woran sich die Menschen erinnern wollen, muss in ein Tagebuch eingetragen werden, was heutzutage alles elektronisch funktioniert. Nun steht plötzlich die Polizei vor der Tür von Mark und Claire, weil eine Leiche gefunden wurde, die offenbar Marks Geliebte war. Claire weiß nicht mehr, ob sie Mark noch trauen kann…

Die Story von ‚Memory Game‘ umfasst genau einen Tag. Wir begleiten abwechselnd verschiedene Figuren und Ereignisse, die teilweise in der Vergangenheit liegen. Das bietet sich natürlich insbesondere an, da die Kommunikation oftmals alte Tagebucheinträge umfasst. Die Monos und Duos müssen quasi nahezu alles in ihren Tagebüchern nachschlagen, wenn sie etwas über vergangene Tage gefragt werden. Dieser Fakt lässt die Ermittlungen recht zäh werden. Auch kann man durch den häufigen Figurenwechsel keine große Bindung zu den Personen aufbauen, da alles nur etwas an der Oberfläche kratzt.

Die Idee selbst, dass es Monos und Duos gibt, war eine gute Vorlage, um generelle Probleme zwischen den Klassen darzustellen. Die Monos gelten als dümmer, da sie sich nur an einen Tag erinnern können und werden demnach immer etwas belächelt und degradiert. Hier wurde meiner Meinung etwas Potential verschwendet, da man diese Rivalität noch etwas besser hätte ausbauen können. Auch generell hat sich die anfänglich gute Idee in eine etwas zähe Story entwickelt. Ein Großteil der Story besteht darin, dass jemand etwas fragt und der Gefragte dann zunächst sein Tagebuch zückt und nachliest.

Auch wenn ich zunächst von der Idee sehr angetan war, hat es für mich etwas an der Umsetzung gefehlt. Viele Passagen waren recht langatmig. Einzig der sehr flüssige und angenehme Schreibstil der Autorin hat es geschafft, dass ich trotzdem gut durch die Seiten gekommen bin.

[Regina Ibrahim · Rating 4 out of 5]

SEMALAM
Karya: Felicia Yap
Terbitan: Fixi Verso
Terjemahan: Zalikha Yaacob & Anida Adam

Merupakan novel debut hebat, mencengkam rasa dan bagai mencungkil cungkil rasa hati pembaca sepanjang menyusuri 4 perspektif watak utama yang diperkenalkan dalam dunia yang didiami oleh manusia Mono dan Duo. Mono adalah manusia berkelas dua secara berbanding dengan manusia jenis Duo.
Semakin sulit jadinya bila segala memori harus dicatatkan dalam i-diari kerana ingatan hanyalah kuat pada hal hal yang terjadi semalam sahaja. Naskah ini membawa pembaca melihat pada kisah kisah jam terakhir dalam merungkai siapakah yang membunuh Sophia Ayling.
Setelah terbunuhnya Sophia Alyssa Ayling bermulalah rungkaian sifat manusia yang macam macam. Membawa pembaca menilai erti cinta, nafsu, keliru, cemburu, dendam dan ingatan pada gerak-laku dalam penyiasatan. Penulis begitu cermat sekali menyusun plot dan sub-plot agar pembaca tidak bosan keliru dalam novel yang berjumlah 479 mukasurat.
Hubung kait pada teknoloji, sains, sosial, politik dan fesyen banyak membantu keindahan penceritaan. Tidak cukup dengan itu, sebaik sahaja pembaca mula merasa lega bila kes pembunuhan terlerai dan rasa cinta dikukuhkan, penulis memilih untuk memberi kejutan pada pembaca di bab 29 berlokasi di Pulau Bora Bora, Pasifik Selatan. Ia diceritakan dalam suasana yang lebih santai namun memikat.
Teknik bercerita melalui POV 1 oleh empat watak yang kerap disertakan catatan i-diari sangatlah segar dan mengkagumkan. Sisipan tentang lokasi, pilihan nama dan deskripsi orang perseorangan bagaikan tepat dan realistik. Semalam ingin disarankan pada para pembaca yang gemarkan novel penyiasatan dan para penulis pemula yang tercari cari akan teknik bercerita tanpa lewah. Butiran i-diari yang sama nada atau bertentangan sengaja diulang ulang bagi memperlihatkan persepsi dan memori yang dirasakan bercanggah juga selari demi memperkukuhkan fakta penyiasatan serta jalan cerita. Banyak babak babak menarik sebenarnya dalam novel sulung Felicia Yap.
Fakta adalah fakta dan manusia hidup bersandarkan pada memori demi langkah yang terkehadapan.

Syabas. Kerja terjemahan novel Yesterday harus dipuji.

A MUST READ

[Katerina Kondrenko · Rating 3 out of 5]

5.5 out of 10

I loved the idea of a society divided into two kinds of people: those who remember only yesterday and those who remember also the day before yesterday. It starts when they are about twenty years old, after that you can rely only on your diaries and transform important information into long-term memories since this memory is still at your service, only the sort-term isn't.

I also love how the author approached love in her novel, considering it something outside facts, something that anchors your memory instead of depending on it. And her thoughts on the burden of the past, whether we need to remember everything or it's better to choose what exactly to save in mind.

But I didn't like the writing. It wasn't bad, I'd even say it fits the story just okay, but one of the narrators, the main one, was so annoying! Her voice felt like a brat teenager chewing and pops the gum in front of you. And it was the woman in her 40s.

And I think with such a great concept the author could do a fucking awesome and way more complex story. The potential, hidden between the lines, is dying while you're reading. So I hope for the future releases by ms Yap.

[Mila · Rating 2 out of 5]

Абсолютно примітивний трилер, я вже і не згадаю, коли читала настільки поганий детектив. 

Накинула пів бали за ідею класового поділу за наявністю пам'яті. Моно, які пам'ятають тільки один день зі свого життя, і наступного вже не знають хто вони і де. Дуо пам'ятають два дні. Для нормального функціонування кожна людина має вести щоденник, в якому записує всі відомі факти про себе і події за минулий день чи два. 

Всі хто мають спогади з усього життя вважаються психічно хворими і проходять лікування у спеціальних медичних закладах. 

Але ж все інше настільки просте, очевидне і не цікаве. Просто висмоктане з пальця. Я взагалі не зрозуміла за що Софія мститься Марку. Там нічого немає, аби вона його ненавиділа протягом стількох років. 

Фінал очікуваний до бісячості. Майже з самого початку я мала це на думці. 

І що ми маємо в підсумку? Роман про сімейні таємниці. Так це ж мав бути трилер 🤬