SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion
This topic is about
The Memory Police
Group Reads Discussions 2020
>
"The Memory Police" First Impressions *No Spoilers*
date
newest »
newest »
I'm about 40% in and still not quite sure what I'm reading: a political novel? a satire? an allegory? a meditation on grief and dying? Needless to say, I'm really looking forward to the full discussion thread for this one!
I'm finding this to be forgettable so far.
Mod
jokesjokesjokes
Travis, interesting! This is the first month in a long while I haven't read either yet, so I'm very curious what you and the rest of the group will decide on this one.
"The first duty of the memory police was to enforce the disappearances" ooh eerie/spooky~I'm about halfway through this one so far. I am definitely intrigued and have been since the first chapter, but still not entirely sure what is going on. I have a feeling the book will end without ever giving away more specific details, but that's fine as it's a really interesting read regardless. Feels like a concept that would translate to a TV series well.
Mod
I guess spoilers were disappeared.
This was on my top ten for 2019 even though it's probably the most horrific book I've ever read and I really don't like horror.
I thought it a good book, and weird, but definitely an allegory.
Travis wrote: "I'm about 40% in and still not quite sure what I'm reading: a political novel? a satire? an allegory? a meditation on grief and dying?"For sure! I read this one for a different GR group a few months back and felt the same way. Will be interested to see how this discussion goes!
Pleasant read so far. I feel like there characters are interesting, and that makes the mystery of what's going on totally fine (rather than frustrating) for me.
(off topic, sorry)BTW how does one get notified when the regular thread starts? It seems like there's no way to subscribe to notifications on the "folder" for this BR
Either you have to turn all notifications for the group on, or come back on the 7th! (Or contact GR support and ask them to implement folder notifications, then wait twenty years.)
Library loans for the win! I got the audiobook. Traci Kato-Kiriyama was a good narrator. I think it's the first time I've heard her narrate.
@Travis - All of the above plus other things.
I finished the book and will wait for Free For All Thread. =D
I enjoyed the PKD-like vibe (though Ogawa may never have read him).One thing that might be useful for reading Japanese literature is the concept of mono no aware:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mono_no...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIkcj...
Chris wrote: "I enjoyed the PKD-like vibe (though Ogawa may never have read him).One thing that might be useful for reading Japanese literature is the concept of mono no aware:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mo..."
Wow, excellent. These links do help.
Hello fellow readers. I'm halfway in, and enjoying it enough to keep reading. But at 54%, I'm expecting more from the book plot-wise.
I'm about a hundred pages in and think it is really exciting so far. I am however waiting and hoping for the story to gradually intensify and explain itself. From your comments it doesn't sound like it, but let's not lose hope! Real fun choice of book to read I think.
I've barely started it but I'm enjoying the tone so far. Hopefully it all leads somewhere satisfying.
A quote from Chapter 3 that's not plot related, so I think okay. This might be one possible explanation for my large quantity of physical TBR books:"If you read a novel to the end, then it's over. I would never want to do something as wasteful as that. I'd much rather keep it here with me, safe and sound, forever."
Mod
That is a good saying, Christopher.
Soo wrote: "Library loans for the win! I got the audiobook. "It was a 6-8 week wait for the audio or ebook at the library but they reopened some of our branches this week and I was able to get the print version ( It was great to walk among the books again).
I'm about a 100 pages in and find it very eerie. Interested to find what is going on. I'm thinking along the the same lines as Travis.
I'm about halfway through right now. I'm really enjoying the atmosphere on this one.
The tone kinda reminds me of Memory of Water. I hope the more surreal setting will help cover any potential plot holes because this is definitely more about the meditative atmosphere and introspection than anything plot-related.
Well, this is weird!I thought I had finished the book, a library ebook loan, very much enjoyed, the sad, pensive mood and the main characters.
After the end of chapter 18 the pages were blank, I thought – ahh writing has been disappeared, and felt dissatisfied with the cop out type ending.
But then I started to read through the ‘Spoiler’ chat and picked up on things my read hadn’t covered – went back and reloaned the book and this time the following chapters were there!
A glitch in the programming but – hey – how weirdly appropriate!
Glynis, that is PERFECTLY appropriate XD
Glynis, that totally fits the story. lol
Happy to have started this. Lovely, dreamlike, eerie, evocative are all words that come to mind based on the first couple of chapters.
In the very beginning it reminds me of Ma Boyong's short story "City of Silence". There it was words that disappeared.
Just finished the first chapter and it’s haunting and beautiful. Having recently lost a close family member I think this read may hurt but I could be wrong. Onward!
Sorry for your loss, J.W.
Mod
I'm a bit over a third through but set it aside to finish a couple of library loans that were due to return.Enjoying the book so far. I have this feeling I've been somewhere like this but I just can't seem to quite remember.
~ Giulia ~ wrote: "The tone kinda reminds me of Memory of Water. I hope the more surreal setting will help cover any potential plot holes because this is definitely more about the meditative atmosphere and introspec..."
I had not thought of this but I can see the comparison.
I just started and I'm intrigued by the how of the memory wipe.
I don’t know much about this book, and I’m just 50 % in, but I already feel like there’s something painfully true in this story, as well as in the stories within it. Also, there’s this calm feel to it all that’s sometimes wistful/ beautiful and sometimes almost creepy. I don’t know if that’s the right word, but it feels ominous, in a way, with all the disappearing and the Memory Police and people being so calm. I really like this book, and I'm looking forward to reading on.
@Camilla: perfectly said! That's exactly how I felt reading it.
Ah, I'm glad I'm not the only one, thanks!
Finally starting this and finding it very moving, some scenes are lovely while most of the prose is very spare. I wound up reading about 25% in a sitting and I'm definitely continuing.
What are your initial, spoiler free thoughts? Please hang on to comments about characters, plot specifics, and the ending until the full discussion thread goes up in a couple days!