It’s been a while since I completely gave myself and my entire day over to a book, but that’s what happened yesterday. My Name is Memory by Anna Brashares (of “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” fame) winked at me in the bookstore so I picked her up and took her home.
We became fast friends in the early chapters, when Lucy, just a regular high school girl, notices Daniel, a mysterious newcomer. Daniel is not like the others, and before Lucy even has a conversation with him, she’s obsessed. Chapters alternate between Lucy in the current day to Daniel, in the current day too but also going all the way back to his first life in 520 A.D.
Midway through the book we were BFFs, Memory and me, attached at the hip. Daniel, it turns out, is an old soul, centuries old, who remembers all his past lives. Lucy is an old soul too but doesn’t have the memory. Daniel has been chasing Lucy, who he calls Sophia, throughout time, and wants to find a way to convince her of the truth of that. She thinks he’s crazy at first but later she has a psychic reading that changes her mind. She also sees a hypnotist and then finds some physical evidence that makes it all seem possible.
I took a break for lunch and texted someone in my book club, telling them they had to check out my new favorite book, My Name is Memory. It had a Time Traveler’s Wife quality to it that I really liked; a little romance, a little adventure, with a splash of history.
Around page 300 we were in bed together, deeply and intimately involved and tuning out the rest of the world. Daniel and Lucy’s timelines were catching up to each other and beginning to merge and things were going along like a house on fire. I was beginning to get anxious because there wasn’t much book left. How in the heck was Brashares going to wrap this thing up? My reading deliberately slowed down as I desperately tried to savor it, make it last, but I could feel the whole relationship with Memory slipping away.
And finally, in the end.. WE BROKE UP and I threw that bitch across the room in disgust.
I have not been SO MAD at a book in a long, long time. How could Brashares build things up and then just STOP WRITING in a crucial part of the story? I felt so used, so mistreated, so unsatisfied. I don’t know if I can trust her ever again.
However, we may get back together at some point because I just learned My Name is Memory is the first in a planned trilogy. Oh. Maybe I overreacted, just a little.
Filed under: sunday salon, Uncategorized | Tagged: anna brashares, fiction, my name is memory, review, sunday salon |
Books on the Brain 
Hahaha this is pretty funny, this post! I wasn’t a huge fan of the book though the idea of the story line and jumping times was pretty intriguing. I’ll give the second a chance to see how it goes. Hopefully you won’t be tempted to hurl it across the room. ;O)
This sounds pretty interesting. I didn’t know she’d one anything besides those pants. I’m intrigued by any book that makes the reader throw it across the room 🙂
Heh. I can totally relate to this post, as this is just what happened to me with a book not that long ago. Sometimes I wish going in that I knew that something was going to be part of a series, instead of just getting to the end, and scratching my head in confusion, you know? I loved this review, by the way. It captured a feeling that I am sure many of us out there have felt.
I had the exact same reaction you did! I was so angry and I complained and complained to my husband about how she wasted my time. Then I went online and discovered it’s supposed to be a trilogy. But I’m still pretty miffed – there isn’t any information that I could find about any plans to actually write and publish the continuation of the story. I think I’ll remain skeptical till I actually see a new book in the series.
You’re my book twin! I also complained to my husband and he was like, “Uh, honey? It’s a book. Calm down.” Obvs. he’s not a reader 😉 I can’t find anywhere when the next one is to come out, or a title, or any info at all. Frustrating!!
Ah, yes, I’ve had that happen to me too….and it’s good to know there will be more of the story.
I think this one is going on my list, despite your reaction at the end…LOL.
Here’s MY SUNDAY SALON POST
I’ve been wanting to read this one – maybe I should wait though until there is a confirmation of a book two!?
It was a fun reading experience up until the last page!! Yeah, maybe wait..
I have definitely done that before!
At least you know that its a trilogy now so that you can continue your love affair :]
What is it with trilogies these days? It almost sounds like I should wait for the final book to come out before I start this one.
I wish I had!! I hate having to put all these emotions on “pause” until the next book comes out, whenever that might be!
OMG! I will definitely wait for the rest of the books to come out, because I do not like to feel the way you did. It is so sad.
I was getting excited about this one as I was reading your review. I am so happy to know that there are two more to come in the series! I’m adding this one to my list now.
LOL hilarious. 🙂
I was just about to add it to my list and then, BAM!! WOW, what a letdown, eh?
I absolutely love your post about this book! And it really grabbed me when you compared it to Time Traveler’s Wife – one of my all time favs.
I am going to add it to my TBR read list but maybe I will wait until the second one comes out. I would hate to put a hole in the wall if I throw the book, like you did. 🙂
Now I want to read this to follow your rise and fall of emotions! Brasheres should thank you for making this so intriguing. 🙂
Hey Karen!! I don’t know if Brashares would be happy. 3 people unsubscribed from my blog today. Maybe it’s the use of the word “bitch” in the post? Sensitive!! Oh well..
Since you are so intense about it, I think I have got to read this at some time or the other!
Haha! I felt similarly! I can’t wait for the rest of the trilogy.
I love this review! I feel your pain. Last summer I read this book and came to the end where I was yelling..outside in my backyard with neighbors looking at me strangely. I then saw there was two more books planned and relaxed. But sadly there has been no mention anywhere of the next two books. I sure hope Brashares is working on them.
By the time the sequel gets here I will have forgotten what happened in this book. Grrrrr.
LOL! That is a hilarious review 🙂 I didn’t know it was going to be a trilogy either – I haven’t read it but after your review I just might 🙂
too funny.
🙂
For a while there I thought I might need to put on some Barry White and turn the lights down while I finished reading your review! I guess I’m going to have to hold off on this one until I see if you love the next book as much.
I am starting this book this week. I’m glad I got your perspective and know there is more to come!
Ha. I’ve definitely thrown books across the room before for this very reason. Not sure I want to read this one though if I already know it’s going to get thrown. Sounds interesting.
I had a laugh out loud moment reading your post. I think even a trilogy should have a nice tidy ending but then again maybe that would be called a series . . .
Ann
Haha, I loved the way you formatted this post. Very funny. It’s interesting to think of the time you spend reading a book as a relationship – because it really is sometimes. I haven’t read anything by this author in a while (since the Pants series), so maybe I’ll have to give her another go in the future. Probably after the 2nd in the series has come out though, so I avoid the frustration you experienced 😉
It really sounded similar to the time traveller’s wife actually, but what do you mean she stopped writing? did she just leave the story unconcluded? writers do that all the time to get people to read the next book.
I really liked your book reviews and your tastes in books… following you now!
http://riversihaveknown.wordpress.com/