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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Large improvement from The Reincarnationist, February 8, 2009
This review is from: The Memorist (Hardcover)
The Memorist is author M.J. Rose's follow-up novel to The Reincarnationist and she has again taken themes of reincarnation, this time weaving 19th century Vienna and the musical world of Ludwig van Beethoven with modern-day terrorist plots. A fast paced historical thriller, The Memorist takes the best elements of The Reincarnationist and improves upon them.
Although there is one carry-over character present, The Memorist is most assuredly a stand-alone novel.
One of the pleasures of reading an M.J. Rose novel is her approach to historical fiction. While much of The Memorist takes place in present day Vienna, her forays into the 19th century are impeccably researched. She incorporates fascinating details into her story, many of which the reader might dismiss as part of the creative license a historical fiction writer so often invokes. It isn't until reaching the author's note at the end of the novel that the full extent of Rose's research becomes apparent.
If the plot synopsis above sounds vaguely familiar, it's because the plot of The Memorist is almost identical to that of her earlier novel, The Reincarnationist. New characters, new memories of past lives, and new artifacts for the protagonist to chase, but the plot movment is the same.
However, the improvements over The Reincarnationist are quickly apparent. Characters are more fleshed-out and their motivations better explored, giving the reader closer relationship with the characters.
Rose's penchant for over-populating her novels with characters is still present, but the improved characterizations make it much easier to keep track of just who is who.
But the very best quality of The Memorist is Rose's ability to meld time and place, even over the span of centuries, while still maintaining a tight, fast-paced thiller that keeps you guessing to the end.
Recommended, of course, for anyone with interest in reincarnation, but also for those who have a love of classical music (Beethoven plays a pretty big role in this novel!) or for those who just want to see a good example of blending modern day with the past.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Breaking down the walls of time, this thriller seduces, March 8, 2009
This review is from: The Memorist (Hardcover)
In her newest thriller,The Memorist, MJ Rose boldly embraces the mysteries of time, memory, and music, as she once again takes on the complexities of reincarnation and its dire consequences. Set primarily in Beethoven's Vienna as well as present day Vienna, with occasional throwbacks to 2000 BCE, a thirty-something woman named Meer, plagued by unexplained visions, is at the center of controversy with deathly consequences. So is her archeologist father, Beethoven himself, Beethoven's friend, a journalist who chases modern-day terrorists, and a brilliant, monomaniacal, eccentric man obsessed with unlocking past lives. All become part of an emotional fugue that culminates in an explosive ending reminiscent of Dante's purgatory. Secret, underground tunnels twisting beneath Vienna's streets, ancient vaults and catacombs create a biblical-like backdrop as Meer, her father and others race to break down the walls of time to get at the past--one to save his son, another to save her father. Readers will love MJ's deft ability to move back and forth between the ages, and will be seduced by her knowledge of music and her ability to convey music's power to resurrect the soul.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
superb thriller, November 4, 2008
This review is from: The Memorist (Hardcover)
As a youngster, Meer Logan only drew pictures of what looked like a treasure chest. Her family obviously noticing the pattern asked her why she insisted on drawing only this object. Meer explained that she had seen it before although no one including her could figure out when; her parents assumed it was youthful imagination though they were somewhat concerned with her seemingly compulsive behavior disorder.
Now an adult, Meer's sixty-five year old dad Jeremy, known as the "Jewish Indiana Jones" and who works in a Vienna auction house found the box listed in an auction catalogue. Inside the box is a letter that leads Jeremy to conclude that the artifact once was owned by Beethoven's beloved. Meer heads to Austria where memories flood her mind starting with the same flute tune that makes her wonder if she was Beethoven's lover in a previous life. As father and daughter seek a mystical flute, a murder and the stealing of the box and its letter makers both of them fear someone has a different fate in store for them.
THE MEMORIST is much more complex than the exhilarating THE REINCARNATIONIST, as M.J. Rose provides a superb thriller. There are several subplots that converge on Meer who like her dad begins to believe in her previous life. Meer, her dad and several other support players are fully developed so that the audience believes in all the seemingly paranormal nuances. Set aside plenty of time as this is not a fast read, but worth the time as THE MEMORIST is memorable.
Harriet Klausner
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