Customer Reviews

My Name Is Memory

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(19)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I've been a fan of Ann Brashares's work since I first picked up Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Sisterhood of Traveling Pants, Book 1) when I was fourteen years old. I've read everything that she's published since then, including her first adult novel, The Last Summer (of You and Me). What I've enjoyed most about her novels is her ability to make her stories feel so real. That may not seem like such a great feat considering that everything she's written thus far has been realistic fiction. However, if you pick up My Name is Memory, you'll understand what I mean.

Daniel and Lucy's story is of a fantastic nature. The premise is predicated on the idea of reincarnation which, whether you believe in it or not, lends a supernatural element to the tale. The themes of love, loss and danger, however, are what grounds it in reality and what, in my opinion, makes it truly awe-inspiring.

What I loved most about this book were the flashbacks, which were mostly told from Daniel's viewpoint. Brashares's premise isn't all that unique. There are plenty of love stories about people who have loved each other across time and space. They often fail, though, by not adequately drawing these potentially epic relationships. My Name is Memory excels at this. Not only do we get a complete understanding of why and how these two individuals came to love each so much, but we also are treated to wonderfully illustrated historical backdrops and landscapes. The rich settings go a long way in enhancing the overall story.

The historical narratives are balanced by a story of intrigue and discovery set in the present day. Lucy, who is initially reluctant to believe Daniel's story, struggles with her desire for normalcy against her need to understand. Daniel only wants to protect and love her but is unsure how to best go about those goals, especially with a threat to safety of both of them looming ever-closer.

While nearing the end of the book, I noticed that the story was still at a climax and there was no resolution in sight for the couple. Yes, the novel does end on a cliff-hanger which begs the question: will there be a sequel? I sincerely hope so. The ending is so ambiguous and juicy that there almost has to be a follow-up. Otherwise, Brashares will have plenty of pissed off readers on her hands.

Despite the ending, I really did like this book. Everything said in that last line of the blurb is true and, after reading this, I had the stuffy nose to prove it.

First and foremost, My Name is Memory is a powerful love story. Daniel is described as an old soul -- his soul has lived through countless reincarnations and he remembers each of his past lives. In the world that Ann Brashares creates, there are a handful of old souls who retain memories of their past lives. Everyone else lives their lives with their slates clean, with no clear memories of past experiences. Though Brashares suggests that the occasional sense of affinity that we have with people may have come from a friendship or a tie in a previous life. The few that retain memories of past lives can usually trace this ability or "long memory" to a deep trauma or a strong affinity of sorts. Of the old souls, Daniel stands out since his memory reaches back over 1,500 years to the time that he first met and fell in love with Sophia.

Daniel's memory comes from his love of Sophia, as if he wills himself to remember everything about her. His love and fate lead Daniel to retain these memories each time he is reborn. Somehow Daniel and Sophia are reborn within similar times. They encounter each other in different cultures and continents over 1,500 years. Daniel remembers his past lives starting from when he first met Sophie in 520 A.D. to each of his reincarnations. In all the different reincarnations, Daniel knows Sophia. But equal to his joy in finding her is his disappointment that Sophia never recognizes Daniel.

Daniel learns how to carry over skills and wealth from one life to another. He's skilled in medicine, in business, and in most trades. In each rebirth, Daniel prepares to meet Sophia and with each new encounter he is equally surprised and moved. He tries not to overwhelm her -- his love/obsession can surely frighten her away especially since she never seems to remember him. Daniel begins from scratch each time.

Sophia's latest reincarnation is Lucy, a high school senior with a powerful crush on her mysterious young classmate named Daniel. Daniel moved to Lucy's high school at the start of their junior year and though he caused a stir because of his good looks and athleticism, he stood apart. He seemed more mature, a little lost and deeply sad -- all of which drew Lucy's attention. When Daniel acted differently too and ignored invitations from the most popular girls and spent time with the social outcasts, Lucy imagined herself helping him navigate through high school. Though they've barely spoken over the two years, Lucy daydreams about Daniel and feels drawn to him. Lucy's voice and character come across clearly: a young girl, enthusiastic, engaging with the usual romantic hopes.

While Lucy is likable and draws you in to the story, it is Daniel that makes the book. Daniel is Memory -- and the plot revolves around his struggle to win Sophia.

Daniel and Sophia face another obstacle -- there lives another old soul who remembers both Daniel and Sophia clearly. He had been Sophia's husband in a previous life and is determined to punish Sophia and Daniel for what he interprets as their betrayal of him.

I recommend My Name Is Memory to someone looking for an unusual romance novel and an engrossing love story.

When I read the book, I loved it but had hoped for a continuation of the story. It was only when I was done that I learned that the story only begins with My Name is Memory, it's the first installment in a trilogy. So keep that in mind when you come to the ending!

ISBN-10: 1594487588 - Hardcover
Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover (June 1, 2010), 336 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.

The ending of this book is deeply unsatisfying and even a bit nonsensical, so I am hoping that there will indeed be a sequel as the rumors suggest. I don't always expect books to wrap all the loose ends into a neatly tied bow by the ending; often that makes for contrived and predictable storytelling, but this book really <had> no ending. The romantic parts are a bit cheesey, and I found some parts to be artificially convenient (Joaquim's ability to body-snatch, for example; it's never really explained by the author how this one person with The Memory can avoid being born as an infant and somehow "take over" a grown adult's body). On the whole, it was a very entertaining story; an easy read without being too juvenile or overly simplistic. I am looking forward to a sequel.

I was very excited to read this book since it was the only book I had not yet read that Ann Brashare's has published to date. I have loved all of her teen books as well as her two other adult novels. This book seemed to lack her usual skill of bringing bits of humor into even the most heartbreaking of moments and characters that are rich and relatable. Instead, this book told a completely standard love story with none of the special qualities that Brashares normally includes in her narrative and dialogue that have always made me truly believe in her characters' connections to each other as well as my connections to her characters as a reader. Daniel and Lucy were so dull and flat for me that I could truly feel the thousands of years that passed in their story, which I don't think is really a good thing in this case.

In addition to the extremely slow story line, there was a lack of any plot until the last few chapters. The plot that developed right near the end could have really improved this novel if it had been placed in the first part and resolved, or at least pursued more, throughout the entire story line, instead of just drifting along with no apparent purpose. Also, Daniel's lack of ability to act was completely ridiculous, and for someone who has lived for so many years and struggled to maintain his identity over many lifetimes, he seemed to have a very inconsistent personality. For example (this is a spoiler), he was willing to kill himself to be with Lucy but then after one small mishap he was willing to kill himself AGAIN, making his prior sacrifice completely pointless, and then, when he failed, he made no effort to fix his mistake. If he really loved her so much, it seems like he would stop at nothing to talk to her, not just stalk her for a few years before surfacing only when completely necessary! Maybe I just missed some integral part of this story somewhere along the line, but I really just think Brashares completely missed the mark with this.

The one part of this book that could have made it at least slightly better was the end. There was a good setup for action in the last few chapters, but Daniel and Lucy literally just lounge around instead of trying to resolve their problems and then come up with the most absurd solution I have ever heard of (won't provide it here) to "fix" their situation. Then the actual end was probably the worst cliffhanger I have ever read. I'm not sure if it was open-ended in order to leave room for a sequel or just to be ambiguous, but I thought it was unacceptable to just leave everything with absolutely no answers whatsoever. Even if there is a sequel, I don't think I will be able to bring myself to read it, though it would probably make a much better book than this one. I was very disappointed with this book, and I do not recommend it at all, but I don't want this to detract from Brashare's other, much more satisfying, work.

I can't decide how much I enjoyed this book. The premise behind it was interesting, and I was very excited about reading it. You have Daniel, a young man who has been reincarnated many times over thousands of years and remembers his past lives struggling to connect with the love of his lives, Lucy, who does not remember hers. So what is the problem?

I liked the basic plot, but thought that the sections where Daniel tells about his past lives didn't flow very well. He has a tendency to go off on tangents which makes those sections a little confusing. Plus, his character is kind of weak. He waffles back and forth for too long before making up his mind to go talk to Lucy. Even after being warned that she could be in danger, he still has trouble deciding. Lucy's character; however, is much stronger and more sensible. She does her homework before believing his wild tale and at least tries to live a normal life for a while. But Daniel, through all his lives, is so obsessed with her that he can think of nothing else and insulates himself against the love from others which could make his seemingly unlimited lives more meaningful.

The end also bothered me. The story had been flowing along nicely drawing me in and making me care about the characters (when I wasn't aggravated with Daniel), then came the exciting part and I couldn't put the book down. All of sudden, boom, the book just ends with all kinds of unanswered questions. I've read in other reviews that there will be a sequel and possible trilogy; if so, they will probably answer everything.

I have to disagree with the comparisons some reviewers have made with "The Time Travelers Wife." The writing is on a completely different level, and while "My Name is Memory" may have whispers of similarity, they are just whispers. At no point in my reading did I think of "The Time Travelers Wife," and probably wouldn't have if it had not been suggested in other reviews.

I'm sorry that this has turned into a rather negative review - I did enjoy reading the book, and if there is a sequel I will probably read it. But it just didn't capture my imagination as much as other books that I have read recently.

What I Loved: I love the history that was presented in this book. It was really my favorite part. I thought it gave a depth to the Daniel character that might have otherwise been missing.

What I Liked: Both characters did not deliver any of the "typical" teenage angst that turns me off of YA novels. They had growing pains but handled them with a great amount of maturity. They also seemed very real for the situations that were put into.

What I thought was So-So/Didn't Like: It is hard to place why I just didn't "love" this book. I thought the pacing was off. I am interested to see what the second book in the trilogy is going to be like. Sometimes the first book has to hold so much back story that it seems to "drag". I hope this is the case because I love the premise.

Why I gave it a 3: This was solely based on pacing. I really had to force myself to keep reading at times. It was never bad just drawn out. AB is a fantastic writer and there have been tons of good reviews for this book. I think in that aspect I am the odd one out. I just could never get fully engaged.

Who I would recommend this too: I think most Fantasy, PNR, and YA readers will like this book. It has a really good premise. The first half is really slow but it picks up in the second half. Really neat story premise and I will read book 2!

[...]

I have always loved the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books. So when my librarian recommended a new book by Ann Brashares, I knew I had to read it and see if it held my attention like the Sisterhood books did. Well, it did. I stayed up late into the night to find out more about Daniel and Lucy and how their love survived through time.

Turns out, Daniel has been reincarnated several times and was first in love with a women named Sophia (who happened to be his brother's wife). Sophia also is reincarnated, but her memories are not as strong as Daniel's so she doesnt always know that she was Sophia. Luckily, Daniel does, and in his subsequent lives, he finds her and tries to make her remember that they loved each other.

So when Daniel finds high school student Lucy, he knows this is his chance to make her remember their love.

I was disappointed in the openness of the ending before I read that this is the first book in a trilogy! I cant wait to read more about Daniel and Lucy and see if they finally get together in this life or another.

I bought this book 48 hours ago and finished it without meaning to ignore the rest of my life!! It is a good, light summer read. I was immediately intrigued with both Lucy and Daniel and had to unravel their backstory. While it is not a perfect book -- some of the character development seemed forced -- it was very entertaining and those that believe in intuition and have thought or said that "someone has an old soul" will be fans of the book's premise. Yes the story of love through time and the ages has been told in other stories but I felt true resonance here, especially when Daniel realizes and takes ownership of the fact that he has hurt those that have loved him over the years, and because of those that have loved him (one of his mothers) he was a better person in that life. The ending was somewhat of a disappointment and left many unanswered questions but hopefully this story will continue on in a future book.

I haven't read many time travel books but as soon as I started reading this one I was instantly hooked. The book goes back and forth between Daniel's lives in the past and Lucy/Sophia's life in the present. They both live many different lives during the course of the book. Daniel is aware of his past lives while Lucy/Sophia is not. That is until the day Lucy visits a psychic and she begins to question what may have happened in the past. Every time Daniel finds Sophia something tragic happens and they are once again separated, usually by one of them dying. I loved the travel through time and history as the story of the two unfolds. The book takes place during some very interesting times in history. Some that I didn't know much about. I have to admit that at first I was not very thrilled with the ending. In fact I went right to the computer and found out this is the first book of a triology. Whew! Had there not been more books coming I would have been a bit upset with the cliffhanger ending. This book was both heartbreaking and heartwarming and I can't wait to read the next two installments! The book raises the question does true love ever die?

I suppose that I could start out by saying that this was a decent book. Am I head over heels for it? Not exactly. But did I want to poke my eyes out? No.

My Name is Memory is the first in a trilogy, which will be a good thing because fans of Young Adult books are bound to relish it. It's a book about love that crosses time and distance. Daniel has loved Sophia from the first time he saw her, thousands of years ago. Now that she is Lucy, he loves her more. Daniel has the gift of Memory; he can recall all his past lives every time he is born in a new body. For all of his lives he has searched for the reincarnated Sophia, knowing they belong together. But something, or someone, always seems to tear them apart. He was close to her once, knowing her as Lucy in high school, but he scared her away when he tried to tell her the truth. So he vowed to watch her from a distance, never to interfere, until the day his distance puts her in danger. Daniel's brother Joaquim was once married to Sophia. When Daniel rescued Sophia from Joaquim's abusive rage, Joaquim vows to get revenge and he carries his hatred with him into each of his new lives. If Joaquim finds Lucy and discovers she's Sophia, Daniel may not be able to rescue her in time.

My main problem with this book is the same problem I had with Stephenie Meyer's The Host: it's lauded as an "adult" book, meaning not Young Adult fiction, but I didn't get that distinction in The Host, and I don't get it in My Name is Memory. Adding a couple of intimacy scenes along with abuse and genocide doesn't necessarily mean you've written a more adult type of book. Though the plot was intriguing, and the writing wasn't awful, I didn't find that My Name is Memory contained the true maturity or message fit for it to be considered in the realm of "adulthood." My definition of an "adult novel" would be one of stellar writing and advanced theme, characters with depth. Brashares writing was just average, and there were parts of the plot that were contrived and forced. When comparing it to The Time Traveler's Wife, Niffenegger's book is far superior, especially in terms of an "adult" novel.

I think a lot of younger readers will love My Name is Memory, and a lot of readers who enjoy lighter books. You shouldn't pick it up thinking it's going to be a serious novel, but it's good for escapism. Will I read the next in the series? Probably. Will I replace Twilight with My Name is Memory? Never.