My Name is Memory is the most recently published of Ann Brashares' books. It is about Lucy Broward, a perfectly normal teenager who is about to graduate high school, and Daniel Grey, a mysterious boy who Lucy has been admiring from afar. On the night of the last school dance, Daniel and Lucy come together by chance, and Daniel tells Lucy that everyone has past lives, and that he is unique in that he remembers his. According to Daniel, he has been falling in love with Lucy (whom he calls Sophia, a name he once knew her by) for hundreds of years. As might be expected, Lucy is alarmed, frightened and disbelieving, and runs away. Daniel does not contact her again, but over the next several years, though, she begins to realize that things are not as they seem and that Daniel was indeed right.
I vaguely remember reading The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and its successors somewhere around eighth grade; however, I don't remember much except that I enjoyed them and that Bridget was the soccer player (I think). Probably at least partly because of this, I was quite surprised to enjoy My Name is Memory as much as I did. The fact that I read the book in one sitting gives testimony to how captivating and well-paced it is, and I found the relationship Lucy and Daniel is very compellingly written. I love the dynamic between Daniel and Lucy, as well as her previous incarnations, when he knows who she is and she doesn't know who he is - the nearest comparison I can make is seeing a high school sweetheart twenty years later and them not recognizing you, but that really is a pitiful comparison. It almost seems like My Name is Memory could have a few sequels as well, but it's not slated to as far as I know. Maybe that's just my wishful thinking; I would love to see more of Ben, the mysterious, memory-gifted (that's what I'm calling it) person who has lived many, many times and seems to know a lot more than he's telling.
Anyway, I'm getting off the point: I very much enjoyed My Name is Memory, and I will definitely look forward to reading (and perhaps re-reading) more of Ann Brashares' bookes in the future.
"It's good to be home! Let's have a party!"
11 years ago
Great review. I have been wanting to read this book.
ReplyDeleteBbtS- Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny you should mention the way Traveling Pants initially affected your expectations for this book--I've been reluctant to pick up this book for the very same reason. But it sounds better than I thought!
ReplyDeleteIt kind of reminds me of the concept for The Time Traveler's Wife, have you read that?
Kathy- I have read The Time Traveler's Wife, and while I liked it, I actually liked My name is Memory better.
ReplyDeleteI had the same reaction to reading this one - surprised that I like it as much as I did. And, you'll be glad to know, I believe it is set to be the first of a trilogy, so there should be more to come. (I can't remember where I read that...mine was an ARC, so it may have been in the press release that came with it, or maybe it was on the book's website...)
ReplyDeleteElisabeth- Oh, goody! I'll look forward to more, then.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds a bit like Fallen, without the angels. The names are similar as well (Daniel and Luce) I have this on my pile to read, I need to get to it soon.. I'm not excited to read it though :(
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