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The Memory Police
- Narrated by: Traci Kato-Kiriyama
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
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The Memory Police
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2020, an enthralling Orwellian novel about the terrors of state surveillance from one of Japan's greatest writers.
Hat, ribbon, bird rose.
To the people on the island, a disappeared thing no longer has any meaning. It can be burned in the garden, thrown in the river or handed over to the Memory Police. Soon enough, the island forgets it ever existed.
When a young novelist discovers that her editor is in danger of being taken away by the Memory Police, she desperately wants to save him. For some reason, he doesn't forget, and it's becoming increasingly difficult for him to hide his memories. Who knows what will vanish next?
Finalist for the National Book Award 2019
Longlisted for the Translated Book Award 2020
New York Times 100 Notable Books of the Year
Critic reviews
'The Memory Police is a masterpiece: a deep pool that can be experienced as fable or allegory, warning and illumination. It is a novel that makes us see differently, opening up its ideas in inconspicuous ways, knowing that all moments of understanding and grace are fleeting. It is political and human, it makes no promises. It is a rare work of patient and courageous vision.' (Madeleine Thien)
'This timeless fable of control and loss feels more timely than ever.' Guardian, Books of the Year
'Echoes the themes of George Orwell's 1984, but it has a voice and power all its own.' Time
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Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- S Scott
- 19-02-24
a story without answers
It was a story with promise that kept the attention. the further the plot developed the more questions there were to be answered and that was part of the pull of the book. but we never got any answers and the ending, as with the rest of the book, almost as though the author had several ideas in their head but didn't want there to be any cohesion to any of it. having been gripped by it i felt somewhat let down at the end.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 14-01-24
What I really liked and hurts the most.. is that it is really happening in some parts of the world.
This novel is so scary and haunting at the same time. I keep remembering parts of it when I watch the news or see what is "disappearing" in my country. I strongly recommend it, specially for people who live in the middle east.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- "e-j-m"
- 25-10-23
Brilliant, thought-provoking, sometimes lacking
I was absolutely hooked on this book. The narration was excellent and kept me engrossed the whole way through, though at times the plot got a bit side-tracked I thought. The premise was really interesting and thought-provoking, but sometimes I felt frustrated or that something was lacking - particularly at the end - as there were so many unanswered questions which although left me thinking, also left me frustrated - was there someone responsible, someone who maybe benefited from it, someone who engineered everything on purpose as it seems - or did the human race just get too arrogant and destroy itself?
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Jordan
- 03-01-24
Incredible
Brilliant performance by the narrator. Beautiful prose and a haunting story, one that will stay with you long after you finish the audiobook. A little slow to start but well worth sticking with it. Incredibly thought provoking, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I will be checking out other work from Yoko Ogawa.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Umran
- 16-02-24
One of the worst books that I read
I was so disappointed and depressed by this book a good idea was not cleverly executed. We don’t know why and how things are disappearing. How people are functioning a society, driving, working without limbs? What is the aim of the Memory Police? How come there is mention of the things that are disappeared. For instance fruit disappeared but they eat and apple later on and dream of decorating the cake with fruit which should have been forgotten about. Ferry has disappeared but its memory and the boat still exists. r hiding in the windowless room and instead of him going up to a brighter room once in a while, people go down to his hole. No logic or common sense at all. I read this book for a book club. Otherwise would have given up. All the way I kept saying how stupid this is. Author seems to be obsessed with people loosing themselves.
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