Review: My Name Is Memory - Ann Brashares

"I have fallen in love, and she is the one who endures.  I killed her once and died for her many times and I still have nothing to show for it.  I always search for her.  I always remember her.  I carry the hope that someday she will remember me."

Their story spans a thousand years.  Time and again, they have been together, yet apart.  He knows they are meant to be one.  Only he carries the memory of their love.

Not everyone believes in the existence of "the one", but Daniel knows it's real.  How could he not?  He has spent centuries meeting and falling in love with the same girl, over and over again.  Life after reincarnated life, spanning continents and dynasties, he and Lucy have been drawn together - and though he can never tell her, he remembers it all.  But the force that draws them together keeps tearing them painfully, fatally apart, and Daniel is heartbroken when he realises what he must do to break the pattern...

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Review:
Daniel has spent centuries tracking down Sophia ever since he accidentally killed her in his very first life.  At first he looked for her to try and make amends for his mistake but he quickly fell for her and has loved her ever since.  Daniel is unusual in his ability to remember all of his past lives and to be able to recognise souls from one life to the next even when their appearance can change drastically.  He uses this ability to find Sophia waiting and hoping for the time when they can finally be together.  In his current life Sophia is now Lucy and they meet at high school, they are both finally the same age at the same time and neither of them is already married but will this be the time that they can be together?  Will Lucy be able to remember Daniel this time around just like she promised him the last time they met?

My Name Is Memory is a very character driven story so there isn't a lot of action until very near the end of the book but it is well written and an enjoyable read.  The story alternates between what is happening in Daniel & Lucy's present and Daniel's memories of his past lives and all of the times he has previously spent with her.  I found Daniel's tales of his past lives fascinating and I love the idea of reincarnation although I don't think I'd want to be able to remember my past lives if I've had them.  It must be incredibly hard to spend thousands of years losing everyone you love.  Even if you do come across them again in future lives they have no memory of you so it isn't really like they are the same person. 

The concept of the story was great but although I enjoy character driven stories I did find that this one was a little slow moving in places for my taste, particularly in the middle of the book.  I think I would have enjoyed it even more if it had been just a little bit shorter.  Despite finding the story slow in places I felt that the main action at the end of the book felt a little rushed and I would have liked that part extended.  The ending was frustrating to say the least, although we got the answers to some of our questions the story has been left wide open for a sequel.  I'm not sure if a sequel is planned but I really hope there is one coming as I need to know what happens next.

Overall I found My Name Is Memory an enjoyable read and I would definitely read a sequel if one is written.  I enjoyed the romance between Daniel & Lucy and would recommend this if you are looking for a slower more romantic read rather than an action packed story.  If you find the idea of reincarnation interesting then I'd definitely suggest giving this one a try.

Source: Thanks to Hodder and Stoughton for sending me this review copy

Other reviews of this book:
So Many Books, So Little Time
The Bookette
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