My Name is Memory
My Name Is Memory is the story of Daniel, a soul who has lived many lives for over a thousand years. As Brashares tells it, most souls do not remember their former lives when they move on to the next one; Daniel, however, not only remembers all he’s experienced, he recognizes other souls as they reappear in the lives that follow. Though he has a different body each time, Daniel’s spurred on by the love he feels for Sophia, a girl he briefly meets in his first life and doggedly pursues as he passes through the ages. My Name Is Memory finds Daniel and Sophia (now known as Lucy) in the present day and in dire trouble as Daniel’s evil older brother from a former life stalks Sophia for ancient revenge.
To say I was let down by this novel is an understatement. The premise is fantastic and filled with potential, but the execution is slow and unwieldy. Interspersed throughout the present-day narrative are tales of Daniel’s lives and his pursuit of the elusive Sophia, but none of it is very interesting. Sophia, as Lucy, is spooked yet intrigued by Daniel, but her gullibility in believing Daniel’s brother strains even paranormal sensibilities. Lucy doesn’t even seem to know her own mind, let alone be capable of believing in a love that has crossed centuries. The whole story seems padded with unnecessary confusion, and the ending does not make a lick of sense. There was no tension, no careful unveiling of plot, no likeable characters. It’s obvious there will be a sequel, but I’ll be giving it a pass.
