My Name Is Memory
by Ann Brashares 
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Description
In this story of true love, a man spends centuries falling in love with the same girl.Tags
Recommendations
Member Recommendations
distractedmusician Love that transcends the limits of time.
80
anonymous user A romance involving a paranormal relationship with the male character living a long history with the femaile seemingly from present time.
36
Sukisue7 Similar themes of past lives, past histories, reincarnation, soul mates.
Member Reviews
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Spoiler Alert!
I loved the first 90% of this book – I love the idea of Daniel following Sophia through the ages, I love the flashbacks and how Ann Brashares did not pick the popular parts of history for Daniel’s past lives but gave him wholly ordinary and typical life experiences every time he came back. She also manages to tell the entire story without any sort of religious slant, a massive achievement for a book that pretty much revolves around the idea of reincarnation. I listened to the audiobook with great interest and wonder, always hoping that all would work out well for the characters in the end. At the back of my mind, however, a feeling of dread kept circling through my thoughts, “This is show more the woman who killed Tibby, nothing can be ruled out.” And unfortunately, that nagging feeling followed me straight through ‘til its realization in the last few pages.
Never before in my life have I wanted to physically tear apart a book as much as I did when reading the last 37 pages of this one. I listened to it in the car up until then and decided to just read the last few pages – I had to know how it ended and what a terrible way it went! I should not have overlooked the Twilight comparison – my blood boiled and I’ve only felt such immense hatred toward a book once – while attempting to read the book to which this one is compared: Twilight. I think it has been pretty well established at this point that I detest books with female characters that I deem to be weak and pathetic and overly-womanly. I loathe plotlines that play out the stereotypical path that a woman’s life can take – love, sex, babies and then that’s it, you’ve completed your mission on this earth, pack up and you’re done – your story is no longer an interesting one to tell.
I was incredibly excited for this story because it is one of few books that I could actually see myself classifying as “New Adult” – real new adult literature (at least for the first 300 pages). It’s a well relayed story and an enjoyable one to read. And I really hoped it ended with Lucy and Daniel finally getting to spend some time together getting to know each other. Lucy and Daniel spend 5 minutes in high school and one car ride in Mexico 5 years later talking to each other before jumping in to bed together. I have no problem with this, I was thrilled when Lucy slept with her best friend’s little brother – that’s normal. It’s a way of life for more than a few people in their 20s. But do Lucy and Daniel really love each other? I don’t see how you can really love someone without getting to know them, not some perceived former version of their soul. Sophia and Daniel loved each other, Constance and Daniel loved each other, and even though Lucy makes a point of differentiating herself from her two former lives, it doesn’t answer the question of how she can love someone she barely knows.
I got the distinct impression that Ann Brashares wasn’t sure how she wanted to end Lucy and Daniel’s story. The last section, the “resolution” of the climax, just spins wildly out of control (Spoiler Alert!) – they survive an ocean storm for hours off the coast of Mexico, their rescue is unbelievable, they had sex once and Lucy’s pregnant after Daniel couldn’t have children for 1500 years, and then he abandons her in Bhutan and she doesn’t think she can even tell him about the baby. Just WHAT??? When did the tone of the story change so completely? Why? Just why does this have to be the direction of Lucy’s life? Not every ending needs to be a happy one, but it would be nice if it made at least a little sense and didn’t sound like it was hobbled together from random odds and ends. show less
I loved the first 90% of this book – I love the idea of Daniel following Sophia through the ages, I love the flashbacks and how Ann Brashares did not pick the popular parts of history for Daniel’s past lives but gave him wholly ordinary and typical life experiences every time he came back. She also manages to tell the entire story without any sort of religious slant, a massive achievement for a book that pretty much revolves around the idea of reincarnation. I listened to the audiobook with great interest and wonder, always hoping that all would work out well for the characters in the end. At the back of my mind, however, a feeling of dread kept circling through my thoughts, “This is show more the woman who killed Tibby, nothing can be ruled out.” And unfortunately, that nagging feeling followed me straight through ‘til its realization in the last few pages.
Never before in my life have I wanted to physically tear apart a book as much as I did when reading the last 37 pages of this one. I listened to it in the car up until then and decided to just read the last few pages – I had to know how it ended and what a terrible way it went! I should not have overlooked the Twilight comparison – my blood boiled and I’ve only felt such immense hatred toward a book once – while attempting to read the book to which this one is compared: Twilight. I think it has been pretty well established at this point that I detest books with female characters that I deem to be weak and pathetic and overly-womanly. I loathe plotlines that play out the stereotypical path that a woman’s life can take – love, sex, babies and then that’s it, you’ve completed your mission on this earth, pack up and you’re done – your story is no longer an interesting one to tell.
I was incredibly excited for this story because it is one of few books that I could actually see myself classifying as “New Adult” – real new adult literature (at least for the first 300 pages). It’s a well relayed story and an enjoyable one to read. And I really hoped it ended with Lucy and Daniel finally getting to spend some time together getting to know each other. Lucy and Daniel spend 5 minutes in high school and one car ride in Mexico 5 years later talking to each other before jumping in to bed together. I have no problem with this, I was thrilled when Lucy slept with her best friend’s little brother – that’s normal. It’s a way of life for more than a few people in their 20s. But do Lucy and Daniel really love each other? I don’t see how you can really love someone without getting to know them, not some perceived former version of their soul. Sophia and Daniel loved each other, Constance and Daniel loved each other, and even though Lucy makes a point of differentiating herself from her two former lives, it doesn’t answer the question of how she can love someone she barely knows.
I got the distinct impression that Ann Brashares wasn’t sure how she wanted to end Lucy and Daniel’s story. The last section, the “resolution” of the climax, just spins wildly out of control (Spoiler Alert!) – they survive an ocean storm for hours off the coast of Mexico, their rescue is unbelievable, they had sex once and Lucy’s pregnant after Daniel couldn’t have children for 1500 years, and then he abandons her in Bhutan and she doesn’t think she can even tell him about the baby. Just WHAT??? When did the tone of the story change so completely? Why? Just why does this have to be the direction of Lucy’s life? Not every ending needs to be a happy one, but it would be nice if it made at least a little sense and didn’t sound like it was hobbled together from random odds and ends. show less
The max number of renewals the library allows is two. Frankly, I think they should allow three renewals -- three is a fair number, but who cares? I have a system. If I have a book I've renewed twice and still haven't read, I call up: "I returned this book through the college's drop box last week. Yes, I know it's not due for another week, but it should have been checked in three days ago. What if it never gets checked in? I don't want fees." (Current library fee: $6.45. I'm not sure how it managed to not increase, as [b:Ostrich Boys|3954368|Ostrich Boys (Definitions)|Keith Gray|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1331965854s/3954368.jpg|4000051] was returned five days late. They must like me, really.)
Librarians either sigh or agree, but they show more always override the two-renewal rule and, baby, that book is mine for an extra two or three weeks. It's not like I can call up a second time and get a fourth renewal, so that is why My Name is Memory has been my companion since Tuesday.
And what a disappointing companion this book is. A frightening familiarity hit as I read from page to page, and I realized: it reminds me of [b:Twilight|41865|Twilight (Twilight, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1307515757s/41865.jpg|3212258]. I don't enjoy tossing [a:Stephenie Meyer|941441|Stephenie Meyer|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1269985304p2/941441.jpg]'s name around every time the topic of poor writing surfaces, but her ability is among the most prominently weak that I've encountered in a crazy spectrum of good and bad writing. Truly, I am surprised Lucy did not convince herself that Daniel is a vampire, but Lucy--surprisingly--has a brain. Or half a brain.
Daniel has "The Memory," or in other words: he retains memory of each past life. In all lives, Daniel spends every waking moment thinking about or searching for Sophia (so it seems). She is the great, one true love of his life--or lives, I should say--which would not be a problem if she remembered, too. Unfortunately for Daniel, she doesn't. Sophia either winds up with another man or no one at all, but never with Daniel. Their "love" story dates back to the year 541, but I would say it doesn't begin until 773 when Daniel's brother, Joaquim, introduces his wife: Sophia. Joaquim plays the antagonist--just another factor next to fate that keeps Daniel and Sophia separated until Daniel meets the present-day Sophia (who now goes by Lucy). What more is there to this story? Daniel pining for Sophia to remember him, Sophia panicking, Sophia thinking Daniel is nuttier than an Almond Joy, Sophia questioning her sanity, and Daniel tediously narrating his past lives. Snore?
I know myself and reading taste well enough to understand that chick lit is not for me. That doesn't mean I'm always inclined to dislike a romance novel if it is indeed enjoyable. Give it a unique story to tell and, if well-written, I'll feel pleasantly surprised. My Name is Memory is not a book I would have even thought to touch, but then someone compared it to [b:The Time Traveler's Wife|14050|The Time Traveler's Wife|Audrey Niffenegger|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1274656075s/14050.jpg|2153746]. Until the day comes when I read Niffenegger's book, I simply say: "Hey, I like that movie!" I then gave My Name is Memory's premise an acknowledgment nod, believing potential for something exceptional was living inside those pages.
That is why I decided to befriend Brashares' newest work -- a mistake on my part. Obviously, I cannot compare Brashares' and Niffenegger's writing styles and try to comprehend what compels people to continuously make the comparison. All I can say is that My Name is Memory has a cliché sitting on each page, whether it serves as a plot device or to express a character's feelings, and the book is all tell (no show).
I would readily rate this at two, perhaps even three, stars if I didn't find the writing monotonous and the backstory uneventful. The truth is it isn't romantic. It is utterly dull -- so dull that when I finally read the last word I felt like pumping my fists up in victory. I had done it! I read the book! Woo-hoo. I feel like I deserve an award for reading this, because it wasn't easy. Brashares gives no hint that she's a writer who is capable of providing a well-written sentence. I read reviews, and people say it's elegantly written but I disagree. What is so elegant about "The Knee/Crotch Scene"? It's as exciting as the book gets:
Am I supposed to laugh, groan, or empty my stomach? I had a difficult time viewing this as an adult novel. I've read YA novels with more romantic pizzazz and better descriptions. I spy a million irksome things in Brashares' writing, and that is not including how silly or cheesy I find this excerpt.
It's no spoiler to reveal that Daniel confronts Sophia in hopes that she remembers him -- that happens early on. The man practically ambushes her in a dark, empty chemistry lab, because it's not like that won't scare Sophia off. When a man tells me, "You're not Raya. You are my Sarah from many lives ago. I love you. You loved me!" I say, "Gee, what's in your drink? I don't think I want any."
Sophia can't open up immediately, but the story would never go anywhere if she didn't remember something. That's when Sophia sees Esme, a psychic. Goodness, can't say didn't I see that coming. And what kind of mystical nonsense does Esme tap into? Nothing I didn't predict. Esme is one of several pushes Sophia needs to make her believe Daniel. In consequence, the entire set-up is an eyesore of sad anticipation and a contrived plot.
Characters, in effect, come across as blank, uninteresting, and present very little to no variety in terms of personality and development. I'm surprised. By stretching the protagonists' love story through centuries, Brashares has several opportunities to make Sophia's and Daniel's connection special. Instead, the origin of Daniel's attraction to Sophia weighs heavily on the fact that he found her beautiful the first time he saw her. Shortly after was the first time Sophia died... in a fire. That Daniel started. Guilt! Feeling responsible and sorry for causing her death plays into Daniel's connection, but it always comes back to Sophia's physical beauty or their "lusting." Even when the couple are in danger of being shot at, their discussion centers on sex half the time.
Me neither.
I am disappointed and fed up with these characters and their "love." This is not a love story. Had Sophia connected to Daniel more than once or twice on a deeper level, had there been sincerity and stronger, intimate emotions that didn't fade out after one lifetime, then perhaps it could be. show less
Librarians either sigh or agree, but they show more always override the two-renewal rule and, baby, that book is mine for an extra two or three weeks. It's not like I can call up a second time and get a fourth renewal, so that is why My Name is Memory has been my companion since Tuesday.
And what a disappointing companion this book is. A frightening familiarity hit as I read from page to page, and I realized: it reminds me of [b:Twilight|41865|Twilight (Twilight, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1307515757s/41865.jpg|3212258]. I don't enjoy tossing [a:Stephenie Meyer|941441|Stephenie Meyer|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1269985304p2/941441.jpg]'s name around every time the topic of poor writing surfaces, but her ability is among the most prominently weak that I've encountered in a crazy spectrum of good and bad writing. Truly, I am surprised Lucy did not convince herself that Daniel is a vampire, but Lucy--surprisingly--has a brain. Or half a brain.
Daniel has "The Memory," or in other words: he retains memory of each past life. In all lives, Daniel spends every waking moment thinking about or searching for Sophia (so it seems). She is the great, one true love of his life--or lives, I should say--which would not be a problem if she remembered, too. Unfortunately for Daniel, she doesn't. Sophia either winds up with another man or no one at all, but never with Daniel. Their "love" story dates back to the year 541, but I would say it doesn't begin until 773 when Daniel's brother, Joaquim, introduces his wife: Sophia. Joaquim plays the antagonist--just another factor next to fate that keeps Daniel and Sophia separated until Daniel meets the present-day Sophia (who now goes by Lucy). What more is there to this story? Daniel pining for Sophia to remember him, Sophia panicking, Sophia thinking Daniel is nuttier than an Almond Joy, Sophia questioning her sanity, and Daniel tediously narrating his past lives. Snore?
I know myself and reading taste well enough to understand that chick lit is not for me. That doesn't mean I'm always inclined to dislike a romance novel if it is indeed enjoyable. Give it a unique story to tell and, if well-written, I'll feel pleasantly surprised. My Name is Memory is not a book I would have even thought to touch, but then someone compared it to [b:The Time Traveler's Wife|14050|The Time Traveler's Wife|Audrey Niffenegger|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1274656075s/14050.jpg|2153746]. Until the day comes when I read Niffenegger's book, I simply say: "Hey, I like that movie!" I then gave My Name is Memory's premise an acknowledgment nod, believing potential for something exceptional was living inside those pages.
That is why I decided to befriend Brashares' newest work -- a mistake on my part. Obviously, I cannot compare Brashares' and Niffenegger's writing styles and try to comprehend what compels people to continuously make the comparison. All I can say is that My Name is Memory has a cliché sitting on each page, whether it serves as a plot device or to express a character's feelings, and the book is all tell (no show).
I would readily rate this at two, perhaps even three, stars if I didn't find the writing monotonous and the backstory uneventful. The truth is it isn't romantic. It is utterly dull -- so dull that when I finally read the last word I felt like pumping my fists up in victory. I had done it! I read the book! Woo-hoo. I feel like I deserve an award for reading this, because it wasn't easy. Brashares gives no hint that she's a writer who is capable of providing a well-written sentence. I read reviews, and people say it's elegantly written but I disagree. What is so elegant about "The Knee/Crotch Scene"? It's as exciting as the book gets:
They were sitting knees to knees, pressing them together, so when he split his legs hers went right through until they were practically joined. Her knee was nearly in his crotch, and his was in hers. Her knee was bare, and his knee was deep under her dress, pressed against her underwear, and her nerves were thrumming. She had a feeling of disbelief. She was suspicious that her imagination was choreographing this out of pure desire and that it wasn't really happening.
"Have you?" he asked. She suddenly knew, just knew, that he was soaking her in, that he was as parched as she was.
He reached out and put his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her forward. She drew in her breath, astonished that he would put his mouth on hers. He kissed her. She lost herself in his breath and his warmth and his smell.
Am I supposed to laugh, groan, or empty my stomach? I had a difficult time viewing this as an adult novel. I've read YA novels with more romantic pizzazz and better descriptions. I spy a million irksome things in Brashares' writing, and that is not including how silly or cheesy I find this excerpt.
It's no spoiler to reveal that Daniel confronts Sophia in hopes that she remembers him -- that happens early on. The man practically ambushes her in a dark, empty chemistry lab, because it's not like that won't scare Sophia off. When a man tells me, "You're not Raya. You are my Sarah from many lives ago. I love you. You loved me!" I say, "Gee, what's in your drink? I don't think I want any."
Sophia can't open up immediately, but the story would never go anywhere if she didn't remember something. That's when Sophia sees Esme, a psychic. Goodness, can't say didn't I see that coming. And what kind of mystical nonsense does Esme tap into? Nothing I didn't predict. Esme is one of several pushes Sophia needs to make her believe Daniel. In consequence, the entire set-up is an eyesore of sad anticipation and a contrived plot.
Characters, in effect, come across as blank, uninteresting, and present very little to no variety in terms of personality and development. I'm surprised. By stretching the protagonists' love story through centuries, Brashares has several opportunities to make Sophia's and Daniel's connection special. Instead, the origin of Daniel's attraction to Sophia weighs heavily on the fact that he found her beautiful the first time he saw her. Shortly after was the first time Sophia died... in a fire. That Daniel started. Guilt! Feeling responsible and sorry for causing her death plays into Daniel's connection, but it always comes back to Sophia's physical beauty or their "lusting." Even when the couple are in danger of being shot at, their discussion centers on sex half the time.
"It's not the outfit I would have picked for our reunion, but I admit it's easy to get in and out of." She couldn't quite believe that they were still lusting after each other.
Me neither.
I am disappointed and fed up with these characters and their "love." This is not a love story. Had Sophia connected to Daniel more than once or twice on a deeper level, had there been sincerity and stronger, intimate emotions that didn't fade out after one lifetime, then perhaps it could be. show less
My Name is Memory/Ann Brashares I devour young adult books. Very few of them keep me thinking long after I finish them. Very few give me insight into life and have me pondering deep questions. My Name Is Memory had me crying public (let's not talk about the ending) and stunned for days.This book has a pretty complicated concept that Brashares pulls off completely. Though the idea of certain souls having memories is complex, Daniel's character explained this simply enough that I was never pulled out of the story to question how the world of the book worked. We get to understand how life in this world works as Lucy goes through her life.Brashares's characters have very real voices. There's not as much development of relationship between show more the two main characters as I'd have liked; however, the way their bond is portrayed is very realistic and reminds one what it's like to be irrationally in love.This is an easy read, perfect for the beach or a plane ride, but the characters will get under your skin and have you thinking long after the last page show less
I enjoyed My Name is Memory far more than I expected to. While the concept of reincarnation and the ability to remember every past life exactly intrigued me, the thought of reading a story that continually jumped from present to past lives and back again initially put me off. I'm very glad I gave it a chance though. The chapters were helpfully headed with place and date and the main character, Daniel, retains much of his personality throughout his lives, making him very easy to understand and relate to.
My Name is Memory is clearly a romantic sort of book. Daniel loves Sophia from the very moment he saw her, but alas, it was not meant to be. Daniel, possessing the ability to remember, seeks out and finds Sophia's reincarnation time and show more again, only to continue to fail to woo her. Daniel's unending love, surviving over a thousand years, is endearing and just a touch obsessive.
Lucy, not possessing the memory, feels drawn to Daniel but his demeanor towards her makes her question this attraction. Once she begins to unravel the mysterious past they both seem to share, she has to wonder if she's just crazy.
The barriers that prevent the couple from being together are always different, showing exactly how a love "meant to be" can fail in so many ways. More than romance, My Name is Memory shows just how much Daniel misses in his lives, chasing after a girl who literally doesn't know he exists. Part fantasy, part historical, part romance - My Name is Memory is a wonderfully unexpected story. show less
My Name is Memory is clearly a romantic sort of book. Daniel loves Sophia from the very moment he saw her, but alas, it was not meant to be. Daniel, possessing the ability to remember, seeks out and finds Sophia's reincarnation time and show more again, only to continue to fail to woo her. Daniel's unending love, surviving over a thousand years, is endearing and just a touch obsessive.
Lucy, not possessing the memory, feels drawn to Daniel but his demeanor towards her makes her question this attraction. Once she begins to unravel the mysterious past they both seem to share, she has to wonder if she's just crazy.
The barriers that prevent the couple from being together are always different, showing exactly how a love "meant to be" can fail in so many ways. More than romance, My Name is Memory shows just how much Daniel misses in his lives, chasing after a girl who literally doesn't know he exists. Part fantasy, part historical, part romance - My Name is Memory is a wonderfully unexpected story. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.I am a big fan of Ann Brashares’s Sisterhood series and I was really looking forward to her leap into women’s literature. I have to admit that her first attempt left me wanting however, from the first summary of My Name Is Memory I couldn’t wait to read this book.
In this story, our hero is Daniel who with each reincarnation remembers his past lives. In his first life, he meets a girl whom he shares an instant connection however, she is lost to him. He runs into her again in the 500s, this time as his brother’s wife Sophia. And this is where the love story begins. Well, that’s where it begins for Daniel but for Lucy it begins in 2004 where she meets fellow high school student Daniel whom she can’t stop thinking about.
It was show more so easy to fall in love with this book. Ms. Brashares magically weaves Daniel and Sophia’s love story through time. I’m a bit of a cynic and I completely believed her. I kept thinking about whom in my life I have known before and I don’t even believe in past lives.
I loved the character of Lucy. I loved getting to know her and watching her gain her identity through her discoveries. She was all things at once: confident and insecure, guarded and giving. This is my favorite thing about Lucy, “She went around with a broken heart, and she wasn’t sure who’d broken it. She thought it was herself, mostly.” As a fellow broken heart girl, I know exactly where she’s coming from.
I enjoyed reading Daniel’s point of view of his pursuit of love for Sophia, but there were times when I wanted him to get over it and stop living in the past. He was so focused on what happened that he couldn’t see what was right in front of him. He was all about Sophia saying, “She is my doing and my undoing.” Yeah, he’s fictional. Guys in real life aren’t as deep as, “I’ve always feared she would find completion without me, and I’d be around, stupid and unperfected, forever.” Well, at least not the ones I know.
I loved this book. It is well written, magical yet with a strand of reality weaved through it. I wished there was a man like Daniel following me through time, hoping to see me at every corner. This book was easily a 4, maybe even a 5. That is until I got to the ending, it not what I expected. There was so many ways Ms. Brashares could have gone only she didn’t. When I read that last sentence, I was so angry that I invested hours on this story. I was so mad, I couldn’t remember one redeeming factor. I finished this novel about a week ago and I am only now doing the review. You wouldn’t have wanted to read my initial one, it wouldn’t have been fair to Ms. Brashares or this story.
Now that I’ve had time to think of it as a whole, I believe that above all things, this is one of the greatest love stories ever told. It has so many great lines, I got so much from this. I loved that she wrote, “Hope was the thing you picked to happen, and fear was the thing you picked not to happen, and often with him they were blurred.” And even this one which describes how I felt reading it, or actually how we all feel about something we love, “As I’ve said, it’s desire more than anything else that keeps us coming back for more.”
This is a great story. A must read for all. I can’t imagine one person out there who won’t enjoy it. My one complaint is that the ending isn’t at all what I thought it would be. It’s not that it didn’t go in the direction I wanted it just…oh well, read and see for yourself. I am interested to hear what you think of it. show less
In this story, our hero is Daniel who with each reincarnation remembers his past lives. In his first life, he meets a girl whom he shares an instant connection however, she is lost to him. He runs into her again in the 500s, this time as his brother’s wife Sophia. And this is where the love story begins. Well, that’s where it begins for Daniel but for Lucy it begins in 2004 where she meets fellow high school student Daniel whom she can’t stop thinking about.
It was show more so easy to fall in love with this book. Ms. Brashares magically weaves Daniel and Sophia’s love story through time. I’m a bit of a cynic and I completely believed her. I kept thinking about whom in my life I have known before and I don’t even believe in past lives.
I loved the character of Lucy. I loved getting to know her and watching her gain her identity through her discoveries. She was all things at once: confident and insecure, guarded and giving. This is my favorite thing about Lucy, “She went around with a broken heart, and she wasn’t sure who’d broken it. She thought it was herself, mostly.” As a fellow broken heart girl, I know exactly where she’s coming from.
I enjoyed reading Daniel’s point of view of his pursuit of love for Sophia, but there were times when I wanted him to get over it and stop living in the past. He was so focused on what happened that he couldn’t see what was right in front of him. He was all about Sophia saying, “She is my doing and my undoing.” Yeah, he’s fictional. Guys in real life aren’t as deep as, “I’ve always feared she would find completion without me, and I’d be around, stupid and unperfected, forever.” Well, at least not the ones I know.
I loved this book. It is well written, magical yet with a strand of reality weaved through it. I wished there was a man like Daniel following me through time, hoping to see me at every corner. This book was easily a 4, maybe even a 5. That is until I got to the ending, it not what I expected. There was so many ways Ms. Brashares could have gone only she didn’t. When I read that last sentence, I was so angry that I invested hours on this story. I was so mad, I couldn’t remember one redeeming factor. I finished this novel about a week ago and I am only now doing the review. You wouldn’t have wanted to read my initial one, it wouldn’t have been fair to Ms. Brashares or this story.
Now that I’ve had time to think of it as a whole, I believe that above all things, this is one of the greatest love stories ever told. It has so many great lines, I got so much from this. I loved that she wrote, “Hope was the thing you picked to happen, and fear was the thing you picked not to happen, and often with him they were blurred.” And even this one which describes how I felt reading it, or actually how we all feel about something we love, “As I’ve said, it’s desire more than anything else that keeps us coming back for more.”
This is a great story. A must read for all. I can’t imagine one person out there who won’t enjoy it. My one complaint is that the ending isn’t at all what I thought it would be. It’s not that it didn’t go in the direction I wanted it just…oh well, read and see for yourself. I am interested to hear what you think of it. show less
Daniel has been in love with Sophia for hundreds of years. He’s not a vampire or an immortal or a demon, but merely a human man who can remember his past lives. Daniel and Sophia’s lives have intertwined more than once and things usually end unhappily. In 2004, he has found her (now named Lucy) in Hopewood, Virginia with his ability to recognize souls he previously encountered. He purposefully avoids her for years through high school and finally tries to speak to her on the day before graduation. He only succeeds in frightening her with his talk of their past and pushing her away. They separate and Daniel figures it’s best if he no longer interferes in her life. A few years later, she can’t forget about him, so she researches show more some of his claims and tries to find him. A complication arises when Joaquim, Daniel’s brother from his first life, poses as Daniel and dates Lucy. Over the years, Joaquim has cultivated a hatred for Daniel and seeks to sabotage Daniel and Lucy’s relationship. Will Daniel seek Lucy out and realize what Joaquim is doing?
I didn’t really know what to expect from Anne Brashares since I haven’t read anything else that she’s written, but I was completely blown away by this book. I figured it would be cheesy and cliché because the basic plot has been done before. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The story is told in alternating chapters from the point of view of Lucy and Daniel. Lucy’s narrative takes place in the present and features her journey from skepticism to acceptance and the discoveries she makes along the way. Daniel’s story, on the other hand, takes place largely in his past lives, showing how their lives have affected each other’s and how each of those lives has ended.
I enjoyed Daniel’s point of view more because of the span and depth of his memories. Brashares excels at creating different moods and settings for her characters with his narrative. It also showed why he has such strong feelings for Lucy, instead of just defaulting to fate. One aspect that I found especially interesting was that Daniel wasn’t present for any incredibly famous historical events. It would have been contrived if he had. He even points out that in the past before information could be instantly exchanged, important events went generally unnoticed to those in the rest of the world. It made the fantastical premise of the novel more grounded in reality and believable. Plus, Daniel’s chapters were in a different, less modern font, giving his story a different feel and look from Lucy’s modern story telling.
The only part of the novel that I didn’t like was the ending. There is no real resolution for the couple at the novel’s conclusion. I feel incredibly emotionally invested in their story, so there better be another book! I would definitely recommend this to fans of books like The Time Traveler’s Wife, where love spans time and space. show less
I didn’t really know what to expect from Anne Brashares since I haven’t read anything else that she’s written, but I was completely blown away by this book. I figured it would be cheesy and cliché because the basic plot has been done before. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The story is told in alternating chapters from the point of view of Lucy and Daniel. Lucy’s narrative takes place in the present and features her journey from skepticism to acceptance and the discoveries she makes along the way. Daniel’s story, on the other hand, takes place largely in his past lives, showing how their lives have affected each other’s and how each of those lives has ended.
I enjoyed Daniel’s point of view more because of the span and depth of his memories. Brashares excels at creating different moods and settings for her characters with his narrative. It also showed why he has such strong feelings for Lucy, instead of just defaulting to fate. One aspect that I found especially interesting was that Daniel wasn’t present for any incredibly famous historical events. It would have been contrived if he had. He even points out that in the past before information could be instantly exchanged, important events went generally unnoticed to those in the rest of the world. It made the fantastical premise of the novel more grounded in reality and believable. Plus, Daniel’s chapters were in a different, less modern font, giving his story a different feel and look from Lucy’s modern story telling.
The only part of the novel that I didn’t like was the ending. There is no real resolution for the couple at the novel’s conclusion. I feel incredibly emotionally invested in their story, so there better be another book! I would definitely recommend this to fans of books like The Time Traveler’s Wife, where love spans time and space. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.I know I'm about 10 years late to the game, but never has a book made me want to throw it across the room more than this one! I really couldn't decide on giving this book three stars for breaking my heart or the five stars it deserves for a beautiful novel...so, I settled on four.
I'm so disappointed that this novel isn't going anywhere. It's stuck with the ending it was given in the hopes of a sequel, but NOPE...10 years later...not happening! And the late-to-the-game people like me, read this book fully invested, and come out completely HEART BROKEN with the ending. I'm dead.
Now, I'm not saying don't read this book...DO! But realize the ending is going to completely devastate you and leave you with all the feels.
I'm so disappointed that this novel isn't going anywhere. It's stuck with the ending it was given in the hopes of a sequel, but NOPE...10 years later...not happening! And the late-to-the-game people like me, read this book fully invested, and come out completely HEART BROKEN with the ending. I'm dead.
Now, I'm not saying don't read this book...DO! But realize the ending is going to completely devastate you and leave you with all the feels.
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Author Information
28+ Works 39,065 Members
Author Ann Brashares grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland and graduated from the Sidwell Friends School in 1985. She met her husband while studying philosophy at Barnard College, which is part of Columbia University, in New York City. She worked as an editor in the hopes of saving money for graduate school, but she enjoyed her job so much that she show more continued to do it until she became a full-time author with her first novel, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Since then, she has written five more novels in the popular series; the latest one is entitled, Sisterhood Everlasting. She has also written as her first novel for adults: The Last Summer (of You and Me). In 2005, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was adapted into a movie. She currently lives with her husband and their children in New York. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Ann Brashares is a LibraryThing Author, an author who lists their personal library on LibraryThing.
Some Editions
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- My Name Is Memory
- Original publication date
- 2010
- People/Characters
- Daniel Grey; Lucy; Sophia
- Important places
- Virginia, USA
- Epigraph
- Not asking the sky to come down to my good will,
Scattering it freely forever.
- Walt Whitman, "Song of Myself" - Dedication
- For my dearest Nate, who has a gift for remembering
- First words
- I have lived more than a thousand years.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Love demands everything, they say, but my love demands only this: that no matter what happens or how long it takes, you'll keep faith in me, you'll remember who we are, and you'll never feel despair.
Yours forever,
Daniel
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- Reviews
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- Rating
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- 8 — Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese
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- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 27
- ASINs
- 11
