48 pages • 1 hour read
Yoko OgawaThe Memory Police
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1994A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Yoko Ogawa’s The Memory Police, the protagonist, an unnamed novelist, lives on an island where objects and their associated memories disappear under the control of an authoritarian force called the Memory Police. With her editor, R, who can remember the disappeared items, she constructs a secret hideaway for him. As they grapple with the loss of objects, an endless winter, and the erasure of body parts, the protagonist tries to complete her manuscript while hiding from the Memory Police.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
In The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa, reviewers commend the haunting narrative and its exploration of memory and loss. The atmosphere is broadly praised for its eerie and unsettling tone. Some find the pacing slow and the plot somewhat repetitive. Overall, it is acclaimed for its emotional depth and thought-provoking themes.
Who Should Read The Memory Police?
Ideal for fans of 1984 by George Orwell and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, readers who enjoy dystopian fiction with a poetic and haunting narrative will appreciate The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa. This novel explores themes of memory, loss, and identity in a surreal, oppressive society, making it perfect for literary fiction enthusiasts.