Review of ‘The Memory Thief’

Synopsis

Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Victoria Aveyard, The Memory Thief by debut author Lauren Mansy brings readers on an unforgettable journey through the city of Craewick---a city where memories are currency, citizens are divided by ability, and “Gifted” individuals can take memories from others as they please.

In the realms of The Memory Thief, memories are currency that can be traded for goods, services, skills, and experiences. A group of people—the Gifted—can steal and redistribute memories. Etta is secretly one of them, but she hasn’t used her Gifted abilities since she left the rebel Shadows following her mother’s accident two years ago. But when her mother is again in danger, Etta has no choice but to return to the underground group in order to complete her greatest heist and save her mother’s life. Etta faces startling attacks, unexpected romance, and above all, her own past as she uncovers a conspiracy that challenges everything she knew about herself and the world around her.

In a place where nothing is what it seems, can Etta ever become more than a memory thief?

Review

While impressive, the beginning has a very rough structure. The author plops the reader into the world without any world-building, and it is not always easy to follow. The Memory Thief is a fantasy novel where the characters have many gifts; however, following these gifts is hard. The author is not clear on the world works or on how the gifts work. It just comes across as very confusing for the reader who is trying to figure out who Etta is and what her place is in the world. It just is not clear construction-wise.

As the plot develops, the story explores the differences between the Gifted magic and their societal position versus the Ungifted. So, the author does go into detail with developing the world, but it takes a while. The focus of the opening chapters is establishing the villain and the tension between the villain and Etta.

Nevertheless, in the beginning, Etta is not a very compelling character. There is much internal struggle for her character as she struggles to reconcile her past mistakes. As a story focused on memory and the power of it, how they make us feel and influence our personalities and decisions. So she does become a compelling character, eventually, but the opening chapters do not make her appealing. Thankfully her dynamics with Reid offer up a lot of tension and character development, making her a more compelling character in the long run.

Ultimately The Memory Thief is an okay novel. It is something unique, highlighting the power of memory and how important memories are, but the first quarter of the story, both the structure of the storytelling and the characterization is lacking. (★★★☆☆)

Key Selling Points

Is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Victoria Aveyard

Brings readers on an unforgettable journey during which Etta must learn—often the hard way—just what it will take to save her city and her mother

Is a clean, coming of age YA fantasy, with unexpected romance by up-and-coming author Lauren Mansy

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About the Author

Cynthia Bujnicki graduated from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature and Publishing. She has always loved to read since she was a child. A contributing writer for YA Fantasy Addicts, she is also the Editor-in-Chief for Cyn's Workshop. She lives in sunny South Florida with her husband and son and their two cats, Mr. J the Kitten and Nyx.