The Sea Of Forgotten Memories

by Federico Chini

Three mysterious deaths. Three generations. One Family.

1980. Maltese Islands. The tragic death of fisherman sparks the investigation of the local police inspector. Was Ġorġ Muscat's death just an accident or was it murder? To understand the present, one has to look at the past. But the past is never what it seems.

Genres: Mystery

270 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 6, 2011

Reviews

[Mo Ja · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, it was not easy to understand who is who. By after a few pages I felt into the story and I couldn't put the book down.
The description of the beautiful island of Gozo and it's inhabitants is magnificent. And the end did surprise me.
If you never visited Gozo it will be a must after reading this book.

[Jeannine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this while traveling in Malta on vacation. I did find the flashbacks a bit difficult to follow, but once I figured out the family and relationships, it was easier to follow and understand the connections. I’m not sure I would call it a thriller; probably more of a tragedy. It was an easy read, however could have used a better job at editing - there were some words in wrong order as well as missing words that jarred me as I read. I knew what was trying to be said, but the number of mistakes was distracting.

[Sue Kozlowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as part of my quest to read a book written by an author from every country in the world. The author of this novel is from Malta.

I really enjoyed this story. I read it in a couple of sittings. A couple of observations - First, I believe this book was self-published. The copyright says 'Federico Chini'. That could explain why there are so many obvious typos! A large publisher would never print a book with so many errors.

The story takes place on the island of Gozo, which is a small island north of Malta. A man and his son get caught in a storm while out on their fishing boat. The son is knocked unconscious by lightning. When he awakens, his father is no longer on board. When he comes ashore, he is suspected of killing his father because there was a lot of blood in the boat.

Each chapter bounces forward and backward to different time periods which makes it confusing.
There are many other characters involved in the story. When I finished the book, I didn't understand the mystery that is supposedly divulged.

I hope that someone reads this and lets me know what happened. Since I am hiding this review, I will give my ideas - but I am still missing parts of the story!

I believe that Anna Marija did not kill herself nor was she killed by her husband, Gorg. I believe that she left her son Dwardu behind and left with Richard and went to live with him in England. She was already pregnant - I think that Sarah is her grown daughter, who has come to live on Gozo now.
The story is narrated in first person by a person named Sam - At the end of the story, Dwardu is in Sam's house and he finds a photograph of his mother (Ann Marija) and himself. He has the same photo at his house but this one is a little different. Dwardu is thinking about the picture "The people were the same: his mother and him, but the location had changed. The little beach in Marsalforn looked larger and with fewer buildings behind it, just as it had been in the 1920's. It was strange, as if the two figures had been cut out of their background and placed in a different, older setting. His mother's hair was different too: curlier and darker."

What does this mean?? I don't get it. And who the heck is Sam??

[Annalise · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is always special when you read a novel featuring an island which holds so many of my own childhood memories - it becomes even more of a treat when it is written beautifully and with soul. Throughout the novel one can sense the deep connection the author has with the island of Gozo and its people, whether describing the setting or detailing some curious facts or lesser known (and often uncomfortable) untold secrets.
Definitely looking forward to more works by this author.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved reading this story while I was on the beautiful island of Gozo where it is set! There are some wonderful moments and the setting is described perfectly. However, the story does not quite hold together and there are way too many typographical errors.

[Penny G · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I was expecting more of a murder mystery. It was interesting to read about village life in Malta.

[Rob Ricards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story populated by real people whose lives coalesce into a satisfying whole. Along the way, the history and geography, the folklore and the crafts all come up with something fascinating or educational. The closeness, the cruelty and the love that is the island makes the book redolent of the mid-Med island of Gozo. It's a universal tale, but there must be a large local market - maybe local television could do something with it. The Australian market is the biggest and best - the book would be vivid in those far-away minds. They will yearn for the 'Club' in Nadur and will want to wander along the Menqa, around the Citadel and sit on Ta-Cenc and meet Sarah.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was an ok book, the storyline was interesting but for me it seemed the author added in too many unessary details, & went back in time way too often making it a little hard to keep up & understand.

[Justine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really did not I understand the end.