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Memoria Duology #1
Last Memoria
A character-driven and heartbreaking, dark-fantasy thriller about flawed people making flawed decisions. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets Joe Abercrombie.
SPFBO6 Finalist.
Sarilla has learnt one thing from stealing memories. Everybody lies.
There's nothing Sarilla hates more than stealing memories, but the king forces her to take them to keep his subjects in line. She wants to escape to where nobody knows what she is or what she can do, but her plans go awry when she runs into Falon.
Falon has a six month void in his memories that he's desperate to restore. He doesn't know why they were taken or what they contained, nor why the man he loves is acting so cagily about what happened during that time. He hopes to use Sarilla to get back his stolen memories and doesn't care what she wants or why she's desperate to escape. She will help him get them back, whether she wants to or not.
SPFBO6 Finalist.
Sarilla has learnt one thing from stealing memories. Everybody lies.
There's nothing Sarilla hates more than stealing memories, but the king forces her to take them to keep his subjects in line. She wants to escape to where nobody knows what she is or what she can do, but her plans go awry when she runs into Falon.
Falon has a six month void in his memories that he's desperate to restore. He doesn't know why they were taken or what they contained, nor why the man he loves is acting so cagily about what happened during that time. He hopes to use Sarilla to get back his stolen memories and doesn't care what she wants or why she's desperate to escape. She will help him get them back, whether she wants to or not.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 10, 2020
17 people are currently reading
1801 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Emma Shaw
7 books63 followersSlytherin author with a Hufflepuff soul. <3
https://linktr.ee/RachelEmmaShaw
Rachel Emma Shaw is a London based author. She started writing as an escape from her PhD in neuroscience and has never stopped. She lives in a house slowly being consumed by plants and loves being outdoors. She will frequently attempt to write her books in local parks, only to inevitably end up falling asleep in the sun. If you want her to hurry up and write more books then wish for rain. Her best work is done when it's stormy outside.
Her debut novel is Last Memoria, a story about love, lies and memory thieves.
Her website: https://rachelemmashaw.wordpress.com/
Her e-mail newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/b736c7485e1c/rache...
Her Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rachelthesto...
Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachel_emma...
Her Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/paintedre...
Her Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelEmma_Shaw
https://linktr.ee/RachelEmmaShaw
Rachel Emma Shaw is a London based author. She started writing as an escape from her PhD in neuroscience and has never stopped. She lives in a house slowly being consumed by plants and loves being outdoors. She will frequently attempt to write her books in local parks, only to inevitably end up falling asleep in the sun. If you want her to hurry up and write more books then wish for rain. Her best work is done when it's stormy outside.
Her debut novel is Last Memoria, a story about love, lies and memory thieves.
Her website: https://rachelemmashaw.wordpress.com/
Her e-mail newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/b736c7485e1c/rache...
Her Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rachelthesto...
Her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachel_emma...
Her Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/paintedre...
Her Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelEmma_Shaw
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
March 19, 2020
Update 2: Holly 🐄 you have to read this book because it's amazing and because I love it and because you will love it and because I can't stop thinking about it and because I can't read something else without taking breaks to think at it!!!
Does this review work for you??? How can you sit and write down a review for a book that you feel you could keep rereading it for the rest of your life, for a book that when you want to recommend it to people, you see yourself whispering in their ear "If you don't read this book I'm gonna lock you under the ocean without any book to read." while you have a crazy mad smile on your face?!
Update: It's so hard to put my thoughts together and to write at least ONE comprehensive sentence!!!
MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE OF THE YEAR SO FAR!!!
Review to come! I need some time to piece myself together...
Does this review work for you??? How can you sit and write down a review for a book that you feel you could keep rereading it for the rest of your life, for a book that when you want to recommend it to people, you see yourself whispering in their ear "If you don't read this book I'm gonna lock you under the ocean without any book to read." while you have a crazy mad smile on your face?!
Update: It's so hard to put my thoughts together and to write at least ONE comprehensive sentence!!!
MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE OF THE YEAR SO FAR!!!
Review to come! I need some time to piece myself together...
June 5, 2020
Everybody Lies, Cheats and Steals!
This was such a great surprise and I was completely blown away! So much happened in this book and not one bit was predictable and everything in it was completely different from everything I have ever read before. I liked that it followed a kind of standard fantasy format of a journey that the main characters were on where they were not all necessarily friends but they had to fight together and they became the people the each other needed to rely on to survive.
Another thing I liked about this was the recurring theme of “everybody lies, cheats, and steals”. The main character and heroine, Sarilla, says that over and over. Sarilla is a Memoria, or at least a half breed and she was born at the palace. The King, Renford, has been using her and he family as his father did before him to root out traitors because Memoria’s can take people’s memories by touching them and tell the king what is in the memories. He uses that to find traitors and execute them.
Most people, including Sarilla think that makes them monsters. The King considers Sarilla his pet and both loves her and hates her. He has made her hate herself as well. The book begins with Sarilla and her brother on the run after escaping the palace and are on their way to meet their father and younger sister in a town called Arvendon, after her mother has died from taking too many memories and going crazy. However, Sarilla and her brother Rysen get separated and Rysen is caught by the King and his men. So Sarilla heads toward Arvendon to try to free him.
Sarilla meets up with three men traveling to the palace who know who she is and take her hostage. Sarilla is not happy about this because she knows two of the men. One is Falon, a man she was in love with who had some of his memories taken from him and knows who she is, but does not remember her. Another is his best friend Cedral, and the third is a new friend of theirs from Arvendon named Havrick.
They think she is a monster but take her with because she is the King’s favorite pet and they know they will be able to bargain with the King for her. As usual with any fantasy adventure there are many perils along the way as well as things they find out about each other and themselves. The biggest thing I liked was who really is the monster in the story. There are so many. Everybody thinks it is Sarilla and the Memoria, which it is in a way. She even thinks she is a monster.
The Memoria people definitely are, but they sort of have a reason to be. The King is definitely one of the worst, but then he is trying to defend his people as well. The traitors are as well, but they are trying to get the King to stop focusing on his own people and start defending them against the real threat. And there are others as well. In the end there is a romance and a love story that as all the feels, and made me cry like a baby a few times. I actually loved it so much more than I thought I would. Kudos to Rachel Emma Shaw!
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
This was such a great surprise and I was completely blown away! So much happened in this book and not one bit was predictable and everything in it was completely different from everything I have ever read before. I liked that it followed a kind of standard fantasy format of a journey that the main characters were on where they were not all necessarily friends but they had to fight together and they became the people the each other needed to rely on to survive.
Another thing I liked about this was the recurring theme of “everybody lies, cheats, and steals”. The main character and heroine, Sarilla, says that over and over. Sarilla is a Memoria, or at least a half breed and she was born at the palace. The King, Renford, has been using her and he family as his father did before him to root out traitors because Memoria’s can take people’s memories by touching them and tell the king what is in the memories. He uses that to find traitors and execute them.
Most people, including Sarilla think that makes them monsters. The King considers Sarilla his pet and both loves her and hates her. He has made her hate herself as well. The book begins with Sarilla and her brother on the run after escaping the palace and are on their way to meet their father and younger sister in a town called Arvendon, after her mother has died from taking too many memories and going crazy. However, Sarilla and her brother Rysen get separated and Rysen is caught by the King and his men. So Sarilla heads toward Arvendon to try to free him.
Sarilla meets up with three men traveling to the palace who know who she is and take her hostage. Sarilla is not happy about this because she knows two of the men. One is Falon, a man she was in love with who had some of his memories taken from him and knows who she is, but does not remember her. Another is his best friend Cedral, and the third is a new friend of theirs from Arvendon named Havrick.
They think she is a monster but take her with because she is the King’s favorite pet and they know they will be able to bargain with the King for her. As usual with any fantasy adventure there are many perils along the way as well as things they find out about each other and themselves. The biggest thing I liked was who really is the monster in the story. There are so many. Everybody thinks it is Sarilla and the Memoria, which it is in a way. She even thinks she is a monster.
The Memoria people definitely are, but they sort of have a reason to be. The King is definitely one of the worst, but then he is trying to defend his people as well. The traitors are as well, but they are trying to get the King to stop focusing on his own people and start defending them against the real threat. And there are others as well. In the end there is a romance and a love story that as all the feels, and made me cry like a baby a few times. I actually loved it so much more than I thought I would. Kudos to Rachel Emma Shaw!
I voluntarily read & reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
May 1, 2020
It is funny how the last book I read was about people losing their memories after using magic and this one is about people who can steal memories and it is totally coincidental!!
May 12, 2020
5/5 stars
At the start of this year, I made a mental note to myself that I would be extremely picky on the ARCs I’d request and/or except, in order not to overwhelm myself in this busy time. Unless I was already highly anticipating a release, I wasn’t going to let myself be tempted… Yet something about the synopsis of Last Memoria made me break my own rule. When the author approached me, offering an ARC in exchange for an honest review, I was intrigued enough to dive in blind. And I came out with one of the best indie-fantasy works I’ve ever read…
Last Memoria is a dark fantasy novel about a young woman, cursed with the magical ability to steal memories by touching others, making her what’s known as a “Memoria”. As any other Memoria before her, she is feared, shunned and labelled a monster by society. After all; stealing a memory is the most heinous crime imaginable: taking away a piece of someone’s identity and leaving a hole behind.
No one knows this better than Falon, who has had his memories taken by Sarilla, and will do anything to do to get them back. When their paths cross, the stakes for both of them are higher than they could have ever imagined.
Last Memoria is in many ways quite different from your standard high fantasy novel.
First of all: it’s one of those character-focussed, slower paced stories that I adore, yet the characters might not be what you typically expect in a fantasy novel. There are no hero’s or villains; only morally grey people trying to do the best they can in the circumstances they’re trapped in. Even though there is a high-stake plotline involved, all of the protagonists struggles feel deeply personal to them. The only reason this works so well is how wonderfully authentic they are written.
Secondly, the worldbuilding, magic system and atmosphere are wonderful, but also different from what many of us are used to in traditional fantasy. Despite being very different, it gave me the same vibes that The Witcherdid: the world feel foreign and often hostile towards our protagonists, and it’s magic is drenched with dark consequences and is anything but desirable. For some reason, to me, that made it feel more real.
Third- and lastly, it’s that dark shadow that permeates throughout everything that makes this book unique. When we talk about “dark fantasy”, we think of books like Nevernightor A Game of Thrones, showing off their darkness with flashy battles and bloody murder scenes. Last Memoria on the other hand is “quietly dark”. Focussing on themes of identity, memories and loneliness, it has it’s roots firmly in very real terrifying matters like dementia and mental health. This bleak and almost existential undertone will put of some readers who are looking for a nice escapist fantasy read. On the other hand, it will make for a very memorable (pardon the pun) experience for anyone open to it.
One of the massive benefits of independent publishing is the freedom to create something authentic and original, outside the constraints of what a publisher thinks will “sell”. Last Memoria makes perfect use of that by creating a world and story that feel unique and unlike anything I’ve read before.
One of the downsides of indie-publishing, however, is that it’s harder to get your book to be noticed by the masses, no matter how much it deserves to. I’d be delighted if this review can help even a little bit to change that. If you’re looking to support a lovely indie-author or if you’re just in the mood for an original fantasy, this is one I’d highly recommend.
At the start of this year, I made a mental note to myself that I would be extremely picky on the ARCs I’d request and/or except, in order not to overwhelm myself in this busy time. Unless I was already highly anticipating a release, I wasn’t going to let myself be tempted… Yet something about the synopsis of Last Memoria made me break my own rule. When the author approached me, offering an ARC in exchange for an honest review, I was intrigued enough to dive in blind. And I came out with one of the best indie-fantasy works I’ve ever read…
Last Memoria is a dark fantasy novel about a young woman, cursed with the magical ability to steal memories by touching others, making her what’s known as a “Memoria”. As any other Memoria before her, she is feared, shunned and labelled a monster by society. After all; stealing a memory is the most heinous crime imaginable: taking away a piece of someone’s identity and leaving a hole behind.
No one knows this better than Falon, who has had his memories taken by Sarilla, and will do anything to do to get them back. When their paths cross, the stakes for both of them are higher than they could have ever imagined.
Last Memoria is in many ways quite different from your standard high fantasy novel.
First of all: it’s one of those character-focussed, slower paced stories that I adore, yet the characters might not be what you typically expect in a fantasy novel. There are no hero’s or villains; only morally grey people trying to do the best they can in the circumstances they’re trapped in. Even though there is a high-stake plotline involved, all of the protagonists struggles feel deeply personal to them. The only reason this works so well is how wonderfully authentic they are written.
Secondly, the worldbuilding, magic system and atmosphere are wonderful, but also different from what many of us are used to in traditional fantasy. Despite being very different, it gave me the same vibes that The Witcherdid: the world feel foreign and often hostile towards our protagonists, and it’s magic is drenched with dark consequences and is anything but desirable. For some reason, to me, that made it feel more real.
Third- and lastly, it’s that dark shadow that permeates throughout everything that makes this book unique. When we talk about “dark fantasy”, we think of books like Nevernightor A Game of Thrones, showing off their darkness with flashy battles and bloody murder scenes. Last Memoria on the other hand is “quietly dark”. Focussing on themes of identity, memories and loneliness, it has it’s roots firmly in very real terrifying matters like dementia and mental health. This bleak and almost existential undertone will put of some readers who are looking for a nice escapist fantasy read. On the other hand, it will make for a very memorable (pardon the pun) experience for anyone open to it.
One of the massive benefits of independent publishing is the freedom to create something authentic and original, outside the constraints of what a publisher thinks will “sell”. Last Memoria makes perfect use of that by creating a world and story that feel unique and unlike anything I’ve read before.
One of the downsides of indie-publishing, however, is that it’s harder to get your book to be noticed by the masses, no matter how much it deserves to. I’d be delighted if this review can help even a little bit to change that. If you’re looking to support a lovely indie-author or if you’re just in the mood for an original fantasy, this is one I’d highly recommend.
January 14, 2021
Sarilla has learnt one thing from stealing memories. Everybody lies.
Last Memoria’s cover and blurb picked my interest as soon as Weatherwax Report announced it as their SPFBO 2020 finalist. Strong opening chapters coupled with an interesting premise (memory thieves) made me eager to dive into the story. Ultimately, I enjoyed the book, but for different reasons than expected. In the Last Memoria, nothing is what it initially seems.
Plot & Structure
The story, divided into two parts told in first-person by Sarilla and Falon, shows each tale has at least two sides, and memories tend to warp the way we perceive reality. Both parts happen in the same timeline and focus on protagonists trying to flee the abusive king. As the story progresses, readers learn about the characters’ pasts, relationships, and the world. The simple plot (good guys on a run from the bad guy) serves as a background to the deep dive into Sarilla’s and Falon’s psyche and identity. I found the plot simplistic and unconvincing, but I didn’t mind because of the focus on more interesting things. Specifically, the ways in which memories shape us and define our identity.
Characters
I can’t call Last Memoria’s protagonists heroes. They’re flawed, traumatized, and far from following a strict moral compass. People around them hate them and abuse them. The king keeps his subjects in line, using Sarilla to steal their memories. And she does everything he asks her, despite his cruelty and hatred she feels toward him (it’s much more complicated).
While we learn a lot about two major characters, the secondary ones remain indistinct. I still don’t understand the king’s motivation - is he just a power-hungry asshole and megalomaniac? If yes, why? Just because?
Point of view
Sarilla narrates the first half of Last Memoria, and Falon the second. Despite her self-hatred, Sarilla remains interesting and complex. If only the world around her would allow for it, she would do good. Alas, her compatriots despise and fear Memori for their power. Sarilla considers herself a monster, and it strongly influences her point of view. Admirably, though, she believes people should get a second chance. A pity she doesn’t treat herself this way. Her chapters impressed me with emotional depth and strong writing.
Falon’s perspective is less appealing than Sarilla’s, and the abrupt change in POV felt jarring. At first. His self-discovery packed a nice twist near the end, but he served mainly as a lens allowing readers to observe Sarilla’s development. I'm probably unfair, Falon develops as a character as well, but I didn't care about him.
I love the first-person narration, and Shaw has done it well.
Setting
The setting is interesting but introduced through slightly boring pieces of exposition. I couldn't imagine the world at large, but what I got allowed me to see things important to the plot development. And I like it this way. As a reader, I don't care for detailed world-building.
Magic
Fascinating stuff - memori can steal or replace memories. Their powers aren’t fully explained but I found the concept fascinating. Shaw's narrative demonstrated how powerful memories are in shaping us and influencing our decisions.
Voice / tone
Last Memoria won’t lighten readers’ mood. In anything, it’ll make them more depressed. Nothing a glass of wine or dark chocolate can’t fix, though. The focus on trauma and, in the case of Sarilla, self-loathing, makes the reading experience disturbing, but also fascinating.
Early in the book, the author makes bold choices that will probably twist readers’ expectations concerning certain characters and their possible role in the story. The protagonists’ realizations and self-exploration result in a painful and heart-wrenching finale. You want HEA? Look elsewhere. Or in the sequel. Who knows what the author has in store for her protagonists?
Timing/pacing
Not the fastest book I read this year, but still engaging. I had an issue with the excess of exposition in parts of the narrative, but I also felt it helped to understand the context. Chapters usually finish on solid hooks that force readers to continue reading.
In closing
Even though the plot contains holes and feels simplistic, Last Memoria has an emotional depth that appealed to me and made the reading experience worthwhile. It tackles unique themes, and its unusual structure helps to explore them. An intriguing read, for sure.
7/10
Last Memoria’s cover and blurb picked my interest as soon as Weatherwax Report announced it as their SPFBO 2020 finalist. Strong opening chapters coupled with an interesting premise (memory thieves) made me eager to dive into the story. Ultimately, I enjoyed the book, but for different reasons than expected. In the Last Memoria, nothing is what it initially seems.
Plot & Structure
The story, divided into two parts told in first-person by Sarilla and Falon, shows each tale has at least two sides, and memories tend to warp the way we perceive reality. Both parts happen in the same timeline and focus on protagonists trying to flee the abusive king. As the story progresses, readers learn about the characters’ pasts, relationships, and the world. The simple plot (good guys on a run from the bad guy) serves as a background to the deep dive into Sarilla’s and Falon’s psyche and identity. I found the plot simplistic and unconvincing, but I didn’t mind because of the focus on more interesting things. Specifically, the ways in which memories shape us and define our identity.
Characters
I can’t call Last Memoria’s protagonists heroes. They’re flawed, traumatized, and far from following a strict moral compass. People around them hate them and abuse them. The king keeps his subjects in line, using Sarilla to steal their memories. And she does everything he asks her, despite his cruelty and hatred she feels toward him (it’s much more complicated).
While we learn a lot about two major characters, the secondary ones remain indistinct. I still don’t understand the king’s motivation - is he just a power-hungry asshole and megalomaniac? If yes, why? Just because?
Point of view
Sarilla narrates the first half of Last Memoria, and Falon the second. Despite her self-hatred, Sarilla remains interesting and complex. If only the world around her would allow for it, she would do good. Alas, her compatriots despise and fear Memori for their power. Sarilla considers herself a monster, and it strongly influences her point of view. Admirably, though, she believes people should get a second chance. A pity she doesn’t treat herself this way. Her chapters impressed me with emotional depth and strong writing.
Falon’s perspective is less appealing than Sarilla’s, and the abrupt change in POV felt jarring. At first. His self-discovery packed a nice twist near the end, but he served mainly as a lens allowing readers to observe Sarilla’s development. I'm probably unfair, Falon develops as a character as well, but I didn't care about him.
I love the first-person narration, and Shaw has done it well.
Setting
The setting is interesting but introduced through slightly boring pieces of exposition. I couldn't imagine the world at large, but what I got allowed me to see things important to the plot development. And I like it this way. As a reader, I don't care for detailed world-building.
Magic
Fascinating stuff - memori can steal or replace memories. Their powers aren’t fully explained but I found the concept fascinating. Shaw's narrative demonstrated how powerful memories are in shaping us and influencing our decisions.
Voice / tone
Last Memoria won’t lighten readers’ mood. In anything, it’ll make them more depressed. Nothing a glass of wine or dark chocolate can’t fix, though. The focus on trauma and, in the case of Sarilla, self-loathing, makes the reading experience disturbing, but also fascinating.
Early in the book, the author makes bold choices that will probably twist readers’ expectations concerning certain characters and their possible role in the story. The protagonists’ realizations and self-exploration result in a painful and heart-wrenching finale. You want HEA? Look elsewhere. Or in the sequel. Who knows what the author has in store for her protagonists?
Timing/pacing
Not the fastest book I read this year, but still engaging. I had an issue with the excess of exposition in parts of the narrative, but I also felt it helped to understand the context. Chapters usually finish on solid hooks that force readers to continue reading.
In closing
Even though the plot contains holes and feels simplistic, Last Memoria has an emotional depth that appealed to me and made the reading experience worthwhile. It tackles unique themes, and its unusual structure helps to explore them. An intriguing read, for sure.
7/10
May 12, 2020
[actual rating: 4.5 stars] [
available now
!] i enjoyed Last Memoria even more than i thought i would. it is the first book in the Memoria Duology series and it follows the story of Sarilla, who is half-human and half-Memoria—which basically means that, just like her siblings, Rysen and Lya, she has the power to steal memories from other people by simply touching them with her hands. as a consequence, however, her hands and arms are almost completely covered in black marks – one for each memory she has stolen. the novel starts with Sarilla and Rysen running away from the King, Renford (who also happens to be their uncle—their mother's cruel, non-magical half-brother) and his army, and trying to get to the city of Arvendon to warn their sister, Lya, about him and the danger she is in. Sarilla and her siblings were raised in the castle, but the King's protection had a price: he forced their mother to steal memories from his enemies and political rivals and, after she went insane because of it, he wanted Sarilla to take her place. LM is divided into two parts; part one is told from Sarilla's point of view, while part two is told from Falon's, the other main character. i enjoyed both parts equally, really, but i especially loved Sarilla as a character (“she is the beast who broke a thousand minds. the pillager of thoughts and feelings from innocent and guilty alike. the snake that filed down her fangs and curbed her appetite for goose flesh, all so she might bide her time among the meek”). the characters in this book are all very realistic and well-developed, and my favourite one was definitely Havric. LM is beautifully written and engrossing from start to finish, it drew me in right from the start and i just couldn't put it down. the ending took my breath away and i can't wait to read the sequel, Scars of Cereba. if you're looking for a good, fast-paced fantasy novel with morally grey characters and unpredictable plot twists, and like reading about magical forests, memory loss and manipulation, the old concept of the fight between good and evil, secrets and lies, then consider checking it out!
ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 24, 2020
*I read this as it's a finalist in the #SPFBO and I'm a judge*
Sarilla is a Memori, able to steal memories from those the King wants her to search. She doesn't enjoy her job, but she has been forced into it, and we pick up her story as she's trying to make a break for it with her family.
Falcon is a man who has had his memories wiped. He doesn't remember lots of his last 6 months, and yet he also has a feeling he needs to uncover the truth. When their oaths clash it's a quest to see who can reveal the truths and whether it was best left hidden after all.
I liked the easy-going story here and it's fast-paced and likeable from the start on concept. I do feel as though the plot is pretty simple, and same with the characters and their motivation, so that's the main criticism I had here.
I think there's some fun ideas at work here with the idea of memories being stored on skin and able to be manipulated and hidden and stolen, but I feel as though the potential of the ideas isn't fully reached here. I would have liked to see things go further and be more extreme and exciting.
Overall it's an easy read and it's got a lot of nice qualities, but it didn't stand out enough to me to be super memorable and so I would give it a 6/10 (3*s). I liked it and think many others may too, but it was a little lacking in some parts for my preferences.
Sarilla is a Memori, able to steal memories from those the King wants her to search. She doesn't enjoy her job, but she has been forced into it, and we pick up her story as she's trying to make a break for it with her family.
Falcon is a man who has had his memories wiped. He doesn't remember lots of his last 6 months, and yet he also has a feeling he needs to uncover the truth. When their oaths clash it's a quest to see who can reveal the truths and whether it was best left hidden after all.
I liked the easy-going story here and it's fast-paced and likeable from the start on concept. I do feel as though the plot is pretty simple, and same with the characters and their motivation, so that's the main criticism I had here.
I think there's some fun ideas at work here with the idea of memories being stored on skin and able to be manipulated and hidden and stolen, but I feel as though the potential of the ideas isn't fully reached here. I would have liked to see things go further and be more extreme and exciting.
Overall it's an easy read and it's got a lot of nice qualities, but it didn't stand out enough to me to be super memorable and so I would give it a 6/10 (3*s). I liked it and think many others may too, but it was a little lacking in some parts for my preferences.
September 6, 2020
"Everyone lies. Everyone cheats. Everyone steals. Some are just better at hiding it than others"
The cover of this book is gorgeous. I was equally as enthralled when I discovered that the audiobook was part-narrated by the author, Rachel Emma Shaw, who I discovered has a beautiful reading voice. I also don’t read a lot of duologies (series in two-parts), so, with this trio of selling points, I eagerly started the audiobook of Last Memoria.
Sometimes it’s clear when an author’s story is personal: when the pain, suffering or redemption is from the author’s own experience and not entirely imagined. Last Memoria was like that: almost like opening a diary, where imaginary names were scribbled to replace the real ones, broken hearts and black roses dotting the borders.
Sarilla is part-memoria which means she is able to steal memories, a trait passed down through her bloodline. She loves her brother, Ryson, and loathes herself. She wears a cloak to cover her telltale white-tipped hair, gloves to hide her gift from others… while ensuring she was reminded of what she was. She believes she is a monster and tries to redeem herself by saving her brother after they are parted by the destructive Blackvine. That is, until her path crosses a man who demands she get back six months of his missing memories, and old feelings surface…
This fantasy is dark. Filled with morally-grey characters, attempted redemption, love and loss in a world with memory-stealers and the threat of Blackvine, it explores the power of memories and how losing them, or remembering them, can be the undoing of us all. There’s an entrancing city of ropebridges, castles, dark forests and underground tunnels to center this tale in with an emphasis on the dialogue and interaction between characters. This a story with a lot of time on the road. One detour to provide for this made the first third of the book a tad frustrating, especially as when the story picked up two-thirds in, it was unique and engrossing.
It's also a semi-finalist in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) 2020!
Thank you to the author for making the audiobook free for a limited time
You can buy this book on Amazon.
Support the author on Twitter or via their website.
Follow Velvet Opus on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram
The cover of this book is gorgeous. I was equally as enthralled when I discovered that the audiobook was part-narrated by the author, Rachel Emma Shaw, who I discovered has a beautiful reading voice. I also don’t read a lot of duologies (series in two-parts), so, with this trio of selling points, I eagerly started the audiobook of Last Memoria.
"He was a stranger to her. No more than a story that had never been told"
Sometimes it’s clear when an author’s story is personal: when the pain, suffering or redemption is from the author’s own experience and not entirely imagined. Last Memoria was like that: almost like opening a diary, where imaginary names were scribbled to replace the real ones, broken hearts and black roses dotting the borders.
Sarilla is part-memoria which means she is able to steal memories, a trait passed down through her bloodline. She loves her brother, Ryson, and loathes herself. She wears a cloak to cover her telltale white-tipped hair, gloves to hide her gift from others… while ensuring she was reminded of what she was. She believes she is a monster and tries to redeem herself by saving her brother after they are parted by the destructive Blackvine. That is, until her path crosses a man who demands she get back six months of his missing memories, and old feelings surface…
"Some say it’s a gift to walk a day in another man’s shoes, but have they ever had the misfortune of trying?"
This fantasy is dark. Filled with morally-grey characters, attempted redemption, love and loss in a world with memory-stealers and the threat of Blackvine, it explores the power of memories and how losing them, or remembering them, can be the undoing of us all. There’s an entrancing city of ropebridges, castles, dark forests and underground tunnels to center this tale in with an emphasis on the dialogue and interaction between characters. This a story with a lot of time on the road. One detour to provide for this made the first third of the book a tad frustrating, especially as when the story picked up two-thirds in, it was unique and engrossing.
It's also a semi-finalist in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) 2020!
Thank you to the author for making the audiobook free for a limited time
You can buy this book on Amazon.
Support the author on Twitter or via their website.
Follow Velvet Opus on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram
Read
December 3, 2020I'm making it my mission this SPFBO to read each of my fellow finalists, of which THE LAST MEMORIA is my first! This book truly has one of the most unique and fascinating magic systems I've ever seen, with its magic users being able to steal, share, or erase memories at will with the touch of a hand. It's a power that's deeply feared and loathed by the people of this world, and for very good reason - our heroine Sarilla, with her gloves, her distinctive hair, and her unhappy past reminded me a lot of the X-Men's Rogue (that's a compliment, Rogue was always my favourite character). I was further delighted to see that Rachel took this setup as the opportunity to do an amnesiac second-chance romance. What can I say? I'm a sucker for amnesia romance.
But this book is also the dark, twisting tale of a quest for redemption and the lies everyone tells. There are plot twists right up till the last page, and some of the things that happened in this book had me gasping aloud.
Read it if you'd like a dark and brooding romantic fantasy that keeps you guessing the whole way!
But this book is also the dark, twisting tale of a quest for redemption and the lies everyone tells. There are plot twists right up till the last page, and some of the things that happened in this book had me gasping aloud.
Read it if you'd like a dark and brooding romantic fantasy that keeps you guessing the whole way!
March 1, 2021
I read this for SPFBO. Links and info at the bottom.
This was very different than what I expected and it has taken me awhile to wrap ahead around my feelings about it.
I didn’t read the summary other than the “Sunshine meets Abercrombie” so I was expecting a slower exploration of memory, and maybe sad cryfest, with a feel-good ending (I haven’t seen Eternal Sunshine or read any Abercrombie). This wasn’t any of that. Well, except maybe the memory exploration but there was certainly nothing feel-good about that ending.
The first half is in Sarilla’s pov. was more mystery and secrets, and a world to learn about which kept me really involved and wanting to know more. I really enjoyed her section because of that, and I read through it quickly.
The back half in Fallon’s pov. was slower, less hopeful and darker, as we get filled in on some history and more of the world building. I didn’t like Fallon, which probably didn’t help me to read through his parts any quicker.
I loved the world though, so many things were intriguing to me.
The Blackvine- I thought this sort of seek and destroy living root system was very cool and I liked why it was created. (it made me think of Sleeping Beauty and now I’m wanting someone to write a retelling with rogue bramble bushes)
The graves- I wasn’t sure if they were actual graves or sink holes the blackvine created as it moved through the land but this was just a neat idea. I would have liked to understand more of why they were there.
And I especially enjoyed the Memoria’s ability to rewire the memories- the memories can be taken, and returned, and how they appear in the form of a tattoo of sorts on the body of the Memoria’s, everything about this kept me reading, wanting to know more.
Other things I liked, were the explorations into memory, how it affects who we are and how we see others, etc.
I thought the relationships were really well done. A little messed up but still true to that self-destructive nature that comes about sometimes from dysfunctional upbringings and/or relationships.
These were characters that were hard to like. I felt sympathy for her and him both, but as the story unfolded, my sympathy level dropped a lot, as I liked them less the more, I got to know them. (Other than Havric, whom I shipped with her, over Fallon, because he seemed caring and kind, and I wanted her to drop Fallon like hot potato for him. lol)
When the focus is narrow like this, and we are seeing them through each other’s eyes- with all that emotional baggage; anger and hurt working as a lens, well, it kind of gives us a very skewered viewpoint that is hard to see past.
I actually have to admire the writing for miring us down so much in their emotions as readers that we don’t even notice it’s happening. Though the style doesn’t leave much room for the motivations of the characters outside the two main pov’s. it does makes for interesting main characters, especially ones who are so tied up in each others story.
This is a little bleaker than I usually prefer. Part of me would like to return and see how this story plays out but that dim hopeless feeling ending, makes me question whether the characters will triumph or not and I am one who prefers to have a nice shiny hopeful ending at the end of my bleak rainbow. (I did appreciate that all the interesting to me, stuff has mostly been explained so I don’t have any burning questions that will keep me up at night)
This is one that if I were go on to read the follow-up, I would actually do what I never do, and that’s check the reviews to see how the characters fare.
learn more about the contest here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Finalist board is here
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Our team reviews and finalist board
https://starlitbook.com/spfbo-6-finals/
This was very different than what I expected and it has taken me awhile to wrap ahead around my feelings about it.
I didn’t read the summary other than the “Sunshine meets Abercrombie” so I was expecting a slower exploration of memory, and maybe sad cryfest, with a feel-good ending (I haven’t seen Eternal Sunshine or read any Abercrombie). This wasn’t any of that. Well, except maybe the memory exploration but there was certainly nothing feel-good about that ending.
The first half is in Sarilla’s pov. was more mystery and secrets, and a world to learn about which kept me really involved and wanting to know more. I really enjoyed her section because of that, and I read through it quickly.
The back half in Fallon’s pov. was slower, less hopeful and darker, as we get filled in on some history and more of the world building. I didn’t like Fallon, which probably didn’t help me to read through his parts any quicker.
I loved the world though, so many things were intriguing to me.
The Blackvine- I thought this sort of seek and destroy living root system was very cool and I liked why it was created. (it made me think of Sleeping Beauty and now I’m wanting someone to write a retelling with rogue bramble bushes)
The graves- I wasn’t sure if they were actual graves or sink holes the blackvine created as it moved through the land but this was just a neat idea. I would have liked to understand more of why they were there.
And I especially enjoyed the Memoria’s ability to rewire the memories- the memories can be taken, and returned, and how they appear in the form of a tattoo of sorts on the body of the Memoria’s, everything about this kept me reading, wanting to know more.
Other things I liked, were the explorations into memory, how it affects who we are and how we see others, etc.
I thought the relationships were really well done. A little messed up but still true to that self-destructive nature that comes about sometimes from dysfunctional upbringings and/or relationships.
These were characters that were hard to like. I felt sympathy for her and him both, but as the story unfolded, my sympathy level dropped a lot, as I liked them less the more, I got to know them. (Other than Havric, whom I shipped with her, over Fallon, because he seemed caring and kind, and I wanted her to drop Fallon like hot potato for him. lol)
When the focus is narrow like this, and we are seeing them through each other’s eyes- with all that emotional baggage; anger and hurt working as a lens, well, it kind of gives us a very skewered viewpoint that is hard to see past.
I actually have to admire the writing for miring us down so much in their emotions as readers that we don’t even notice it’s happening. Though the style doesn’t leave much room for the motivations of the characters outside the two main pov’s. it does makes for interesting main characters, especially ones who are so tied up in each others story.
This is a little bleaker than I usually prefer. Part of me would like to return and see how this story plays out but that dim hopeless feeling ending, makes me question whether the characters will triumph or not and I am one who prefers to have a nice shiny hopeful ending at the end of my bleak rainbow. (I did appreciate that all the interesting to me, stuff has mostly been explained so I don’t have any burning questions that will keep me up at night)
This is one that if I were go on to read the follow-up, I would actually do what I never do, and that’s check the reviews to see how the characters fare.
learn more about the contest here-
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Finalist board is here
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
Our team reviews and finalist board
https://starlitbook.com/spfbo-6-finals/
November 23, 2020
(This review based on ARC provided by the author)
Okay, I had quite a journey with this one. In the end, I can definitely say this is one of the best things I've read in a long time, and not only because it covers ideas I love -- .
The beginning feels... difficult, the text is over-complicated with explanations I didn't quite need (basically, some parts looked like, f.e.,"'I'll take it,' I said as I took it" and so on). But believe me when I say you need to go through this, because the further you read, the greater it gets.
I had my doubts about whether it's like 6/10 or 7/10 but when I got to the ending... boy oh boy, I loved it. I loved it so much.
First of all, I must mention that this book doesn't have a fantasy land laid out to you on a fancy map. The way the world is structured is not very easy to understand since the only way for you to get info is through a PoV's thoughts. Like, imagine someone who knows nothing about other world reading your diary with all the "I would like to go to Amsterdam once. N. mentioned Paris is better, but who knows". Of course, it won't be that easy to understand, but that's partially what makes the book and the characters so easy to believe in. They are alive. They can be self-sacrificing, whiny, afraid, insufferable, pathetic even, but they are so alive and real I am shocked. They are people, they think like real people and make mistakes like real people.
Although I would've preferred slightly more visuals and appearance descriptions. I wanted to make a fan-art, how can I do it since I have so few details ._.
This book plays with the concept of the importance of memories to personality wholesomeness. And it does this play oh, so good. You need to pay attention while you read, and you'll be rewarded with a really emotional punch.
About the characters:
Sarilla is a part-memoria and your first PoV. She's lost, imprisoned by circumstances she can do nothing about but she struggles to reach her goal with everything she can. She's torn by emotions, but she still tries so, so hard. Her personal pain is wonderfully written. And, oh, her lies, her small little tips about what has happened... *chef's kiss*.
I really liked her journey until the very end. Especially the end. "Protect and care" little cinnamon roll :)
My only issue with her is that However, without that small part, the book would've been so good for me I really would've thought it unreal.
Falon is a handful. The second PoV of the book and a real pain in the ass. Like, attitude. And still, all, all of his actions and thoughts had their reasons. Falon was
The end makes everything work, the end of the book brings reason to everything. Was I in love with Falon? No. Was I in love with how he ended up and why? Oh god yes.
Honestly, I didn't like him so much even before I knew the twist that I was kinda wishing him dead for half the book...
Cedral is Falon's and a plot-turning event. A jerk but a realistic one. He's that kind of character that exists to be a reason for something, and I'm really surprised all his moments worked. It's such a rare thing to see in books.
Havric is Falon's friend and my second sweet cinnamon roll. He's a companion who appears and disappears so there's not much of him, but he's really nice to see every time. I want more Havric.
Rysen is Sarilla's brother who appears for a very short time, but he's a jerk and he stole my heart.
Renford is the king, Sarilla's uncle and the main reason for everyone to be afraid and/or pissed off. There's not much of him, and, honestly, Renford himself is not that interesting but oh his chemistry with Sarilla makes me want to live.
Ships:
The main kinda-of-a-love-story is supposed to happen between Sarilla and Falon, obviously, right?
Falon and Cedral
I weirdly started shipping Sarilla and Havric. There was no content for me to start, I just loved them both separately and together. I want another book where they both get another chance.
Another weird idea I got was that I wish I could see Cedral and Rysen together. The concept is weirdly curious to me. A battle of jerks! I ship it.
Sarilla and Renford. Okay, I know he's her uncle and there was nothing implying his love-hate for Sarilla was even slightly romantic and/or sexual, but their scenes together gave me weird incest vibes from him, and it made him even more repulsing and scary. I mean, he's creepy and weird. It would've worked.
Plot:
Loaded with Chekhov's guns. All of these guns shoot.
You won't find lore blocks, you have to think for yourself and combine the elements you know. But some attention, and you'll be rewarded with a development you won't see in most popular fantasies. Geography doesn't matter here; this book even has this weird unrealistic concept "the main villain allows MC and her Love Interest wander somewhere on their own because they have A Reason he believed in". This things are almost impossible to write in the plot without making everything a cheap quest fantasy, but this book managed it because when you see what's Renford is about you can easily believe that yes, this man could've made such a decision.
This book isn't about a generic fantasy land fighting An Evil (there is Evil to fight, but again, everything builds around memories, personality, and personal pain). This book is about the characters.
Don't look for events or politics. It's all about minds, the sanctity of one's personality, about abuse and coping. About damaged people and the way they are.
About how it's not necessarily physical damage that can leave you ruined.
The characters in this book are not black-and-white (even if their appearance says otherwise), they are shades of grey. And it's wonderful.
I'm in love with this book.
Read if: you like when all elements get put together; you like highly emotional journeys; you like plot-twists that are logical and greatly foreshadowed; you like original concepts without over-detailing; you prefer psychological aspects of a personal journey to raw fantasy lore.
Do not read if: you want detailed geography; you like lore info-dumps; you like undoubtedly good characters;
Okay, I had quite a journey with this one. In the end, I can definitely say this is one of the best things I've read in a long time, and not only because it covers ideas I love -- .
The beginning feels... difficult, the text is over-complicated with explanations I didn't quite need (basically, some parts looked like, f.e.,"'I'll take it,' I said as I took it" and so on). But believe me when I say you need to go through this, because the further you read, the greater it gets.
I had my doubts about whether it's like 6/10 or 7/10 but when I got to the ending... boy oh boy, I loved it. I loved it so much.
First of all, I must mention that this book doesn't have a fantasy land laid out to you on a fancy map. The way the world is structured is not very easy to understand since the only way for you to get info is through a PoV's thoughts. Like, imagine someone who knows nothing about other world reading your diary with all the "I would like to go to Amsterdam once. N. mentioned Paris is better, but who knows". Of course, it won't be that easy to understand, but that's partially what makes the book and the characters so easy to believe in. They are alive. They can be self-sacrificing, whiny, afraid, insufferable, pathetic even, but they are so alive and real I am shocked. They are people, they think like real people and make mistakes like real people.
Although I would've preferred slightly more visuals and appearance descriptions. I wanted to make a fan-art, how can I do it since I have so few details ._.
This book plays with the concept of the importance of memories to personality wholesomeness. And it does this play oh, so good. You need to pay attention while you read, and you'll be rewarded with a really emotional punch.
About the characters:
Sarilla is a part-memoria and your first PoV. She's lost, imprisoned by circumstances she can do nothing about but she struggles to reach her goal with everything she can. She's torn by emotions, but she still tries so, so hard. Her personal pain is wonderfully written. And, oh, her lies, her small little tips about what has happened... *chef's kiss*.
I really liked her journey until the very end. Especially the end. "Protect and care" little cinnamon roll :)
My only issue with her is that However, without that small part, the book would've been so good for me I really would've thought it unreal.
Falon is a handful. The second PoV of the book and a real pain in the ass. Like, attitude. And still, all, all of his actions and thoughts had their reasons. Falon was
The end makes everything work, the end of the book brings reason to everything. Was I in love with Falon? No. Was I in love with how he ended up and why? Oh god yes.
Honestly, I didn't like him so much even before I knew the twist that I was kinda wishing him dead for half the book...
Cedral is Falon's and a plot-turning event. A jerk but a realistic one. He's that kind of character that exists to be a reason for something, and I'm really surprised all his moments worked. It's such a rare thing to see in books.
Havric is Falon's friend and my second sweet cinnamon roll. He's a companion who appears and disappears so there's not much of him, but he's really nice to see every time. I want more Havric.
Rysen is Sarilla's brother who appears for a very short time, but he's a jerk and he stole my heart.
Renford is the king, Sarilla's uncle and the main reason for everyone to be afraid and/or pissed off. There's not much of him, and, honestly, Renford himself is not that interesting but oh his chemistry with Sarilla makes me want to live.
Ships:
The main kinda-of-a-love-story is supposed to happen between Sarilla and Falon, obviously, right?
Falon and Cedral
I weirdly started shipping Sarilla and Havric. There was no content for me to start, I just loved them both separately and together. I want another book where they both get another chance.
Another weird idea I got was that I wish I could see Cedral and Rysen together. The concept is weirdly curious to me. A battle of jerks! I ship it.
Sarilla and Renford. Okay, I know he's her uncle and there was nothing implying his love-hate for Sarilla was even slightly romantic and/or sexual, but their scenes together gave me weird incest vibes from him, and it made him even more repulsing and scary. I mean, he's creepy and weird. It would've worked.
Plot:
Loaded with Chekhov's guns. All of these guns shoot.
You won't find lore blocks, you have to think for yourself and combine the elements you know. But some attention, and you'll be rewarded with a development you won't see in most popular fantasies. Geography doesn't matter here; this book even has this weird unrealistic concept "the main villain allows MC and her Love Interest wander somewhere on their own because they have A Reason he believed in". This things are almost impossible to write in the plot without making everything a cheap quest fantasy, but this book managed it because when you see what's Renford is about you can easily believe that yes, this man could've made such a decision.
This book isn't about a generic fantasy land fighting An Evil (there is Evil to fight, but again, everything builds around memories, personality, and personal pain). This book is about the characters.
Don't look for events or politics. It's all about minds, the sanctity of one's personality, about abuse and coping. About damaged people and the way they are.
About how it's not necessarily physical damage that can leave you ruined.
The characters in this book are not black-and-white (even if their appearance says otherwise), they are shades of grey. And it's wonderful.
I'm in love with this book.
Read if: you like when all elements get put together; you like highly emotional journeys; you like plot-twists that are logical and greatly foreshadowed; you like original concepts without over-detailing; you prefer psychological aspects of a personal journey to raw fantasy lore.
Do not read if: you want detailed geography; you like lore info-dumps; you like undoubtedly good characters;
May 19, 2020
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Zoë Leonarczyk
Last Memoria is a short book that packs an unbelievable amount of content within and it is amazing just how much of a story the author was able to get out of it. This is definitely one of those books that start off a little rocky, but gets better and better with each chapter. There was just so much thrown at you in the first few chapters with little explanation, but the more you read, the more everything comes together and aligns itself. Last Memoria primarily focuses on two main characters: Sarilla and Falon.
Sarilla is a memory thief, which is exactly what it sounds like. Through touch she can either “drain” or implant new memories into people. Because of this ability, the king of the land has kept her as his own personal pet to use as he wishes against anyone he deems an enemy. Sarilla’s character is probably the most flushed out of all of the characters, particularly in her personal struggle between right and wrong. The things that the king made her do haunt her every waking moment.
Falon is on the hunt for something that was stolen from him: his memories. He’s mad and he’s ready to take action. Willing to do whatever it takes to retrieve his memories, Falon fights between his hatred towards Sarilla and the unwanted feelings arising in him. Whereas Sarilla’s chapters have an underlying theme of her dealing with the monster she has become, Falon’s highlight the anger he feels over the invasion in his mind that led to the loss of his memories.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
Last Memoria is a short book that packs an unbelievable amount of content within and it is amazing just how much of a story the author was able to get out of it. This is definitely one of those books that start off a little rocky, but gets better and better with each chapter. There was just so much thrown at you in the first few chapters with little explanation, but the more you read, the more everything comes together and aligns itself. Last Memoria primarily focuses on two main characters: Sarilla and Falon.
Sarilla is a memory thief, which is exactly what it sounds like. Through touch she can either “drain” or implant new memories into people. Because of this ability, the king of the land has kept her as his own personal pet to use as he wishes against anyone he deems an enemy. Sarilla’s character is probably the most flushed out of all of the characters, particularly in her personal struggle between right and wrong. The things that the king made her do haunt her every waking moment.
Falon is on the hunt for something that was stolen from him: his memories. He’s mad and he’s ready to take action. Willing to do whatever it takes to retrieve his memories, Falon fights between his hatred towards Sarilla and the unwanted feelings arising in him. Whereas Sarilla’s chapters have an underlying theme of her dealing with the monster she has become, Falon’s highlight the anger he feels over the invasion in his mind that led to the loss of his memories.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
July 15, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed Last Memoria! High praise for this one. I’m absolutely looking forward to the next book. I feel like it’s a fantastic start to this duology.
It follows a Memoria named Sarilla who has been forced by the crown to take people’s memories. Whether to make them forget, for information, for punishment – she’s been made to do it and she wants out. The more memories she takes, the closer to madness she falls and the more she’s burdened by the guilt of what she’s done.
In her travels she comes across Falon, a man from her past whose memories have been taken. He doesn’t remember Sarilla but realizes she is a Memoria and seeks her help in regaining what he’s lost. He doesn’t understand why the man he loves has been acting strangely and knows it must be tied to those lost memories. He’ll do whatever it takes to get those pieces of his life back.
But Sarilla has secrets of her own and just wants to be free from the king’s hold.
I loved the mystery of this story, as well as the unique magic system around the Memoria. There is also a fascinating mythology to go with it and the romance is ... tantalizing, to say the least! 😉 It definitely had me on the EDGE of my seat multiple times and the action just kept going and going. If you like stories with characters forced on a journey together, slow burn romance, fantasy worlds with mysteries to solve, bisexual characters, broodiness and angst ... this is one for you.
It’s also available in audio format on Spotify! I read and listened to the audio of this one and highly recommend both formats! Thank you to the author for sending me a ebook version to read, I promptly went out and bought the paperback after I finished it!
It follows a Memoria named Sarilla who has been forced by the crown to take people’s memories. Whether to make them forget, for information, for punishment – she’s been made to do it and she wants out. The more memories she takes, the closer to madness she falls and the more she’s burdened by the guilt of what she’s done.
In her travels she comes across Falon, a man from her past whose memories have been taken. He doesn’t remember Sarilla but realizes she is a Memoria and seeks her help in regaining what he’s lost. He doesn’t understand why the man he loves has been acting strangely and knows it must be tied to those lost memories. He’ll do whatever it takes to get those pieces of his life back.
But Sarilla has secrets of her own and just wants to be free from the king’s hold.
I loved the mystery of this story, as well as the unique magic system around the Memoria. There is also a fascinating mythology to go with it and the romance is ... tantalizing, to say the least! 😉 It definitely had me on the EDGE of my seat multiple times and the action just kept going and going. If you like stories with characters forced on a journey together, slow burn romance, fantasy worlds with mysteries to solve, bisexual characters, broodiness and angst ... this is one for you.
It’s also available in audio format on Spotify! I read and listened to the audio of this one and highly recommend both formats! Thank you to the author for sending me a ebook version to read, I promptly went out and bought the paperback after I finished it!
December 5, 2020
Review coming in february
August 20, 2021
4.5 stars. This book is a slow burn and the memory tectonics is confusing at times but the pay off is great. A wonderful exploration of memory and identity and how it shapes us. You follow two perspectives, Sarilla and Falon. Sarilla is a Memoria, someone who can steal memories from people. She's on the run from her king who wants to use her powers to be tyrannical to his subjects. Sarilla runs into Falon and two of his friends, Cedral and Havric, while on the run. What Falon doesn't know is that Sarilla has previously stolen his memories.
I really enjoyed this book, and how it kept you guessing the entire time and the memory stuff in play made it hard to trust whatever was happening in the scene to be a totally accurate read of the situation- you were always aware that the person was missing information. I also enjoyed how whenever a memory was added or removed from someone, how that person would change. I think it was a tad overexaggerated (for instance, if someone removed the memories I had of my wife, and then told me she was my wife, I highly doubt I would act cold and distant and rude to her because I would have the knowledge that I did share a life with her so I therefore must care about her. The characters in this book tend to characterize anybody they don't remember as "nobody to me" and I don't find that realistic). But as a commentary on the human condition and how our memories define us, it worked.
The main thing that prevented this book from being a full five stars was a very lackluster villain. The king is just being evil because...reasons. And every time he has dialogue, he's just cartoonishly bad for....reasons. I never understood his motivations or character and considering his actions set the entire story in certain directions, I really felt that loss. But otherwise, this book was well done.
I really enjoyed this book, and how it kept you guessing the entire time and the memory stuff in play made it hard to trust whatever was happening in the scene to be a totally accurate read of the situation- you were always aware that the person was missing information. I also enjoyed how whenever a memory was added or removed from someone, how that person would change. I think it was a tad overexaggerated (for instance, if someone removed the memories I had of my wife, and then told me she was my wife, I highly doubt I would act cold and distant and rude to her because I would have the knowledge that I did share a life with her so I therefore must care about her. The characters in this book tend to characterize anybody they don't remember as "nobody to me" and I don't find that realistic). But as a commentary on the human condition and how our memories define us, it worked.
The main thing that prevented this book from being a full five stars was a very lackluster villain. The king is just being evil because...reasons. And every time he has dialogue, he's just cartoonishly bad for....reasons. I never understood his motivations or character and considering his actions set the entire story in certain directions, I really felt that loss. But otherwise, this book was well done.
May 1, 2021
4,5 stars
This was our second favourite SPFBO finalist at the Hive - find our full review here: https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2021/04/la...
For me, the books biggest strength is definitely it's characters. While a few scenes could have used a bit more depth, overall I enjoyed spending my time with them, and finding out what happened to them, as we quickly learn there is some shared past. I cared for them and was eager to find out how they would fare!
The plot was both a strength and a weakness of this book. There is some back and forth and back again that just felt so very, very ineffective of the characters, as it could have been so easily avoided when they had just spoken two sentences with each other. And being on the road together all day for days on end, I would expect they would have done so. That part just didn’t feel very smooth or realistic to me. The plot often goes the exact opposite way of what I expected, and while I love being surprised by books, some of these twists just felt a bit rushed. With a few scenes I’d have loved a bit more padding around the edges. On the other hand I have read so many fantasy books, that any book that surprises me not once, not twice, but again and again is a definite plus, so I’d say these balance each other out for me.
I also loved the world building! We have memory stealing magic, and we have a world that seems both familiar and also foreign at the same time. There's ruins and a mysterious threat called "blackvine" in the woods, and I enjoyed puzzling together a bigger picture throughout the story!
Despite a few flaws, I enjoyed this one from start to finish. There’s tremendous talent at display, and like Theo I will not just pick up the sequel, I will definitely keep a close eye on the author from here on out!
This was our second favourite SPFBO finalist at the Hive - find our full review here: https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2021/04/la...
For me, the books biggest strength is definitely it's characters. While a few scenes could have used a bit more depth, overall I enjoyed spending my time with them, and finding out what happened to them, as we quickly learn there is some shared past. I cared for them and was eager to find out how they would fare!
The plot was both a strength and a weakness of this book. There is some back and forth and back again that just felt so very, very ineffective of the characters, as it could have been so easily avoided when they had just spoken two sentences with each other. And being on the road together all day for days on end, I would expect they would have done so. That part just didn’t feel very smooth or realistic to me. The plot often goes the exact opposite way of what I expected, and while I love being surprised by books, some of these twists just felt a bit rushed. With a few scenes I’d have loved a bit more padding around the edges. On the other hand I have read so many fantasy books, that any book that surprises me not once, not twice, but again and again is a definite plus, so I’d say these balance each other out for me.
I also loved the world building! We have memory stealing magic, and we have a world that seems both familiar and also foreign at the same time. There's ruins and a mysterious threat called "blackvine" in the woods, and I enjoyed puzzling together a bigger picture throughout the story!
Despite a few flaws, I enjoyed this one from start to finish. There’s tremendous talent at display, and like Theo I will not just pick up the sequel, I will definitely keep a close eye on the author from here on out!
April 29, 2020
Sarilla is a Memoria - both hated and valued for her ability to steal memories. When she is reunited with Falon - a man who has no memory of ever loving her, finally she can find some redemption.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Sarilla was owned by the King, his pet, his monster. She stole memories from his enemies, to inflict pain and discover their secrets for her master. She has no freedom, and no choice. This will be her role until she is driven mad by the stolen memories that blacken her skin.
Her brother breaks them out, to try and find other Memoria.
Falon and his friends are on a mission to find who has stolen his memory, when they stumble on Sarilla.
They are torn between their duty to the king, to return his pet monster; and to use her to get Falon's memories.
Falon despises this unnatural creature, with no idea that he ever loved her.
I loved the existence of memory-stealers. The race are well-thought out, with memories being stored as marks on their skin, until they decide to share them with others.
The Memoria have their rituals and traditions, for them it is an honour to share information through memories; and it is only their enemy - the King and his people - who have abused their power, and turned them into something feared.
The not-so-good.
I had a few issues with the story. At the beginning (and several points throughout) I felt like we'd been dropped in the middle of the story, and I had to keep checking that this was the first part of the series. It felt like the author was dropping us into the middle of a play, without any clues to what had gone on before and why stuff was happening.
Perhaps the author was too familiar with the world she'd created, and forgot about us newcomers; or perhaps that was her intention, to make us feel like we were going along with missing memories.
The first half is narrated by Sarilla. She's not a very reliable narrator, as she struggles to control the memories she has, and doesn't always know if she's in the present, or slipped into the past of herself, or a victim.
With all the abuse the poor girl had suffered, I felt sorry for her, and could understand her lack of fight (because defeat was inevitable); but she had no drive of her own.
First, she followed her brother's plan; then she's dragged all over the country by Falon and his friends; then she's at the whim of the King. She just allows the tide to carry her where it would; which wasn't very appealing for our main character.
The second half is narrated by Falon, which improves the agency issue. He is on the hunt for his missing memories, and he's ready to take charge.
Even with his missing memories, Falon is a lot easier to follow, and the story gets stronger.
The plot frustrated me. Most of the story takes place on the road, flip-flopping between what their aim is, because of no real reason, just because it suits the plot.
For example at the very start, Sarilla and her brother, Rysen are on the run. This was masterminded by Rysen. Yet they stray from their hidden pathways, to go to the pub, so Rysen can have a drink and flaunt his magic. Funnily enough, he gets caught and Sarilla is on her own.
Sarilla then tries to make her way into Town X, but she's stopped by Falon & co. who drag her all the way to Town Y, but stop at the gates because they realise (with the same amount of information they had before) they need to be at Town X.
Then there's the whole cliche of withholding information 'because reasons'.
It's not just Sarilla, with her memory-stealing-magic. Falon's friends are holding back what they know or suspect, when they know Falon is tearing himself apart over this.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Sarilla was owned by the King, his pet, his monster. She stole memories from his enemies, to inflict pain and discover their secrets for her master. She has no freedom, and no choice. This will be her role until she is driven mad by the stolen memories that blacken her skin.
Her brother breaks them out, to try and find other Memoria.
Falon and his friends are on a mission to find who has stolen his memory, when they stumble on Sarilla.
They are torn between their duty to the king, to return his pet monster; and to use her to get Falon's memories.
Falon despises this unnatural creature, with no idea that he ever loved her.
I loved the existence of memory-stealers. The race are well-thought out, with memories being stored as marks on their skin, until they decide to share them with others.
The Memoria have their rituals and traditions, for them it is an honour to share information through memories; and it is only their enemy - the King and his people - who have abused their power, and turned them into something feared.
The not-so-good.
I had a few issues with the story. At the beginning (and several points throughout) I felt like we'd been dropped in the middle of the story, and I had to keep checking that this was the first part of the series. It felt like the author was dropping us into the middle of a play, without any clues to what had gone on before and why stuff was happening.
Perhaps the author was too familiar with the world she'd created, and forgot about us newcomers; or perhaps that was her intention, to make us feel like we were going along with missing memories.
The first half is narrated by Sarilla. She's not a very reliable narrator, as she struggles to control the memories she has, and doesn't always know if she's in the present, or slipped into the past of herself, or a victim.
With all the abuse the poor girl had suffered, I felt sorry for her, and could understand her lack of fight (because defeat was inevitable); but she had no drive of her own.
First, she followed her brother's plan; then she's dragged all over the country by Falon and his friends; then she's at the whim of the King. She just allows the tide to carry her where it would; which wasn't very appealing for our main character.
The second half is narrated by Falon, which improves the agency issue. He is on the hunt for his missing memories, and he's ready to take charge.
Even with his missing memories, Falon is a lot easier to follow, and the story gets stronger.
The plot frustrated me. Most of the story takes place on the road, flip-flopping between what their aim is, because of no real reason, just because it suits the plot.
For example at the very start, Sarilla and her brother, Rysen are on the run. This was masterminded by Rysen. Yet they stray from their hidden pathways, to go to the pub, so Rysen can have a drink and flaunt his magic. Funnily enough, he gets caught and Sarilla is on her own.
Sarilla then tries to make her way into Town X, but she's stopped by Falon & co. who drag her all the way to Town Y, but stop at the gates because they realise (with the same amount of information they had before) they need to be at Town X.
Then there's the whole cliche of withholding information 'because reasons'.
It's not just Sarilla, with her memory-stealing-magic. Falon's friends are holding back what they know or suspect, when they know Falon is tearing himself apart over this.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me.
Want to read
November 18, 2020You had me at Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets Joe Abercrombie.
Read
October 25, 2020I haven't read this book, but it's a finalist in this year's Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off, so it must be good!
See the finalist board here:
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
See the finalist board here:
https://mark---lawrence.blogspot.com/...
May 8, 2020
She was a child of two opposing worlds. The embodiment of black and white, but rather than mixing to grey, the two halves divided her with their territories and battlegrounds, leaving her an extreme in every way possible.
Last Memoria by Rachel Emma Shaw is a dark and tragic tale illustrating the journey of a memory thief attempting to right the wrongs she has wrought. At its core it analyzes the controversial debate of nature versus nurture, and ultimately details the somber realities associated with redemption and acceptance. Alongside Sarilla and Falon, readers are reminded of both the burden of memories, as well as the concept of how past experiences, regardless of how painful they may have been to bear, define who we are. A recurring theme of extremes–love and hate, good and evil, guilty and innocent–meticulously portrays the idea that nothing is ever as black and white as it appears. This story is a wonderful exploration of what it means to be human, and sobering, yet vastly enjoyable read.
The strongest aspect of this book is its poignancy, beautifully demonstrated through the emotional responses to the hardships Shaw's characters endure. Sarilla, a half-breed memoria, yearns to find her place in a world that rejects her. Her self-hatred and and shame are only eclipsed by her suffering of an almost Stockholm Syndrome-type condition. Her king, who also happens to be her uncle, punishes her in the most atrocious of ways, and Sarilla's spiral into the abyss is absolutely heart-wrenching to witness. Falon, so very determined to prove himself to his noble father, inevitably loses pieces of himself in the process. A drive to fill the gaps in his memory causes him to make rash decisions, leaving a trail of emotional destruction in his wake. Death, loathing, loss – all concepts each are far too familiar with.
Everybody lies.
Shaw presents us with an abundance delicately crafted elements in stunning detail, including the mysterious Deadwood Forest and its twilight blackvine plague, the rope bridge-laden vertical city of Arvendon, and the serpentine midnight tunnels of Oresa. She does a remarkable job of establishing various races, ignorant prejudices and fears, and the effects of curious magics, all adding a beautiful depth and richness to the tale she spins. While there are insights into the histories that shaped the current state of the world we're submerged in, I was craving more in order to gain a deeper understanding of the politics and religions that are often referred to.
Well-written with simple, flowing prose allows for more focus on character development, which genuinely shines. Dialogue feels organic, accurately portraying the emotions attempting to be conveyed, and careful introspection grants readers entry into the minds those telling this tale. However, my biggest issue with this story is its murky plot definition; the plot doesn't truly establish itself until relatively late in the book. The focal point seemed a bit skewed, and I wasn't sure which thread to be following and focus on regarding overall concept. It does come together in the second half of the book, so remain patient – the payoff is definitely worth it.
Last Memoria ties up nicely, leaving plenty of room for expansion, which I'm very much looking forward to in book two. Shaw heaves readers into a rich, enthralling world, proposing complex ideas that linger in the mind. If you're looking for a dark tale of deceit and intrigue, then this may be the one for you. The magical setting of Valrora houses many buried secrets waiting to be unearthed by those brave enough to venture beneath the dense canopy of the Darkwood. I recommend giving this one a try.
Note: A huge thank you to Rachel Emma Shaw for providing me with a complementary advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
--
See this review and others at Whispers & Wonder
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August 20, 2020
The entire book is plagued by inconsistency at all levels.
The most obvious being technical presentation, as it's riddled with errors. There are several instances of words being incorrectly used in place of their homonyms: "taught" when it should be "taut," "vile" when it's obviously meant to be "vial," and so forth. In addition, a word specific to the story--Sarilla's unwanted nickname--switches between "beastie" and "beasty" frequently, sometimes even on the same page. Stack those errors on top of repeated incorrect hyphenation (both present when it shouldn't be in things like "dirt-track" and missing when it should be present, like "Sarilla shaped hole") and a general tendency toward word repetition and excessive stage direction, it's reasonable to guess this was edited poorly or not at all.
The story is also inconsistent in characterization. Is Sarilla the scared fugitive who must avoid going into town where she might be recognized, or the brave sister who needs to save her brother? Is she the meek wimp who can't stop her brother from acting stupidly and getting himself caught, or the sass-talking pain in the backside who's constantly needling her captors even when it endangers her? The level of danger itself is inconsistent; she'll be terrified of someone noticing her on one page, then she'll act recklessly in the open when anyone could see her, because the plot needs her to, so it's fine.
Thematically, there's some inconsistency built on top of the apparent running gag of this novel: "everybody lies." Those two words are used to hide from the reader everything from character backstory and motivations to fundamental ways in which the world operates. World-building was introduced long after it was needed. I didn't know what the "graves" in the forest were that everyone was so terrified about, and when they turned out to be abandoned tunnels one could fall into, no one bothered to explain how they'd come to be called "graves." I knew the name of Sarilla's uncle/antagonist from the beginning, but not that he was King until nearly halfway through the book--that seemed like something that shouldn't have been a mystery. I didn't know there was another country peopled by memoria until even later--when Sarilla finally gets a "quest," just in time for the narrative to switch from her POV to Falon's.
The story suffered from a pronounced lack of direction, resulting from most of the important characters spending most of their time without any real agency.
I was floundering through Sarilla's half of the book trying to figure out what her goal was. At first, it seemed simple--stay safe long enough to get to the rest of her family. Okay. But why? The story never told me what was going to happen when they were reunited. (No, wait, it did, another character explained it in the final chapters that aren't even from her POV.) She abandons her brother because he's going to get them caught. She changes her mind and searches for him. He's caught by the army. She follows so she can get him back, but she gets captured by her former lover and his companions in the process. They kidnap her...why? It's not clear for a while. When it turns out it's so Falon can regain his stolen memories, they all turn around and go back for her brother, who has them. Except then he's dead, and so is the rest of her family. At 40%. I was literally staring at the text and thinking, "So the book's over then? Sarilla can't reunite with her family, which I thought was her arc, and Falon can't get his memories back, because the brother is dead."
I should not be having a standoff with a book about whether or not the story is over at 40%.
And it's not, because hey! everybody lies! Sarilla actually as Falon's memories, so he still has a goal. But she doesn't! Because I have no idea what she wants now! At the halfway mark, Falon takes her before the King and he says "So how about you help me destroy all the memoria in this other country that hasn't been talked about at all before?"
She accepts. I'm not clear on why at the time, though eventually it's explained that her deep self-hatred makes her want to destroy the monsters she came from. But also it's the King's idea to eventually double-cross them. Sarilla never seems to make her own decisions.
But the narrative switches POV to Falon, and for a while it looks like things are getting better, plot-wise. There's a clear goal: Sarilla's going to destroy stuff and Falon's sticking around to get her memories back from her.
Only then Falon loses his agency by getting taken over by blackvine, which turns out to be a physical form of infectious memory/psychic connection to the race of memoria under threat. Once it's a part of him, it's serious emotional whiplash between hating Sarilla and loving her--the memoria want her because she might have their ancient repository of racial memory. Or not. But probably. But she says she doesn't.
Any interest I still had, I lost here, though I made myself finish the book as it's for a book club. The constant "everybody lies" story-washing gives the narrative permission to make every character so unreliable there's no ground to stand on for a reader to accurately interpret the text. The ending reveals so many layers of betrayal that no one is who we thought they were--except I barely thought these characters were anyone specific already, because for most of Sarilla's half, she's fighting against being overwhelmed by floating memories that constantly distract her from reality. For Falon's half, he spends a great deal of it possessed by a foreign collective consciousness. No one can go five pages without a radical shift in self-perception or opinions expressed or behaviors modified.
At the bitter end, Falon believes that Sarilla wasn't born a monster because of her power (despite saying so at various points at least half a dozen times) but that the King "made" her that way. Then, when he gets his memories back and finds out his part in shaping her actions, he believes that he made her a monster. In both cases, again, the agency for the only female character in the book, the titular character, is usurped by the influence of male characters who take credit/blame for making her who she is. Ultimately, that's a pretty misogynist conclusion that I don't care for.
The entire novel is an inconsistent, sucking quicksand pit of a story. I cannot recommend it to anyone and won't be reading the next book.
The most obvious being technical presentation, as it's riddled with errors. There are several instances of words being incorrectly used in place of their homonyms: "taught" when it should be "taut," "vile" when it's obviously meant to be "vial," and so forth. In addition, a word specific to the story--Sarilla's unwanted nickname--switches between "beastie" and "beasty" frequently, sometimes even on the same page. Stack those errors on top of repeated incorrect hyphenation (both present when it shouldn't be in things like "dirt-track" and missing when it should be present, like "Sarilla shaped hole") and a general tendency toward word repetition and excessive stage direction, it's reasonable to guess this was edited poorly or not at all.
The story is also inconsistent in characterization. Is Sarilla the scared fugitive who must avoid going into town where she might be recognized, or the brave sister who needs to save her brother? Is she the meek wimp who can't stop her brother from acting stupidly and getting himself caught, or the sass-talking pain in the backside who's constantly needling her captors even when it endangers her? The level of danger itself is inconsistent; she'll be terrified of someone noticing her on one page, then she'll act recklessly in the open when anyone could see her, because the plot needs her to, so it's fine.
Thematically, there's some inconsistency built on top of the apparent running gag of this novel: "everybody lies." Those two words are used to hide from the reader everything from character backstory and motivations to fundamental ways in which the world operates. World-building was introduced long after it was needed. I didn't know what the "graves" in the forest were that everyone was so terrified about, and when they turned out to be abandoned tunnels one could fall into, no one bothered to explain how they'd come to be called "graves." I knew the name of Sarilla's uncle/antagonist from the beginning, but not that he was King until nearly halfway through the book--that seemed like something that shouldn't have been a mystery. I didn't know there was another country peopled by memoria until even later--when Sarilla finally gets a "quest," just in time for the narrative to switch from her POV to Falon's.
The story suffered from a pronounced lack of direction, resulting from most of the important characters spending most of their time without any real agency.
I was floundering through Sarilla's half of the book trying to figure out what her goal was. At first, it seemed simple--stay safe long enough to get to the rest of her family. Okay. But why? The story never told me what was going to happen when they were reunited. (No, wait, it did, another character explained it in the final chapters that aren't even from her POV.) She abandons her brother because he's going to get them caught. She changes her mind and searches for him. He's caught by the army. She follows so she can get him back, but she gets captured by her former lover and his companions in the process. They kidnap her...why? It's not clear for a while. When it turns out it's so Falon can regain his stolen memories, they all turn around and go back for her brother, who has them. Except then he's dead, and so is the rest of her family. At 40%. I was literally staring at the text and thinking, "So the book's over then? Sarilla can't reunite with her family, which I thought was her arc, and Falon can't get his memories back, because the brother is dead."
I should not be having a standoff with a book about whether or not the story is over at 40%.
And it's not, because hey! everybody lies! Sarilla actually as Falon's memories, so he still has a goal. But she doesn't! Because I have no idea what she wants now! At the halfway mark, Falon takes her before the King and he says "So how about you help me destroy all the memoria in this other country that hasn't been talked about at all before?"
She accepts. I'm not clear on why at the time, though eventually it's explained that her deep self-hatred makes her want to destroy the monsters she came from. But also it's the King's idea to eventually double-cross them. Sarilla never seems to make her own decisions.
But the narrative switches POV to Falon, and for a while it looks like things are getting better, plot-wise. There's a clear goal: Sarilla's going to destroy stuff and Falon's sticking around to get her memories back from her.
Only then Falon loses his agency by getting taken over by blackvine, which turns out to be a physical form of infectious memory/psychic connection to the race of memoria under threat. Once it's a part of him, it's serious emotional whiplash between hating Sarilla and loving her--the memoria want her because she might have their ancient repository of racial memory. Or not. But probably. But she says she doesn't.
Any interest I still had, I lost here, though I made myself finish the book as it's for a book club. The constant "everybody lies" story-washing gives the narrative permission to make every character so unreliable there's no ground to stand on for a reader to accurately interpret the text. The ending reveals so many layers of betrayal that no one is who we thought they were--except I barely thought these characters were anyone specific already, because for most of Sarilla's half, she's fighting against being overwhelmed by floating memories that constantly distract her from reality. For Falon's half, he spends a great deal of it possessed by a foreign collective consciousness. No one can go five pages without a radical shift in self-perception or opinions expressed or behaviors modified.
At the bitter end, Falon believes that Sarilla wasn't born a monster because of her power (despite saying so at various points at least half a dozen times) but that the King "made" her that way. Then, when he gets his memories back and finds out his part in shaping her actions, he believes that he made her a monster. In both cases, again, the agency for the only female character in the book, the titular character, is usurped by the influence of male characters who take credit/blame for making her who she is. Ultimately, that's a pretty misogynist conclusion that I don't care for.
The entire novel is an inconsistent, sucking quicksand pit of a story. I cannot recommend it to anyone and won't be reading the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2021
I've read Last Memoria for SPFBO 6, in which it's a finalist. This review was originally published on Queen's Book Asylum along with the reviews of the rest of the team. Our collective rating is 6.5/10. My personal rating is 6.5 which amounts to 3.5*
It’s been a week since I’ve finished reading Last Memoria, but I still have no idea how I feel about it. On one hand, it was a super fast read, but on the other, I’m not quite sure if I liked anything about it. If that makes any sense. It sure does not for me, but whatever. I might figure it out by the time I finish writing up this review.
So we have this kinda bleak world where the kingdom is plagued by something called the blackvine, stealing people’s life. Created by a race called memoria in answer to an attack on them some time ago. Some of the nobles are rioting against the king who doesn’t want to do anything about it, but at the same time keeping his “pets” around to use for his own ends. His nieces and nephew are descendants or the memoria, having some of their powers such as keeping memories away from others, or giving them others’. With them on his side, looking inside one’s head is not much of a problem. It also comes handy when your nobility tries to assassinate you from time to time.
Sarilla, the king’s favorite “pet” tastes freedom for the first time and though torn between her old life and the possibility of a new one, she can’t quite shake off her identity. The first part of the books tells her story – well, part of it, anyway – in third person. In the second part we switch to Falon’s first person narrative. Which is an interesting choice at first glance, but it’ll make sense at the end. Falon is the bastard son of a high ranking Lord, who is in search of his lost memories along with his two friends. When their path crosses with Sarilla just outside of Arvendon where Sarilla is headed, that’s when Last Memoria gets really interesting.
The writing itself is pretty engaging and Shaw deals with questions such as self-identity, prejudices, and how much memories can define us. Actions have consequences, the characters are neither black nor white, but they probably fall into the darker shades of gray. Then again, it’s a question of your POV. I think my biggest issues with Last Memoria were that I couldn’t make myself like or even care about any of the characters. And that for a long time I couldn’t see where to book was going or what the point of almost anything was. I think it also lacked some worldbuilding and honestly, the ending was somewhat underwhelming. Last Memoria also had one of my pet peeves where characters wander up and down for a long period of time and seemingly nothing happens – which would be fine if I enjoyed spending time with the characters, but I really didn’t all that much. And I usually prefer character-driven books. I only wish Havric got more spotlight, he was the only character whom I actually liked from the beginning.
Last Memoria is a dark novel about hard choices, about coming in terms with our own identity, about betrayal, about consequences to one’s actions. About love and hate and everything in between. Whether the characters will have a happy ending is yet to be seen, though I think it will all depend on whether they come to terms with their own demons.
It’s been a week since I’ve finished reading Last Memoria, but I still have no idea how I feel about it. On one hand, it was a super fast read, but on the other, I’m not quite sure if I liked anything about it. If that makes any sense. It sure does not for me, but whatever. I might figure it out by the time I finish writing up this review.
So we have this kinda bleak world where the kingdom is plagued by something called the blackvine, stealing people’s life. Created by a race called memoria in answer to an attack on them some time ago. Some of the nobles are rioting against the king who doesn’t want to do anything about it, but at the same time keeping his “pets” around to use for his own ends. His nieces and nephew are descendants or the memoria, having some of their powers such as keeping memories away from others, or giving them others’. With them on his side, looking inside one’s head is not much of a problem. It also comes handy when your nobility tries to assassinate you from time to time.
Sarilla, the king’s favorite “pet” tastes freedom for the first time and though torn between her old life and the possibility of a new one, she can’t quite shake off her identity. The first part of the books tells her story – well, part of it, anyway – in third person. In the second part we switch to Falon’s first person narrative. Which is an interesting choice at first glance, but it’ll make sense at the end. Falon is the bastard son of a high ranking Lord, who is in search of his lost memories along with his two friends. When their path crosses with Sarilla just outside of Arvendon where Sarilla is headed, that’s when Last Memoria gets really interesting.
The writing itself is pretty engaging and Shaw deals with questions such as self-identity, prejudices, and how much memories can define us. Actions have consequences, the characters are neither black nor white, but they probably fall into the darker shades of gray. Then again, it’s a question of your POV. I think my biggest issues with Last Memoria were that I couldn’t make myself like or even care about any of the characters. And that for a long time I couldn’t see where to book was going or what the point of almost anything was. I think it also lacked some worldbuilding and honestly, the ending was somewhat underwhelming. Last Memoria also had one of my pet peeves where characters wander up and down for a long period of time and seemingly nothing happens – which would be fine if I enjoyed spending time with the characters, but I really didn’t all that much. And I usually prefer character-driven books. I only wish Havric got more spotlight, he was the only character whom I actually liked from the beginning.
Last Memoria is a dark novel about hard choices, about coming in terms with our own identity, about betrayal, about consequences to one’s actions. About love and hate and everything in between. Whether the characters will have a happy ending is yet to be seen, though I think it will all depend on whether they come to terms with their own demons.
November 1, 2019
(Review based on ARC provided by author)
The thing with a fantasy superpower is; you can tell when the writer has thought through the implications and when they haven’t. When they haven’t you can spot the plot holes and the “but if they can do X then why not Y?” moments coming a mile off. Fantasy superpowers work best when the writer has not only through through all the logical implications, but also made them central and essential to the narrative.
I’d argue that The Last Memoria by Rachel Shaw is strong example of how to do it right.
The book centres around a young Memoria named Sarilla, a woman who has the ability to fiddle with human memory the way you or I might fiddle with data files on a hard drive or text on a page. Naturally, this ability doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and as a result she lives a life of intrigue, treason, violence and heartache, as all good protagonists should.
Shaw has a nice, rich writing style that takes the time carefully build up the fantasy world Sarilla lives in; the sights, textures, smells, lore, creatures and customs of the people and lands we meet are vividly and often intricately described. As a result the world of the book does feel like like it’s own creation, something that exists outside of the characters and events we get to see. You do very much get the sense that you’re seeing a small splinter of a much older and larger world, and thus you get that nice “I wonder what’s over that other hill?” feeling that a good fantasy world should give you. The plot strikes a nice balance between keeping a good narrative pace, but not flying past so quickly that the intricacies and details of the world are lost.
It’s certainly not an action book - if you’re looking for sword fights and severed limbs on every page, then this isn’t that novel, but you do certainly encounter the violence of the world Sarilla lives in and Shaw captures that grim cheapness of life in land ruled by a tyrant and eaten by war and ancient horrors very well. It’s a world torn and in pain, and nicely reflects the character of Sarilla herself.
As I’ve already said, one of the main strengths of the book is how The Memoria abilities are developed and incorporated into the narrative. This isn’t just a flashy superpower that generates a lot of inadvertent plot holes. Shaw’s clearly put a lot of thought into the implications of Sarilla’s abilities, both for Sarilla herself and the wider world in which she lives. One of the real joys of the book is seeing all the cool little nuances and unexpected ways the power can actually be used. I saw some of them coming, but others caught me off guard and were all the cooler for it. And some of them are *really* cool.
The book plays heavily with the question of how our memories shape our personality, identities, and opinions. Without spoiling any twists, the Memoria abilities are actually pivotal to the structure of the narrative itself. There are some great plot twists and tricks in this book that are only possible because people in this world have this ability. So far from simply using the concept as a flashy superpower, Shaw actually makes it part and parcel of the narrative you’re reading.
To summarise; I really enjoyed this one. Detailed world building that explores its themes in thoughtful detail, and makes the most of what the Memoria concept promises. Recommended.
The thing with a fantasy superpower is; you can tell when the writer has thought through the implications and when they haven’t. When they haven’t you can spot the plot holes and the “but if they can do X then why not Y?” moments coming a mile off. Fantasy superpowers work best when the writer has not only through through all the logical implications, but also made them central and essential to the narrative.
I’d argue that The Last Memoria by Rachel Shaw is strong example of how to do it right.
The book centres around a young Memoria named Sarilla, a woman who has the ability to fiddle with human memory the way you or I might fiddle with data files on a hard drive or text on a page. Naturally, this ability doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and as a result she lives a life of intrigue, treason, violence and heartache, as all good protagonists should.
Shaw has a nice, rich writing style that takes the time carefully build up the fantasy world Sarilla lives in; the sights, textures, smells, lore, creatures and customs of the people and lands we meet are vividly and often intricately described. As a result the world of the book does feel like like it’s own creation, something that exists outside of the characters and events we get to see. You do very much get the sense that you’re seeing a small splinter of a much older and larger world, and thus you get that nice “I wonder what’s over that other hill?” feeling that a good fantasy world should give you. The plot strikes a nice balance between keeping a good narrative pace, but not flying past so quickly that the intricacies and details of the world are lost.
It’s certainly not an action book - if you’re looking for sword fights and severed limbs on every page, then this isn’t that novel, but you do certainly encounter the violence of the world Sarilla lives in and Shaw captures that grim cheapness of life in land ruled by a tyrant and eaten by war and ancient horrors very well. It’s a world torn and in pain, and nicely reflects the character of Sarilla herself.
As I’ve already said, one of the main strengths of the book is how The Memoria abilities are developed and incorporated into the narrative. This isn’t just a flashy superpower that generates a lot of inadvertent plot holes. Shaw’s clearly put a lot of thought into the implications of Sarilla’s abilities, both for Sarilla herself and the wider world in which she lives. One of the real joys of the book is seeing all the cool little nuances and unexpected ways the power can actually be used. I saw some of them coming, but others caught me off guard and were all the cooler for it. And some of them are *really* cool.
The book plays heavily with the question of how our memories shape our personality, identities, and opinions. Without spoiling any twists, the Memoria abilities are actually pivotal to the structure of the narrative itself. There are some great plot twists and tricks in this book that are only possible because people in this world have this ability. So far from simply using the concept as a flashy superpower, Shaw actually makes it part and parcel of the narrative you’re reading.
To summarise; I really enjoyed this one. Detailed world building that explores its themes in thoughtful detail, and makes the most of what the Memoria concept promises. Recommended.
May 24, 2020
Firstly, how gorgeous is that cover?
That was the trouble with stolen memories, you could never trust them once they were yours.
Oh this book! The synopsis on Goodreads compares to Joe Abercrombie, and I totally get it. Sarilla has Glokta's dedication and ruthlessness - I'd even say Ninefingers self-destruction. I'd definitely throw this book under grimdark, and I am here for it.
Sarilla is a memoria - identified by their white hair and black hands, memoria can see and steal peoples memories through touch. Falon is missing six months of his memories and is hoping that he can get these back by using Sarilla.
This book isn't the longest, so I really am not going to say too much about it - as it would be so easy to spoil. But I thoroughly enjoyed it, even when I wasn't - which makes no sense I know, but this really is a book about flawed characters making flawed decisions. I cannot wait to read the conclusion in the next book - already that small teaser at the back has me completely tantalised.
Thank you to Rachel for sending me a copy a free, this review is completely my own view.
That was the trouble with stolen memories, you could never trust them once they were yours.
Oh this book! The synopsis on Goodreads compares to Joe Abercrombie, and I totally get it. Sarilla has Glokta's dedication and ruthlessness - I'd even say Ninefingers self-destruction. I'd definitely throw this book under grimdark, and I am here for it.
Sarilla is a memoria - identified by their white hair and black hands, memoria can see and steal peoples memories through touch. Falon is missing six months of his memories and is hoping that he can get these back by using Sarilla.
This book isn't the longest, so I really am not going to say too much about it - as it would be so easy to spoil. But I thoroughly enjoyed it, even when I wasn't - which makes no sense I know, but this really is a book about flawed characters making flawed decisions. I cannot wait to read the conclusion in the next book - already that small teaser at the back has me completely tantalised.
Thank you to Rachel for sending me a copy a free, this review is completely my own view.
June 10, 2020
Some say novels are insights into the author’s soul. They say that no matter how hard the writer tries to do otherwise, they can’t avoid layering pieces of themselves into their stories.
That is definitely true for my books.
Last Memoria is a reflection of so much of what I struggle with. My need to prove myself. My desire to be good because I’m terrified that I’m not. My fascination with the fragility of memory. My unending questioning of what makes us who we are.
I turned to writing because I needed to work through what life was throwing at me, but like leaping into a white rabbit’s warren, the search raised more questions then it answered.
Last Memoria is dark, tackling themes of lying and betrayal, exploring the grey war zone between good and evil. All that to say, if you think you’ll connect with it then I hope you give it a go. It’s probably not like anything else you’ve ever read.
That is definitely true for my books.
Last Memoria is a reflection of so much of what I struggle with. My need to prove myself. My desire to be good because I’m terrified that I’m not. My fascination with the fragility of memory. My unending questioning of what makes us who we are.
I turned to writing because I needed to work through what life was throwing at me, but like leaping into a white rabbit’s warren, the search raised more questions then it answered.
Last Memoria is dark, tackling themes of lying and betrayal, exploring the grey war zone between good and evil. All that to say, if you think you’ll connect with it then I hope you give it a go. It’s probably not like anything else you’ve ever read.
February 5, 2020
Thank you to the author for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This will be available on May tenth.
It’s amazing how much is packed into this short book. I was sucked in from the start. So many things were done well!
Sarilla is a memoria, meaning she has the ability to steal memories with just a touch. In this way, she’s sort of stealing identities. A lot of who we are is based on our experiences , so it’s really a dangerous power to have. In the beginning, she and her brother (who is a jerk with a capital ‘j’) are running from the king, who has been using her as a weapon to keep his subjects in line. Honestly, though, the A to B of the book is the least important part.
A good chunk of this book centers simply on Sarilla’s coming to grips with who she is and what she can do. There’s a lot of guilt and regret, as well as fear of who she could become. It’s interesting to see themes of choice vs. nature discussed in such a way. Sarilla was fully-developed, and I enjoyed her inner thoughts more than the rest of the book, although I liked the book as a whole.
The second part of the book takes place from the perspective of Falon, a man whose memories were taken from him. Add to that the fact that there is a bit of a romantic history, and it’s a fascinating combination. He struggles with (justified) anger, which added a cool dynamic. His attitude was horrible a good chunk of the time, but it was completely understandable considering what he was dealing with.
The fantasy world itself wasn’t fully realized, but I think that was done deliberately, leaving the Reader to make inferences based on glimpses seen in stolen memories. It was a risky move, but it worked. I was hooked. I quickly became invested in both the characters, and the feel of the book. It didn’t shy away from the ugly parts of the world, instead bringing them to light in a way that was both jarring and powerful.
It’s amazing how much of a wallop this shorter book packed. If you’re looking for action, this book won’t fill that itch. But if you like a fantasy that makes you think, one that deals with subjects like grief, loss, and the choices we make, this one is for you.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
It’s amazing how much is packed into this short book. I was sucked in from the start. So many things were done well!
Sarilla is a memoria, meaning she has the ability to steal memories with just a touch. In this way, she’s sort of stealing identities. A lot of who we are is based on our experiences , so it’s really a dangerous power to have. In the beginning, she and her brother (who is a jerk with a capital ‘j’) are running from the king, who has been using her as a weapon to keep his subjects in line. Honestly, though, the A to B of the book is the least important part.
A good chunk of this book centers simply on Sarilla’s coming to grips with who she is and what she can do. There’s a lot of guilt and regret, as well as fear of who she could become. It’s interesting to see themes of choice vs. nature discussed in such a way. Sarilla was fully-developed, and I enjoyed her inner thoughts more than the rest of the book, although I liked the book as a whole.
The second part of the book takes place from the perspective of Falon, a man whose memories were taken from him. Add to that the fact that there is a bit of a romantic history, and it’s a fascinating combination. He struggles with (justified) anger, which added a cool dynamic. His attitude was horrible a good chunk of the time, but it was completely understandable considering what he was dealing with.
The fantasy world itself wasn’t fully realized, but I think that was done deliberately, leaving the Reader to make inferences based on glimpses seen in stolen memories. It was a risky move, but it worked. I was hooked. I quickly became invested in both the characters, and the feel of the book. It didn’t shy away from the ugly parts of the world, instead bringing them to light in a way that was both jarring and powerful.
It’s amazing how much of a wallop this shorter book packed. If you’re looking for action, this book won’t fill that itch. But if you like a fantasy that makes you think, one that deals with subjects like grief, loss, and the choices we make, this one is for you.
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.hom...
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March 6, 2021Review to come on The Fantasy Hive for SPFBO
Read
March 22, 2021Read for SPFBO Fantasy Hive review, coming soon.
May 20, 2021
I was excited to read this novel out of other SPFBO finalists as this was tagged as a romance - I love a good fantasy romance that isn't steamy and in a book that has an actual plot, but I was disappointed
The novel felt very inconsistent, the character personalities would change for the sake of the plot, which was lackluster. This book has a lot of jumps when the character thinks of a memory and it's not always clear whether you're reading a memory or an actual sequence - I guess it contributes to "unreliable narrator" - a trope which I love, but it didn't feel as exactly that - it felt as something confusing and lackluster and smth I didn't care enough about to understand.
Also, there was a woke love triangle (She loves him, and he loves another him). Thank you, next
Dnf at 30%
The novel felt very inconsistent, the character personalities would change for the sake of the plot, which was lackluster. This book has a lot of jumps when the character thinks of a memory and it's not always clear whether you're reading a memory or an actual sequence - I guess it contributes to "unreliable narrator" - a trope which I love, but it didn't feel as exactly that - it felt as something confusing and lackluster and smth I didn't care enough about to understand.
Also, there was a woke love triangle (She loves him, and he loves another him). Thank you, next
Dnf at 30%
May 13, 2020
WOW! This book got me out of my pandemic reading funk.
Review:
Last Memoria follows Sarilla, a half-human memory stealer who’s run away from her uncle the king. Trying to keep her family safe when they get separated, she rushes to a distant city only to run into someone from her past. Falon, a young nobleman, has no memory of the last several months and seeks a way to get his memories back. When Sarilla runs into him and his friends, he doesn’t recognize her but she will always recognize the boy she loves. When they discover what she is, they take her prisoner to trade for the memories. But it soon becomes clear that things are much more complicated and dangerous than they first appeared. With the dangers of traveling in the wood with the lethal Blackvine that infests it, the group is not safe from anything...even themselves.
This book is so complex in every aspect—characterization, plot development, the setting, the MAGIC etc.—and that complexity contributes to the overarching theme of deception. You can't trust anything or anyone to be who they appear to be. It makes for a wild ride! I was so engaged with this story because of the sheer suspense of figuring out who these characters are. There is a constant struggle to see why characters say and think the things they do. These characters are in no way flat! I also don’t think any of them are wholly good or wholly bad. The depth and breadth of this exploration of morality is so fulfilling to me as a reader. I just loved it. This got me out of a horrible reading slump. I can not recommend it enough. For more details and links, go to my blog and get yourself a copy. It’s a great time to support an indie author and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Full review
https://inkstainsanddust.wordpress.co...
Review:
Last Memoria follows Sarilla, a half-human memory stealer who’s run away from her uncle the king. Trying to keep her family safe when they get separated, she rushes to a distant city only to run into someone from her past. Falon, a young nobleman, has no memory of the last several months and seeks a way to get his memories back. When Sarilla runs into him and his friends, he doesn’t recognize her but she will always recognize the boy she loves. When they discover what she is, they take her prisoner to trade for the memories. But it soon becomes clear that things are much more complicated and dangerous than they first appeared. With the dangers of traveling in the wood with the lethal Blackvine that infests it, the group is not safe from anything...even themselves.
This book is so complex in every aspect—characterization, plot development, the setting, the MAGIC etc.—and that complexity contributes to the overarching theme of deception. You can't trust anything or anyone to be who they appear to be. It makes for a wild ride! I was so engaged with this story because of the sheer suspense of figuring out who these characters are. There is a constant struggle to see why characters say and think the things they do. These characters are in no way flat! I also don’t think any of them are wholly good or wholly bad. The depth and breadth of this exploration of morality is so fulfilling to me as a reader. I just loved it. This got me out of a horrible reading slump. I can not recommend it enough. For more details and links, go to my blog and get yourself a copy. It’s a great time to support an indie author and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Full review
https://inkstainsanddust.wordpress.co...
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