Reviews

Giselle is a reluctant artist, performing (reclusive, challenging, disciplined) life until she decides to stop allowing an audience. Jackie is an early adherent to 1990s tech, which she parlays into a cushion even when the dot com bubble bursts. Ellen is an organizer, often goading those around her to better versions of themselves. They met at Chinese camp as teens. And age away from each other, then back together again, as the story careens into the present, and drops off into a dark future that stinks, a disturbingly familiar rot.

Memory Piece is both the name of one of Giselle's artistic endeavors, a project that brings the three women together in the 2060s, and the structure of the book. Ko asks what should be in our time capsule of this moment, what literature should notice and preserve, how readers catalog and archive the ephemera of fiction? I had no idea where this was going but felt surprised, intrigued, and often satisfied, as the author kept building. This feels key to reread as we approach calendared markers in the text, like Butler's PARABLE OF THE SOWER.

myparisbookshelf's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

saracook's review against another edition

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challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

1.5

yuzureads's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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