About This Book:
A luminous fantasy debut about a young girl who must choose between staying immersed in a magical past with her deceased mother, or saving those she loves most in the complicated, yet real present.
Since her mama died, thirteen-year-old Lavender has a disastrous memory problem. She forgets her lessons with her papa, an apothecary. She develops elaborate evasions to hide her lack of memory of the herbs and remedies she must learn to attain her dream of being an apothecary apprentice. Worst of all, she forgets memories of her mama.
Despite her papa’s disdain for magic, Lavender seeks a memory remedy from a clothing enchantress named Frey. As the two develop a friendship, Frey uses her spinning magic to help Lavender re-experience past moments with her mama. Lavender hears her mama’s laughter again, her singing voice, and how it felt to be wrapped in her hugs.
But when Lavender discovers the truth about Frey’s magic and its vengeful purpose she must decide whether to stay immersed in beloved memories with her mama or save the people she loves most in the present.
*Review Contributed By Stephanie Augustine, Staff Reviewer*
The Memory Spinner
I’ve previously stated how lucky Middle Graders are with how many amazing stories they have — and this one is no exception.
The Memory Spinner is going to touch the hearts of readers everywhere. Lavender has experienced a memory loss where she can’t remember anything. She’s afraid to tell her Father because she is worried he’ll end her apprenticeship with him as a healer but she can’t remember the herbs or what they have previously diagnosed patients with. In order to help her with her memory loss, she decides to visit the only one who can help – the enchantress. The enchantress can weave different magics throughout clothes and Lavender asks for help. In exchange for a memory cloak, Lavender must work for her and delivery packages. However, Lavender is supposed to be working with her dad and her dad hates magic. Lavender must navigate her own feelings, memories, and heart to regain all she lost.
The story is a quick paced book that doesn’t take time delving into too many details. This is exactly what I would expect of a Middle Grade read because it needs to hold the audience’s attention. I appreciate it as an adult reader because sometimes – simple is nice. As the story develops, theories of Lavender’s memory loss plagued my mind but I never expected the actual reason. And I loved the twist. I thought this whole story was such a great read and really had me not wanting to put it down at all.
Lavender was an amazing main character. She has so much heart and soul but still has a lot of room to grow. I thought Lavender’s character arc was truly amazing and I loved how much she learned about herself and her desires also. Lavender is faced with many options and challenges but it’s how she overcomes them which has you rooting for her the whole time.
Overall, The Memory Spinner by CM Cornwell is an amazing debut. I absolutely adored this story and fell in love with Lavender. Even though this story’s main audience is for middle graders – all ages can enjoy it. The story is simple but impactful. The characters all go through their own personal growth. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone, at any age, for those who enjoy a simple magic story about a girl trying to regain her memories and find herself in the process.
AUDIO REVIEW
I was so lucky to get an advanced audio of this book and even more lucky that Saskia Maarleveld narrated it. She is amazing everything she does and this book is no exception. She brings Lavender’s story to life and does a great job in the different inflections and tense moments. I would recommend the audio format for anyone who enjoyed audiobooks.
