Remember Me

REMEMBER ME is an intriguing YA sci-fi that examines the power of pain, memory, and grief/loss. The story begins with Blue, who wakes up feeling like she has forgotten something important but not remembering what it is. Everyone around her seems to be acting a little strange, and she knows something is not quite right with the things she knows to be true. When she looks deeper into her own room, she finds an unfamiliar note telling her to take the Little Blue Bus at 7:45 am on her birthday in a couple days.

When she does, she realizes the bus driver knows her, even though she has no memory of him, and the boy who rides with her seems to know her, and her body feels like it knows him, even though she cannot ever recall having met him before. This path takes her to discovering who she was and what happened to her - she went to a psychologist using an experimental treatment to remove memories. But what was she trying to forget? And who is she without her painful memories?

What I loved: This was an intriguing read that examines the way grief/loss, pain, and trauma shape our experiences and define us. Memories hold a lot of power, and the book grapples with the ideas around losing them and the way that they transform and define us. People who are old enough to know the movie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, will recognize some of these themes as well as how they have evolved here.

The book changes throughout the telling, and I honestly did not guess the reason for the memory alterations. The book asks some intriguing questions around the possibility of losing your pain through memory and the choices around doing so. Important themes around guilt, grief/loss, the power of memory, mental illness, consent, the role of a therapist, romantic love, and family dynamics make this a thought-provoking read that merits some further discussion. This would be great for a book club or discussion group.

Blue is an intriguing character, and she evolves as we learn more about her past. The character that we meet at the beginning of the story is not the character in the middle of the book or at the end. Her development was really compelling, and while readers may not agree with her choices, I think they become more understandable as we learn more about her.

What left me wanting more: While there are some themes touched upon with depression and suicidality, I would appreciated further resolution and discussion around these. The focus of the story is on memories, but these themes are really powerful and important for readers who may be grappling with their own mental illnesses.

Final verdict: Overall, REMEMBER ME is an intriguing and thought-provoking story of the power of pain and the importance of memory.