Hi everyone! So today I am sharing my blog tour post for The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy, which is hosted by The Fantastic Flying Book Club. And yes, you may notice that the tour itself is actually over, but some one of us completely spaced the dates, so better late than never, right?! Anyways, be sure to check out the schedule for this awesome tour here.
The Memory Thief
Author: Lauren Mansy
Publication Date: 01 October 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pages: 368
Publisher: Blink
In the city of Craewick, memories reign. The power-obsessed ruler of the city, Madame, has cultivated a society in which memories are currency, citizens are divided by ability, and Gifted individuals can take memories from others through touch as they please.
Seventeen-year-old Etta Lark is desperate to live outside of the corrupt culture, but grapples with the guilt of an accident that has left her mother bedridden in the city’s asylum. When Madame threatens to put her mother up for auction, a Craewick practice in which a “criminal’s” memories are sold to the highest bidder before being killed, Etta will do whatever it takes to save her. Even if it means rejoining the Shadows, the rebel group she swore off in the wake of the accident years earlier.
To prove her allegiance to the Shadows and rescue her mother, Etta must steal a memorized map of the Maze, a formidable prison created by the bloodthirsty ruler of a neighboring Realm. So she sets out on a journey in which she faces startling attacks, unexpected romance, and, above all, her own past in order to set things right in her world.
I’ll be honest, the first thing that drew me to this book was the cover. I know I can’t be the only one who judges a book by its cover. Oh well. The synopsis also pulled me in because I found the idea of buying and selling memories absolutely fascinating.
Etta lives in a society where corruption and political unrest is just another day. In this society, memories are bought and sold on the open market. The book opens with the auctioning off of a criminal’s memories by the cruel Madam prior to his execution. Unfortunately for Etta, a tragic accident has left her mother committed to the asylum. The catch is, when the asylum is too full, beds are opened up by selling off a patient’s memories before they are ultimately disposed of. Madame informs Etta that her mother is about to face that fate.
Etta is desperate to do whatever it takes to save her mom. She decides to rejoin a rebel force of Memory Thieves called the Shadows even after it cost her everything four years prior. To swear loyalty to the Shadows, she must memorize the map of the maze that was created by the neighboring realm’s vicious leader. On this mission, she’s joined by Reid who is desperately trying to save his brother who is trapped in the maze.
Lauren Mansy is able to carefully craft a deliciously dark fantasy that shows us things that we are capable of in times of desperation and grief. Etta is so incredibly broken and will do anything to save her mom. Reid is at his breaking point after the disappearance of his brother. I loved the fast paced adventure once Etta officially re-joined the Shadows and the twists and turns along the way. We do get a little brief romance between Etta and Reid which was a breath of fresh air amongst all of the violence, darkness, and grief.
Overall, this is great fantasy debut that tackles the tough themes of grief and despair and how to overcome them when faced with the most dire of situations.
Thank you to Blink and NetGalley for providing an eARC. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Purchase Links
Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | IndieBound
Lauren lives in the Chicago area, where she’s spent years working with youth, from young children to high schoolers. When she’s not writing, Lauren is usually with her family or exploring the city to find the best deep dish pizza. The Memory Thief, which was inspired by Lauren’s own journey with her mother, is her first novel.
Author Links
The Reading Chemist 
The cover dragged me in too but I love the premise of this book!
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Sweet review. I was not sure of the story hence didn’t add this to my TBR. Now I am rethinking
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This boko sounds very interesting! And yes the cover caught my attention first as well!
Great review!
(www.evelynreads.com)
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