Hardcover, 329 pages
English language
Published June 11, 2019 by Crown Publishing.
Memory makes reality.
That’s what New York City cop Barry Sutton is learning as he investigates the devastating phenomenon the media has dubbed False Memory Syndrome—a mysterious affliction that drives its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived.
That's what neuroscientist Helena Smith believes. It’s why she’s dedicated her life to creating a technology that will let us preserve our most precious memories. If she succeeds, anyone will be able to re-experience a first kiss, the birth of a child, the final moment with a dying parent.
As Barry searches for the truth, he comes face-to-face with an opponent more terrifying than any disease—a force that attacks not just our minds but the very fabric of the past. And as its effects begin to unmake the world as we know it, only he and Helena, working together, will stand a chance at defeating it.
But how can …
Memory makes reality.
That’s what New York City cop Barry Sutton is learning as he investigates the devastating phenomenon the media has dubbed False Memory Syndrome—a mysterious affliction that drives its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived.
That's what neuroscientist Helena Smith believes. It’s why she’s dedicated her life to creating a technology that will let us preserve our most precious memories. If she succeeds, anyone will be able to re-experience a first kiss, the birth of a child, the final moment with a dying parent.
As Barry searches for the truth, he comes face-to-face with an opponent more terrifying than any disease—a force that attacks not just our minds but the very fabric of the past. And as its effects begin to unmake the world as we know it, only he and Helena, working together, will stand a chance at defeating it.
But how can they make a stand when reality itself is shifting and crumbling all around them?
4.5
Look, I’m a logic guy. If you examine this book closely you’re going to see a lot of issues with the “science” and there are some odd decisions that characters make that a real person wouldn’t, but the themes and the method in which the themes are told are right up my alley and I had a good time. Gets surprisingly dark for a moment.
The other Crouch books I've read have been better plotted than written. Happily that isn't the case here. I wasn't expecting much, but the whole false memory premise does take very interesting and thoughtful directions. Happy to give it five stars, for the plot, the exploration of the central conceit and the open-ended... ending which is bound to disappoint all those who like things wrapped up neatly (I like to think of "Don't Stop Believin'" playing on the jukebox in the bar), but it really is a pale imitation of Ken Grimwood's 'Replay', which I heartily recommend to the two or three people who'll see this review (and to everyone else who won't).
I liked it at times but it felt like three different books in one and for where I was in my life this got way to dark for me towards the end.
The story revolves around a memory device that can bring people back in time to a memory that they then can change -- but it changes everyone else's memories, and they can then remember those timelines as well. Mindbending fun.
Several original ideas presented in a fun-to-read way. Never seen some of these concepts explored in the this direction.
Interesting concepts about memory and time and how screwing around with both/either can have catastrophic consequences. I didn't think the world building or the characters were very well-developed, but it did make for an entertaining story.
The first book I've read in a single day in a long time. Super cool parallel universes and time hopping, sorta?
The book starts out slow with a few cliches. I wasn't impressed. But that's all part of the plan; I'm glad I didn't give up.
The conceit of the story, recursion, is investigated completely and exhaustively to the point where you are completely exhausted and thrilled. Beautiful ending (It shouldn't be an epilogue though! Too necessary.).
It doesn't quite reach Black Matter, but apart from the part where I didn't really understand the travelling bit it's still a very good and at times heartbreaking story.
TW: suicide, described brutal motor accident, death by fire, mentioned domestic abuse, mentioned child rape & murder
4.2
It began 8 months ago, a disease inflicting people with two sets of memories- one real, one not, though both feel as if they've been lived through. An NYC cop is on the scene for a suicide, a woman who does not want to live in a world she swears her child has been deleted from. She's not the first to kill herself due to not being able to deal with the memories, but it's her death that sends that cop, Barry Sutton, onto a path that will change everything. A path begun years ago- life times ago, really. He will stumble into the truth... False Memory Syndrome is not at all what the world believes.
This book grabs you from the very first page. Nothing about this book is filler, it …
TW: suicide, described brutal motor accident, death by fire, mentioned domestic abuse, mentioned child rape & murder
4.2
It began 8 months ago, a disease inflicting people with two sets of memories- one real, one not, though both feel as if they've been lived through. An NYC cop is on the scene for a suicide, a woman who does not want to live in a world she swears her child has been deleted from. She's not the first to kill herself due to not being able to deal with the memories, but it's her death that sends that cop, Barry Sutton, onto a path that will change everything. A path begun years ago- life times ago, really. He will stumble into the truth... False Memory Syndrome is not at all what the world believes.
This book grabs you from the very first page. Nothing about this book is filler, it begins and ends with a challenge. I was invested from the very beginning, and honestly, all these days later I still feel invested. It pulls you in and forces you onto the ride.
And it's a twisty ride! Made up of layers of timelines and back and forth point of views, you're never entirely sure what is possible or where things are leading. This book feels so perfectly speculative and exploratory, it's really a whole experience, almost like watching someone perform an impressive trick in front of you. You don't try to poke holes, you're transfixed, hoping something magical happens- and it does.
Part of what makes the whole thing so interesting and new, is the concept of "dead memories" and the refusal to play into a classic paradox. The inability to get out from under cause and effect makes everything feel that much more important and precarious. It also made it easier to keep track of, while also feeling almost like amassing a body count.
The only thing that didn't work for me was the ending. In general I like the turn it took, but it didn't really make sense to me at the very end, and felt more like a cop out. It seemed like Barry just made the mapping of dead memories work without actually figuring out how to? After all the science and trial and error I have no idea why he'd be able to make that major leap without even more time working through that specific puzzle.
This is an engrossing and captivating speculative scifi book! I'll be thinking about it for a long, long time.
Very, very interesting concept but the ending is a huuuuuuuuuuuuge cop out. There's no resolution, no solution to the problem of the novel. Just a 'what happens next' cliff hanger.
It's just like Steins;Gate, with more explosions and getting naked, and less lab coats and megalomania. S;G was way more fun though.
NO SPOILERS.
I deals with a messy topic and, as such, it's messy here and there. But it's overall very enjoyable, a real page-turner like I haven't read in a while.
The prose is a bit clunky, but the plot is a satisfyingly intricate fever dream. More thriller than sci-fi, but with plenty of time-bending twists.
A clever premise, worked out in detail, described clearly and consistently. A story that starts slowly but builds with some real surprises. Prose that flows, a pleasure to read. Well-drawn characters all with their own emotional baggage. This is the first of Blake Crouch's books I've read. I will read more.
