Book Review: My Name Is Memory by Ann Brashares

“Love demands everything, they say, but my love demands only this: that no matter what happens or how long it takes, you`ll keep faith in me, you`ll remember who we are, and you`ll never feel despair.”

― Ann Brashares, My Name Is Memory

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants author Ann Brashares wrote the best-selling young adult novel My Name is Memory in 2010. The main characters of the book are a mysterious young boy named Daniel and Sophia, the girl he has been looking for all his life. Daniel is trying to jog Sophia's memory of him in a race against time before his furious, centuries-old brother Joaquim discovers them. 

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together-and he remembers it all. Daniel has "the memory", the ability to recall past lives and recognize souls of those he's previously known. It is a gift and a curse. For all the times that he and Sophia have been drawn together throughout history, they have also been torn painfully, fatally, apart. A love always too short.

Interwoven through Sophia and Daniel's unfolding present day relationship are glimpses of their expansive history together. From 552 Asia Minor to 1918 England and 1972 Virginia, the two souls share a long and sometimes torturous path of seeking each other time and time again. But just when young Sophia (now "Lucy" in the present) finally begins to awaken to the secret of their shared past, to understand the true reason for the strength of their attraction, the mysterious force that has always torn them apart reappears. Ultimately, they must come to understand what stands in the way of their love if they are ever to spend a lifetime together. 

My reaction to this novel... 

I've had this book in my library for a while now. Simply because I'm in the mood for a love tale, I remembered this book and decided to read it last week when looking through my library. Actually, I had this book because of the title and cover. I have no idea what the narrative would be like because I haven't even read the book's synopsis.

My interest was sparked by the first chapter's discussion of reincarnation. Wow.. I find romance and reincarnation stories to be so fascinating that I can't stop reading them. I can't help myself since it's been a while since I read a good romance book like this. I read the book quickly and wanted to throw my book out the window after the cliffhanger. Now, I can't wait to read the sequel. I was left seriously in the dark!

I was intrigued by the story because it got me thinking about reincarnation. that your love for the person you previously loved will remain as strong even after numerous reincarnations. I've read a lot of reviews of this book, some of them unfavorable, but I came at it from a different angle. I've known love that lasts a lifetime. You will be able to feel the love of your life's essence despite all of the different forms and shapes they may take.

I just don't agree with how the story ended. I knew there was a second volume, but after waiting for her for so long, why should he have to abandon her once more? It was incredibly depressing, and I wanted to compel everyone who hasn't read this book to do so.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4/5)

“You forget your victories, but you remember the losses.”

I also don't understand why the majority of us find it so simple to forget the happiness of our successes yet so difficult to forget all of our emotions when we lose a battle. Perhaps our determination to win, after everything you sacrificed and put into it, did not even bring us to victory, which is why it is too difficult to forget all the sufferings we suffered while losing that battle. 

“Love who you love while you have them. That's all you can do. Let them go when you must.”

All that is left for us to do is that. Because we can never predict what may happen in the future, we must express our love to those we care about till they are at our side. If we have the chance, we should show them how much we love them since we can never tell when it's time to let go.