Lies My Memory Told Me

September 15, 2021
A popular new technology has dangerous consequences. Seventeen-year-old Nova Reynolds' parents invented Enhanced Memory--an innovative virtual reality technology that allows people to download and engage with immersive experiences ranging from mundane practical skills to thrilling ones like singing on stage or traveling the world. When Nova meets mysterious Kade--who refuses to use Enhanced Memory after becoming overly dependent upon it--and they break into a skating rink, she learns that he makes videos to share his real adventures, something that has become increasingly rare. Even as original thinking and creativity decline, the demand grows for escaping into others' memories. Nova's workaholic parents become so busy beta-testing memories that they fail to clean the house and forget to attend her school play. During a lake-house vacation, her parents spend the whole time indoors experiencing Memories. Through Nova's after-school job at a health facility for elderly people with memory loss, she accidentally stumbles upon the details of the memory extraction process and realizes something sinister is happening. This dystopian thriller presents a thought-provoking metaphor for video game and social media addiction, especially impactful as it is shown from the perspective of a teen who watches her parents lose control. The intriguing premise, fast-paced narrative, and satisfying twists compensate for the sparse character development. Most characters default to White; Kade's mother is British and his father is Indian. An entertaining, high-tech page-turner. (Thriller. 12-18)

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October 15, 2021
Grades 8-11 A promising premise propels this sf thriller debut. Society has moved on from social media to Enhanced Memories. Sold as small cartridges, EMs give individuals exhilarating experiences, like skydiving or visiting the Great Wall of China, without the physical risk or expense. It has been two years since Nova's parents invented EMs, and Experion Enterprises made them wildly popular and profitable. Nova, now a tenth-grader, resents her parents' neglect as they spend every minute beta testing new EMs. Then she meets and falls for Kade, a boy who claims to have known her by a different name, leading her to question her own identity. Kade's belief in actual experiences puts him in danger when the source of EMs becomes clear. Readers will have fun figuring out how Nova's past connects to her present as she uncovers the nefarious lengths to which Experion will go for authentic memories. While this novel is short on science and character development, it is recommended for those who love to be kept guessing all the way to the final, satisfying reveal.

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November 1, 2021

Gr 6-8-Nova may not understand how Enhanced Memory works, but she knows its value-with the push of a button, she can experience the world without traveling or even having to talk to a stranger. She can master new skills in minutes. And it is all perfectly safe; her parents invented it after all. Nova has no doubts about Enhanced Memory until she meets Kade, who first mistakes Nova for someone else. Nova blows off his outlandish conspiracy theories, until she starts to realize that pieces of her own life don't add up. But if she isn't Nova, who is she? Wunsch begins the book by building increasing tension and asking probing questions that promise a fantastic exploration into what makes a person themselves. However, the narrative spirals when answers become predictable, a grand rescue feels much too easy, and suddenly all is well again without nearly enough closure or explanation. While Nova's initial, frustrating, devout defense of Enhanced Memory makes sense by the end, the story's ending diminishes the stakes that felt so high halfway through. All characters present white. VERDICT A decent dystopian thriller for young readers just getting started with the genre, not quite ready for more nuanced worlds like Neal Shusterman's Unwind.-Annamarie Carlson, Westerville P.L., OH

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