The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa | International Booker Prize 2020 review
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- čas přidán 6. 07. 2024
- It's Kamil here and I'm coming to you with the book number four, Yoko Ogawa's The Memory Police, the fourth book review of the International Booker Prize longlisted book, a dark, feeling like a wrong step away dystopian novel. Probably the most widely read book on the longlist, so far at least. Translated by Stephen Snyder.
This video is part of the project of reading and reviewing all International Booker Prize 2020 longlisted books, the next one coming up, The Eighth Life.
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Goodreads:
The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa, Stephen Snyder (Translator) / the-memory-police
Reading Schedule:
Reading and Posting Schedule
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Sunday, 15th of March:
The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree by Shokoofeh Azar
Review: • The Enlightenment of t...
Goodreads: / 35708940
Wednesday, 18th of March
The Adventures of China Iron by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara
Review: • The Adventures of Chin...
Goodreads: / the-adventures-of-chin...
Sunday 22nd, of March
The Discomfort of Evening by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, Michele Hutchison (Goodreads Author) (Translator)
Review: • The Discomfort of Even...
Goodreads: / the-discomfort-of-evening
Sunday 29th of March
The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawa, Stephen Snyder (Translator)
/ the-memory-police
Sunday 5th of April
The Eighth Life: for Brilka by Nino Haratischwili, Charlotte Collins (Translator),
/ the-eighth-life
Thursday the 9th of April
Mac and His Problem by Enrique Vila-Matas, Margaret Jull Costa (Translator), Sophie Hughes (Translator)
/ mac-and-his-problem
Monday 13th of April
Red Dog by Willem Anker
/ red-dog
Saturday 18th of April
Tyll by Daniel Kehlmann
/ tyll
Wednesday 22nd of April
The Other Name: Septology I-II (Septologien #1-2) by Jon Fosse,
/ the-other-name
Sunday 26th of April
Hurricane Season by Fernanda Melchor
/ temporada-de-huracanes
3rd of May
Little Eyes by Samanta Schweblin
/ little-eyes
10th of May
Faces on the Tip of My Tongue by Emmanuelle Pagano, Jennifer Higgins (Translator), Sophie Lewis (Translator)
/ faces-on-the-tip-of-my...
17th of May
Serotonin by Michel Houellebecq
/ serotonin
#internationalbooker2020 #finestfiction #translatedfiction
Great how you point out how the national curriculum selectively removes information from the history books!
I found the way she presented the philosophical and psychological concerns was so compelling that I wasn't bothered by the plot issues you point out, but I can see how they detract from the novel being elevated to excellent status.
Thank you Eric, yes I agree, she makes up for plot shortcomings, with the ideas and beautiful language and imagery.
Great in depth review! I loved this book and your analysis of the themes was very thought provoking and helped me appreciate the novel further, thank you!
Thank you, I'm happy to hear that.
Hello, I absolutely loved the Memory Police. I just can’t forget it. I agree with everything you say, the downs as well....tho the downs didn’t bother me at. all. What an interesting point about the war crimes and how they are being ‘forgotten’ ...and how that is something the book could be reflecting on...what an interesting thought. The thing I loved about the book was that there were just so many things to think about and ponder on. ...long after the book was over.
What a passionate comment, it's clear the book affected you. I also give a big pass to a book that has shortcomings in terms of a plot but offers so much in terms of a language and ideas. However I think those might impact Ogawa's chances of winning the award. I'm quite happy as I have 3 other books by Ogawa that I haven't read yet, so I'm looking forward to some great reading time.
Very interesting review! Congratulations for the task you're doing. I'm dying to know how you actually do the analysis of the books you read: the process from the book to the recording. It may be an idea for a video.
Thanks a lot!
Oh, thank you very much, that video is something I definitely will consider.
Such a good review, wow!
Thank you so much
I loved this novel!! Another awesome review. If I like the ideas and themes enough, I usually don’t mind the plot not being as strong. Her writing really resonates strongly with what I see happening today, so I enjoyed it.
Thank you so much Georgia. Regarding The Memory Policy, it's a good book, I enjoyed it too, but in my case, I'm very peculiar when I see something offending the rules of logic, even if this is taking place in totally imaginary reality. I loved the themes though, and the fact that she was very subtle with them, not too much in your face about their relation to our current day and age.
Great review, Kamil. I agree with a lot of your thoughts. I loved how subtlety creepy it is. It reminded me of a reverse Mario Kondo horror story. Instead of getting rid of things that don’t bring you joy, you have to “get rid of” or unknow everything.
HAHA! A reverse Marie Kondo horror - that would be hilarious "We came to mess up your house".
Kamil! I really enjoy your recommendations. I think this was a very interesting book.. however, i don't see it winning the prize. Best of luck reading the rest of the books. I look forward to your reviews :)
Thank you! I still have quite a few books to read so it’s hard to tell. It wasn’t my favourite out of the ones I’ve read but I’m still waiting to be blown away by one of the longlisted books.
I really loved the creepy atmosphere of this book, especially as the book-within-a-book story unfolded and started to merge with the main story. It had very ominous vibe. My main issue with it is it sometimes felt inconsistent in how the memory or lack thereof of things really worked (so the things disappear but then people also have to burn them or drop them into the river??). Like apparently people would just totally forget about the stuff that disappeared but then later the narrator will sort of reference a disappeared thing as if it's still part of her consciousness.. rules didn't seem terribly clear on that. I do think it does a really good job of pulling you into the universe regardless of the plot holes and you can make a lot of parallels with what happens when certain cultures get wiped out by oppression/genocide and how people have a hard time venturing out into the world when they've experienced the trauma of losing parts of their identity.
I agree with all you said and you are right there were a few similar comments under a video that raised the same issue regarding disappearing objects. The boat seems to be the most obvious example, they still seemed to be able to see it name it and know what to do with it just don't know how.
@@WhatKamilReads Yeah they did explain the boat was allowed to stay cause it didn't "work" but then I'm like well it's still floating isn't it? Isn't that the main function of a boat lol. To me, it seems like a lot of the other objects they disappeared could've gotten through that loophole too then..
great review. subbed.
This is a very wholesome review. I read this book on January. It was my first book for this year. It was a surreal experience. I felt like the whole book was a gigantic metaphor for schizophrenia.
Thank you Randy, appreciate that. Are you Indonesian? You share the surname with well known Indonesian writer - Eka Kurniawan.
Also very interesting point on the book, let me dwell on it.
WhatKamilReads I am indeed from Indonesia. But I don’t think I have immediate relation to Eka Kurniawan 😂 I’m surprised that you read Indonesian literatures too. About the schizophrenia thing, maybe it’s a stretch but I felt like Ogawa was trying to elaborate memory loss, delusion, body dysmorphia, and dysphoria as this very unique and intricate dystopian universe. But then again I most likely over-analyze it.
thank you
I only have The Housekeeper and the Professor by Ogawa on my shelves right now, so I will pick that one up first. But if I end up enjoying it, The Memory Police is the next one by her that is on my radar. :)
Great, let me know how it goes.
I know I have changed my mind as I go along with the Booker list. This book is great, it is a multilayered book and one could come from different angles to analyse the book. Most people will see it as Orwellian but I feel it would not be proper for in the book the loss of memory starts with the people. It quite shows (in a political sense) a dichotomy of people who remembers their past or their identity contrast to those who don't and how few they are compared the majority who don't possess such gift.
I am probably blabbing, and it is understandable because the book packs a punch. Ogawa is illusive on some important plot questions but as I will agree with you, the delivery was superb.
Concerning the apparent plot, (I think like you also in a way said) is a reflection of the novelist. Was she paralleling herself and situation with her work. Plus I enjoyed how Ogawa doesn't fixate so much on the pains of loss, memory and grief but focuses on its twin - remembrance, hope and survival. Excellent book, I must confess. I think if it wins it would be a surprise.
I do agree that it would be a surprised if it won, on the other hand ideas wise it's a brilliant novel, but I do think it lacks plot wise. Nonetheless I would not be angry if it won.
Thank you, Kamil. I bought copy of this book to read over the summer (NZ = December - February) but didn't get around to it. Now that we are in lockdown, it is a great opportunity to read it, especially after considering your intelligent review. Memory is indeed an interesting concept for authors and authoritarian regimes alike. for the latter, focusing on memory is an opportunity to exploit and "other" sections of society so that people are distracted by "the other" than the in-roads being made on human rights and institutions. It seems to me that Ogawa renders this phenomenon quite well in her novel, though perhaps more subtly than, say, Milosovic (who became an authoritarian leader as Ogawa was writing this book). I look forward to reading this novel. Stay safe! (P.S. I'm still reading The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree and will come back to you on that.)
I agree with your thought that mending the history and therefore the memory to use it as fuel for building society around given ideology and distract them from what's going in terms of their freedoms was used throughout history. Great thought. Sadly that is how human mind operates, we tend to be inspired by ideas not by logical argumentation. Sadly again that is why we are also easily manipulated.
Regarding former Yugoslavia's leaders/war criminals, have you read The Little Red Chairs by Edna O'brien? Radovan Karadžić is depicted in the novel.
WhatKamilReads I agree entirely with your assessment. All of the work I have read about the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia has been non-fiction. I’ll take note of your recommendation - thanks!
Hi Kamil, I enjoyed how the book provoked thoughts on what happens to individuals, people, a society that chooses not to use their voice because of fear and how much of a person's identity is tethered to memory and its associations.
I did not enjoy the flatness of the main character. Even as her passion for writing dwindled and her books were "disappeared" she seemed to react the same or less to other traumas that occurred. I didn't know if that was due to technique, and Ogawa wanted to show her audience how easily conditioned a person can become over time-I do know people like that- however, even with the parallel storyline of the typist there wasn't enough peak with the main character or plot.
Orwell & Bradbury both had masterful peaks: Room 101 and Montag turning the fire on his coworker. Because I have read those books, this one felt like the psychology was handled too lightly. I tend to love her sentences, she does write elegantly, though it is combined with dark subtext, I just wish she would've developed her characters more, I felt the same way as you did with the gaping holes she left in some areas....annoyed. It was still worth the read but not as good as its predecessors.I think The Emissary was written better though much shorter.
*Good video 😊📚
*The Rape of Nanking was a book that I could hardly get through. And no ,we did not learn that in any history class.
I was wondering about the flatness you describe too, but to me this is understandable in the framework, or let's say, in the world she was living in. She was just one of the population conditioned or made to lose the emotional connection to those things as everybody else. I agree that would make it more interesting if she rebelled but she had no reasons to rebel as there was no emotions left in her to do so... I mean that is what I thought.
I like the analogy you are building with Orwell and Brandbury, and this is a high bar you set against Ogawa, but yes, why not, and here I would agree it's not on the same level, but those guys are in the interstellar league.
* Have you gone to school in Japan, I believe we might have talked about it in the past but I don't remember the school part.
@@WhatKamilReads Yes, I was thinking maybe the main character was void of emotion because she was void of recall/memory, though it would scare me to write like that😂 I would feel the need to resuscitate my character at every sentence ending.
I'm in the USA, but read mostly translations. I think I told you before I liked Soseki so maybe that's why you thought Japan. I was schooled in different places for a little while b/c foster care, BUT none of the schools ever spoke about anything in regards to Japan but of course ....Hiroshima and Nagasaki
I read the Memory Police a few months back, I quite enjoyed it, but it’s not a new all time favourite for me. I agree with your annoyances, the ‘mechanics’ of the situation obviously work only as required by the plot, and not according to ‘objective’ rules. There’s also the question of how the old man can still live on the ferry and that he remembers just slightly too much about it for example. Another interesting angle to the book is the relationship between writers and editors, both in the life of the main character, and in the story she writes. Although I do hope none of Ogawa’s own experiences with editors informed the typist’s story.
Also happy to report that my copy of The Discomfort of Evening. has arrived and I’m going to be reading it next week.
I like your comment about the old man remembering slightly too much. It's a good point, in any other circumstances, the naming of the disappeared object became increasingly harder to recall, until forgotten, while here both of them, the old man and the writer know that it's a ferry, and the old man knows what they were used for...
I chuckled but with a serious dose of worry thinking about Ogawa and her editors.
I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts on The Discomfort of Evening. Also, I didn't know you have a channel. Just subscribed.
Hi Kamil, I'm catching up... I had a lot of trouble with this book, but it got to me in the end. Much as that scene when they almost get caught was a cliche, it was effective shes made me care about the story. I also appreciate how she's not drawing direct parallels to real life, yet it all feels a bit "too real", especially now. Food shortages, only going to work and spending the rest of the time at home...
I still much preferred The Housekeeper and the Professor. It had more emotion, better characters.
Hi Laura, the scene you are referring to in my case made me irritated as I was rather thinking how lazy it is than carrying if they get caught or not. The one other thing that bothered me more was the arrangement of exchanging information with the wife. I mean wouldn’t the authoritarian regime trying to find the escapee had better surveillance over the wife of the man they are after. It was enough to follow her or the writer on the other hand. If they were so incompetent about that then the guy could have easily walked around the writers house instead of sitting closed down in sort of a box.
The other thing The Old man and the ferry, he seem to know together with the writer what the ferry’s for, while it disappeared long time ago... which was inconsistent with all other things.
If it wasn’t for that I would love this book as the social and political undertones are brilliant and as you well pointed out, those are very subtle and not overplayed. Which I admired.
Apologies for being off topic, but I wanted to tell you that I've just read a book you recommended a few weeks ago. It's French Toast, which I had to get directly from the publisher, as even Waterstones knew nothing about it and had no dealings with that publisher. Anyway, thanks for the recommendation, as I enjoyed it enormously. It was a sharp and witty satire that took aim at several targets, and every barb hit home. I'm not sure what the author thinks of Jean-Luc Godard, but the main character, Victor Eaves, at the end of the book refers to Godard's "godawful" films. I have some sympathy for that view. Early on, Godard deconstructed the nature of film, and made some fascinating movies, although narrative thrust was never something he appeared interested in, and finally he backed himself into a corner, as his deconstruction didn't lead to a restructuring of film, just meandering and ill-focused efforts and finally filmic doodlings which few people saw or wanted to see. Much of this is covered in the book, but in a way that is extremely entertaining.
Tony I thought you left and won't comment again ;-). Happy to read your comment on whatever video, no problem with that. I'm very glad you liked French Toast and I'm not surprised it's hard to get. Are you planning on reading anything else by Burnett?
I'm not an expert on Goddard, I plan on diving deeper, and I am mostly interested in his more political, probably less digestible, but politically driven movies. I find his political commentary (also included in the book) quite thought provoking.
Loving your MANILA shirt
I've been to Philippines twice and loved the experience, Manila shirt as you figured out was bought there in the capital.
WhatKamilReads Wow. Let me know if plan to visit Philippines in the future. Would love to tour you around!
Memory is one of my favourite subjects in literature, but not the fluffy way Ogawa deals with it. I DNFd The Professor and the Housekeeper some years ago because it was too sweet and I DNFd Memory Police last year. Even as a cautionary tale or a nod to the past it seemed very ethereal. I understand why you liked it, but it's really a question of me not getting along with Japanese writers.
Ha! “Fluffy way Ogawa deals with it” that was feisty:) I understand your point on ethereal. It is very unworldly and unspecific. I like that fineness served by Ogawa. I’m not big on Japanese writers but mostly because I haven’t read a lot of them. I’m not a fan of Murakami, I still have to read Oe. I couldn’t get on with Mishima I felt I was being indoctrinated and in a badly very direct fashion.
Hey it's been a year i know but if by any chance if you see this please reply, you mentioned that memory is your favourite theme,could you suggest some books based on it?
I'm currently hooked on to this theme.
TIA
Oh nooo.... the German translation will be published in June. 😅 At least it's this year.
The Polish date is not even known :)
@@WhatKamilReads That's annoying. Maybe reach out to the publisher of the Polish editions? I would read the English translation, too, but lately I've decided to wait for the German translations if the authors don't write in English or French. I with I could do that with Japanese.... 🙄