The Memory Key

January 12, 2015
The theme of memory has been thoroughly explored in YA fiction in recent years, and Liu’s novel doesn’t distinguish itself amid similar offerings. Few readers will naively assume that a computer chip implanted in every American’s brain as a prophylactic against dementia is innocuous, so it comes across as banal when protagonist Lora Mint confides, “It’s sort of disturbing that Keep Corp is able to track each individual memory key.” Lora isn’t the most savvy or energetic heroine—her narration is prone to meandering repetition, and she spends much of the early chapters staring into space, overwhelmed by intermittent memories she can’t filter. These often seamlessly bleed into the present, creating a confused, stop-start reading experience. As a representation of Lora’s internal reality, it’s effective, but less so in terms of pacing and emotional connection. Eventually Lora’s struggles with her misbehaving memory take shape as a formulaic government-corporate conspiracy thriller. Liu shows technical skill, particularly in the well-crafted memories, but it isn’t enough to overcome the story’s lack of suspense. Ages 13–up. Agent: Sarah Burnes and Logan Garrett, Gernert Company.

January 1, 2015
Mysteries abound as one girl struggles to uncover the truth behind her mother's death while grappling with a malfunctioning memory device and the monolithic company behind it.Lora's world was turned upside down when her mother, a senior scientist at Keep Corp, was killed in a car accident five years ago. As manufacturers of the memory key, the device created to function like a normal human memory but with the added benefit of guarding against the once-widespread degenerative Vergets disease, Keep Corp holds unknowable power. When Lora's memory key begins to deteriorate, memories long forgotten re-emerge in a painful wave, and one in particular stands in contrast to the familiar narrative of her mother's death. Suddenly she can't trust anyone, her headaches become overwhelming, and the secrets of her family's connection to Keep Corp unravel at a startling rate. Liu's addition of an Alzheimer's-like disease to the popular memory-loss trend makes for an absorbing start. But her penchant for repetitive phrasing and short, stilted sentences distracts from the plot. Supporting characters such as Lora's one-time uncle, an activist, and Lora's elusive mother read authentically and keep the pages turning, while Lora herself rings hollow; she's more a moody pawn than a compelling protagonist. However, the unexpected ending satisfyingly subverts easy cliches. A fascinating spin on the memory-loss trope weighed down by a wooden lead. (Thriller. 13-18)

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December 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up-Lora Mint's mother died in a car accident five years ago, and the pain of losing her hasn't diminished. Worse, Lora's memories of her are fading, even though she has a Memory Key, because the Keys aren't meant to preserve memories perfectly, just mimic the brain's ability to remember. Her mom was a top scientist at Keep Corp, the morally questionable company that developed Memory Keys to combat the widespread Alzheimer's-like Vergets Disease. After Lora's key begins malfunctioning, she suddenly has crystal-clear memories of her mother-memories that make the teen wonder whether the accident actually ended her mom's life. Now she must sort through her past to discover her mother's true fate, before Keep Corp fixes her Memory Key and takes away her perfect recall forever. Liu has crafted a relatively mild story with elements of mystery, corporate and government conspiracy, romance, and friendship. The narrative moves along at a quick enough pace that even reluctant readers will stay engaged. Lora is a mostly likable protagonist, though her emotional reactions sometimes feel out of step, and her BFF Wendy adds comic relief and a voice of reason. While plot points tend to work out a little too conveniently and the message about the importance of privacy borders on preachy, readers will be itching to reach the conclusion. Give this one to teens looking for suspense sprinkled with a little dystopia, lacking violence or mature content.-Kelsey Johnson-Kaiser, La Crosse Public Library, WI

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2015
Grades 9-12 Lora Mint is struggling to remember her mother, who died in a car crash five years ago. But even with the memory key implant, which is standard procedure these days, her memories are fadinguntil she hits her head and the memory key is jarred. Now everything from her past is vivid, and some memories about her mother don't add up. Who were the two strangers that escorted her mom from their kitchen the night before her wreck? Why did her mom give her that peach dress, as if she knew she was going to die? Battling the severe headaches caused by the jarred memory key, Lora wants to remember everything, but at what risk? Set in the not-too-distant future, this dystopian novel highlights powerful technology grown out of control and the costs to privacy and personal choice. Paced like a spy thriller, this novel is a terrific read for reluctant female readers; they will identify with Lora and the terribly difficult choices she is confronted with.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
In a near-future world where viral Alzheimer's-like Vergets disease threatens to make everyone lose their minds, most people receive a memory key implant as infants. Lora Mint's key malfunctions, leaving her with awful headaches and revived memories of her dead mother. Liu creates a believable world, but flat characters may keep readers from fully investing in the story.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)