Publication
Whole Story Audiobooks (2011)
Original publication date
2010-04-10 (UK)
2011-01-04 (US)
Collections
Awards
Women's Prize for Fiction (Longlist — 2011)
Dublin Literary Award (Shortlist — 2012)
Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Winner — 2011)
Warwick Prize for Writing (Shortlist — 2011)
Europese Literatuurprijs (Longlist — 2013)
San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year (Fiction — 2011)
The Big Jubilee Read (2011 — 2002-2011)
Description
Adrian Lockheart is a psychologist escaping his life in England. Arriving in Freetown in the wake of civil war, he struggles with the intensity of the heat, dirt and secrets this country hides. A story unfolds about ordinary people in extrordinary circumstances and the indelible effects of the past.
User reviews
LibraryThing member kidzdoc
This enchanting novel is set in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, at the end of the country's civil war that lasted from 1991-2002. Adrian Lockheart, a British psychologist who has left his family to pursue a more personally fulfilling career, is at the bedside of Elias Cole, a former
The story of Elias and Saffia is interwined with Adrian's experiences in post-war Sierra Leone, along with his friendship with Kai, a talented young surgeon who has used Adrian's living quarters as a place to crash prior to the psychologist's arrival. The men become close friends, although Kai is clearly scarred by his experiences during the recent civil war, which he is unable to share with his friend.
Adrian's primary interest is in diagnosing and treating victims of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and he cares for several hospitalized patients who appear to suffer from this problem due to the civil war. He attempts to get several of them to talk about their experiences, but few of these poor souls are willing or able to share their stories or accede to his treatment plans. His colleagues and Kai are respectful of his work, but they tell him that his methods have little chance to make any impact on the lives of his patients, due to the country's lack of resources and the different cultural beliefs about mental health.
Elias is the only person who will talk freely about the past with Adrian, and through the life of the dying man and his relationships with Julius and Saffia he learns about the country's postcolonial history, including the devastating civil war that destroyed the fabric of the country and the will of thousands of Sierra Leoneans.
Adrian falls in love with a local woman, whose ties to the other major characters provide a tension to and deeper understanding of their stories. As their relationship deepens, Adrian is forced to decide whether to stay in Sierra Leone, where he is loved and believes he has much to offer, while Kai agonizes over his long held desire to move to the United States where he can practice medicine and exorcise the internal demons that plague his dreams and affect his work.
The Memory of Love is a stunning and deeply moving novel about love in its different forms, and how it can affect and be affected by greed, selfishness, personal ambition and war. The narrative is superb, and I found myself emotionally tied to the lives of the characters as much as any other book I've read in the past decade.
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university professor and dean who is nearing the end of his life. Adrian encourages Elias to share his story with him on weekly therapeutic visits , and Cole tells him about his career, including his friendship with Julius Kamara, another university professor, and his young wife Saffia, who Julius sees for the first time at a faculty gathering just before the successful Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. He is immediately entranced by her, and spends much of his spare time thinking of ways to get closer to her.The story of Elias and Saffia is interwined with Adrian's experiences in post-war Sierra Leone, along with his friendship with Kai, a talented young surgeon who has used Adrian's living quarters as a place to crash prior to the psychologist's arrival. The men become close friends, although Kai is clearly scarred by his experiences during the recent civil war, which he is unable to share with his friend.
Adrian's primary interest is in diagnosing and treating victims of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and he cares for several hospitalized patients who appear to suffer from this problem due to the civil war. He attempts to get several of them to talk about their experiences, but few of these poor souls are willing or able to share their stories or accede to his treatment plans. His colleagues and Kai are respectful of his work, but they tell him that his methods have little chance to make any impact on the lives of his patients, due to the country's lack of resources and the different cultural beliefs about mental health.
Elias is the only person who will talk freely about the past with Adrian, and through the life of the dying man and his relationships with Julius and Saffia he learns about the country's postcolonial history, including the devastating civil war that destroyed the fabric of the country and the will of thousands of Sierra Leoneans.
Adrian falls in love with a local woman, whose ties to the other major characters provide a tension to and deeper understanding of their stories. As their relationship deepens, Adrian is forced to decide whether to stay in Sierra Leone, where he is loved and believes he has much to offer, while Kai agonizes over his long held desire to move to the United States where he can practice medicine and exorcise the internal demons that plague his dreams and affect his work.
The Memory of Love is a stunning and deeply moving novel about love in its different forms, and how it can affect and be affected by greed, selfishness, personal ambition and war. The narrative is superb, and I found myself emotionally tied to the lives of the characters as much as any other book I've read in the past decade.
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LibraryThing member brenzi
Having already read this year’s Orange Prize winner, The Tiger’s Wife, earlier this year I have to ask myself, “What in the world were the judges thinking?” This stunning novel, that tells the heartbreaking story of the detritus of the Sierra Leone war years, came in what? Second or third?
Adrian is a psychologist from the UK serving a one year placement in Sierra Leone, working with those people deeply affected by the war and suffering from PTSD and other emotional disorders. He works in a mental hospital and in a medical hospital. Elias Cole is a patient in the hospital, in the last throes of pulmonary disease. He is telling Adrian his story of the days when he was a young college lecturer and the first man walked on the moon. Kai is a young surgeon who is fighting the demons that have plagued him since the war years a decade ago. Adrian unwittingly finds the one woman who can draw the three of them together.
This is the story of modern Africa, told with intelligence and heart. These people are real and this author slyly places the reader on the streets of the city and, through the multistrand effect, makes it all seem so heartbreakingly real. The effects of war on the people can never be overlooked, but how they deal with peace is another story.
“So the man has lost all his young family without knowing it. They’ll be buried by the time the news reaches him. No telephones, no post, the far reaches of the country are virtually cut off. Somebody will have to carry the message to him. Every day Kai sees women on the wards lying next to their sick children. The women’s listlessness frustrates the foreign doctors, who try to urge them to take better care, to own responsibility for monitoring their child’s vital signs. The local nurses, though, show less surprise. And Kai recognizes the expression of the mothers. It is submission, submission in the face of the inevitable. People think war is the worst this country has ever seen: they have no idea what peace is like. The courage it takes to simply endure.” (Page 282)
Yes, I’m afraid this is the book that should’ve won the Orange Prize. If only they would ask me to judge. Oh well. Very highly recommended.
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How is that possible? This novel is breathtaking and polished. That other novel is a flawed first attempt. This novel tells how the war in Sierra Leone left the residents bruised and hurting. That other novel dealt with a war too and its effect on the populace. But this novel tore your guts out and that other novel left me feeling like a bystander, with only a casual interest. Both books had two separate threads, years apart, that the author weaved back and forth, telling the story. But this novel was seamlessly constructed while that other novel had me wondering what was going on. What did the judges see, that passed me by?Adrian is a psychologist from the UK serving a one year placement in Sierra Leone, working with those people deeply affected by the war and suffering from PTSD and other emotional disorders. He works in a mental hospital and in a medical hospital. Elias Cole is a patient in the hospital, in the last throes of pulmonary disease. He is telling Adrian his story of the days when he was a young college lecturer and the first man walked on the moon. Kai is a young surgeon who is fighting the demons that have plagued him since the war years a decade ago. Adrian unwittingly finds the one woman who can draw the three of them together.
This is the story of modern Africa, told with intelligence and heart. These people are real and this author slyly places the reader on the streets of the city and, through the multistrand effect, makes it all seem so heartbreakingly real. The effects of war on the people can never be overlooked, but how they deal with peace is another story.
“So the man has lost all his young family without knowing it. They’ll be buried by the time the news reaches him. No telephones, no post, the far reaches of the country are virtually cut off. Somebody will have to carry the message to him. Every day Kai sees women on the wards lying next to their sick children. The women’s listlessness frustrates the foreign doctors, who try to urge them to take better care, to own responsibility for monitoring their child’s vital signs. The local nurses, though, show less surprise. And Kai recognizes the expression of the mothers. It is submission, submission in the face of the inevitable. People think war is the worst this country has ever seen: they have no idea what peace is like. The courage it takes to simply endure.” (Page 282)
Yes, I’m afraid this is the book that should’ve won the Orange Prize. If only they would ask me to judge. Oh well. Very highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member -Cee-
If there is a human emotion not woven into the tapestry of this well crafted novel, I don’t know what it is. The writing is exquisite. This is a journey in revelations of unnamed, concealed demons of the mind and subsequent behaviors. The characters are tangible, complex, independent and
Adrian, an English psychologist searching for deeper meaning in his own life work, leaves his family and moves to an African country to help in that country’s post-war adjustment. Understandably, the country is skeptical of his motives and in its instability rejects his unwanted foreign involvement. Adrian eventually befriends a young native surgeon who is able to bring credibility to, and acceptance of, this alien’s attempts towards integration and healing. Nothing is easy. Though he is patient and persistent, Adrian’s gains are slow and torturous. He gently nudges out the horror stories of war and loss, explores the psychic defense mechanisms, and offers therapy to restore hope. And how does this experience affect him? He discovers things he never expected to find.
This book is powerfully absorbing. It is heart breaking and tender. This is one you should not miss. The pages fly by… but it is not superficial. It makes you think.
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intertwined. The bonds of friendship, dependence and romantic love grow to varied levels of intimacy and many suffer betrayal. There is distrust, fear, sacrifice and soul searching. This is the story of war’s effects on the human psyche, the distortion of relationships, and the struggle for survival during peacetime in a nation with rampant PTSD.Adrian, an English psychologist searching for deeper meaning in his own life work, leaves his family and moves to an African country to help in that country’s post-war adjustment. Understandably, the country is skeptical of his motives and in its instability rejects his unwanted foreign involvement. Adrian eventually befriends a young native surgeon who is able to bring credibility to, and acceptance of, this alien’s attempts towards integration and healing. Nothing is easy. Though he is patient and persistent, Adrian’s gains are slow and torturous. He gently nudges out the horror stories of war and loss, explores the psychic defense mechanisms, and offers therapy to restore hope. And how does this experience affect him? He discovers things he never expected to find.
This book is powerfully absorbing. It is heart breaking and tender. This is one you should not miss. The pages fly by… but it is not superficial. It makes you think.
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LibraryThing member vancouverdeb
What a beautiful and elegantly written book! One caveat that I would give is that because the story goes back and forth in time, as well as having several threads with different characters - the book can initially seem a wee bit confusing. But by the time I was about 60 pages into the book, I no
The Civil War is more a part of the background to the story - though an essential part of the story. The characters come to life so beautifully and fully . Truly a beautiful though tragic story -and yet Memory of Love does not get bogged down in sorrow.
Like it's title, this book really is about love at it's heart. 4.75 stars from me. I'm still so carried away by the different characters' , the entire story -and the way that everything comes together in the end. I'm willing to bet that this book takes the Orange Prize for 2011. This is book that will stay with me for a long time.
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longer had any difficulty with the nonlinear time, nor the who was whom It's a wonderful read on so many levels. The many strands of the story give us insight into different perceptions of several characters as to what happened both back in time and in the current time. One of the characters, Adrian, a psychologist who goes to Sierra Leone to assist in the war torn country helped me realize something that had never really occured to me. Possible small spoiler alert - it would seem that the author feels that those that have survived the Sierra Leone civil war are all suffering witha degree of PTSD. Perhaps that is true of anyone who has survived a war, at least for some time. One thing that really amazed me is how of all of the separate strands all came together by the end of the book. The Civil War is more a part of the background to the story - though an essential part of the story. The characters come to life so beautifully and fully . Truly a beautiful though tragic story -and yet Memory of Love does not get bogged down in sorrow.
Like it's title, this book really is about love at it's heart. 4.75 stars from me. I'm still so carried away by the different characters' , the entire story -and the way that everything comes together in the end. I'm willing to bet that this book takes the Orange Prize for 2011. This is book that will stay with me for a long time.
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LibraryThing member lit_chick
“People think war is the worst this country has ever seen: they have no idea what peace is like. The courage it takes simply to endure.” (Ch 34)
The Memory of Love is set in twenty-first century Sierra Leone where English psychologist, Adrian, has taken a post in hopes of helping patients
The novel is beautifully written, if somewhat longer than I think it needed to be. My favourite quote, which showcases Forna’s exquisite prose and her gift for relating the human-connect which crosses all cultural boundaries, is from the first page:
“I heard a song, a morning as I walked to college. It came to me across the radio playing on a stall I passed. A song from far away, about a lost love. At least so I imagined, I didn’t understand the words, only the melody. But in the low notes I could hear the loss this man had suffered. And in the high noes I understood too that it was a song about something that could never be. I had not wept in years. But I did, there and then, on the side of dusty street, surrounded by strangers. The melody stayed with me for years.”
Highly recommended. Well worth the read!
The Memory of Love is set in twenty-first century Sierra Leone where English psychologist, Adrian, has taken a post in hopes of helping patients
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suffering from traumatic disorders precipitated by years of civil war. He develops a relationship with two patients whose stories relate the history of late 1960s Sierra Leone. The first patient is Elias Cole, a former professor who tells Adrian the story of his all-consuming love for a colleague’s wife and of the colleague’s subsequent, and suspect, disappearance. The second patient, Agnes, is lost in fugue; but eventually her narrative is pieced together to reveal her indelible courage to survive in the face of unspeakable loss. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes involved with a patient’s daughter which results in conflict with his African surgeon-friend, Kai. Pervading themes in the novel are loss, which has affected all of the characters; and hope, which Forna contends is sought by everyone, everywhere.The novel is beautifully written, if somewhat longer than I think it needed to be. My favourite quote, which showcases Forna’s exquisite prose and her gift for relating the human-connect which crosses all cultural boundaries, is from the first page:
“I heard a song, a morning as I walked to college. It came to me across the radio playing on a stall I passed. A song from far away, about a lost love. At least so I imagined, I didn’t understand the words, only the melody. But in the low notes I could hear the loss this man had suffered. And in the high noes I understood too that it was a song about something that could never be. I had not wept in years. But I did, there and then, on the side of dusty street, surrounded by strangers. The melody stayed with me for years.”
Highly recommended. Well worth the read!
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LibraryThing member rainpebble
Last night I completed The Memory of Love, an absolutely outstanding book about the days following the Sierra Leone civil war. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
What a beautiful book about a horrendous subject or rather subjects. So many really good story lines in The Memory of Love and
There are so many lovely reviews on this book that I am not even going to attempt to review the book but I did love it. I cared about all of the characters, I laughed, I cried, I mourned, so many emotions are drawn out of the reader with this book.
A couple of quotes:
re: the study of PTSD on patients and civilians; "You call a disorder, my friend. We call it life."
"So now his turn has arrived and he has never felt more conflicted. For here in this building where he barely has a moment to himself, he has never been so sure of who he is. He can walk he corridors, courtyards and wards blindfolded. Out on the streets he is recognised by his patients and he in turn recognises them. The change had occurred outside of his awareness. In this place of terrifying dreams and long nights, he knows who he is."
"Sometimes I think that this country is like a garden. Only it is a garden where somebody has pulled out all the flowers and trees and the birds and insects have all left, everything of beauty. Instead the weeds and poisonous plants have taken over"
The Memory of Love
I too, wonder why it did not win the Orange Prize. This is a spectacular read! I read a library copy but must buy my own. 5 stars +
belva
What a beautiful book about a horrendous subject or rather subjects. So many really good story lines in The Memory of Love and
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all of them proved out to be very telling.There are so many lovely reviews on this book that I am not even going to attempt to review the book but I did love it. I cared about all of the characters, I laughed, I cried, I mourned, so many emotions are drawn out of the reader with this book.
A couple of quotes:
re: the study of PTSD on patients and civilians; "You call a disorder, my friend. We call it life."
"So now his turn has arrived and he has never felt more conflicted. For here in this building where he barely has a moment to himself, he has never been so sure of who he is. He can walk he corridors, courtyards and wards blindfolded. Out on the streets he is recognised by his patients and he in turn recognises them. The change had occurred outside of his awareness. In this place of terrifying dreams and long nights, he knows who he is."
"Sometimes I think that this country is like a garden. Only it is a garden where somebody has pulled out all the flowers and trees and the birds and insects have all left, everything of beauty. Instead the weeds and poisonous plants have taken over"
The Memory of Love
I too, wonder why it did not win the Orange Prize. This is a spectacular read! I read a library copy but must buy my own. 5 stars +
belva
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LibraryThing member labfs39
Shortlisted for the Orange Prize, The Memory of Love is the story of two love triangles. One is set in the chaotic post-colonial days of Sierra Leone, and the second takes place in the aftermath of the country's civil war. The story switches back and forth between the two time periods, and between
The story opens with Elias Cole relating the story of his life to a British counselor, Adrian, who is in Sierra Leone as a volunteer. Elias, we learn, was a young professor in love with a colleague's wife during the turbulent early 1960s. He tells a story of obsession, unrequited love, and betrayal, yet withholds something, even now, after all these years. As Adrian listens and tries to help Elias bring to light his true role in the events surrounding Julius and Saffia Kamara, Adrian's own life is in turmoil. Why is he here? What does he want to accomplish? As Elias's story unfolds, Adrian unwittingly plays out the same complex love triangle: he becomes obsessed with a woman who loves another and in the process betrays a friend.
The third voice heard in the novel is that of a young surgeon, Kai. A victim of nightmares and insomnia, he immerses himself in his work and wonders if it is time to join his best friend in America, leaving behind the trauma of his country. Through Kai we learn of some of the brutal acts perpetrated throughout the war and the untenable position people are in now, with over 90% of the people suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. The decisions and actions of Elias, Adrian, and Kai represent groups of people: those forced to choose between personal suffering and collusion, those forced to live with horrible memories and the absence of hope, and those Westerners who come in behind the war wanting to help and leaving again as soon as their rotation is up. But the experiences of these three men are also very personal stories of loss, love, and memory.
I found The Memory of Love powerful in the descriptions of how civilians and rebels are now living side by side with what Adrian calls "the fragmentation of the conscience". By focusing on the present and suppressing their memories, millions of people are trying to get by in modern Sierra Leone. But can people (and a country) heal if they remain internally fragmented? I also found of interest how the author treats the subject of Western aid workers. In the book, they are seen as people who come to pad their resume or ease their conscience, but without being asked to help and without understanding the people's needs or desires. These short-timers are ignored or despised, sometimes giving foreigners the impression that Sierra Leoneans are not trying to help themselves or improve the situation in their country.
I wish the book had contained more history. Perhaps simply because of my own proclivities, I found that I had to read an online history of the war in order to fully understand and appreciate the novel. Dates, place names, and forces are alluded to, but much is left for the reader to either know or to skip, reading the novel more as a Everyman's experience of war and its aftermath. I also wish that the author had chosen to write from the perspective of some of the women in the book. There are some very strong female characters, but they are always described from the perspective of the men around them. I found that dissatisfying. It's a good book, but left me wanting more. I'm looking forward to discovering additional authors from the country.
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the perspectives of three men. As each love triangle unfolds, and then the two become connected, we see the web of ways in which our choices impact the people we love.The story opens with Elias Cole relating the story of his life to a British counselor, Adrian, who is in Sierra Leone as a volunteer. Elias, we learn, was a young professor in love with a colleague's wife during the turbulent early 1960s. He tells a story of obsession, unrequited love, and betrayal, yet withholds something, even now, after all these years. As Adrian listens and tries to help Elias bring to light his true role in the events surrounding Julius and Saffia Kamara, Adrian's own life is in turmoil. Why is he here? What does he want to accomplish? As Elias's story unfolds, Adrian unwittingly plays out the same complex love triangle: he becomes obsessed with a woman who loves another and in the process betrays a friend.
The third voice heard in the novel is that of a young surgeon, Kai. A victim of nightmares and insomnia, he immerses himself in his work and wonders if it is time to join his best friend in America, leaving behind the trauma of his country. Through Kai we learn of some of the brutal acts perpetrated throughout the war and the untenable position people are in now, with over 90% of the people suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. The decisions and actions of Elias, Adrian, and Kai represent groups of people: those forced to choose between personal suffering and collusion, those forced to live with horrible memories and the absence of hope, and those Westerners who come in behind the war wanting to help and leaving again as soon as their rotation is up. But the experiences of these three men are also very personal stories of loss, love, and memory.
I found The Memory of Love powerful in the descriptions of how civilians and rebels are now living side by side with what Adrian calls "the fragmentation of the conscience". By focusing on the present and suppressing their memories, millions of people are trying to get by in modern Sierra Leone. But can people (and a country) heal if they remain internally fragmented? I also found of interest how the author treats the subject of Western aid workers. In the book, they are seen as people who come to pad their resume or ease their conscience, but without being asked to help and without understanding the people's needs or desires. These short-timers are ignored or despised, sometimes giving foreigners the impression that Sierra Leoneans are not trying to help themselves or improve the situation in their country.
I wish the book had contained more history. Perhaps simply because of my own proclivities, I found that I had to read an online history of the war in order to fully understand and appreciate the novel. Dates, place names, and forces are alluded to, but much is left for the reader to either know or to skip, reading the novel more as a Everyman's experience of war and its aftermath. I also wish that the author had chosen to write from the perspective of some of the women in the book. There are some very strong female characters, but they are always described from the perspective of the men around them. I found that dissatisfying. It's a good book, but left me wanting more. I'm looking forward to discovering additional authors from the country.
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LibraryThing member nancyewhite
For 'deep' books, I often like small stories because I feel they give the writer an opportunity to get to the heart of things I care about (think Room or Olive Kitteredge). This Orange Prize nominee is a many-charactered story traveling in time to both before and after the Civil War in Sierra Leone
Absolutely stunning. Run to the nearest bookstore. Dance your fingers over the keyboard as fast as lightning. Do what it takes, but GET THIS BOOK.
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with many flashbacks to the war itself, but Forna certainly manages to get to the heart of things. She explores the nature of love, personal responsibility and the human ability to survive the unthinkable. Even with these grand subjects to consider, every character comes alive on the page as does Sierra Leone itself.Absolutely stunning. Run to the nearest bookstore. Dance your fingers over the keyboard as fast as lightning. Do what it takes, but GET THIS BOOK.
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LibraryThing member Citizenjoyce
What can I say about The Memory of Love? I agree, it's a great book in it's discussion of war and the personal and societal aftermath. I loved the idea that a psychologist would think to go to Sierra Leone to help with PTSD. The scenes of the patients in the mental institution and even in the main
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hospital were chilling and hopeful. Chaining mental patients and drugging them into quietude, sending a paralyzed man home because there was no hope and no room for long term care then forgetting to talk to the family, wow. But beginning a book called The Memory of Love by talking about a stalker had me just about ready to chuck the book. I thought perhaps the author didn't realize the difference between obsessive need for possession and love, I was wrong. But the book comes down to a dynamic story of 3 men and a country with women, with few exceptions, being only victims and/or the object of desire, and/or the means of reproduction. I don't know why a woman would write such a book. Obviously she has had an affect on the world, and I'm willing to bet the women left behind in her native country do too. We can't fault a book for not being the book we wish it had been, so I gave it 4 stars, but can't help but wish Forna had done more with the women. Recommended to anyone wanting to know more about the effects of war. Show Less
LibraryThing member MyneWhitman
This book starts off very slow but gradually builds as the theme on which it is built becomes clearer. The Memory of Love is Set in Sierra Leone soon after the end of the civil war and has three major protagonists who each have their memory of love. Cole, the aged professor, Adrian, the
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pyschologist, and Kai, the surgeon. Their lives and loves intersect and the author narrates the book through them. While I was intellectually challenged by the idea behind this book, the love aspect kind of left me cold to be honest. However, I appreciate Aminatta Forna taking up the challenge of saying what she has to say, and what an important message it is too. Show Less
LibraryThing member DubaiReader
A bit confusing, but I'm glad I read it.
When I look back over this book and think about its content, I realise that it was quite a fascinating read, with a lot of details that we spent an excellent book group flushing out. However, while I was reading it I was really struggling to keep it flowing.
Set in Sierra Leone, the narrative swaps - a bit irratically - between current time and 1969, when Elias Cole first sets eyes upon Saffia. He is instantly besotted and although she is married, starts to stalk her, even befriending her husband, his colleague, Julius.
In current time, Adrian Lockheart, a volunteer psychologist, is listening to the elderly Elias recount his life, but why is he so determined to tell all? Is he trying to rewrite history so that he appears more favourably?
The use of the psychologist, Adrian, was an excellent tool to recount many of the experiences of survivors of the 1991-2002 civil war, as he attempts to help them come to terms with their lives. Almost the whole population is suffering from some degree of post taumatic stress disorder after the atrocities.
Adrian befriends a fellow hopital doctor, surgeon, Kai, probably the most likable character. Kai is dedicated to his country but has recently started to consider moving to the USA for a better life and to escape his memories.
The denouement effectively links Elias, Adrian and Kai in a satisfying finale that joins the various strands of the novel.
Although I am glad I read this book, I stand by my 3.5 star rating as I found it rather confusing, especially in the first half. I don't think I'd particularly recommend it and am quite surprised by some of the glowing reviews it has received.
When I look back over this book and think about its content, I realise that it was quite a fascinating read, with a lot of details that we spent an excellent book group flushing out. However, while I was reading it I was really struggling to keep it flowing.
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It was a painfully slow read and the majority of my fellow book-groupers felt the same way. I found it very confusing, not least, the nationalities (native African or ex-pat British) of some of the characters and who was speaking when a new chapter started.Set in Sierra Leone, the narrative swaps - a bit irratically - between current time and 1969, when Elias Cole first sets eyes upon Saffia. He is instantly besotted and although she is married, starts to stalk her, even befriending her husband, his colleague, Julius.
In current time, Adrian Lockheart, a volunteer psychologist, is listening to the elderly Elias recount his life, but why is he so determined to tell all? Is he trying to rewrite history so that he appears more favourably?
The use of the psychologist, Adrian, was an excellent tool to recount many of the experiences of survivors of the 1991-2002 civil war, as he attempts to help them come to terms with their lives. Almost the whole population is suffering from some degree of post taumatic stress disorder after the atrocities.
Adrian befriends a fellow hopital doctor, surgeon, Kai, probably the most likable character. Kai is dedicated to his country but has recently started to consider moving to the USA for a better life and to escape his memories.
The denouement effectively links Elias, Adrian and Kai in a satisfying finale that joins the various strands of the novel.
Although I am glad I read this book, I stand by my 3.5 star rating as I found it rather confusing, especially in the first half. I don't think I'd particularly recommend it and am quite surprised by some of the glowing reviews it has received.
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LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
I just couldn't get into the story or the characters. I think part of the reason was the clogging sensory detail. Often you don't have enough--I've even heard an editor say that density of sensory detail is what separates the amateur from the professional, and such details can ground you in a
Adrian pours Kai a tumbler of whisky. They open with the best of three. Kai wins easily and challenges Adrian again. Adrain, who has watched Kai's strategy closely, has worked out a thing or two, takes the fifth game and sixth as well. They play double colours. Blue and green: Kai. Red and yellow: Adrian. Adrian mixes the whisky with water to stretch it. Kai plays intensely. Adrian is grateful for the company. In the kitchen he finds a packet of chocolate cookies. The cookies are soft and dusty. The chocolate has melted, seeped into the stratum and hardened. They eat the cookies in place of supper, washing the taste away with whisky.
The effect of the details, the jumps in point of views, even that much of it is told in the self-consciously literary present tense, I think all helped in distancing me from the characters and their emotions. And I didn't feel very grounded in the characters, was unsure even after 100 pages who or what was the focus of the novel. I couldn't even get a fix about whether Elias Cole was a native African or expatriot European. Both him and Adrian, who dominate the first 100 pages, felt flat to me. The narrative line up to then felt so meandering, so blah, such a slog to read--and the book is a fat 473 pages. I've read reviews that claim it picks up enormously in the second half--the problem is it lost me long before that.
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story, and its setting--in this case post-Civil War Sierra Leone. But it seemed as if Forna had to walk us through the day of her characters in excruciating detail, burying us in minutia like this:Adrian pours Kai a tumbler of whisky. They open with the best of three. Kai wins easily and challenges Adrian again. Adrain, who has watched Kai's strategy closely, has worked out a thing or two, takes the fifth game and sixth as well. They play double colours. Blue and green: Kai. Red and yellow: Adrian. Adrian mixes the whisky with water to stretch it. Kai plays intensely. Adrian is grateful for the company. In the kitchen he finds a packet of chocolate cookies. The cookies are soft and dusty. The chocolate has melted, seeped into the stratum and hardened. They eat the cookies in place of supper, washing the taste away with whisky.
The effect of the details, the jumps in point of views, even that much of it is told in the self-consciously literary present tense, I think all helped in distancing me from the characters and their emotions. And I didn't feel very grounded in the characters, was unsure even after 100 pages who or what was the focus of the novel. I couldn't even get a fix about whether Elias Cole was a native African or expatriot European. Both him and Adrian, who dominate the first 100 pages, felt flat to me. The narrative line up to then felt so meandering, so blah, such a slog to read--and the book is a fat 473 pages. I've read reviews that claim it picks up enormously in the second half--the problem is it lost me long before that.
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LibraryThing member laytonwoman3rd
The novel is set in Sierra Leone, at various times in its tumultuous history. There are two main story lines. Adrian Lockheart is a British psychologist who takes a government posting in the capital city near the turn of the 21st century, hoping to help people suffering from PTSD in the wake of
My knowledge of the history of this country was minimal to non-existent before I picked up The Memory of Love. I found myself floundering a bit, precisely because I could not put the characters and their background into any familiar context. An early reference to book titles intrigued me. I looked them up, and they are actual books. I did a little more research, and penciled in a rough time-line inside the cover of my paperback for ready reference. This helped me immensely, and I am extremely glad I took the trouble. But....BUT....did the author expect her readers to be better informed than I was going in? And, in general, were they? SInce the book was published in Britain, and since Sierra Leone was once a British colony/protectorate, and later an independent member of the Commonwealth, I suspect the answer may be "yes". In general, I have no problem with an author giving their readers the benefit of the doubt this way, or even expecting them to do their homework before or while reading. It did make for a bit of a slow start for me, but I am more than happy that I put in the extra effort, and stuck with the story.
I thought the parts where Adrian was confronted with the Big Question---what am I doing here?---were very revealing. The curse of "the white man's burden" acting on him, in his naivete about what his sort of therapy might accomplish under the existing circumstances. Perhaps some actual personal guilt, as his own grandfather had been a part of the colonial government.
Having finished the novel, I considered whether to give it 4 1/2 or 5 stars. The hesitation came from one or two elements that left me wondering "why" and from pondering whether being left with that question is a good thing or a bad thing. I settled on 4 ½, but that is not to say that I didn’t find this an incredibly powerful read. I may return to it one day, and a second read could very well cause me to bestow that last half star.
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civil unrest and outright war. He is less than successful at this, in great part because he completely lacks understanding of the nature of the problem his prospective patients face. What would “normal” mean to a population that is continuing to live with the aftereffects of multiple conflicts, political upheaval and widespread deprivation? This is pointed out to Adrian by two local residents who each become very important to him: Kai, an orthopedic surgeon who is a victim of trauma himself; and Mamakay, a woman with whom Adrian falls in love. He is also drawn into the history of a dying man, Elias Cole, who tells Adrian his version of revolutionary events of the 1970s, somewhat in the manner of a man seeking absolution for his role.My knowledge of the history of this country was minimal to non-existent before I picked up The Memory of Love. I found myself floundering a bit, precisely because I could not put the characters and their background into any familiar context. An early reference to book titles intrigued me. I looked them up, and they are actual books. I did a little more research, and penciled in a rough time-line inside the cover of my paperback for ready reference. This helped me immensely, and I am extremely glad I took the trouble. But....BUT....did the author expect her readers to be better informed than I was going in? And, in general, were they? SInce the book was published in Britain, and since Sierra Leone was once a British colony/protectorate, and later an independent member of the Commonwealth, I suspect the answer may be "yes". In general, I have no problem with an author giving their readers the benefit of the doubt this way, or even expecting them to do their homework before or while reading. It did make for a bit of a slow start for me, but I am more than happy that I put in the extra effort, and stuck with the story.
I thought the parts where Adrian was confronted with the Big Question---what am I doing here?---were very revealing. The curse of "the white man's burden" acting on him, in his naivete about what his sort of therapy might accomplish under the existing circumstances. Perhaps some actual personal guilt, as his own grandfather had been a part of the colonial government.
Having finished the novel, I considered whether to give it 4 1/2 or 5 stars. The hesitation came from one or two elements that left me wondering "why" and from pondering whether being left with that question is a good thing or a bad thing. I settled on 4 ½, but that is not to say that I didn’t find this an incredibly powerful read. I may return to it one day, and a second read could very well cause me to bestow that last half star.
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LibraryThing member cbl_tn
People think that war is the worst this country has ever seen; they have no idea what peace is like. The courage it takes simply to endure.
British psychologist Adrian Lockheart has accepted a one-year appointment in Sierra Leone, thinking he can make a difference in this country recovering from a
This book required more effort to read than I was expecting. It is more complex than Forna's earlier novel, Ancestor Stones. It was worth the effort. Although the story is told from multiple perspectives, I experienced it mainly from Adrian's perspective – an outsider who gradually made sense of the unfamiliar surroundings until it began to feel like home. However, Kai was the character I was most drawn to. Although Adrian believed he could help individuals cope with the psychological trauma left from the war, his motive for being there wasn't exactly altruistic. He was looking for excitement that was missing from his life at home. He could leave any time he wanted to. Kai was born there and could not easily leave.
This is the first book I've read that focuses on mental health issues in developing countries. Adrian's goal is to reintegrate the psychologically wounded into normal society, but he has no idea what normal means in this place and time. Adrian isn't able to help anyone until he adjusts his expectations. As challenging as provision of and access to mental health care can be in the developed world, the challenges are even greater in a developing country just emerging from a decade of civil war. Psychiatric referrals don't seem to be a consideration for hospital staff.
Kai has never once treated a would-be suicide. War had the effect of encouraging people to try to stay alive. Poverty, too. Survival was simply too hard-won to be given up lightly.
Recommended, particularly for readers preparing for careers in relief and international development.
British psychologist Adrian Lockheart has accepted a one-year appointment in Sierra Leone, thinking he can make a difference in this country recovering from a
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brutal civil war. Initially he has only two patients at the hospital – a woman, Agnes, and a dying man, Elias Cole. Cole doesn't want to talk about the recent war, but about the woman he loved 30 years ago and how his desire for her affected his life. Adrian forms a friendship with a young surgeon, Kai, despite Kai's skepticism that Adrian can accomplish anything there. Adrian doesn't know what it's like to live there and to have lived through the war. How could Adrian hope to understand the survivors, and what does he think he can offer them? Adrian is persistent and he gradually finds a place to use his skills. As Elias, Kai, and others tell Adrian parts of their stories, the pieces begin to take shape in an unexpected way.This book required more effort to read than I was expecting. It is more complex than Forna's earlier novel, Ancestor Stones. It was worth the effort. Although the story is told from multiple perspectives, I experienced it mainly from Adrian's perspective – an outsider who gradually made sense of the unfamiliar surroundings until it began to feel like home. However, Kai was the character I was most drawn to. Although Adrian believed he could help individuals cope with the psychological trauma left from the war, his motive for being there wasn't exactly altruistic. He was looking for excitement that was missing from his life at home. He could leave any time he wanted to. Kai was born there and could not easily leave.
This is the first book I've read that focuses on mental health issues in developing countries. Adrian's goal is to reintegrate the psychologically wounded into normal society, but he has no idea what normal means in this place and time. Adrian isn't able to help anyone until he adjusts his expectations. As challenging as provision of and access to mental health care can be in the developed world, the challenges are even greater in a developing country just emerging from a decade of civil war. Psychiatric referrals don't seem to be a consideration for hospital staff.
Kai has never once treated a would-be suicide. War had the effect of encouraging people to try to stay alive. Poverty, too. Survival was simply too hard-won to be given up lightly.
Recommended, particularly for readers preparing for careers in relief and international development.
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LibraryThing member CarolynSchroeder
This novel was such a wonderful surprise, I absolutely loved it. I found an ARC at a used book sale and then found out it was recently short-listed for the Orange Prize. I was just stunned at how beautifully Forna writes (considering how unknown she is here in the U.S.), about many things too
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(surgery, post traumatic stress, aging, love, lust, longing and loss). The amount of research had to be considerable. It is a fairly simple story/plot about characters with very complex emotional lives. It flashes from contemporary Sierra Leone (after the brutal civil wars there) back and forth to the lives of the characters during that turbulent time. The characters could not be more diverse. The are: 1) a dying professor (Elias); 2) a talented young orthopedic surgeon (Kai); and 3) a British psychiatrist (Adrian). There is quite a strong supporting cast, with people we learn about in the flashbacks who greatly influence the main ones. One of the more amazing things about this book is how convincingly Forna writes from a male perspective (including Elias in first person). I usually groan when a writer attempts this, but she may be the best I've encountered. The joy in this novel is the unfolding of events, the rich and turbulent history of the country, and the lives the characters live, leave and create amidst the chaos and pain left behind. The other joy is the writing. There were just so many times I wanted to quote this book, or just wondered at how beautifully/accurately she captured an emotion or feeling ~ despite the exotic local ~ in such a way I could totally relate. I was sad when it ended and it was just such a pleasure to get lost in this world. Highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member RealLifeReading
I finished this with just a day to spare.
I’ve learnt my lesson that when reading Overdrive e-books, I have to keep an eye on the number of days left on my loan. Sounds obvious, no? After all, I know when my library books are due and I return them on time. But when I was reading The Beekeeper’s
So with Memory of Love, I made sure I finished it in good time. But it was a bit of a struggle at first.
It opens slowly, it opens a little uninterestingly, with an old man, Elias Cole, wasting away in his old age. I’d read about feisty old women anyday, but this guy, he was just dragging me down. The first bits of the book passed in a bit of a blur… perhaps because I was reading this ebook in the wee hours of Singapore time, trying to get over my jetlag. The ceiling fan spun above me, the old airconditioner wheezing away, trying to rid the room of the heat and humidity. And there I was, reading about hot humid Sierra Leone.
But that Elias Cole. He is selfish, he is quite miserable, and very obsessed with his colleague’s wife Saffia. He befriends his colleague Julius just so that he can be close to Saffia. Talk about creepy!
Cole is in the hospital and that is where we get introduced to more characters such as Adrian, a British psychologist, who visits with Cole and learns of his story. And Kai, a surgeon, who is plagued by his past and making plans to leave Sierra Leone.
And somehow everything begins to fall into place. Forna gradually reveals the connections among these three men. It’s probably not a spoiler to say that it’s their love for one woman. The title already suggests that this is a love story, or rather, love stories. And while I enjoyed reading the book, the truth is that I never quite fell in love with these tales. I liked the character of Kai and found his story interesting, especially his relationship with his nephew. Instead I found the story of Agnes, a patient of Adrian’s who regularly turns up at the mental hospital, more interesting, and wished she were a more central character…
This sounds all quite vague, perhaps because I read this book over 20 days (it’s a 21-day lending period), and in two countries (and two extremely different time zones). And in the end, it was the wandering Agnes whose story I still remember, whereas the others are a bit fuzzy around the edges. But I hope this sorta-review doesn’t stop you from reading this book. I know that many others have loved reading it, and it’s got great credentials as it was shortlisted for the 2011 Orange Prize and won the 2011 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize.
I’ve learnt my lesson that when reading Overdrive e-books, I have to keep an eye on the number of days left on my loan. Sounds obvious, no? After all, I know when my library books are due and I return them on time. But when I was reading The Beekeeper’s
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Apprentice on Overdrive, somehow I completely neglected that and was 2/3 through the book when I opened the app and the book disappeared! (I did return to the catalogue and try to borrow it again only to find there were 8 others on the waiting list – where there had been none before!). Argh.So with Memory of Love, I made sure I finished it in good time. But it was a bit of a struggle at first.
It opens slowly, it opens a little uninterestingly, with an old man, Elias Cole, wasting away in his old age. I’d read about feisty old women anyday, but this guy, he was just dragging me down. The first bits of the book passed in a bit of a blur… perhaps because I was reading this ebook in the wee hours of Singapore time, trying to get over my jetlag. The ceiling fan spun above me, the old airconditioner wheezing away, trying to rid the room of the heat and humidity. And there I was, reading about hot humid Sierra Leone.
But that Elias Cole. He is selfish, he is quite miserable, and very obsessed with his colleague’s wife Saffia. He befriends his colleague Julius just so that he can be close to Saffia. Talk about creepy!
Cole is in the hospital and that is where we get introduced to more characters such as Adrian, a British psychologist, who visits with Cole and learns of his story. And Kai, a surgeon, who is plagued by his past and making plans to leave Sierra Leone.
And somehow everything begins to fall into place. Forna gradually reveals the connections among these three men. It’s probably not a spoiler to say that it’s their love for one woman. The title already suggests that this is a love story, or rather, love stories. And while I enjoyed reading the book, the truth is that I never quite fell in love with these tales. I liked the character of Kai and found his story interesting, especially his relationship with his nephew. Instead I found the story of Agnes, a patient of Adrian’s who regularly turns up at the mental hospital, more interesting, and wished she were a more central character…
This sounds all quite vague, perhaps because I read this book over 20 days (it’s a 21-day lending period), and in two countries (and two extremely different time zones). And in the end, it was the wandering Agnes whose story I still remember, whereas the others are a bit fuzzy around the edges. But I hope this sorta-review doesn’t stop you from reading this book. I know that many others have loved reading it, and it’s got great credentials as it was shortlisted for the 2011 Orange Prize and won the 2011 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize.
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LibraryThing member Jcambridge
A well-written novel that gives a broad view of the conflicts in Sierra Leone and the effect is has on individual lives -- of those who have spent their entire lives in country as well as those who come to "help". It offers interesting perspectives on personal responsibility.
LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
The Memory of Love is set in the aftermath of Sierra Leone's long civil war (March of 1991 through January of 2002)and where now many of the survivors are suffering from various conditions of post traumatic stress. The story opens with the first person narrative of Elias Cole, an elderly academic
I can honestly say that when I began the book I had little interest in it, other than reading something set in Sierra Leone. I thought the author did a wonderful job of drawing me into the narrative of the three men. Elias' story is mostly told from the past and I found it the most compelling in the beginning. Before long long, both Adam and Kai's story became just as fascinating. I wasn't sure how their stories tied together until the last third of the book, but I was certain from the beginning they would connect in some way.
I have never read anything by Aminatta Forna but I would definitely do so again. She had a beautiful way of writing and her story wove together an intricate tapestry of betrayal, tragedy and loss. The Memory of Love looks hard at the scars that civil wars leaves behind. It's an ambitious novel, but one that richly rewards the reader with complexity and depth in storytelling.
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who is telling his story to psychiatric, Adrian Lockheart. Lockheart is a British psychiatrist who has come to the city convinced he can be of help. He meets Kai Mansaray, an orthopedic surgeon born and raised in Sierra Leone. Kai has always dreamed of leaving the country as have most of his friends and relatives. I can honestly say that when I began the book I had little interest in it, other than reading something set in Sierra Leone. I thought the author did a wonderful job of drawing me into the narrative of the three men. Elias' story is mostly told from the past and I found it the most compelling in the beginning. Before long long, both Adam and Kai's story became just as fascinating. I wasn't sure how their stories tied together until the last third of the book, but I was certain from the beginning they would connect in some way.
I have never read anything by Aminatta Forna but I would definitely do so again. She had a beautiful way of writing and her story wove together an intricate tapestry of betrayal, tragedy and loss. The Memory of Love looks hard at the scars that civil wars leaves behind. It's an ambitious novel, but one that richly rewards the reader with complexity and depth in storytelling.
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LibraryThing member amanda4242
It picked up significantly in the second half, but I had to be bored for 200-odd pages to get to that point.
LibraryThing member Jayeless
I feel like I'm being a bit harsh, but still, I can't say I "REALLY" liked this book. Honestly I think the structure didn't appeal to me. There was no "grand narrative" – plot lines finished well before the end, and started well after the start – and it was a bit confusing. The writer rarely
Aside from that it was pretty good, though. It talks about love, war, tragedy, and all those kinds of big themes. It doesn't depict this really creepy man as a lover extraordinaire (ahem, García Márquez). It's worth reading. Just not spectacular.
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spelled twists out, just somehow stating that the point-of-view character at that particular moment had made a shocking discovery that the reader was meant to have got too. I rarely did and I spent a lot of time flicking backwards to try to work it out, only to usually fail. Aside from that it was pretty good, though. It talks about love, war, tragedy, and all those kinds of big themes. It doesn't depict this really creepy man as a lover extraordinaire (ahem, García Márquez). It's worth reading. Just not spectacular.
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LibraryThing member porch_reader
Forna takes readers Sierra Leone, a country attempting to recover after a civil war. Through the eyes of three men, we gradually come to understand that impact that the war had on individuals, families, and the country. Elias Cole, a University professor carries secrets with him from the civil war,
Beautifully written. Although the audio was well done, at times, I thought it would be better to have read the book so that I could appreciate the language.
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secrets that he will reveal to Adrian, a British psychiatrist who has come to Sierra Leone to escape a failing marriage. Adrian also comes to know a surgeon who survived the civil war, Kai. The story unfolds through these three voices. Through most of the book, the war isn't discussed directly, but its effects are everywhere, and gradually Forna reveals the horrors that came with the war and the different ways that individuals coped. Beautifully written. Although the audio was well done, at times, I thought it would be better to have read the book so that I could appreciate the language.
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LibraryThing member PaulaCheg
Book about Sierra Leone. Complicated and interesting take on life after a civil war, and its possible impact on people. Gets too caught up in the love story aspect to follow post traumatic stress too seriously.
LibraryThing member mausergem
This story is set set in Serra Leone, a country in Western Africa, which is plagued by military coups and civil war. It's is story of three men, two citizens of Serra Leone and one British. These men are intellectuals a professor, a doctor and a psychologist. Each of them had their lives directly
The language is beautiful and the narrative is very picturesque. The author captures emotions and situations well. The stories go in circles but you are not in this for the story, you are here for the feel of the place and the people. After all this is literary fiction.
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or indirectly influenced by the wars and each is trying to deal with it. Each of these men experience love and disappointment. The language is beautiful and the narrative is very picturesque. The author captures emotions and situations well. The stories go in circles but you are not in this for the story, you are here for the feel of the place and the people. After all this is literary fiction.
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LibraryThing member chrisblocker
This book has so much going for it. So much. So it's difficult to slap three stars on it and say “meh, it was okay.” Because it was more than okay, but it wasn't. And it was worth five stars, but it wasn't. What a confusing review.
First off, let me say the second half of The Memory of Love is
The first half is largely the opposite of the second. The characters meander through the story, every detail of their boring lives shared. As far as story or character development, very little happens. The details pour out page after minuscule-print page. It becomes a chore and that is not good news for any book, especially when it is the first two-hundred pages one must slog through. 3 stars.
As I neared the end, I really began to love this novel. It was all coming together rather nicely. And then, it didn't pull through. Loose ends were left. Characters became irrelevant. There was no point to so much of the backstory. Essentially, this was a novel about Adrian and Kai and their relationship with one another and with Mamakay. That was the story. So why was so much time spent on Elias and Julius and Saffia? I realize there was somewhat of a “repetition of the cycle” motif, but it didn't fit together well enough to be necessary. And what was the whole thing with Agnes? Why was the reader asked to spend so much time trying to solve the mystery of Agnes if it wasn't relevant? It seems to me that either The Memory of Love needed to add considerable story to make it all fit together, or cut out all that was unnecessary. I vote for the latter.
Aminatta Forna does so much right with this novel. The story is wonderful and the depiction of high-society Africa on the brink of modernization (yet so far from it) is incredibly refreshing. I wish this was a novel I could recommend to others, but in a world with so many other wonderful books it is not quite worth it in the end. My fingers are crossed that Forna will find the right balance the next time out. 3 stars.
Okay, okay, 3.25, but in good conscience I cannot go any higher.
3.49 stars.
First off, let me say the second half of The Memory of Love is
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phenomenal. The story is strong, filled with suspense, tender moments, and those scenes that are hard to ever forget. The characters are interesting and their relationships leave the reader feeling both anxious and comforted. Well done. The pacing is great and almost everything seems to have purpose. The second half of the book is really, really, really exceptional. 4.5 stars.The first half is largely the opposite of the second. The characters meander through the story, every detail of their boring lives shared. As far as story or character development, very little happens. The details pour out page after minuscule-print page. It becomes a chore and that is not good news for any book, especially when it is the first two-hundred pages one must slog through. 3 stars.
As I neared the end, I really began to love this novel. It was all coming together rather nicely. And then, it didn't pull through. Loose ends were left. Characters became irrelevant. There was no point to so much of the backstory. Essentially, this was a novel about Adrian and Kai and their relationship with one another and with Mamakay. That was the story. So why was so much time spent on Elias and Julius and Saffia? I realize there was somewhat of a “repetition of the cycle” motif, but it didn't fit together well enough to be necessary. And what was the whole thing with Agnes? Why was the reader asked to spend so much time trying to solve the mystery of Agnes if it wasn't relevant? It seems to me that either The Memory of Love needed to add considerable story to make it all fit together, or cut out all that was unnecessary. I vote for the latter.
Aminatta Forna does so much right with this novel. The story is wonderful and the depiction of high-society Africa on the brink of modernization (yet so far from it) is incredibly refreshing. I wish this was a novel I could recommend to others, but in a world with so many other wonderful books it is not quite worth it in the end. My fingers are crossed that Forna will find the right balance the next time out. 3 stars.
Okay, okay, 3.25, but in good conscience I cannot go any higher.
3.49 stars.
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LibraryThing member lesleynicol
An intriguing story of the connection between three people who change the life of Adrian,a psychologist who goe to Sierra Leone in the aftermath of the civil war to help victims of PTSD.The love stories were beautifully drawn but the book was spoilt for me with the epilogue. The ending did not ring
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Media reviews
Farlig aktuell roman fra Sierra Leone
Om lidenskap, besettelse og borgerkrig.
Forna’s characters weave in and out of each other’s lives, often with entirely unforeseeable and shocking consequences. They are so well drawn, and so universally authentic, that each time the narrative view switches from one to the other one almost longs for a convenient twodimensional
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caricature as light relief from possession. With whom can the reader most easily identify? Adrian, the English ingénu? Kai, the heroic surgeon who cannot see the green grass in the other field? Cole, the sell-out? Or Agnes — whose mind has quite rightly opted to walk rather than think about what she must endure?
Forna’s intense research into surgery and psychiatry is as lightly worn as her ability to hide her own craft as a writer...Let us hope that it takes its place where it deserves to be: not at the top of the pile of “African Literature” but outside any category altogether — and at the top of award shortlists
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This is an ambitious project. Forna has written before about the power of storytelling to talk our lives into different shapes. Here she moves deftly between the enchantments of different narratives: the therapeutic, the confessional, the traumatic – flashbacks, nightmares, hauntings, fugue
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states where stories are lost or distorted beyond recognition and the sweetly joyous themes of new love, renewal, springing hope, second chances..... Forna understands that it is only by making patterns out of chaos that humans find the courage to continue living. And in this affecting, passionate and intelligent novel about the redemptive power of love and storytelling, she shows how it is done.
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Forna's book is set in the city at almost exactly that time – not long after the end of one of the bloodiest civil wars in modern African history – and she captures exactly the sense of numbed brutalisation that I saw first-hand in many places: in the eyes of former child soldiers who had been
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forced to mutilate and murder their parents, in the camps full of young girls raped and enslaved by the rebel forces, and abandoned by their families because of the "shame". I remember all too vividly trying to collect the horror stories that were those lives and the absolute inadequacy of my questions: "How did it feel…?" We like to talk about conflict resolution, and truth and reconciliation, in the context of such nationwide atrocity (the particular gruesome speciality of the war in Sierra Leone was the systematic amputation of limbs; queues were formed in front of drugged young men with machetes. But how do you really go about healing that kind of pain?
That is one of the questions that Forna approaches with the utmost caution in an ambitious and deeply researched novel – and the answers she finds are never easy.
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Original language
English
Other editions
The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna (Paperback)