The Memory Jumper - Amanda Michelle Brown

Author: Amanda Michelle Brown

Genre: YA Fantasy

Rating: 2 stars.

In a Nutshell: This could have been outstanding. It went pretty well till the 80% mark. Then it just lost its way. Really disappointed.

Story Synopsis:

Eighteen-year-old Adelaide has spent her entire life in a basement room. Her only contact with the outside world is through Fawn, who, though just two years older than Adelaide, acts as a mother figure. An evil stepmother kind of mother, that is. The reason for the seclusion is that Adelaide is a Memory Jumper – a person with an innate ability to alter/create/destroy a person’s memories – but Memory Jumping is outlawed in their kingdom. To make a living, Fawn sells Memory Jumping services (through Adelaide) in the black market.

When a young inventor named Mason stumbles into her life, Adelaide realises how much she has missed in her life. Around the same time, a potentially high profile client comes into their contact, making some dangerous demands. These two events force Adelaide to wonder if she has made the right life choice by succumbing to Fawn’s demands.

The story comes to us in the first person perspective mostly of Adelaide, with a few chapters coming from the point of view of another key character.

I confess, even until the 75% mark, I was wondering why this book had such an abysmal rating on Goodreads. While it wouldn’t ever have been a 5 star for me, it was still safely within the 3.75-4 star zone. And then the finale hit me like a car coming out of nowhere. Sheesh.

Where the book worked for me:

😍 It is very quick-paced. I could complete this within about 3 hours.

😍 The concept is quite imaginative. I loved the intricate detailing of the memory world. Every detail related to memory jumping was amazing.

😍 The dynamic between Adelaide and Fawn makes for an interesting and unusual relationship. Fawn makes for a creepy villain, changing colours even faster than a chameleon and leaving us as confused as Adelaide. Seeing Fawn’s perspective in the novel would have been wonderful as the existing version lets us feel like we just don’t get to know her reasons.

😍 There are some random facts sprinkled throughout the story. Some are actual facts from Adelaide’s book of facts, and some are facts from Adelaide’s perspective. Both were fun to read and added much value to the plot.

Where the book created mixed feelings in me:

😑 The plot spotlights mental health issues, domestic abuse, and gaslighting. I realised this only when I read the author’s note. That’s not a good sign, is it? That said, it does do justice to the mental abuse and gaslighting themes.

😑 It covers a vague fantastical world that seems simultaneously historical (monarchy, castles, market fairs) and futuristic (amazing inventions, teleporting, communicators). The balance could have been chaotic, but it works okay for this story. However, I would have preferred a better and clearer world building, especially in terms of era.

😑 This is supposed to be a retelling of “Rapunzel”. While there are shades of the fairy tale, the connection is a bit farfetched. If I hadn’t seen this point mentioned in the blurb, I wouldn’t have thought of Rapunzel at all, despite the reference to Adelaide’s hair.

😑 The characters are somewhat flat while still being interesting. Except for Fawn, the rest of the characters are more-or-less unidimensional. Adelaide’s character has many inconsistencies.

Where the book could have worked better for me:

😟 The plot proceeded smoothly until the 80% mark. After that point though, it goes all over the place. The finale is rushed and sporadic , looking almost like a desperate scramble to provide a neat finish balanced with a lot of drama and self-discovery. The hasty epilogue coming from the perspective of a relatively minor character spoiled whatever little good memories I had of the main story.

😟 Mason’s actual identity should have come as a surprise. But the way the plot is written, the moment he reveals his name in his first interaction with Adelaide, we know who he is. Such a wasted chance to create more intrigue!

😟 There are so many things left unexplained. The story is set in a fictional country that is supposedly a future version of “America” after the coup. But what happened? How did America turn into Frelsi? What was the exact reason for Fawn to end up taking care (and subsequently, a pseudo-ownership) of Adelaide? Why didn’t Fawn earlier do what she revealed that she could do in the climax? Why did Buddy and Perkins suddenly turn antagonistic you-know-where-if-you-have-read-the-book? I could go on and on with questions that I had expected to be resolved by the end.

There’s no doubt that the author has potential. Hopefully, a little more plot finishing and a lot more character development and world-building will work wonders in her second attempt. In the meantime, this might work for older middle-graders/young adults who want to try out a low fantasy story and will accept things without asking too many questions.

My thanks to Lost Island Press, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Memory Jumper”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.