Architects of Memory (The Memory War #1) by Karen Osborne
- Publisher: Tor Books, September 8th 2020
- Genre: Sci-Fi, LGBTQ+
- Format: eARC
- Page Count: 336 pages
- My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Indenture Ash knows if Aurora found out about her celestium sickness, she will never become citizen. But priorities change when she stumbles upon a huge corporate conspiracy that contradicts everything she used to know.
They didn’t know we could die.
Ash
I love how this quote is on the cover of the book. It pretty much sums up the ongoing conflicts yet gives up none of the plot. The overall concept of Vai was both beautiful and terrifying to read. And when Ash and Kate started to learn more about the alien species as well as the truths about the corporates, we did as well. That heightened the sense of participation for the readers.
As much as a science fiction Architects of Memory is, I also read it as a political work. With Ash and the other indentures working to lower the years in their citizenship accounts while birthright citizens have higher default ranks, it is a story on the hardships and unfairness of immigration. Since the equivalent of countries in our world is the corporates, do we know if those in power are working toward a better future or prioritizing profits?
The corporates’ conspiracies also prompts us to ask ourselves what the truths are if authorities cannot be trusted. Could we, like Ash and Kate and their friends, know how to react when everything we have ever known turned out to be lies? And what does it mean to trust a person when it comes to that? What is loyalty? How fast can misunderstandings, fights for domination, and violence escalate on a global scale?
There were a lot of “bloody” scenes and murders and massacres in the story. And all are necessary evil for the plot, almost logical. While the whole book happened within an estimated two days, it was intense and I felt myself invested in the story. However, the last chapter felt a little rushed since it covered the time span of about a week, but it left me wondering what happens next.
Architects of Memory is a look on humanity through the world of science fiction and the perspectives of Vai, and what it means to be truly alone. There is no doubt I will be looking forward to its sequel. [2 May 2020]
I received an e-ARC from Tor Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
