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Title details for The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy - Available

The Memory Thief

by Lauren Mansy
Lora Brown
Audiobook
4 of 5 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
4 of 5 copies available

In the realms of The Memory Thief, memories are currency that can be traded for goods, services, skills, and experiences. A group of people—the Gifted—can steal and redistribute memories. Etta is secretly one of them, but she hasn't used her Gifted abilities since she left the rebel Shadows following her mother's accident two years ago. But when her mother is again in danger, Etta has no choice but to return to the underground group in order to complete her greatest heist and save her mother's life. Etta faces startling attacks, unexpected romance, and above all, her own past as she uncovers a conspiracy that challenges everything she knew about herself and the world around her.

In a place where nothing is what it seems, can Etta ever become more than a memory thief?

"Readers, like Etta and her fellow citizens, will be challenged to contemplate the nature of truth ... A welcome addition to the YA fantasy canon, The Memory Thief is a suspenseful page-turner, delightfully chock full of unexpected twists and turns." – Shelf Awareness

The Memory Thief:

  • Is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Victoria Aveyard
  • Brings readers on an unforgettable journey during which Etta must learn—often the hard way—just what it will take to save her city and her mother
  • Is a clean, coming of age YA fantasy, with unexpected romance by up-and-coming author Lauren Mansy

    • Creators

    • Publisher

    • Awards

    • Release date

      October 1, 2019

    • Formats

      • OverDrive Listen audiobook

        • ISBN: 9780310768562
        • File size: 187686 KB
        • Duration: 06:31:00

    • Languages

      • English

    • Reviews

      • AudioFile Magazine
        Narrator Lora Brown reads with little vocal modulation and creates scant difference in characters. In a world in which memories are a cunningly traded commodity and some citizens are "gifted" with an ability to retrieve and transfer them, 17-year-old Etta is an apparent enemy of Madame, the realm's brutal leader. Because power is derived from the use and abuse of memories, flashbacks are frequent and tedious. Brown forces listeners to maintain close attention to glean the clues that explain why Etta is disguised as an "ungifted" citizen and why her mother languishes in an asylum. To save her mother's life, Etta battles with ghosts, minders, shadows, hunters--and ultimately Madame. However, scenes that are fraught with peril, or budding romance, often fall flat due to a lackluster delivery. L.T. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
      • School Library Journal

        September 1, 2019

        Gr 8 Up-In the realm of Craewick, memories are everything-money, power, status, and even identity. The gifted, those who can harvest and redistribute others' memories, rule over the ungifted. At the top of this power structure is Madame, destroying all who defy her but not before she sells the memories and experiences of those she deems traitors. Four years ago, Etta Lark betrayed her friends and struck a deal with Madame to save her mother's life. Now, Etta lives a lie and her mother is a prisoner in her own mind. When Etta gets notice that her mother's memories are to be auctioned to the highest bidder, she returns to her past and joins the fight to overthrow Madame and her army. The premise of this dystopian fantasy is intriguing and full of potential, but its complexities and depths are not plumbed here. The pacing bogs down in lengthy world-building explications and flowery depictions that don't develop a true sense of the characters' identities or make sense of their actions. The values upheld by Etta and her compatriots are laudable, but the delivery of the fable's message gets rather heavy-handed as the novel builds toward the final showdown. Though the gentle romance woven through the adventure is a breath of fresh air, the resolution of the story's central conflict seems too pat to be satisfying. VERDICT Though not an essential purchase, this fast-paced tale of freedom fighters who battle with both their minds and bodies offers thrills, food for thought, and a main character to root for.-Kelly Kingrey-Edwards, Blinn Junior College, Brenham, TX

        Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

      • Booklist

        September 1, 2019
        Grades 8-11 Seventeen-year-old Etta Lark is among the Gifted: she can steal other people's memories simply by touching them. In a world where memories are currency auctioned to the highest bidder, the Ungifted are prey to those who would steal from them. The class distinctions between Gifted and Ungifted, as well as between rebels and rulers, drove Etta to join the Shadows, a rebel group trying to protect the Ungifted, but four years ago she betrayed the Shadows and was responsible for putting her own mother into a coma. Now, if she is to save her mother's life, Etta must strike a bargain with the Shadows and steal a memory from a dangerous enemy. Mansy's debut will delight fantasy readers who revel in fully developed settings and unusual powers. A glossary and description of the world's four realms are helpful additions, but Mansy's clear exposition smoothly delivers both the action-filled plot and the intricacies of a richly imagined universe, along with gently predictable romance and a thoughtful look at social inequalities.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

    Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

    subjects

    Languages

    • English

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