Not Gonna Lie, The Memory Police Hit Way Too Close During Seoul’s Rainy Season Blues
Honestly, I’d been eyeing The Memory Police for a while, but you know how it goes. Another day on the subway, riding through rain-soaked Seoul, I finally picked it up. I mean, what better way to escape the “brutal week at the office” than diving into a world where memories literally disappear?
I started on Line 2, and honestly, wasn’t ready for how this book would mess with my mind. Like, Ogawa’s world where things just vanish and everyone accepts it? Feels a bit too much like ignoring all those personal dreams I’ve shelved because of “Korean family pressure” or something. And okay, the metaphor about losing parts of ourselves? Really got to me – like, maybe I’ve already forgotten pieces of my own life.
I was so into the book that I almost missed my stop at Gangnam, twice. And the oppressive vibe of the island, the sense of loss, it kind of mirrored the “rainy season blues” I’m feeling. The writing is simple yet powerful, like you’re in a dream you can’t wake from. And the protagonist’s quiet resistance? Made me think about my own silent rebellions against “workplace hierarchy” in Seoul.
But here’s the thing – the plot twist about the Memory Police themselves? Had me in my feelings. Like, are they protectors or destroyers? It’s confusing, just like deciding if I want to keep climbing the corporate ladder here or not.
Now, I’ll be honest. I had to Google some parts – maybe my English isn’t as good as I thought. Also, there was this moment where I spilled coffee on page 47 and yeah, still mad about it.
Finished it during one of those long, rainy weekends, and now I can’t stop thinking – what memories am I too willing to let go of? Might sound dumb, but this book made me question my entire existence.
Definitely going to recommend this to my friends who can handle this kind of existential dread. Might even get the Korean translation for my mom. She’d probably say it’s “self-help disguised as fiction,” but whatever.
To be fair, this book wasn’t just a read, it was an experience. And man, it hit different.
| Tags : | Contemporary Fiction |
