The Memory of Love is a 2010 novel by Aminatta Forna about the experiences of three men in Sierra Leone. In 2022, it was included on the "Big Jubilee Read" list of 70 books by Commonwealth authors, selected to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II.[1]
 First edition (UK) | |
| Author | Aminatta Forna |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Published | 2010 (Bloomsbury) |
| Publication place | Scotland |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
| Pages | 464 |
| ISBN | 9781408808139 |
| OCLC | 851988400 |
Plot Summary
editSet amidst the dawn of peace in Sierra Leone after a decade-long civil war, the lives of Elias Cole, Adrian Lockheart, and Kai Mansaray intersect in a city hospital as they struggle with their turbulent pasts. Elias, a retired history professor, reveals his secrets to Dr. Adrian Lockheart, while memories of the late 1960s shape his fate. Adrian, striving to heal war-traumatized minds, faces challenges as he befriends Kai, an orthopedic surgeon haunted by his own demons. As their stories unfold, old acquaintances resurface, secrets unravel, and relationships are tested, culminating in revelations and attempts at redemption amidst the lingering shadows of the past. "The Memory of Love" intricately intertwines the lives of two generations of Africans, exploring themes of loss, forgiveness, and the enduring impact of history, ultimately delving into the essence of love itself.
Setting
editThe book takes place in Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It begins in 2001, after a long civil war has ended, bringing peace to the country. Most of the story happens in a hospital in the capital city, Freetown. This hospital is where the lives of the main characters—Elias Cole, Adrian Lockheart, and Kai Mansaray—intersect.
Reception
editThe Memory of Love was generally well-received. On The Omnivore, a British aggregator of press reviews, it received an "omniscore" of 4 out of 5.[2]
Maaza Mengiste wrote in The New York Times: "Forna's first work of fiction, 'Ancestor Stones,' was an accomplished collection of interconnected stories. 'The Memory of Love,' equally layered, gives us a stronger, more nuanced voice, a writer more willing to take risks with plot and character. ... She forces us to see past bland categorizations like 'postcolonial African literature,' showing that the world we inhabit reaches beyond borders and ripples out through generations. She reminds us that what matters most is that which keeps us grounded in the place of our choosing. And she writes to expose what remains after all the noise has faded: at the core of this novel is the brave and beating heart, at once vulnerable and determined, unwilling to let go of all it has ever loved."[3] The Guardian reviewer found it "an ambitious and deeply researched novel".[4]
The Memory of Love has also been reviewed by Booklist,[5] BookPage Reviews,[6] Publishers Weekly,[7] Kirkus Reviews,[8] The Daily Telegraph,[9] and The Spectator.[10]
Awards
edit- 2011: Commonwealth Writers' Prize: Best Book - winner[11]
- 2011: Warwick Prize - shortlist[12]
- 2011: Women's Prize for Fiction - shortlist[13]
- 2012: International Dublin Literary Award - shortlist[14]
References
edit- ^ "The Big Jubilee Read: A literary celebration of Queen Elizabeth II's record-breaking reign". BBC. 17 April 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- ^ "The Memory of Love". The Omnivore. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "Sunday Book Review: Between Pain and Peace". The New York Times. 7 January 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- ^ Adams, Tim (18 April 2010). "Books: The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- ^ "The Memory of Love: Reviews". catalog.wccls.org. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
Fate and tragedy intertwine in this stunning and powerful portrait of a country in the aftermath of a decade of civil war.
- ^ "The Memory of Love". kcls.bibliocommons.com. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
as the novel sweeps from the radical campus politics of the 1960s to the traumatized population of the current day, the prose occasionally drags. The Memory of Love is an ambitious novel, but one that richly rewards the committed reader.
- ^ "The Memory of Love". Publishers Weekly. PWxyz LLC. 6 September 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
The book's prolixity, combined with scenes that drag or come off as forced, certainly doesn't ruin the experience, but it does occasionally glut what amounts to a heartening cry for moral responsibility in the thick of maddening injustice.
- ^ "The Memory of Love (starred review)". Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus Media LLC. 7 October 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
Gravitas distinguishes the ambitious second novel by Forna
- ^ Shilling, Jane (27 March 2010). "The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna: review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
Here she [Forna] moves deftly between the enchantments of different narratives: the therapeutic, the confessional, the traumatic – flashbacks, nightmares, hauntings, fugue states where stories are lost or distorted beyond recognition and the sweetly joyous themes of new love, renewal, springing hope, second chances.
- ^ Wrong, Michela (5 May 2010). "When words fail". The Spectator. Press Holdings. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
Aminatta Forna's magnificent second novel is not really about love. Its themes are far grittier, and all the more compelling for it
- ^ "Commonwealth Writers Prize: 2011 Winners". literaryfestivals.co.uk. Literary Festival UK. Archived from the original on 7 July 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- ^ "The Warwick Prize for Writing: 2011 Prize". warwick.ac.uk. University of Warwick. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- ^ "Orange Prize for Fiction awarded to Tea Obreht". bbc.com. BBC. 8 June 2011. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- ^ "IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award shortlist announced". breakingnews.ie. Landmark Digital Ltd. 12 April 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2017.