Published by Tin House Genres: Adult Fiction, Dystopian, Fantasy, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Science Fiction
Format: ARC, eBook
The world is experiencing a pandemic with traumatic symptoms such as memory loss, sensory damage, swelling, and death. The world is in desperate need of a vaccine. Neffy, a disgraced marine biologist, along with her fellow volunteers: Rachel, Leon, Yahiko, and Piper, agree to take part in a vaccine trial. Some will be infected with the virus while others are not. The stakes are high as this might just be the last chance to save the world! The danger and terror are mounting in the outside world as people try to get supplies, gather resources all while falling ill and chaos ensues.
While at the trial headquarters, Neffy writes letters to ‘dearesT H’ about her love of Octopuses and her experience working with them. When not writing and engaging with the other volunteers, she is introduced by Leon to a device that allows her go back and revisit scenes from her past. This device does not work on everyone, but it works on her.
Hats off to Claire Fuller for always writing original, creative, and well written books. I always get excited when I see she has a new one coming out. I was instantly drawn into the plot and wondered how things would turn out. I found this book to be gripping and hard to put down. The characters are interesting and there were some I liked, and some that were unlikeable, some who grated on my nerves.
This is about survival and human nature. I saw this playing out like a movie in my mind. Claire Fuller has delivered once again. She is a gifted writer, and I am always drawn in by her prose and plotlines. I enjoyed the tension in the book as Neffy questioned who she would trust while trying to survive. I also loved the sections where Neffy was writing to “H” about Octopuses. This worked very nicely in the story.
Well written, thought provoking, and tense.
*This book may hit too close to home for some as it is about a pandemic.
#TheMemoryofAnimals #NetGalley #ClaireFuller
Thank you to Tin House and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.