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The Memory Collectors
Perfect for fans of The Scent Keeper and The Keeper of Lost Things , an atmospheric and enchanting debut novel about two women haunted by buried secrets but bound by a shared gift and the power the past holds over our lives.
Ev has a mysterious ability, one that she feels is more a curse than a gift. She can feel the emotions people leave behind on objects and believes that most of them need to be handled extremely carefully, and—if at all possible—destroyed. The harmless ones she sells at Vancouver’s Chinatown Night Market to scrape together a living, but even that fills her with trepidation. Meanwhile, in another part of town, Harriet hoards thousands of these treasures and is starting to make her neighbors sick as the overabundance of heightened emotions start seeping through her apartment walls.
When the two women meet, Harriet knows that Ev is the only person who can help her make something truly spectacular of her collection. A museum of memory that not only feels warm and inviting but can heal the emotional wounds many people unknowingly carry around. They only know of one other person like them, and they fear the dark effects these objects had on him. Together, they help each other to develop and control their gift, so that what happened to him never happens again. But unbeknownst to them, the same darkness is wrapping itself around another, dragging them down a path that already destroyed Ev’s family once, and threatens to annihilate what little she has left.
The Memory Collectors casts the everyday in a new light, speaking volumes to the hold that our past has over us—contained, at times, in seemingly innocuous objects—and uncovering a truth that both women have tried hard to bury with their not all magpies collect shiny things—sometimes they gather darkness.
Ev has a mysterious ability, one that she feels is more a curse than a gift. She can feel the emotions people leave behind on objects and believes that most of them need to be handled extremely carefully, and—if at all possible—destroyed. The harmless ones she sells at Vancouver’s Chinatown Night Market to scrape together a living, but even that fills her with trepidation. Meanwhile, in another part of town, Harriet hoards thousands of these treasures and is starting to make her neighbors sick as the overabundance of heightened emotions start seeping through her apartment walls.
When the two women meet, Harriet knows that Ev is the only person who can help her make something truly spectacular of her collection. A museum of memory that not only feels warm and inviting but can heal the emotional wounds many people unknowingly carry around. They only know of one other person like them, and they fear the dark effects these objects had on him. Together, they help each other to develop and control their gift, so that what happened to him never happens again. But unbeknownst to them, the same darkness is wrapping itself around another, dragging them down a path that already destroyed Ev’s family once, and threatens to annihilate what little she has left.
The Memory Collectors casts the everyday in a new light, speaking volumes to the hold that our past has over us—contained, at times, in seemingly innocuous objects—and uncovering a truth that both women have tried hard to bury with their not all magpies collect shiny things—sometimes they gather darkness.
388 pages, Paperback
First published March 16, 2021
169 people are currently reading
10.2k people want to read
About the author
Kim Neville
3books105followersKim Neville is an author and graduate of the Clarion West Writers Workshop, where she found the first shiny piece of inspiration that became The Memory Collectors. When she's not writing she can be found heron-spotting on the seawall or practicing yoga in order to keep calm. She lives near the ocean in Vancouver, Canada, with her husband, daughter, and two cats. The Memory Collectors is her first novel.
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November 24, 2020
Having a special gift sounds exciting right?
Objects have stories to tell - both positive and negative. Two women with a shared gift are haunted by their pasts. Ev can feel the emotions that people leave behind on objects. She believes these items should be handled carefully and destroyed if possible. Harriett hoards objects and her neighbors are getting sick from the emotions that are traveling through the walls of her apartment into theirs.
When these women meet, they decide to work together to build a museum. What will happen when they do? What will the process be like?
There is a saying about leaving the past in the past, how do you do so when objects carry emotions and you feel them? When the past is tied to things you either covet or cast away? Will your gifts haunt you, cause you harm, bring danger, or will they set you free? What if you embrace your talent? What if you become immune to it? What if the objects you touch, affect, and/or change you?
This book is told through the POV of the two characters - Ev and Harriett. This book started slowly for me but picked up some steam. It's hard to say too much without giving anything away. I found this book to be interesting, strange, different, original, and dark.
I found this to be a well-written debut novel. At times, I felt there was a little too much detail, but I do understand that she was doing this to show the women's gifts, how they sense emotions, how objects absorb feelings and emotions.
I went back and forth on my rating and decided on 3.5 stars rounded up.
*** Plus, that beautiful cover***
Thank you to Atria Books 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.
Objects have stories to tell - both positive and negative. Two women with a shared gift are haunted by their pasts. Ev can feel the emotions that people leave behind on objects. She believes these items should be handled carefully and destroyed if possible. Harriett hoards objects and her neighbors are getting sick from the emotions that are traveling through the walls of her apartment into theirs.
When these women meet, they decide to work together to build a museum. What will happen when they do? What will the process be like?
There is a saying about leaving the past in the past, how do you do so when objects carry emotions and you feel them? When the past is tied to things you either covet or cast away? Will your gifts haunt you, cause you harm, bring danger, or will they set you free? What if you embrace your talent? What if you become immune to it? What if the objects you touch, affect, and/or change you?
This book is told through the POV of the two characters - Ev and Harriett. This book started slowly for me but picked up some steam. It's hard to say too much without giving anything away. I found this book to be interesting, strange, different, original, and dark.
I found this to be a well-written debut novel. At times, I felt there was a little too much detail, but I do understand that she was doing this to show the women's gifts, how they sense emotions, how objects absorb feelings and emotions.
I went back and forth on my rating and decided on 3.5 stars rounded up.
*** Plus, that beautiful cover***
Thank you to Atria Books 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.
March 21, 2021
When I walk through my house, scattered throughout are items that are attached to memories: the table that I helped my father make (although I’m not sure how much help I really was, since I was four) and that was in every house they lived in after, is now in my house along with the chairs that went with the table, as well. Several of my grandfather’s old railroad lamps that he had from his days working for B&O Railroad. Quilts that my grandmother made. The huge copper kettle - wider than my fireplace - that was used for making apple butter and made by my grandmother’s father or her grandfather, and the 6 foot wooden spoon carved from a singular piece of wood to stir it. A cracked glass bottle made by a much older man in my old neighborhood who used to do odd jobs in our neighborhood.
When I touch these things, most often it’s to wipe the dust off, and any feelings I have related to them are fond - but I don’t envision feelings as though they are being sent from the former owners. But that ability - whether they want it or not - is what Harriet and Evelyn have in common, they ‘feel� the emotions of the former owners through touching the object. Sometimes positively, sometime overwhelmingly negatively, sometimes it brings an insightful change. They meet when Harriet’s collection has overflowed into the hallways of her apartment building, and neighbors have it left in an alleyway, and several people have begun to help themselves to her collection, among them, Evelyn. Harriet sees something in her that lets her know that Evelyn also has this gift.
Through a light sprinkling of magical realism, this story unfolds slowly, shared through the thoughts of Harriet and Eve, which I enjoyed, as well as Eve’s sister Noemi, and Owen, a man that adds an artistic element to their world using these found collections.
A light slowly building tension adds to this engaging exploration of objects from the past and the power of the memories they hold.
Published: 16 Mar 2021
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Atria Books
March 10, 2021
I'm always on the lookout for an unusual and creative story as I get sick and tired of reading the same type of novels over and over again. The Memory Collectors falls into the magic realism genre, which is not something I read very often. However, much like The Scent Keeper, which this book is being compared to, I was rewarded for rolling the dice and taking a chance.
Ever since Ev was a little girl she has had the ability to feel emotions people leave behind on objects. Given a person experiences a wide range of emotions, both good and bad, Ev is extra careful with the harmful objects. Ev meets Harriet, a woman who has been hoarding objects for years. Harriet is hoping Ev will help her open a museum of memory where people can experience the healing power of the objects on display. Keep in mind, the past has a way of rearing its ugly head. (The publisher synopsis gives a nice setup to the story and probably makes way more sense than how I summed up the premise.)
What I loved about this book is it really got me thinking as to how we don't know everything there is to know about the universe. Perhaps the idea of these "stained" objects isn't that far fetched. Just a fascinating subject to explore and held my interest for sure.
There's a lot of sadness surrounding these characters. And while I was interested in their lives and where the author was going with the story, I didn't feel much emotional investment in Ev and Harriet. I feel like I missed out on some powerful moments which is odd because the story was set up that way. Just a tiny criticism as this book was still a great read.
Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
Ever since Ev was a little girl she has had the ability to feel emotions people leave behind on objects. Given a person experiences a wide range of emotions, both good and bad, Ev is extra careful with the harmful objects. Ev meets Harriet, a woman who has been hoarding objects for years. Harriet is hoping Ev will help her open a museum of memory where people can experience the healing power of the objects on display. Keep in mind, the past has a way of rearing its ugly head. (The publisher synopsis gives a nice setup to the story and probably makes way more sense than how I summed up the premise.)
What I loved about this book is it really got me thinking as to how we don't know everything there is to know about the universe. Perhaps the idea of these "stained" objects isn't that far fetched. Just a fascinating subject to explore and held my interest for sure.
There's a lot of sadness surrounding these characters. And while I was interested in their lives and where the author was going with the story, I didn't feel much emotional investment in Ev and Harriet. I feel like I missed out on some powerful moments which is odd because the story was set up that way. Just a tiny criticism as this book was still a great read.
Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
November 11, 2020
As posted online at Mystery & Suspense magazine:
Expected publication date: March 16, 2021
"The Memory Collectors" is the debut by Kim Neville. It’s a magical, yet also heartbreaking tale, that follows two women with a similar talent—the ability to read objects.
Evelyn is a young woman who sees and feels objects as “stained,� their negative experiences left behind on the surface. Harriet is an older woman who lives among her “bright� objects—objects that Harriet believes carry bright and happy memories. One woman is desperate to close herself off and let go, while the other is just as desperate to hang on. When Harriet recruits Evelyn to help her with sharing her bright objects with the world, she does not expect Evelyn to bring her stain with her. Soon the two women are caught in a desperate battle to save themselves, and each other.
Neville’s novel initially plays out in a similar fashion to ’s , with magical objects and a young woman’s ability to read them. However, as you delve deeper, the emotional energy and power of “Collectors� comes to the surface. Objects are now both positive and negative, and they have the ability to help you move on, or to bury you.
Harriet and Evelyn are intriguing characters, both flawed from troubled and broken backgrounds, and both have different ideas as to their abilities. Although in every respect Harriet is a hoarder, she is also a woman full of hope and enthusiasm, regardless of her age and mobility. Evelyn’s sister, Noemi, is self-centred, entitled and spoiled. However, her personality helps the reader to understand Evelyn far better, and is therefore a forgivable foil. Owen, too, adds a little masculinity to the mix. He creates artwork from the found pieces in an effort to reconnect with his estranged son, and though not a major role, he crucially serves to connect Harriet and Evelyn.
The story is told from the perspective of Harriet and Evelyn, alternating between present day and (at least in Evelyn’s case) , a defining incident in her past. This style increases the tension and suspense, as the reader is aware there must be a secret waiting to be revealed. The build-up makes the reveal that much more enjoyable. When the ending came, it was not entirely unexpected, but it was well-written and perfectly meshed with the flow of the story.
The Memory Collectors is an incredibly moving tale, and impressive debut. Neville writes with skill, grace, and emotion, which portends to a successful career. Readers who are looking for suspense with a little bit of magic, mixed in with raw emotion and heartbreak, will find what they seek in The Memory Collectors.
Expected publication date: March 16, 2021
"The Memory Collectors" is the debut by Kim Neville. It’s a magical, yet also heartbreaking tale, that follows two women with a similar talent—the ability to read objects.
Evelyn is a young woman who sees and feels objects as “stained,� their negative experiences left behind on the surface. Harriet is an older woman who lives among her “bright� objects—objects that Harriet believes carry bright and happy memories. One woman is desperate to close herself off and let go, while the other is just as desperate to hang on. When Harriet recruits Evelyn to help her with sharing her bright objects with the world, she does not expect Evelyn to bring her stain with her. Soon the two women are caught in a desperate battle to save themselves, and each other.
Neville’s novel initially plays out in a similar fashion to ’s , with magical objects and a young woman’s ability to read them. However, as you delve deeper, the emotional energy and power of “Collectors� comes to the surface. Objects are now both positive and negative, and they have the ability to help you move on, or to bury you.
Harriet and Evelyn are intriguing characters, both flawed from troubled and broken backgrounds, and both have different ideas as to their abilities. Although in every respect Harriet is a hoarder, she is also a woman full of hope and enthusiasm, regardless of her age and mobility. Evelyn’s sister, Noemi, is self-centred, entitled and spoiled. However, her personality helps the reader to understand Evelyn far better, and is therefore a forgivable foil. Owen, too, adds a little masculinity to the mix. He creates artwork from the found pieces in an effort to reconnect with his estranged son, and though not a major role, he crucially serves to connect Harriet and Evelyn.
The story is told from the perspective of Harriet and Evelyn, alternating between present day and (at least in Evelyn’s case) , a defining incident in her past. This style increases the tension and suspense, as the reader is aware there must be a secret waiting to be revealed. The build-up makes the reveal that much more enjoyable. When the ending came, it was not entirely unexpected, but it was well-written and perfectly meshed with the flow of the story.
The Memory Collectors is an incredibly moving tale, and impressive debut. Neville writes with skill, grace, and emotion, which portends to a successful career. Readers who are looking for suspense with a little bit of magic, mixed in with raw emotion and heartbreak, will find what they seek in The Memory Collectors.
March 11, 2021
I enjoyed this book so much! At its core, it's a book about a hoarder named Harriet Langdon who lives in an overstuffed apartment in Vancouver, Canada. One day she returns home to find 'binners' going through boxes of her stuff that have been put out by the dumpsters. No!!! In her panic and anger, she still recognizes something special about the young Chinese-American woman who zooms off on her bicycle, leaving her friend Owen behind to help Harriet return her boxes to her apartment.
Owen, who creates art with 'found' items, is amazed at what he sees stacked inside the apartment and suggests that Harriet create a museum of memory for all her collections so other people can enjoy them. He'd be willing to help. Harriet is intrigued with the idea, especially since she's about to be evicted, but really wants his friend to be involved--the woman she learns is named Evelyn and sells her found items at the Chinatown Night Market. Job offers are made and rejected but eventually Harriet wins her over. They will be helping each other--Ev, to learn to control her special gift and Harriet, to create this wonderful new space. Can they safely separate the good vibes from the bad as they sort?
Wonderful characters, a touch of magical realism, and a bit of mystery make this delightful new novel very unique. We all know how a special keepsake can invoke a memory...but these women take things much farther. I think I understand the desire to hoard a little better now after reading their stories.
I received a paper arc of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity! I thought the cover art for this book was just beautiful.
Owen, who creates art with 'found' items, is amazed at what he sees stacked inside the apartment and suggests that Harriet create a museum of memory for all her collections so other people can enjoy them. He'd be willing to help. Harriet is intrigued with the idea, especially since she's about to be evicted, but really wants his friend to be involved--the woman she learns is named Evelyn and sells her found items at the Chinatown Night Market. Job offers are made and rejected but eventually Harriet wins her over. They will be helping each other--Ev, to learn to control her special gift and Harriet, to create this wonderful new space. Can they safely separate the good vibes from the bad as they sort?
Wonderful characters, a touch of magical realism, and a bit of mystery make this delightful new novel very unique. We all know how a special keepsake can invoke a memory...but these women take things much farther. I think I understand the desire to hoard a little better now after reading their stories.
I received a paper arc of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity! I thought the cover art for this book was just beautiful.
March 23, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. The premise is that objects are imprinted with emotions from the people who owned them, and Ev has a special ability to perceive these emotions, even from a distance. Whether this is a gift or a curse depends on the percption. Some of the objects project joy and love, but some project anger or evil and need to be gotten rid of. The harmless "bright" things Ev sells at the Night Market, which is part of Chinatown, in Vancouver. Ev makes a meager living selling these objects.
One day Ev's life intersects with another who can also sense the emotions attached to objects. Harriet is much older than Ev, and over her life she's collected many, many objects - only she doesn't get rid of them as Ev does - she keeps them all. Harriet is a hoarder. Harriet realizes that Ev is just the right person to help her make something special of all her things - a museum of memory.
I loved the characters in this story and had a lot of fun spending time with them. The touches of magical realism made it more interesting. The hoarding aspect is something that has always fascinated me - how someone can become so attached to object they can't give anything up.
Thanks to Atria Books through Netgally for an advance copy.
One day Ev's life intersects with another who can also sense the emotions attached to objects. Harriet is much older than Ev, and over her life she's collected many, many objects - only she doesn't get rid of them as Ev does - she keeps them all. Harriet is a hoarder. Harriet realizes that Ev is just the right person to help her make something special of all her things - a museum of memory.
I loved the characters in this story and had a lot of fun spending time with them. The touches of magical realism made it more interesting. The hoarding aspect is something that has always fascinated me - how someone can become so attached to object they can't give anything up.
Thanks to Atria Books through Netgally for an advance copy.
March 22, 2021
I am a frequent thrift store and garage sale shopper. I’ve no shame in proclaiming that a good portion of what I own was purchased secondhand. I rarely think about the fact that these objects were once witnesses to a thousand different emotions in their previous homes, although I can often tell which ones received the most love.
The idea of being able to feel previous owners� emotions within discarded finds greatly intrigues me, although The Memory Collectors does make it clear that this can be burdensome as well. If you’ve ever felt empathy for someone else’s plight, you know how exhausting experiencing the emotional life of others can be. There is beauty and tragedy within it.
Kim Neville’s debut tells the story of two women who possess this gift. While Ev sees it as a sickness, Harriet cherishes her ability to experience the trapped emotions of the objects she’s collected. She wants to create a museum of bright memories to bring comfort to those who travel through it. She enlists Ev’s help, since they are connected through their ability, but they also have a darker connection to someone from the past who also possessed the gift and was destroyed by the negativity brought to him through certain objects .
In the beginning, there were a lot of things about these characters - Harriet and Ev - that resonated with me, despite how very different they were. It was interesting to see how they both approached their gift. The concept Kim Neville built this story around was an ingenious one and, on the surface, it seemed like it rippled with symbolism. Sadly, I didn’t feel the inception’s promise carried on throughout the story.
I expected something that would stir emotions and pivot around magic. The magical element existed, but the emotional component fell flat for me. Most specifically, I’d anticipated warmth in the development of the museum plot line, but that was more a device used to bring the characters together. I do wish more energy had been put into the healing aspects, instead of other branches of drama.
I don’t think this was a bad book. It didn’t give me what I was looking for and that mainly boils down to preference, although I think expecting to have a less indifferent response on my part is fair, given the premise. It does take an unexpected path that may fully captivate many readers out there. I will sit on the sidelines and cheer them on if they love this. I don’t always need to be one of them.
I am immensely grateful to Atria Books and NetGalley for my digital review copy. All opinions are my own.
The Memory Collectors is available now!
You can find all of my book reviews, lots of other fun bookish content, and the occasional ramblings about movies right here:
The idea of being able to feel previous owners� emotions within discarded finds greatly intrigues me, although The Memory Collectors does make it clear that this can be burdensome as well. If you’ve ever felt empathy for someone else’s plight, you know how exhausting experiencing the emotional life of others can be. There is beauty and tragedy within it.
Kim Neville’s debut tells the story of two women who possess this gift. While Ev sees it as a sickness, Harriet cherishes her ability to experience the trapped emotions of the objects she’s collected. She wants to create a museum of bright memories to bring comfort to those who travel through it. She enlists Ev’s help, since they are connected through their ability, but they also have a darker connection to someone from the past who also possessed the gift and was destroyed by the negativity brought to him through certain objects .
In the beginning, there were a lot of things about these characters - Harriet and Ev - that resonated with me, despite how very different they were. It was interesting to see how they both approached their gift. The concept Kim Neville built this story around was an ingenious one and, on the surface, it seemed like it rippled with symbolism. Sadly, I didn’t feel the inception’s promise carried on throughout the story.
I expected something that would stir emotions and pivot around magic. The magical element existed, but the emotional component fell flat for me. Most specifically, I’d anticipated warmth in the development of the museum plot line, but that was more a device used to bring the characters together. I do wish more energy had been put into the healing aspects, instead of other branches of drama.
I don’t think this was a bad book. It didn’t give me what I was looking for and that mainly boils down to preference, although I think expecting to have a less indifferent response on my part is fair, given the premise. It does take an unexpected path that may fully captivate many readers out there. I will sit on the sidelines and cheer them on if they love this. I don’t always need to be one of them.
I am immensely grateful to Atria Books and NetGalley for my digital review copy. All opinions are my own.
The Memory Collectors is available now!
You can find all of my book reviews, lots of other fun bookish content, and the occasional ramblings about movies right here:
October 17, 2020
Evelyn has a special gift, she can feel emotions in objects. She feels most need to be destroyed, however the harmless she sells at the Chinatown Night Market.
Across town, Harriett hoards thousands of treasures. So many she makes her neighbors sick with the abundance of emotions floating around. When these two women randomly meet, Harriett knows Evelyn is strong enough to make something of their strengths and her collections. Harriett hires Evelyn to help her build a museum. This museum would hold her collections and help people heal through the power of positivity within the objects. As the novel progresses the women help each other understand and use their gifts as well as heal from their troubled pasts.
This is the first novel I have read on Netgalley and been disappointed by. The concept and idea of this book is a good one, but it feels underdeveloped and boring at times. The character development was not very strong. None of the characters were very like able nor memorable. I felt the whole thing needed more explanation as it fell flat for me. With that said, I thank Netgalley and Atria for the advance copy for my honest review and the opportunity to read this.
Across town, Harriett hoards thousands of treasures. So many she makes her neighbors sick with the abundance of emotions floating around. When these two women randomly meet, Harriett knows Evelyn is strong enough to make something of their strengths and her collections. Harriett hires Evelyn to help her build a museum. This museum would hold her collections and help people heal through the power of positivity within the objects. As the novel progresses the women help each other understand and use their gifts as well as heal from their troubled pasts.
This is the first novel I have read on Netgalley and been disappointed by. The concept and idea of this book is a good one, but it feels underdeveloped and boring at times. The character development was not very strong. None of the characters were very like able nor memorable. I felt the whole thing needed more explanation as it fell flat for me. With that said, I thank Netgalley and Atria for the advance copy for my honest review and the opportunity to read this.
November 5, 2020
My home is filled with heirlooms and mementos, each associated with a person or time from my past. Whenever we moved, settling these things into the house transformed it into a home.
Some of these things make me a little sad, but most make me happy. I have good memories of the student lamp from Great-Grandma's house, the 1842 ogee clock we bought at our first auction, the cracked glass miniature vases Mom set on her knick-knack self, the fourth generation back heirloom Blue Flow soup bowls, the embroidery mom made for me, the Japan figures gifted to my husband on his birth.
Very few people look at these things and feel the things I feel when I see them.
But...what if the emotions people feel could attach to their things and could be sensed by others? What if these emotions could change those who encounter the objects? What if some people could sense this emotional baggage and use it for harm or health?
Kim Neville's debut novel The Memory Collectors imagines people with the special ability to sense the emotions that cling to things.
Ev tries to control it, suppressing the effects of the 'stains' on things. She saw how her father fell victim to dark stains. She was unable to save her parents from the evil that overtook him. She has tried to protect her younger sister, Noemi, who flits in and out of her life.
Harriet has hoarded these stained things. They are overwhelming her and affecting her neighbors, too. Perhaps she could make a museum filled with good feelings, a place of healing? When she mets Ev, she knows she has found the person who can help her.
We can hide from the past, suppress it, reject it. We can become enslaved to the past so it inhibits our growth. We can shape the past into works of art. And we can rise above the past to become changed and whole people
The Memory Collectors is a fantastic story that uses fantasy to explore our common human struggle with the past and the lingering emotions that inhibit our growth.
I received a free ARC from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Some of these things make me a little sad, but most make me happy. I have good memories of the student lamp from Great-Grandma's house, the 1842 ogee clock we bought at our first auction, the cracked glass miniature vases Mom set on her knick-knack self, the fourth generation back heirloom Blue Flow soup bowls, the embroidery mom made for me, the Japan figures gifted to my husband on his birth.
Very few people look at these things and feel the things I feel when I see them.
But...what if the emotions people feel could attach to their things and could be sensed by others? What if these emotions could change those who encounter the objects? What if some people could sense this emotional baggage and use it for harm or health?
Kim Neville's debut novel The Memory Collectors imagines people with the special ability to sense the emotions that cling to things.
Ev tries to control it, suppressing the effects of the 'stains' on things. She saw how her father fell victim to dark stains. She was unable to save her parents from the evil that overtook him. She has tried to protect her younger sister, Noemi, who flits in and out of her life.
Harriet has hoarded these stained things. They are overwhelming her and affecting her neighbors, too. Perhaps she could make a museum filled with good feelings, a place of healing? When she mets Ev, she knows she has found the person who can help her.
We can hide from the past, suppress it, reject it. We can become enslaved to the past so it inhibits our growth. We can shape the past into works of art. And we can rise above the past to become changed and whole people
The Memory Collectors is a fantastic story that uses fantasy to explore our common human struggle with the past and the lingering emotions that inhibit our growth.
I received a free ARC from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
March 11, 2021
3.5/5 ⭐️
A woman who thinks used things hold “brightness� because they carry memories and a girl who thinks used things are “stained� with memories. They are called “Memory Collectors�. What is the story of these people? Why do they “sense� memories? What do these memories do to them? - this is the story of The Memory Collectors.
Though this book is a debut, the story reads fast and the world that the author has created with reality and a little magical realism is amazing 👏 The book mostly reads in present, but also shows us readers a peek from the past which is crucial to the storyline. The author has put together a story that deals with childhood trauma, sisterhood, loyalty and of course secrets from the past & it all comes down to forgiveness!!
Its a good story overall, but I felt a bit distanced from the story towards the middle, it could have been cut short a little. Keep in mind I read an ARC so the finished copy might be different or even shorter.
This book comes out next week, so put this on your list & TBR 📚
A woman who thinks used things hold “brightness� because they carry memories and a girl who thinks used things are “stained� with memories. They are called “Memory Collectors�. What is the story of these people? Why do they “sense� memories? What do these memories do to them? - this is the story of The Memory Collectors.
Though this book is a debut, the story reads fast and the world that the author has created with reality and a little magical realism is amazing 👏 The book mostly reads in present, but also shows us readers a peek from the past which is crucial to the storyline. The author has put together a story that deals with childhood trauma, sisterhood, loyalty and of course secrets from the past & it all comes down to forgiveness!!
Its a good story overall, but I felt a bit distanced from the story towards the middle, it could have been cut short a little. Keep in mind I read an ARC so the finished copy might be different or even shorter.
This book comes out next week, so put this on your list & TBR 📚
March 18, 2021
The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville is a truly fascinatingstory featuring some of the most creative magical realismI have ever read! The title of this novel alone draws you in - how intriguing! Memory collectors? Sounds spooky and fantastical. Well, it's a little bit of both. I am not quite sure exactly what genre this book belongs in becauseit crosses over a few - magical realism, contemporary fiction, mystery, definitely some suspense, family drama, women's fiction and sci-fi/fantasy... This is a diverse story that builds slowly but keeps you interested the entire time.
I was so intriguedby the concept and stayed invested in the characters. Who are these special people, will they find peace, will they heal, how will their magical powers help others? I loved how this book tied into so many emotions and ideas about how things and objects influence our daily lives.
I highly recommendreading this story for some fantasticescapism!
Thank you, NetGalley, Atria Books, and Kim Neville, for a copy of this book for review! I love it.
I was so intriguedby the concept and stayed invested in the characters. Who are these special people, will they find peace, will they heal, how will their magical powers help others? I loved how this book tied into so many emotions and ideas about how things and objects influence our daily lives.
I highly recommendreading this story for some fantasticescapism!
Thank you, NetGalley, Atria Books, and Kim Neville, for a copy of this book for review! I love it.
Want to read
February 19, 2021Well this sounds positively enchanting—can’t wait!
December 10, 2020
I know this is a serious niche, but I LOVE books about people who can feel energy or emotion from inanimate objects. Can you believe they are a bit hard to to find? :) But that's exactly what this book is about and I am so pleased to have read it.
In this book the author includes the highs and very lows of this gift. The book has some quite dark subject matter and it is conveyed with such beautiful heartache I think you would be hard pressed to not feel it yourself. And the ending. I just loved it. I could see Harriet's final scene like it was happening in front of me and I will think of her as I come across lost treasures. But maybe most appealing to me was the story of strangers becoming family. That is one of my favorite tropes.
If you like magical realism and stories with deep emotion you will most likely enjoy this book as much as I did.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book.
In this book the author includes the highs and very lows of this gift. The book has some quite dark subject matter and it is conveyed with such beautiful heartache I think you would be hard pressed to not feel it yourself. And the ending. I just loved it. I could see Harriet's final scene like it was happening in front of me and I will think of her as I come across lost treasures. But maybe most appealing to me was the story of strangers becoming family. That is one of my favorite tropes.
If you like magical realism and stories with deep emotion you will most likely enjoy this book as much as I did.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book.
January 2, 2021
I loved the premise of this book but I just didn't connect with it enough to love it.
I find the whole idea of connecting to objects and past history being able to be felt through them so interesting. Sometimes you just get a feeling or feel a connection with an object. This book takes that feeling and puts it into a story.
I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.
I find the whole idea of connecting to objects and past history being able to be felt through them so interesting. Sometimes you just get a feeling or feel a connection with an object. This book takes that feeling and puts it into a story.
I was given an eARC by the publisher through NetGalley.
November 27, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. And honestly? I am so glad I requested this one. I didn't really read what it was about as the cover alone gave me a feeling that I might enjoy this one. I knew within the first few pages that I made a good choice and it kept me interested the entire way through. The story is about how a few people can get feelings (or stains) from inanimate objects and which way they chose to move through life based on those feelings. Harriet is a keeper/hoarder of such things and Evie chose to run away from her gift to the best of her ability...some how some way they come together in life-the only two people that they know of with such an ability. Throw in a connected history that they each knew nothing about and you have an amazing story. This is a book that I would really like to see a movie made out of.
May 19, 2021
2.5 stars, rounded upward.
I was truly excited to read this book; perhaps too much so. It’s not a bad novel, but not the crowning wonder that I was expecting. My thanks go to Atria Books and Net Galley for the invitation to read and review.
Ev lives in poverty, sorting through trash in hope of finding treasures that she can improve upon and sell. As the story unfolds, we are momentarily off-balance, learning about Ev and the setting primarily through context. We learn early on that Ev has a traumatic past—with the particulars doled out in dribs and drabs to create suspense—and that she has an unusual gift, that of feeling the powerful emotions experienced by the item’s former owner. She wears gloves to prevent herself from becoming overwhelmed, particularly by the negative feelings some objects project.
Harriet is an elderly woman with similar gifts, and she’s in search of an heir. When she and Ev collide over contested objects, she wants to hire Ev. Ev resists at first, but is eventually drawn in after carefully negotiating her terms. An important side character is Ev’s long-lost sister, Noemi, who pops back into Ev’s life unexpectedly. Noemi’s role here is to reveal the past events that have scarred her elder sister, as well as to motivate Ev to be successful and build a better life.
At the outset, I am impressed by the writing, and it looks like the hype is deserved, because I am immediately engaged. But as the story moves forward, it becomes slower, then slooower, then slooooower…and I realize that this is one more fantasy novel in which the one original aspect, the “stains� that reveal the character of an object to people like Ev and Harriet, is just about all the author is going to give us. Everything else, from the revelations about the past, to the relationship between the sisters, to the dynamics between the elder and younger sensitive women, to the problem posed by another gifted but malign person, to uh, everything, is sort of lackluster and tedious. The character development is shallow and barely there. I never become comfortably acquainted with the world in which these women exist. It’s as if the author has trotted out this one device—I’m trying hard not to call it a gimmick—and then figures her job is done. There isn’t much else that I haven’t seen done much better by other writers. In the end, I tossed it on the DNF pile.
I read this story digitally, but I alternated it with the audio version, and am inclined to recommend the audio version slightly more to those that plan to read it. Initially I don’t like the way that the reader, Emily Woo Zeller, voices Noemi, using a chirpy, almost shrill voice, but after I have listened for a bit over an hour, I become accustomed to it and grow to regard the character with a fondness I don’t find for the other characters. Instead of perceiving her as shrill, I begin to think, “Oh, it’s okay; that’s just the way Noemi is.� Since I don’t fully believe any of the other characters, I have to give Zeller props for her performance.
This book is for sale now; get it free or cheap if you’re interested, but don’t shell out the full jacket price unless your pockets are deep ones.
I was truly excited to read this book; perhaps too much so. It’s not a bad novel, but not the crowning wonder that I was expecting. My thanks go to Atria Books and Net Galley for the invitation to read and review.
Ev lives in poverty, sorting through trash in hope of finding treasures that she can improve upon and sell. As the story unfolds, we are momentarily off-balance, learning about Ev and the setting primarily through context. We learn early on that Ev has a traumatic past—with the particulars doled out in dribs and drabs to create suspense—and that she has an unusual gift, that of feeling the powerful emotions experienced by the item’s former owner. She wears gloves to prevent herself from becoming overwhelmed, particularly by the negative feelings some objects project.
Harriet is an elderly woman with similar gifts, and she’s in search of an heir. When she and Ev collide over contested objects, she wants to hire Ev. Ev resists at first, but is eventually drawn in after carefully negotiating her terms. An important side character is Ev’s long-lost sister, Noemi, who pops back into Ev’s life unexpectedly. Noemi’s role here is to reveal the past events that have scarred her elder sister, as well as to motivate Ev to be successful and build a better life.
At the outset, I am impressed by the writing, and it looks like the hype is deserved, because I am immediately engaged. But as the story moves forward, it becomes slower, then slooower, then slooooower…and I realize that this is one more fantasy novel in which the one original aspect, the “stains� that reveal the character of an object to people like Ev and Harriet, is just about all the author is going to give us. Everything else, from the revelations about the past, to the relationship between the sisters, to the dynamics between the elder and younger sensitive women, to the problem posed by another gifted but malign person, to uh, everything, is sort of lackluster and tedious. The character development is shallow and barely there. I never become comfortably acquainted with the world in which these women exist. It’s as if the author has trotted out this one device—I’m trying hard not to call it a gimmick—and then figures her job is done. There isn’t much else that I haven’t seen done much better by other writers. In the end, I tossed it on the DNF pile.
I read this story digitally, but I alternated it with the audio version, and am inclined to recommend the audio version slightly more to those that plan to read it. Initially I don’t like the way that the reader, Emily Woo Zeller, voices Noemi, using a chirpy, almost shrill voice, but after I have listened for a bit over an hour, I become accustomed to it and grow to regard the character with a fondness I don’t find for the other characters. Instead of perceiving her as shrill, I begin to think, “Oh, it’s okay; that’s just the way Noemi is.� Since I don’t fully believe any of the other characters, I have to give Zeller props for her performance.
This book is for sale now; get it free or cheap if you’re interested, but don’t shell out the full jacket price unless your pockets are deep ones.
March 18, 2021
Intricate, unique, and mystifying!
The Memory Collectors is an imaginative, moving tale that takes you into the lives of two women, Evelyn, a young girl with a harrowing past who is constantly overwhelmed by the darkness and desperation that leaches from the stains objects carry, and Harriet, an elderly recluse who feeds off the positivity and lightness found in all the things that surround her.
The writing is rich and poignant. The characters are anxious, troubled, and scarred. And the plot sweeps you away into a compelling tale of magical realism involving memories and the importance we place on all the things that remind us of them.
Overall, The Memory Collectors is an intriguing, creative, fantastical tale by Neville that is darker than I was originally expecting and could have had a slightly tighter ending but was nevertheless a thought-provoking, enjoyable read.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The Memory Collectors is an imaginative, moving tale that takes you into the lives of two women, Evelyn, a young girl with a harrowing past who is constantly overwhelmed by the darkness and desperation that leaches from the stains objects carry, and Harriet, an elderly recluse who feeds off the positivity and lightness found in all the things that surround her.
The writing is rich and poignant. The characters are anxious, troubled, and scarred. And the plot sweeps you away into a compelling tale of magical realism involving memories and the importance we place on all the things that remind us of them.
Overall, The Memory Collectors is an intriguing, creative, fantastical tale by Neville that is darker than I was originally expecting and could have had a slightly tighter ending but was nevertheless a thought-provoking, enjoyable read.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2021
best part of the book is the little bicycle wheel on the cover’s top left corner. i love bicycles.
i feel bad heavily criticizing books and art in general because i know how much love goes into writing and creating the vision in one’s mind but i could not find myself motivated to read this. the characters are insurmountably dull, lifeless and in moments brutally annoying. the entire conceit is weirdly original whilst simultaneously played in spirit, as if it borrowed parts of various books that touch on time travel, family memento/flashback sequences, dreamscapes, the ‘hidden powers of the gifted� and ultimately results in the most banal sort of cottage-core supernatural fiction.
again� books are tough to make so I feel bad!!!!
i feel bad heavily criticizing books and art in general because i know how much love goes into writing and creating the vision in one’s mind but i could not find myself motivated to read this. the characters are insurmountably dull, lifeless and in moments brutally annoying. the entire conceit is weirdly original whilst simultaneously played in spirit, as if it borrowed parts of various books that touch on time travel, family memento/flashback sequences, dreamscapes, the ‘hidden powers of the gifted� and ultimately results in the most banal sort of cottage-core supernatural fiction.
again� books are tough to make so I feel bad!!!!
January 14, 2023
Sadly I didn't take down note of my thoughts when I finished this, but I gave it 4 stars so that's good! :)
February 20, 2021
THE MEMORY COLLECTORS
BY KIM NEVILLE
I really love the premise of this story and think that the cover is just beautiful. We all have attachments and feel sentimental about certain things that we display in our homes. I have many things that hold memories for me gathered at different phases of my life. I love photographs of my children and family. When I look at them I feel emotions about them so I can really relate to the theme of this book to a certain extent. There are things that my deceased father made that hold sentimental value. Along with books and other items that are meaningful to me that I will never part with. This was a lovely debut novel but near the end two words came to mind: Horror Hoarding.
I felt that the book took on an eery feeling towards the last thirty percent. Harriet was definitely a hoarder as I discovered her childhood home that her mother left her. I thought that Harriet was introduced having noble intentions when she was cleaning out her apartment of things that she collected and was sorting through the items with Evelyn that could bring joy, peace and happiness in the bank that she purchased. The former bank was a space that Harriet and Owen and Evelyn were displaying beautiful things that Harriet hoped to be a museum that other people could enjoy.
Evelyn comes with a dark past but is a kind and sophisticated young woman who can feel the emotions that certain items held. Harriet hires Evelyn to sort through her collection of things and they had agreed that if Evelyn had bad vibrations or dangerous emotions connected to an item it would go in the vault to be locked away. I thought as the novel went forward that Harriet was a hoarder and collected many things that weren't sentimental but just things that she was driven to collect out of greed. The book started to lose its appeal for me when it seemed to get darker.
Noemi, Evelyn's sister was sneaky and although I felt touched by the sister's relationship for quite some time, that it eventually veered off into darker territory. I can understand Noemi's longing to learn more about her family. I thought that she was greedy like Harriet but I could forgive them because I sensed those two couldn't help their compulsions. The two of them had more in common with each other than Evelyn and Owen. Evelyn and Owen seemed to have more noble aspirations.
I started out really loving this novel but felt it got dark which I wasn't expecting. Still it is a worthy debut for Kim Neville. If reader's don't mind the story going into darker, hoarding territory then they will probably enjoy it more. I did enjoy it for the most part. It contains magical realism that succeeds, just not in a comforting sort of way for me personally. I do believe that things do hold emotions that belong to me that I have owned that have special meaning to me. My things hold a special memory so I feel good about them. I wish that this book explored sentimental value to things and I guess it sort of did for Harriet and Noemi. Evelyn on the other hand could pick up an item that wasn't hers and feel the positive or negative emotions attached of miscellaneous items that didn't belong to her and feel anger or other destructive emotions sometimes as well as the positive. A very thought provoking novel that I am sure will appeal to many who don't mind hoarding or other dark vibrations.
Publication Date: March 16, 2021
Thank you to Net Galley, Kim Neville and Simon & Schuster-Atria Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#TheMemoryCollectors #KimNeville #Simon&SchusterAtriaPublishing #NetGalley
BY KIM NEVILLE
I really love the premise of this story and think that the cover is just beautiful. We all have attachments and feel sentimental about certain things that we display in our homes. I have many things that hold memories for me gathered at different phases of my life. I love photographs of my children and family. When I look at them I feel emotions about them so I can really relate to the theme of this book to a certain extent. There are things that my deceased father made that hold sentimental value. Along with books and other items that are meaningful to me that I will never part with. This was a lovely debut novel but near the end two words came to mind: Horror Hoarding.
I felt that the book took on an eery feeling towards the last thirty percent. Harriet was definitely a hoarder as I discovered her childhood home that her mother left her. I thought that Harriet was introduced having noble intentions when she was cleaning out her apartment of things that she collected and was sorting through the items with Evelyn that could bring joy, peace and happiness in the bank that she purchased. The former bank was a space that Harriet and Owen and Evelyn were displaying beautiful things that Harriet hoped to be a museum that other people could enjoy.
Evelyn comes with a dark past but is a kind and sophisticated young woman who can feel the emotions that certain items held. Harriet hires Evelyn to sort through her collection of things and they had agreed that if Evelyn had bad vibrations or dangerous emotions connected to an item it would go in the vault to be locked away. I thought as the novel went forward that Harriet was a hoarder and collected many things that weren't sentimental but just things that she was driven to collect out of greed. The book started to lose its appeal for me when it seemed to get darker.
Noemi, Evelyn's sister was sneaky and although I felt touched by the sister's relationship for quite some time, that it eventually veered off into darker territory. I can understand Noemi's longing to learn more about her family. I thought that she was greedy like Harriet but I could forgive them because I sensed those two couldn't help their compulsions. The two of them had more in common with each other than Evelyn and Owen. Evelyn and Owen seemed to have more noble aspirations.
I started out really loving this novel but felt it got dark which I wasn't expecting. Still it is a worthy debut for Kim Neville. If reader's don't mind the story going into darker, hoarding territory then they will probably enjoy it more. I did enjoy it for the most part. It contains magical realism that succeeds, just not in a comforting sort of way for me personally. I do believe that things do hold emotions that belong to me that I have owned that have special meaning to me. My things hold a special memory so I feel good about them. I wish that this book explored sentimental value to things and I guess it sort of did for Harriet and Noemi. Evelyn on the other hand could pick up an item that wasn't hers and feel the positive or negative emotions attached of miscellaneous items that didn't belong to her and feel anger or other destructive emotions sometimes as well as the positive. A very thought provoking novel that I am sure will appeal to many who don't mind hoarding or other dark vibrations.
Publication Date: March 16, 2021
Thank you to Net Galley, Kim Neville and Simon & Schuster-Atria Publishing for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#TheMemoryCollectors #KimNeville #Simon&SchusterAtriaPublishing #NetGalley
March 12, 2021
My Review of
THE MEMORY COLLECTORS
By Author, Kim Neville
Gifted & Published by {Partner} @AtriaBooks
On Sale- 3/16/21 - Purchase Link in Bio
*
This is being put on my list of unforgettable books that deeply resonated with me. What thought and imagination Author Neville has in order to create such a submersible storyline on people and their impact on objects and the reflection those objects may have after absorbing years of either positive or negative emotions. It brings into question how much value we put into inanimate objects over quality time with others. It’s a magical story that will have you in a world so believable ; you’ll begin to question everything around you. It is dark, it’s love, it’s friendship and it’s a journey into reading that you will experience once in this lifetime. This is my first book by the Author and I am in love with her writing.
*
Synopsis:
Ev has a mysterious ability, one that she feels is more a curse than a gift. She can feel the emotions people leave behind on objects and believes that most of them need to be handled extremely carefully, and—if at all possible—destroyed. The harmless ones she sells at Vancouver’s Chinatown Night Market to scrape together a living, but even that fills her with trepidation. Meanwhile, in another part of town, Harriet hoards thousands of these treasures and is starting to make her neighbors sick as the overabundance of heightened emotions start seeping through her apartment walls.
When the two women meet, Harriet knows that Ev is the only person who can help her make something truly spectacular of her collection. A museum of memory that not only feels warm and inviting but can heal the emotional wounds many people unknowingly carry around. They only know of one other person like them, and they fear the dark effects these objects had on him. Together, they help each other to develop and control their gift, so that what happened to him never happens again. But unbeknownst to them, the same darkness is wrapping itself around another, dragging them down a path that already destroyed Ev’s family once, and threatens to annihilate what little she has left.
THE MEMORY COLLECTORS
By Author, Kim Neville
Gifted & Published by {Partner} @AtriaBooks
On Sale- 3/16/21 - Purchase Link in Bio
*
This is being put on my list of unforgettable books that deeply resonated with me. What thought and imagination Author Neville has in order to create such a submersible storyline on people and their impact on objects and the reflection those objects may have after absorbing years of either positive or negative emotions. It brings into question how much value we put into inanimate objects over quality time with others. It’s a magical story that will have you in a world so believable ; you’ll begin to question everything around you. It is dark, it’s love, it’s friendship and it’s a journey into reading that you will experience once in this lifetime. This is my first book by the Author and I am in love with her writing.
*
Synopsis:
Ev has a mysterious ability, one that she feels is more a curse than a gift. She can feel the emotions people leave behind on objects and believes that most of them need to be handled extremely carefully, and—if at all possible—destroyed. The harmless ones she sells at Vancouver’s Chinatown Night Market to scrape together a living, but even that fills her with trepidation. Meanwhile, in another part of town, Harriet hoards thousands of these treasures and is starting to make her neighbors sick as the overabundance of heightened emotions start seeping through her apartment walls.
When the two women meet, Harriet knows that Ev is the only person who can help her make something truly spectacular of her collection. A museum of memory that not only feels warm and inviting but can heal the emotional wounds many people unknowingly carry around. They only know of one other person like them, and they fear the dark effects these objects had on him. Together, they help each other to develop and control their gift, so that what happened to him never happens again. But unbeknownst to them, the same darkness is wrapping itself around another, dragging them down a path that already destroyed Ev’s family once, and threatens to annihilate what little she has left.
March 19, 2021
[3.25/5] I was fascinated by the concept here - such a cool idea, and I’m a big fan of stories with magical realism.
I did have some mixed thoughts, though. Let’s start with the good: I felt for the main character, Evelyn. She had been through a LOT, so it was totally understandable that she retreated into herself. I was rooting for her the whole way.
This story had a unique magical realism concept. The idea that certain objects can have imprints of feelings left behind by their previous owners is genius, and liked how it played a big part in bringing the characters together and driving the plot.
And now, what I didn’t like as much: It was longer than I felt was necessary. Some parts felt repetitive or circular, and a few of the characters bothered me. (But that may have been intentional).
Also, there were so many secrets each character was hiding (which definitely adds to the tension), but it took so long for them to be revealed that it became a little frustrating. Maybe I’m just impatient. 😬
Overall, I‘m glad I read this one � it was peppered with moments of beauty and human connection. But sadly, I didn’t quite love it as much as I hoped I would. I know others have loved it, though, so be sure to check out other reviews too!
**Thanks to Atria books for the review copy!
I did have some mixed thoughts, though. Let’s start with the good: I felt for the main character, Evelyn. She had been through a LOT, so it was totally understandable that she retreated into herself. I was rooting for her the whole way.
This story had a unique magical realism concept. The idea that certain objects can have imprints of feelings left behind by their previous owners is genius, and liked how it played a big part in bringing the characters together and driving the plot.
And now, what I didn’t like as much: It was longer than I felt was necessary. Some parts felt repetitive or circular, and a few of the characters bothered me. (But that may have been intentional).
Also, there were so many secrets each character was hiding (which definitely adds to the tension), but it took so long for them to be revealed that it became a little frustrating. Maybe I’m just impatient. 😬
Overall, I‘m glad I read this one � it was peppered with moments of beauty and human connection. But sadly, I didn’t quite love it as much as I hoped I would. I know others have loved it, though, so be sure to check out other reviews too!
**Thanks to Atria books for the review copy!
February 11, 2021
The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville is a great addition to the magical realism genre!
There are so many layers to this book that deal with the evil within, depression, family bonds, how friendships can heal, letting go, and learning to trust yourself. There is also a mystery intertwined which adds another wonderful element to The Memory Collectors.
The first part of the book was a bit slow at times, but I still didn’t find myself skimming like I sometimes do with a slower paced book. I think this was because the details were so beautifully written, and Neville was able to capture human emotion so well. Neville writes relationships in vivid detail, whether it be between family, friends, or people just getting to know each other.
The middle started to pick up and give more foreshadowing, and then the end� wow! The culmination of all the story lines and everyone’s emotions was a whirlwind of intense reading.
I was hoping there would be more in regards to the museum and being able to see people’s reactions to the exhibits, but that just means there’s potential for another book! If you enjoy magical realism or a story with lots of emotional layers, I highly recommend The Memory Collectors.
There are so many layers to this book that deal with the evil within, depression, family bonds, how friendships can heal, letting go, and learning to trust yourself. There is also a mystery intertwined which adds another wonderful element to The Memory Collectors.
The first part of the book was a bit slow at times, but I still didn’t find myself skimming like I sometimes do with a slower paced book. I think this was because the details were so beautifully written, and Neville was able to capture human emotion so well. Neville writes relationships in vivid detail, whether it be between family, friends, or people just getting to know each other.
The middle started to pick up and give more foreshadowing, and then the end� wow! The culmination of all the story lines and everyone’s emotions was a whirlwind of intense reading.
I was hoping there would be more in regards to the museum and being able to see people’s reactions to the exhibits, but that just means there’s potential for another book! If you enjoy magical realism or a story with lots of emotional layers, I highly recommend The Memory Collectors.
July 30, 2023
I read quite a lot of books and it’s VERY rare for me to be able to say that a book is completely unique and unlike anything I’ve ever read. This is one of those extra special books and I absolutely loved it. The idea is so fresh and unique and I was instantly drawn into this new world the author created for me. From start to finish it was perfect and I really couldn’t have loved this book more. Highly recommend this one if you’re a big reader like I am and you’re looking for something new to blow your reading mind.
March 14, 2021
While the premise of this story is fascinating, I didn't love this book. Yes, it's an unpopular opinion. It could quite possibly have been my state of mind. There were entirely too many descriptions instead of character development. Connections with characters are some of the meat of a story, and those connections never seemed to happen.
Thank you to Atria Books through Edelweiss for an advanced copy in an exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Atria Books through Edelweiss for an advanced copy in an exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2021
The premise of this book completely hooked me in. Ev has an ability to feel the emotions attached to objects. She uses this gift - or is it a curse? - to find objects infused with positive emotions, and sells them at the Chinatown Night Market in Vancouver. Ev refers to objects like these as being stained, and she knows that people can react to a variety of emotions contained in stained items. Objects stained with love and nurturing emotions give off a positive feeling, while objects imbued with negative emotions like jealousy, despair or hate can have a detrimental impact on those owning, or even holding the object.
Harriet is a hoarder and has been collecting treasures her whole life. She collects items made bright by the emotions of previous owners, and the sheer volume of her collection has been making other residents in her building feel sick with headaches and other maladies. As an aside, if you've ever wondered what it might be like to navigate through a hoarder's house, you're going to find out here.
Bright and stained objects can be anything that has been infused with intense emotion from the previous owner, a baby blanket, a scarf, a jar of buttons, sewing scissors, a gun or even a wooden spoon.
Harriet dreams of creating a carefully curated museum of memories, where members of the public can come and view these treasures. She wants to organise them into positive themes like motherly love or childlike joy and invite guests to seek out the section of the museum that feels 'right' to them, and leave the exhibition feeling that their sense of wellbeing has been nourished and their spirit replenished.
Both Ev and Harriet have troubled histories, and Ev's dark past in particular and the relationship with her sister forms the mystery of the book. The Memory Collectors is emotionally charged (pun intended) and I enjoyed learning more about our two protagonists and seeing how they used their gifts and interacted with each other.
Despite the darkness, The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville is ultimately a hopeful and inspirational read and an outstanding debut. Highly recommended.
* Copy courtesy of Simon & Schuster *
Harriet is a hoarder and has been collecting treasures her whole life. She collects items made bright by the emotions of previous owners, and the sheer volume of her collection has been making other residents in her building feel sick with headaches and other maladies. As an aside, if you've ever wondered what it might be like to navigate through a hoarder's house, you're going to find out here.
Bright and stained objects can be anything that has been infused with intense emotion from the previous owner, a baby blanket, a scarf, a jar of buttons, sewing scissors, a gun or even a wooden spoon.
Harriet dreams of creating a carefully curated museum of memories, where members of the public can come and view these treasures. She wants to organise them into positive themes like motherly love or childlike joy and invite guests to seek out the section of the museum that feels 'right' to them, and leave the exhibition feeling that their sense of wellbeing has been nourished and their spirit replenished.
Both Ev and Harriet have troubled histories, and Ev's dark past in particular and the relationship with her sister forms the mystery of the book. The Memory Collectors is emotionally charged (pun intended) and I enjoyed learning more about our two protagonists and seeing how they used their gifts and interacted with each other.
Despite the darkness, The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville is ultimately a hopeful and inspirational read and an outstanding debut. Highly recommended.
* Copy courtesy of Simon & Schuster *
March 3, 2021
The Memory Collectors // by Kim Neville
I was very excited when the publisher sent me a print ARC for this book. The cover is gorgeous (it matches the story so well!) and the summary sounded fascinating, not like anything else I have read. I love epic fantasy books but I also find it so fun when a little bit of magic is mixed into the normal world that I myself am familiar with. It makes me wonder what kind of real magic might just be out there somewhere.
The Memory Collectors is Kim Neville's debut novel. I have been enjoying reading authors' first books for the past couple of months because it is fun to see where they start out and how they develop over time. While this book certainly is not perfect, I still think it is an absolutely fantastic start to this author's career. I am a little disappointed with myself for not having saved a couple of quotes to include in my review because there is certainly some beautiful prose sprinkled throughout this novel. There are two POVs, Ev and Harriet, with quite different pasts that resulted in two distinctly different ways of viewing their gift - the ability to touch objects and feel the emotions of past owners.
The story feels a bit slow in parts but I still felt that each scene was there for a reason, whether to set up for later action or to give us better insight into the characters. I liked how it flipped to the past here and there, and how that allowed us to piece together little bits of the future as well. There isn't as much happiness as you would hope for in a story about emotional magic, though there is a lot of hope for it at least that drives the characters forward and towards each other. The last third of the book is actually rather dark, more so than I usually read, and I was a little worried about it negatively influencing my opinion of the book since I am a bit of a wimp when it comes to scary things in books and movies, but I assure you that pushing through this to the end is well worth it. The different parts of the story in the end come together so well in a way that I had not expected at all but it is a fitting end to the story.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was very excited when the publisher sent me a print ARC for this book. The cover is gorgeous (it matches the story so well!) and the summary sounded fascinating, not like anything else I have read. I love epic fantasy books but I also find it so fun when a little bit of magic is mixed into the normal world that I myself am familiar with. It makes me wonder what kind of real magic might just be out there somewhere.
The Memory Collectors is Kim Neville's debut novel. I have been enjoying reading authors' first books for the past couple of months because it is fun to see where they start out and how they develop over time. While this book certainly is not perfect, I still think it is an absolutely fantastic start to this author's career. I am a little disappointed with myself for not having saved a couple of quotes to include in my review because there is certainly some beautiful prose sprinkled throughout this novel. There are two POVs, Ev and Harriet, with quite different pasts that resulted in two distinctly different ways of viewing their gift - the ability to touch objects and feel the emotions of past owners.
The story feels a bit slow in parts but I still felt that each scene was there for a reason, whether to set up for later action or to give us better insight into the characters. I liked how it flipped to the past here and there, and how that allowed us to piece together little bits of the future as well. There isn't as much happiness as you would hope for in a story about emotional magic, though there is a lot of hope for it at least that drives the characters forward and towards each other. The last third of the book is actually rather dark, more so than I usually read, and I was a little worried about it negatively influencing my opinion of the book since I am a bit of a wimp when it comes to scary things in books and movies, but I assure you that pushing through this to the end is well worth it. The different parts of the story in the end come together so well in a way that I had not expected at all but it is a fitting end to the story.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2021
What a great book! "The Memory Collectors" by Kim Neville is destined to become one of my favorite reads of the year. It's the kind of book that makes you want to take a day off from work so you can keep reading. I was utterly captivated by the story of two very different women, Evelyn and Harriet, who share an unusual gift-the ability to feel the emotions that people leave behind on objects. Together they must learn to control their gifts and block out negative influences, and Evelyn must struggle to overcome her dark past in which her family was destroyed by negative emotions left behind on an object.
I absolutely loved this book! The author's beautifully descriptive writing sucked me into the story from the very first page and didn't let me go until I had read the last word. The characters came to life and I found myself worried about their welfare and cheering at their triumphs.
"The Memory Collectors" is an impressive debut novel. Kim Neville is definitely a writer to watch and I look forward to reading her future works. Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review.
I absolutely loved this book! The author's beautifully descriptive writing sucked me into the story from the very first page and didn't let me go until I had read the last word. The characters came to life and I found myself worried about their welfare and cheering at their triumphs.
"The Memory Collectors" is an impressive debut novel. Kim Neville is definitely a writer to watch and I look forward to reading her future works. Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review.
January 21, 2021
via my blog:
𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐞, 𝐚 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤.
The Memory Collectors is a novel about two women both haunted by objects. Ev has a peculiar gift, the ability to feel emotions people have left on objects. This makes the world a loud, painful place to live, one full of energies that overwhelm her. Digging through garbage to find things she can sell, she always reach for objects that don’t radiate too much of a sour feeling. Stuff she can clean up and sell at Vancouver’s Chinatown Night Market without weighing the guilt about the energy she is passing over to the buyer. It’s enough to maintain her life, even if it effects her health being around the bad stains. Unlike Ev, Harriet is the keeper (hoarder) who feels threatened by her neighbors trying to remove her treasures. A woman who despises the vacancy of new objects and finds it unbearable to part with her bright, shining treasures. It wouldn’t be so terrible if her stuff wasn’t spilling out of her apartment into her neighbors lives. People are sickened by the clutter, her mountains of junk. To them, Harriet is a crazy old woman to be well rid of, if only they could have her evicted. By chance, Harriet and Ev’s paths cross, and so begins the tale.
Harriet feels stunned when she first becomes aware of Evelyn “Ev� , a girl who shares her gift, a fantastic, unexpected find indeed! Ev rushes off, before the two can speak, terrified of the feelings she picks up from the woman, a stain hoarder. She panics, reminded of another person who was as obsessed with objects and their energies as much as the old hag. She knows too well how such obsessions can ruin lives, but what is most frightening is that she knows the hag will seek her out. What Harriet feels is a gift, Ev has always felt as a curse, a sickness she if forced to bear! Only one person could help her when the energies infiltrated every cell of her being, her sister Noemi. Noemi is the only living person who knows her secret, that objects speak to her in a special way but Noemi is no longer speaking to Ev.
Harriet has a delicious idea, a solution to all her problems. She will create a “museum of memory� and who better to help her than Ev. She envisions her beloved collection safely sorted out, the harmful from the positive, becoming a safe space that can heal people who are suffering. She just has to convince Ev that she isn’t dangerous, and with their combined power the two can learn how to control the phenomenal gift they share. But the man who spiraled down a dark path still haunts Ev to her core. What good could possibly come of this magic? Her very existence, her memories of what happened to the man who had their ‘curse� is evidence that nothing good comes of collecting. Her family was left in ruins and what little living she has accustomed herself to, what small security she has, may be the price she will have to pay. Wouldn’t destroying the objects be better? Harriet believes together they can conquer every threat, use their strengths to help others and maybe even themselves in the process. The past isn’t ready to lie dead, and darkness must be confronted. Evelyn isn’t the only one who has to learn to navigate her own feelings, Harriet too has lived so long with the stains (emotions) left behind on objects that she has neglected the state of her own. It is a story about the encroaching darkness of the past and how we have to learn to differentiate between what to hold unto and what to let go. It is an interesting, magical realism novel, although it is general fiction it certainly crosses into magical realism. I am picky about the genre, as I have read fantastic authors, but this story engaged me enough to keep reading. I particularly enjoyed the story between Ev and Noemi, everything that happened to their family.
Publication Date: March 16, 2021
Atria Books
𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐞, 𝐚 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤.
The Memory Collectors is a novel about two women both haunted by objects. Ev has a peculiar gift, the ability to feel emotions people have left on objects. This makes the world a loud, painful place to live, one full of energies that overwhelm her. Digging through garbage to find things she can sell, she always reach for objects that don’t radiate too much of a sour feeling. Stuff she can clean up and sell at Vancouver’s Chinatown Night Market without weighing the guilt about the energy she is passing over to the buyer. It’s enough to maintain her life, even if it effects her health being around the bad stains. Unlike Ev, Harriet is the keeper (hoarder) who feels threatened by her neighbors trying to remove her treasures. A woman who despises the vacancy of new objects and finds it unbearable to part with her bright, shining treasures. It wouldn’t be so terrible if her stuff wasn’t spilling out of her apartment into her neighbors lives. People are sickened by the clutter, her mountains of junk. To them, Harriet is a crazy old woman to be well rid of, if only they could have her evicted. By chance, Harriet and Ev’s paths cross, and so begins the tale.
Harriet feels stunned when she first becomes aware of Evelyn “Ev� , a girl who shares her gift, a fantastic, unexpected find indeed! Ev rushes off, before the two can speak, terrified of the feelings she picks up from the woman, a stain hoarder. She panics, reminded of another person who was as obsessed with objects and their energies as much as the old hag. She knows too well how such obsessions can ruin lives, but what is most frightening is that she knows the hag will seek her out. What Harriet feels is a gift, Ev has always felt as a curse, a sickness she if forced to bear! Only one person could help her when the energies infiltrated every cell of her being, her sister Noemi. Noemi is the only living person who knows her secret, that objects speak to her in a special way but Noemi is no longer speaking to Ev.
Harriet has a delicious idea, a solution to all her problems. She will create a “museum of memory� and who better to help her than Ev. She envisions her beloved collection safely sorted out, the harmful from the positive, becoming a safe space that can heal people who are suffering. She just has to convince Ev that she isn’t dangerous, and with their combined power the two can learn how to control the phenomenal gift they share. But the man who spiraled down a dark path still haunts Ev to her core. What good could possibly come of this magic? Her very existence, her memories of what happened to the man who had their ‘curse� is evidence that nothing good comes of collecting. Her family was left in ruins and what little living she has accustomed herself to, what small security she has, may be the price she will have to pay. Wouldn’t destroying the objects be better? Harriet believes together they can conquer every threat, use their strengths to help others and maybe even themselves in the process. The past isn’t ready to lie dead, and darkness must be confronted. Evelyn isn’t the only one who has to learn to navigate her own feelings, Harriet too has lived so long with the stains (emotions) left behind on objects that she has neglected the state of her own. It is a story about the encroaching darkness of the past and how we have to learn to differentiate between what to hold unto and what to let go. It is an interesting, magical realism novel, although it is general fiction it certainly crosses into magical realism. I am picky about the genre, as I have read fantastic authors, but this story engaged me enough to keep reading. I particularly enjoyed the story between Ev and Noemi, everything that happened to their family.
Publication Date: March 16, 2021
Atria Books
March 25, 2021
I didn't realize until I started this book and realized it was set in modern-day how tired I was with historical fantasy. They're fine, I like them, but they all seem to have the same sort of feel. Putting this one in the modern day was such a breath of fresh air and I enjoyed it greatly. And while I still love Emily Woo Zeller's narration (she's the tops), I'm not a huge fan of her "Male Speaking" voice, which is basically the same across every man and every book. But that's a minor quibble about a great narrator.
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