Mia Tsai is back with her sophomore novel, The Memory Hunters, leaving the realm of fun, romantic fantasy and bringing us a new series set in a world rich in memories. It tackles a lot, balancing the importance of history, the nuance of preservation, and the gift of having a community where you belong.
Memories are a powerful thing. They’re collected by Memory Hunters to be housed in the Museum of Human Memory, and the blessed divers at the temple can also sift through patrons’ memories to give them guidance or peace. Memories make the world go round, and there’s even a market for manufactured memories to be sold to patrons for relaxing dreams, entertainment, or escapism. Kiana “Key” Strade is blessed. Not only does she hail from a powerful Memory Hunter and temple-blessed family, but she can hear the ancestors more clearly than any other memory diver. But instead of using her talents at the temple with her mother, she dedicates her skills to the museum and hunts down memories. Her Guardian, Valerian IV, serves as her shield and friend as they navigate dangerous territory. Because the museum isn’t the only group seeking rare memories, and some are sick of having their history stolen. It all comes to a head when Key discovers something big while out in the field, uncovering a secret that has long since been buried.
The concept of memory diving, where both the societal structure and faith have formed around the ability to view and preserve history through the eyes of divers, was interesting. The framework of this memory magic system is there, but it felt very thin and fuzzy. I cannot say with confidence that I understand memory diving at all. It involves fungi somehow, but I truly lack clarity on everything, including how memory diving is done, what the diving protocols are, the use of the reintegration healing process, or how any of the memories are stored and reactivated. The worldbuilding didn’t feel vague on purpose so that more could be uncovered in the series later either; it felt like it was struggling to be conveyed and taught to the reader. My lack of understanding really muddled the major events, and it consistently felt like I was falling behind Key and Vale as they powered through the plot. I didn’t have a good grasp on the “hows” of the magic system to understand why Key and Vale made the choices they did.
Despite some of the issues with the exploration and execution of the world, what Tsai does really well is create an interesting dynamic between Key and Vale. The book hints that the relationship between Memory Hunter and Guardian is anything but simple, and following Key and Vale is where we get to see things get messy. There was some great tension in the first half of the book because neither of them knows how to act and make decisions when it concerns the other. Do they follow the strict protocols established as Hunter or Guardian, or do they act from the concern, closeness, and love developed as a friend? Their situation is complicated because both Key and Vale have a difficult time parsing the right choice for the safety and benefit of the other. When Key is in trouble, her first instinct is to run to Vale, but she also fears she will be met with her Guardian and not her friend. While Vale struggles to determine what actions are in Key’s best interest, is that by following Guardian rules, or is it by listening to the shared understanding she’s developed for her friend?
Tsai added another interesting layer of complication for Key by making her societal standing interfere with the conflict. She is a spoiled, prodigy Memory Hunter who hails from a rich family of revered hunters and a temple leader. Key is talented, and she has the skills and work ethic to back it up, but life has also been gilded and softened to remove any true difficulties for her. So when Key is experiencing something unprecedented and wants to act outside of museum protocol, no one believes her or will cater to her “whims”. Key’s arrogance has always set her apart because she’s better than everyone else. She is already outside the lines of a “normal” Memory Hunter, so when the abnormal begins to plague her, she finds herself isolated because the museum and memory diving protocols are strict and upheld by everyone in the system. When Key tries to state her case, everyone just hears a rich woman throwing a tantrum that the system won’t bend to what she wants, but in reality, Key’s experiences are valid, and she’s uncovered a truth that challenges the system.
Thematically, this book uses the Memory Hunters to explore the ethics of seeking out history and cultural information to lock it away behind museum displays. It simultaneously highlights how climate change is devastating regions near water, and this is why the cultures are being decimated and forgotten in the first place, only to be stolen for the city folk to view in exhibitions. Key as a character serves to represent the collection of these memories for the selfishness of the museum, and she also shows how memories can be shared in the temple to grant people comfort and peace when they seek their family history. Vale comes from the storm-riddled coast region, where the people are poor, hungry, and exerting all spare energy to survive and rebuild after natural disasters. Tsai doesn’t dive into this deeply in book one, but she did plant the seeds for these themes to blossom and potentially influence Key and Vale’s arc for later in the series.
The Memory Hunters has an interesting concept and sparks some great reflection on cultural preservation; however, my mileage with the story suffered from the muddled worldbuilding, some awkward dialogue, and big reveals that I ended up guessing. I enjoyed the first half of the story more when the tension was building, and less so when Key and Vale are trying to problem solve in the latter half. If you’re looking for something a little different this summer, then dive into the funky fungi and explore the memories of this complicated world.
Rating: The Memory Hunters – 6.5/10
-Brandee
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The thoughts on this story are my own.
