The Memory of Things A Novel

Gae Polisner — 2016

On the morning of September 11, 2001, sixteen-year-old Kyle Donohue watches the first twin tower come down from the window of Stuyvesant High School. Moments later, terrified and fleeing home to safety across the Brooklyn Bridge, he stumbles across a girl perched in the shadows, covered in ash, and wearing a pair of costume wings. With his mother and sister in California and unable to reach his father, a NYC detective likely on his way to the disaster, Kyle makes the split-second decision to bring the girl home. What follows is their story, told in alternating points of view, as Kyle tries to unravel the mystery of the girl so he can return her to her family. But what if the girl has forgotten everything, even her own name? And what if the more Kyle gets to know her, the less he wants her to go home? The Memory of Things tells a stunning story of friendship and first love and of carrying on with our day-to-day living in the midst of world-changing tragedy and unforgettable pain—it tells a story of hope.

Reviews

Melissa Palmer@melissapalmer404

Nov 5, 2023

Book #140 Read in 2016 The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner This book is set in New York City on 9/11. Kyle crosses the bridge and makes it home when the towers fell. His dad is a first responder and is at Ground Zero. Kyle found this teen girl alone and wandering and brings her home with him. Who is she? Did she lose her parents in the towers? This book realistically portrays the horrors and the heroes of 9/11. A recommended read for high school and adult readers. I borrowed this book from the public library.

Siya S@haveyoureadbkk

Nov 29, 2022

Can't wrap my mind around this thing...4.26 on Goodreads??? I mean...I'd rather read John Green for the rest of the year than finishing this boring story about teen hormonal impulse amidst the debris from 9/11 attack (even my poorly written description sounds better than what the book actually delivers). Just gonna DNF this for now. Random thoughts: - Stop describing excessively how you want to kiss the girl. It's been more than half the book already so just do something ok - Emotional, probably yes. Powerful, gripping, intriguing, or moving, no. - *YAWN* - Did not like the scattered thoughts from the girl's POV at all. Maybe that's just me but I find it pretty annoying. - Nothing happened in the book except of course the twin towers fell down (the images still burn brightly in the back of my mind, and that has nothing to do with this book, thank you very much) - *YAWN* - I didn't feel connected with any of the characters. - *YAWN*

Lindsey Barnett@lindseybarnett

Mar 23, 2022

Rina@lostcanticles

Dec 14, 2021

Andrada D@andragel

Sep 1, 2021