I listened to Memorial because I consistently saw it featured on Twitter and Goodreads, which means I began with little context as to the plot or subject matter. For those of you actually reading a review first, Memorial tells the story of Mike and Benson’s relationship: Mike, a Japanese-American chef; Benson, a Black day-care teacher. Their perspectives provide unique insight into aspects of life that often go unheard. The reader follows as Mike and Benson unpack their relationship as well as the relationships they have with their families – both their own and each other’s. If it wasn’t already apparent, Memorial is all about relationships.
A large portion of the novel focuses on Mike and his estranged father, and this is where I got hooked. Their journey didn’t conjure up any tired family tropes about a boy who was different and a dad who would never understand. Rather, theirs is a winding, real, raw, beautiful story about a father and son and the love buried within both.
As much as I was invested in Mike and his dad’s relationship, I had a hard time staying connected with the story as a whole. I felt fairly detached, specifically with Mike and Benson’s relationship, which in my mind should have served as an anchoring point for the other storylines. Some could argue that the mundane aspects of life make a story authentic, which is definitely an argument, just not one I’d make in favor of reading something.
It is with trepidation that I state my disappointment, especially as the book has been met with rave reviews. You can consider my lackluster feelings alongside Penguin’s “Best Seller” banner when you decide whether or not to give it a read.
Personal rating: 5.5/10
Recommend? Potentially
Re-read? Unfortunately, no
Time: 1:49