“The Memory Police,” is a thrilling novel by Yoko Ogawa. The unidentified narrator is a novelist who lives on an unidentified island off the coast of another large island with her mother, a sculptress. As the physical reality around her fades away (birds, ribbon, emeralds, candy, etc.) so do the people who can recall the vanished objects. Anyone who exhibits evidence of being able to recall these objects as well as anyone who keeps the items that disappear is apprehended by the Memory Police. When the nameless narrator discovers that her editor is one of the few people whose memories are undisturbed by the disappearances, she decides to hide him in a room between the first and second floors of her home.
Despite the fact that the novel was written over 30 years ago, it nevertheless delves into the worries and concerns of today’s readers. It’s difficult to read this without being reminded of the numerous reports of cops carrying out no-knock warrants and killing unarmed black people. The Memory Police make what may be construed as a political argument. “What political argument does it primarily address?” is my key question.
