RavePortland MercuryThe incredibly prolific Ogawa...is masterful at telling complex narratives with awe-inspiring simplicity. It’s never really explained how the Memory Police erases these objects and memories. Instead, Ogawa entices the reader to look at this odd world from the perspective of her narrator: accepting what’s happening and adjusting accordingly. Other authors might crank the emotional drama up to 11, but Ogawa’s characters never boil over, despite the dire circumstances ... While the reign of terror enacted by our current administration will probably (eventually? hopefully?) pass, Ogawa’s book is a simple, but powerful reminder of the forces—both political and sociological—that have been and always will be intent on taking away our most meaningful rights, and at a pace that’s so glacial, we hardly notice until they’re gone. The Memory Police is a thoughtful, brilliantly written wake-up call.
