Skip to main content

The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack: A Book Review

The Memory Painter
Author: Gwendolyn Womack
Genre: Historical Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Mystery & Suspense, Thriller
Publisher: Picador
Release Date: 2015
Pages: 336
Source: My State Public Library
Synopsis: What if there was a drug that could help you remember past lives?

     What if the lives you remembered could lead you to your one true love?


     What if you learned that, for thousands of years, a deadly enemy had conspired to keep the two of you apart?


     Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there's a secret to his success: Every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. When Bryan awakes, he possesses extraordinary new skills...like the ability to speak obscure languages and an inexplicable genius for chess. All his life, he has wondered if his dreams are recollections, if he is re-experiencing other people's lives.


     Linz Jacobs is a brilliant neurogeneticist, absorbed in decoding the genes that help the brain make memories, until she is confronted with an exact rendering of a recurring nightmare at one of Bryan's shows. She tracks down the elusive artist, and their meeting triggers Bryan's most powerful dream yet: visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer's, died in a lab explosion decades ago.


     As Bryan becomes obsessed with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the scientists' deaths, his dreams begin to reveal what happened at the lab, as well as a deeper mystery that may lead all the way to ancient Egypt. Together, Bryan and Linz start to discern a pattern. But a deadly enemy watches their every move, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that the past stays buried.


     A taut thriller and a timeless love story spanning six continents and 10,000 years of history, The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack is a riveting debut novel unlike any you've ever read.


     My Review: One day as Linz enters an art museum, she meets a handsome stranger. The two hit it off immediately. She finds out that the stranger’s name is Bryan, and that the two share an uncanny friendship. Little does she know that meeting the stranger will change everything she knows about her life and her world. In this thriller novel, these two star-crossed lovers journey through time as they fight to be together as their enemy thwarts to keep them apart.

     First off, I am going to state that this was the weirdest novel I have read so far in 2015. This was because the novel talks about reincarnation. Because of this, the author makes it clear that anything is possible. The past lives not only involve gender switching, but your past self could have dated your parent. Your father could have been your enemy that murdered you, or your son could be your parent. After getting accustomed to this idea, I was soon swept into the plot, and I enjoyed it immensely.

     Linz is a very complex character. Over the course of the novel, she has grown so much. I find her to be very relatable. I like how she processes the information about everything she knew has changed very well. It is not an easy thing to change your beliefs, yet she was willing because she wanted to understand Bryan and his world. She is very inquisitive and questions everything around her. I also like how she could fend for herself and that she was definitely not a damsel in distress.

     On the other hand, I did not really like the character of Bryan. There was no character growth in him. He stayed the same throughout the novel. Bryan also did not have any flaws. Because he already had the memories of his past, he was more like a superman or The Doctor in the tv show, Doctor Who. He remembered all his abilities, and there was not a thing he could not do. He is all around perfect. He has the looks, the strength, the intelligence, the speed, the charm, the mystery. Bryan has it all. Because of this, I found him a bit disappointing. I wanted him to be down to earth, and I wanted him to be a dynamic character rather than a cardboard cutout.

     Overall, this book has adventure, mystery, suspense, action, and a forbidden romance. The message of the novel is that love conquers all. While I did find it be predictable, I was drawn to the historical elements in the story. The novel is very well-written, and it will grip the reader from the very first page. The Memory Painter is very complex and ambitious. It is a thrilling fast-paced page turner novel. This is a feast for historical fiction, mystery, romance, science fiction, and fantasy lovers alike. So buckle up and enjoy the ride as you travel through thousands of years and different continents taking you through ancient Egypt, the Roman Empire, Ancient China, a Viking voyage, feudal Japan, and many more!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This is the official book trailer for The Memory Painter:

Comments

  1. The premise of the story is interesting. I'll definitely put it on my summer reading list!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Enheduana: The Complete Poems of the World's First Author by Sophus Helle: A Book Review

Enheduana: The Complete Poems of the World’s First Author Author: Sophus Helle Genre: History, Nonfiction, Biography, Religion Publisher: Yale University Press Release Date: 2024 Pages: 228 Source: Personal Collection  Synopsis: The complete poems of the priestess Enheduana, the world’s first known author, newly translated from the original Sumerian.      Enheduana was a high priestess and royal princess who lived in Ur, in what is now southern Iraq, about 2300 BCE. Not only does Enheduana have the distinction of being the first author whose name we know, but the poems attributed to her are hymns of great power. They are a rare flash of the female voice in the often male-dominated ancient world, treating themes that are as relevant today as they were four thousand years ago: exile, social disruption, the power of storytelling, gender-bending identities, the devastation of war, and the terrifying forces of nature.       This book is ...

Agrippina: The Mother of Nero by Anthony A. Barrett: A Book Review

Agrippina: The Mother of Nero Author: Anthony A. Barrett Genre: Nonfiction, History, Biography Publisher: Routledge Release Date: 2002 Pages: 352 Source: My School Library Synopsis: In this dynamic new biography - the first on Agrippina in English - Professor Barrett uses the latest archaeological, numismatic and historical evidence to provide a close and detailed study of her life and career. He shows how Agrippina's political contribution to her time seems in fact to have been positive, and that when she is judged by her achievements she demands admiration. Revealing the true figure behind the propaganda and the political machinations of which she was capable, he assesses the impact of her marriage to the emperor Claudius, on the country and her family. Finally, he exposed her one real failing - her relationship with her son, the monster of her own making to whom, in horrific and violent circumstances, she would eventually fall victim.        My Review: Ag...

Nell: Marshal of Bodie (The Nell Doherty Mysteries #1) by John Edward Mullen: A Book Review

Nell: Marshal of Bodie (The Nell Doherty Mysteries #1) Author: John Edward Mullen Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense, Western  Publisher: Murders in Time Press Release Date: 2022 Pages: 300 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: In the winter of 1892, the once-vibrant gold-mining town of Bodie, California is in serious decline.        Nell Doherty, an 18-year-old young woman with a wooden leg, dreams of leaving and becoming a Pinkerton detective.       When a tragic shooting presents her with an opportunity to prove she has the skills needed to work for the Pinkertons, Bodie’s justice of the peace deputizes Nell — over the loud objections of the majority of the town’s residents.      Can she prove them all wrong?       Nell digs in and investigates the shooting, with the help of Rags, her half-Irish, half-Chinese be...