Summary: The Memory of Love revolves around three men in Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1969 after the civil war. Elias Cole a history professor, Kai Mansaray, a gifted surgeon and Adrian Lockheart, a British psychologist. The old university lecturer, Elias Cole tells the story of his wife and the wife of his colleague, Julius. He recalls the desire that drove him to acts of betrayal he has tried to justify.

“In that respect, war was worse for civilians, for at least the fighters were given the opportunity to act. Civilians were like rats in a barrel”

The Memory of Love is a beautiful novel. I loved that Aminatta Forma explored the aftermath of war on civilians. Every character in the book is presented as suffering the consequence of the civil war.
Last year, I read “A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier” by Ishmael Beah. Beah’s book gave a first account of the children who were recruited as soldiers or rebels in a war that lasted until 2002. I learnt so much about the civil war in Sierra Leone that claimed as many as 50,000 lives. The Memory of Love goes a step beyond describing the civil way to critically look at how the people lived and survived after the war.

Forna’s description of people, places and events are heavy and heartbreaking. I was particularly touched by the individual stories of lost love, shattered dreams, hopelessness and death. It broke my heart.

The entire nation is burdened by the war. Forna reveals how the citizens who were either witnesses or victims of the civil war are undergoing a serious mental health challenge. Forna’s writing is exceptional – revealing several aspects of the aftermath of the war.

The Memory of Love explored themes such as love, betrayal, friendship, family, the aftermath of a civil war, loss and grief, mental health.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking to understand the civil war in Sierra Leone and its aftermath.

You know those books you can objectively see are good but you just CANNOT get into them? Yeah that’s what this was like // 3,5 stars

A scary and disturbing yet beautifully told story. I loved the setting of Sierra Leone.

For an author to write from the perspective of so many diverse characters and perceptions is a feat; to do so while feeling like you can relate to each character personally is truly beautiful. Although I'm lucky enough to not have known what living in a conflict / post conflict environment is like, the emotion conveyed from this book leaves the reader feeling the same pain, hollowness, sadness, joy and hope that surrounds each character. Such an intricate weaving of so many lives, pasts and presents as well as so many moral dilemmas to ponder over, this one is really one of those books that stays with you.

Good writing but I felt she took on too many stories. They came together at the end, but there was too much lead up to it.

See this review and others on my blog:https://fizwrites.wixsite.com/website/post/the-memory-of-love-book-review

I was actually intimidated to pick up this novel because I have had this on my shelf since early last year but I have only just picked it up. But there was nothing to be intimidated about because it has quickly became a book I love.

I think out of everything, it is the writing that is absolutely stunning. It is a book set in Sierra Leone in the late 1960’s and it’s set in the backdrop of civil war and the postcolonial struggles that society was adjusting too.

The only issue I had with this novel was probably the point of views. I can see why the point of views were necessary for the plot but I would have preferred had it been just Elias and Adrian’s- I don’t think Kai’s was really necessary. Honestly I would have loved seeing a point of view from the women, specifically Saffia’s because women were central to the plot and narrative and the fact we had a lack of a women’s voice kind of disappointed me.

The novel itself was written so beautifully we have this main story which has a story within it and I love those types of narratives. It is a tale of obsession, of love, of betrayal that is so effortlessly juxtaposed and it is just so beautiful but so depressing at the same time. If ever the government look into de-colonising the curriculum this novel is amazing to have as a set text. Not only are the themes and issues are important and timely but the analysis you can get out from it is truly just astonishing, as I was reading I kept on thinking about analysis and themes and how they interweave, it was my literary geekiness coming out. Especially those harmattan lilies- if you read this book you know what I am talking about.

The storyline is written so intricately that such a small detail or memory, event is vital for the plot. There is so much in this book it explores betrayal, loss, and of course love. It explores post traumatic stress and the dangers of it. I would highly recommend this novel! 4.85 rounded up.

This novel was also picked for the Jubilee read in which they celebrate great books across the Commonwealth. See the full list here-https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2Ynpj933DJ2YG5nsMS6fn8k/a-literary-celebration-of-queen-elizabeth-iis-record-breaking-reign

Favourite quotes-

'Beginnings are so hard to trace. Perhaps we three would each put the beginning in a different place, like blindfolded players trying to pin the tail on a donkey'.

'And when he wakes from dreaming of her, is it not the same for him? The hollowness in his chest, the tense yearning, the loneliness he braces against every morning until he can immerse himself in work and forget. Not love. Something else, something with a power that endures. Not love, but a memory of love'.

'There is a quality to grief, I know. Like the first rains after the dry seasons. At first it fails, slides off the soil, rolling away in the dust of disbelief. But each day brings fresh rain'.

'I knew how much pain she suffered. I also knew she would survive. For in the end, people always do'.

'The more education a person has recieved, the more capable of articulating their experiences they are. Also of intellectualising them, of course. Those with less education tend to express their conflicts physically through violence or psychosomatically: deafness, blindness, muteness, paralysis, hallucinations - visual and olfactory'.