Marion Flint, in her early fifties, has spent fifteen years living a quiet life on the rugged coast of New Zealand, a life that allows the door to her past to remain firmly shut. But a chance meeting with a young boy, Ika, and her desire to help him force Marion to open the Pandora’s box of her memory.
My take: 5 looks
Oh, how I love this author's writing. It is like sitting on a float in the water, gently moving in the direction the water desires, while you just relax into it. And since much of this story takes place on the beach, that is a appropriate analogy.
The Memory of Love is all about coming to terms with old memories while making new ones. As Marion's present person is challenged and changed, her past person also unfurls like a newly-born fern frond. A mixture of tragic souls converge on a beach in a remote and tightly-knit town. These three have this in common: they are all outsiders and have no one else.
Written with simplicity, this is a story of the heart. With a bit of a surprise twist toward the end, Olsson writes a moving and well-told story of love, loss and finally redemption, often from the most unexpected sources.
Highly recommended.
