The Memory Wall, Lev AC Rosen
The Memory Wall, Lev AC Rosen
List: $22.95 | Sale: $16.07
Club: $11.47

The Memory Wall

Author: Lev AC Rosen

Narrator: Prentice Onayemi

Unabridged: 11 hr 6 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/13/2016

Synopsis

There’s a fine line between real life and video games in this engrossing novel that’s part Kathryn Erskine’s Mockingbird, part Patrick Ness’ A Monster Calls.Severkin is an elf who slinks through the shadows of Wellhall’s spiraling stone towers, plundering ancient ruins and slaying mystical monstrosities with ease.He’s also a character in a video game—a character that twelve-year-old Nick Reeves plays when he needs a break from the real world. And lately Nick has really needed a break. His mother had an “incident” at school last year, and her health has taken a turn for the worse.Nick is convinced his mother’s illness has been misdiagnosed, but no one believes him. His only escape is the online world of Wellhall, where, as the elf character Severkin, he can face any problem. But when Nick finds himself fighting alongside another elf who reminds him of someone he knows in real life, his worlds begin to collide.

About Lev AC Rosen

LEV AC ROSEN writes books for people of all ages, including Camp, which was a best book of the year from Forbes, Elle, and The Today Show, among others, and is a Lambda finalist and ALA Rainbow List Top Ten. He lives in NYC with his husband and a very small cat. You can find him online at his website and on social media.

About Prentice Onayemi

Prentice Onayemi is an Earphones Award–winning audiobook narrator and a voice and film actor who is known for his roles in The Steam-Room Crooner, AmeriQua, and as Joey in the Tony Award–winning play War Horse.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jeff

It was probably about two-thirds through this book that I broke down sobbing on the couch. My mother has Alzheimer's. I was very close with her, my family moved back home (at great expense both personal and emotional) to help take care of her, and, as I write this, she has been in a nursing home for......more

Goodreads review by Alice, as in Wonderland

My testament to how much I liked this book should be in the beginnings of tears in my eyes and the ache in my chest. I liked this book a LOT. I should, however, state a disclaimer about how I don't know any people who have Alzheimer's, nor am I a mixed race person who has to deal with it on a daily......more

Goodreads review by Serina

A boy in denial about his mother's early onset Alzheimers. Check that strong denial. Double-check that extreme-mind-numbingly-I-will-refuse-to-believe-anything-you-say-denial. But then thats how people hope with that sort of news. There's a double narrative of him playing the video game which does t......more

Goodreads review by Julian

Nick Reeves is a young middle schooler that has had some trouble in his life recently. His mother has had some problems with her memory, and was later diagnosed with an illness. Nick is in denial, and believes that it was a misdiagnosis. He uses his video games to get away from the real world, and b......more

Quotes

“Rosen adeptly explores memory and personal history as well as the loneliness of losing a parent, the complexity of biracial origins, and the metaphors of a quest and a divided city…Readers—gamers and nongamers alike—will cheer the resolution of Nick’s transformative journey. Thoughtful, earnest, and gratifying.” Kirkus Reviews

“A complex, emotional story about grief and acceptance…A strong, thought-provoking novel.” Publishers Weekly

“There are multiple layers and themes explored in this work. Nick’s mother’s family history links to East Berlin and the fall of the Berlin Wall. There are references to Germanic mythology. Themes about outsider experiences and racism are woven throughout. Most poignant, the details and realities of Alzheimer’s are depicted with care and accuracy… A complex and emotionally rich selection that offers a nuanced and needed perspective on the grieving process. A strong addition for middle and high school collections.” School Library Journal

“Prentice Onayemi’s subtle character creations intensify the complex life of biracial middle schooler Nick Reeves…Differentiating characters through accent and vocal pitch, Onayemi transitions between Nick’s dual worlds…Onayemi is an able interpreter of this emotionally charged novel.” AudioFile

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