Joseph Choe

On Reading Thirteen Witches - The Memory Thief

The Memory Thief, part of the Thirteen Witches series, was written by Jodi Lynn Anderson. It is simply an amazing story. I read this book in late May, but I thought I’d share it now since I was thinking about it.

Because I’m currently writing a middle grade portal fantasy, I try to read a lot of middle grade in my spare time. I was strolling around my local bookstore and was struck by the great cover. I immediately purchased it after reading the blurb and went home to read it.

It has honestly been a long while since I read something that affected me so deeply and emotionally. It’s also been a very long time since I’ve read through a book so fast, it was that good.

Here are some thoughts I wrote down at the time in my notes:

I really enjoyed the themes of memory and the loss of it and how it affects us. There’s also the idea of a distant parental figure and how it can deeply move us in ineffable and unshakeable ways, and I really related to that theme in the book. How the truth of things and the lies in between can be melded together to form something even more powerful.

Jodi Lynn Anderson’s language is so musical and powerful and can twist and turn it in ways that are so unexpected, yet feels completely right.

I hope I can one day write something so impactful.