3.75

This had the exact sort of setting that I liked - Isolated. Somewhere like a boarding school, or a cruise ship, or a prison. This books absolutely would've rated higher if we'd got more exploration of the place. I never really felt like we were in the sanctuary and it felt to me like the author was just desperate to get to the climax of it all rather than give it time to build.
You know in these sorts of stories that it won't be innocent, but I always enjoy that part of a dystopia where you can pretend it's a utopia and I just never really got that in this one.

A fantastic MG / YA dystopian story. Welcome to The Sanctuary where all your bad memories can be erased. Sounds great and the residents seem to agree until the arrival of new resident, Jonquil, who’s not quite ready to succumb. Full of mystery, intrigue, plot twists and action, this book deals with lots of themes which will spark discussion. Super world building and a great cast of characters. It would be a perfect book group read for schools.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for a review.

This is a brilliant book. I teach in secondary school but will be using excepts from this alongside out study of The Giver. This is a brilliant introduction to dystopia. Would make as brilliant series! Will definitely be searching out more books by this author and recommending to students in fact, I chose this book as first prize for our pta WBD competition.

Darren never disappoints - I absolutely loved this brilliant take on mental health and the idea of what happens if we try to edit our own memories and forget certain events of our lives. Cyan's story is so carefully written, to allow the reader to uncover the truth about the sanctuary for themselves, perfect for a middle grade to YA audience, but I really enjoyed it as an adult and think it's a really unique idea.

Darren Simpson is one of the most interesting children's authors in recent years, I love how thought provoking and challenging his books are and this one in particular was really unnerving in places. a truly brilliant author for young people.

Darren Simpson has done it again! After the stunning “Scavengers”, Darren Simpson has delivered another character-driven novel that is full of thrills, mystery, adventure and a healthy dash of science fiction that is a brilliant page-turner from start to finish. Join Cyan and his (other mysteriously named) friends in an ominous facility where people go to forget previous lives and past mistakes. However, a chance discovery soon makes Cyan question his reality and the motives of everyone around him! A fantastic read!

I am intrigued by the important topics this story brings up, such as children’s mental health, trauma, and the connection between memories and identity, but I am utterly disappointed by the weak characterisation and the general lack of depth.

With the exception of Cyan, the backstories of important characters are never revealed. The villains are pure evil, without any explanation as to what made them so inhuman. For me, these flat characters are completely unconvincing. The dialogues are another weak spot. They’re full of fillers like ‘you know what I mean?’ ‘I know what you mean.’ The banter between Cyan and Ruby doesn’t work at all. Rather than being funny, they make me cringe.

Though the pace and suspense work, the plot is often expectable (it is transparent when the villain sets setting a trap) and the world-building feels lazy at times. For example, the location of the sanctuary and the sponsors behind this project are never revealed.

I expected a lot more about introducing young readers to psychological issues and coping with traumas in the past, but the story turned out to be just another good-guys-vs-bad-guys adventure story. Such a pity!

Wow, what a book, The Memory Thieves is an adventure that explores more than just where they are....... you are drawn into a whole world of mystery that you discover with the characters. I totally loved this book and will be looking out for more of Darren Simpson's books.
You certainly won't forget this book any time soon and the characters are so well written, you feel like you know them and find out with them what has been forgotten.
Be prepared not to put this one down.

The Memory Thieves is a thrilling tale and I was completely swept up in it. It is the first book I have read by Darren Simpson, but it certainly won’t be the last!

Cyan has been at the ‘Elsewhere Sanctuary’ for as long as… well, he can’t actually remember how long. Time seems to endlessly merge and things are constantly ‘shuffled’ to aid the treatment of the children who are residents there. The memories of life before the sanctuary have all been erased to allow them to forget their traumatic pasts. The children seem to accept this without question, until Cyan finds a mysterious note scratched into a whale bone in the desert and new resident, Jonquil, arrives. Cyan starts to feel that something is not quite as it should be, but can he solve the mystery of the memory thieves before it is too late?

I could vividly picture Cyan’s world, which was masterfully created, and the tension made it a gripping page-turner. I thought the author’s note at the end, accompanied by advice on how to talk about feelings and deal with challenging circumstances, was also a lovely inclusion that I’m sure will be valuable.

This is great book for UKS2+ and I shall be recommending it to my pupils at school.

When tragedy and trauma strikes, what is the best way to cope with difficult memories? Should we push all the feelings aside and try to forget what’s happened or face the pain and try to deal with it? The Memory Thieves explores this question and how to find true healing.

This book had me hooked from the very first chapter. Before I realised it, I was completely pulled into the unique premise and fascinating world of the Elsewhere Sanctuary where young people go to forget the horrible events of their past. The residents arrive broken and full of pain. Through strict “treatment”, they are helped to forget the life that came before – even their names disappear as they live a timeless, routineless existence.

For most of the residents, this peaceful numbness seems to be helping – until a new resident arrives and life is disrupted. Cyan and the others begin to ask questions about the care they’re being given and whether it is actually in their best interest.

I was fascinated by the issues of ethical science and medicine presented in this book. It is a complicated idea presented in a way middle grade readers will be able to understand. This book does need to come with a bit of a reader warning – adults recommending this book should be aware of any children who have been through a traumatic experience and may find the theme of this book challenging. Most children will be able to read it but may need someone to talk to about what they find inside. There is an appendix of suggestions for dealing with a painful experience that many readers will find helpful.

The Memory Thieves is a thought-provoking science fiction novel that will challenge young readers to think about human rights and what is ethical in a fresh, new way.

Thank you to Usborne Books for this brilliant book!

Ten out of ten for this exciting book which focuses on the deep topic of facing personal trauma rather than burying it. Teal,Cyan,Ruby and Jonquil all live in the Elsewhere Sanctuary, an institution where they have come to forget what happened in their past, and to live an idyllic childhood. Even their names have been changed in order to distance them from their previous selves. In reality they are being controlled by Dr. Haven, their treatment and rehabilitation is not at all conventional.

‘What you don’t know cannot hurt you’, the book tackles the very real issue of facing your problems. A brilliant inroad to mental health chats and discussing how to manage difficult events and feelings.
A must for all primary school teachers and pupils aged between 8/9 and 13

Many thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review.

Surrounded by a monotonous sand-filled landscape, the Sanctuary is home to a group of children receiving treatment for unnamed traumas. Controlled by drugs and by a brainwashing strobe that suppresses their memories, their only connection with the past is a recording of the distress occasioned by the trauma that sent them there: even their names are replaced by colours. When a new girl, Jonquil, arrives, Cyan is asked to show her around, but on a trip to a shipwreck, the only significant landmark in their world, she does the unthinkable and tries to talk about her past. The alarming effects of remedial treatment on Jonquil, and a mysterious message referring to the “memory thieves” makes Cyan begin to question the motives of the director of the Sanctuary.
The dangers of not talking about past experiences are vividly portrayed in this novel, where the theft of memory destroys the children’s sense of self and ability to connect to others: it is only when Cyan and Ruby begin to reject their treatment that they start to experience emotions and feel alive, whatever pain this brings.
Intriguing, unsettling and thought provoking, this is an interesting and enthralling novel, although perhaps aimed at slightly older readers than those who use our school library. It would be an excellent book for our Thrive collection.

I absolutely loved this book!
This is a middle grade book (I'd say leaning towards YA so maybe early teens suitable) when young individuals go to The Sanctuary to forget things that happened to them in the past. They have bad memories wiped and are given new identities. Everything seems great initially but then something doesn't seem right. Our main character Cyan attempts to find out what is really going on behind the scenes at The Sanctuary, as well as to find out more about himself.
This book deals with themes such as loss, friendship, feelings and mental health - all handled very well. It was fast-paced. Would thoroughly recommend.

Utterly engrossing mystery thriller for older children that pulses with empathy.

Wonderfully vivid characters, and a gripping plot that beautifully extols the importance of dealing with those traumatic experiences we'd rather forget. Brilliant!

As soon as I saw the title and description of The Memory Thieves I was intrigued, it is SO different to other children’s books out there at the moment, I couldn’t wait to read! It is fresh and exciting, with just the right levels of perplexity and peril to keep you on the edge of your seat.

The author’s crafting of the sanctuary and the world it inhabits, down to the finest details, was fantastic. The idea of the lockets, the ever-changing rooms, uniforms, and furniture to disorientate the residents is a brilliant concept. The manipulation was well thought out (including how some of this could be used in the character’s favour later in the story).

It was interesting to see that while the main characters are friends initially, they are not that close or bonded, of course, how could they be when they only knew each other on a surface level? Not fully understanding each other’s tendencies or triggers, and making fun of each other because of this. Seeing the understanding and empathy grow between Cyan and Ruby, as well as the two of them in regards to Teal was heart-warming. Learning that talking to each other and expressing their feelings wasn’t a bad thing, and that actually whilst it sometimes can be painful it is better to remember and receive support, than block things out be isolated, suffering in other ways. Then working together to fight against the evil Dr. Haven and rescue the imprisoned residents (as well as themselves) made for an epic adventure.

This is a magnificent story for children. Whilst regarding the intense subjects of trauma and mental health with sensitivity, the sinister undertones and moments of peril keep you on the edge of your seat, remaining a fun and engrossing read.

I thought it wonderful that at the end of the book the author explains his reasons for writing the book, as well as discussing mental health, the importance of talking about feelings and empathy. It even includes questions to prompt further discussion -great for our student book club!

A big thank you to Usborne Books and Netgalley for the e-arc to review.

What you don’t remember can’t hurt you…

Cyan has lived at the Elsewhere Sanctuary for as long as he can remember, freed by Dr Haven from dark memories of his past life. But when Cyan finds a mysterious warning carved into the bones of a whale skeleton, he starts to wonder what he had to forget to be so happy.

New resident, Jonquil, begins to resist the sanctuary’s treatment, preferring to hold on to her memories – even the bad ones. So when Dr Haven resorts to harsher measures, Cyan embarks on a secret mission to discover the truth about the sanctuary…and himself.

This is an intricately constructed dystopian world, a mixture of what we know blended with sci-fi … an island where the tide went out and never came back again, no wildlife, an invisible boundary shield, a building that can reset its rooms (like 3D Tetris), tracking devices, clocks with no hands, memory suppressing drugs and teenagers who just want to forget.

The themes tackled in this story are difficult ones and raise many ethical questions. Guilt, sorrow, medically induced memory loss, secret experimental drug trials.

Through the story, the author helps us to see that all our memories, experiences and feelings make us who we are, mould us into the people we become. Just because you cannot remember a key event or person does not mean you are no longer unaffected, even subconsciously.

Despite the difficult themes and my worry for what comes next for the characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and was engrossed in the lives of the characters and the world they inhabited. This is the first book I have read by Darren Simpson but it definitely won’t be the last.

Thank you to NetGalley and Usborne for the eARC.

The Memory Thieves is a dystopian YA/middle grade novel. Set in a world where you can go to The Sanctuary, an island which will wipe away hurtful memories and keep you in a tranquil state for the rest of time. Cyan and Ruby blissfully go about their day not questioning anything, that is until Jonquil arrives and they start to question the life they are leading.

I’ve not read anything from Darren Simpson before, but I do own another of his books. I throughly enjoyed this fast-paced dystopian novel. The world building is quick and you get a real sense of place, especially when the characters are by the beach. I also enjoyed the different characters. The book looks like it’s middle-grade and is recommended for 11+ on Amazon, personally I feel this would be great for 13+ year olds, and the cover may just miss this part of the YA market. I has a slightly older feel to it in terms of content and ideas, I will be recommending it at school to years 8 and 9.

On the Island of Elsewhere young people come to forget. All their needs are met as they undergo the special treatment to erase their past bad memories and keep them calm and content. Time means nothing here and there is nothing to worry about. In the Sanctuary, Cyan, our hero, meets a new resident, Jonquil, and shows her the ropes on the instructions of Dr Haven, the doctor in charge. It is a futuristic place and everyone seems well, but the reader is about to embark on a voyage of discovery alongside Cyan and his friends.

Now, if you have read Darren’s previous book, Scavengers, you will know that he is a great writer with imagination by the bucketload. Well this book is just as good but also different. This for me is the sign of a great writer. This book is a rare thing, a sci-fi novel for middle grade readers (it reminded me slightly of Maze Runner in some ways) where there is a gradual realisation that things may not be what they seem. I loved the details - the rooms which reconfigure themselves, the specialist ‘treatment’ that the guests receive and the surroundings of the Sanctuary itself.

This is an adventure and a mystery and once you have started reading you will find this book hard to put down. I will certainly be getting hold of a copy any way I can to put in our Primary School library for our KS2 children to enjoy. Thank you Darren, I wonder what you will come up with next…?

I loved Darren Simpson's first book, Scavengers and so when I saw this one appear on Netgalley, I was really excited. I hoped that, at the very least, I would enjoy it as much as his first book but I loved this one even more. Every little detail is so carefully thought through and the depth of the world Darren Simpson has created is immense. I'd quite like a sequel, much like with Scavengers, but not because it feels unfinished as can sometimes feel the case, but because I want to go back and continue being in the incredible worlds of the stories.

Elsewhere Sanctuary is a place where children go to help them forget major traumas that have happened in their lives; they are even given new names. Cyan has been a resident there for as long as he can remember when Jonquil arrives to begin her treatment. However, she isn't as keen to forget everything and, when she asks to talk about the past, things take a darker turn and Cyan is shocked by the way Dr Haven changes her treatment. Suddenly Jonquil is a shadow of her former self and Cyan begins to worry about what Dr Haven is doing and exactly how the sanctuary's treatments may be effecting everyone. The question is, can he find out what is going on before his treatments cause him to forget these recent discoveries?
I wasn't quite certain what to expect when I began reading this book but I'd heard great things from others on Twitter so I was keen read it myself. The world Darren builds is both wonderful and scary at the same time. The premise of the Sanctuary is that it helps children to improve their mental illness and to rid them of the traumas they have faced in their lives; however, from the beginning, there seems to be a darker undertone in the notion of the lockets the children have to wear and the way they record their oath in such a traumatic way as a reminder to themselves of why they are there. The further into the book I got, the more I felt the sinister nature of Dr Haven's treatment ... and the more compelling the book got.

Darren's writing is very clever: the book has a calm feel to it and the pace reflects the nature of the sanctuary; however, (and this is where I feel things get clever), the more you read, the more you realise that something is very wrong at this institute. I felt myself completely gripped and desperate to reach in and save Cyan, Jonquil and the others but unable to do so - in essence, I felt trapped on the outside and helpless, rather like Cyan. I could feel the panic slowly rising and the desperate need to keep reading overtook me, yet the pace of the story remained steady, which I found even more compelling and a reflection of Dr Haven and his approach towards his patients - it gave the whole book a very sinister undertone that had my heart racing!

I am sure that many of us will have memories we wish to forget, for whatever reason, but this book is absolute testimony that simply erasing them is not the answer!

This is a different and almost eerie book and I can't wait to share it with the children at school to see what they think of it - I know that the discussions will be very interesting!

The Memory Thieves is due for release on the 5th August.