Book Review: Between Memory and Oblivion by Peter Briscoe

A Poignant Elegy for the Printed Word
Peter Briscoe’s Between Memory and Oblivion is a melancholic yet deeply resonant ode to the twilight of physical books and the souls who cherish them. The novel follows Michael Ashe, a young antiquarian bookseller in Los Angeles, as he grapples with the collapse of his once-thriving business in the face of digital dominance. Briscoe’s prose is rich with bibliophilic reverence, weaving Ashe’s personal struggles—financial ruin, identity crises, and a quixotic love for the tactile magic of books—into a broader meditation on cultural memory and obsolescence. The narrative thrums with quiet urgency, balancing wry humor with existential sorrow, as Ashe navigates a world where the value of printed pages is fading faster than ink on parchment.

Key Strengths
-Thematic Depth: A layered exploration of nostalgia, capitalism’s erosion of art, and the quiet rebellion of preserving beauty in a disposable world.
-Character Nuance: Ashe is a flawed but deeply empathetic protagonist—his stubborn idealism and self-sabotage feel achingly human.
-Atmosphere: Briscoe immerses readers in the scent of old paper and the creak of wooden shelves, making the bookstore itself a character.

Potential Considerations
-Pacing: The introspective, character-driven plot may feel slow to readers craving high drama.
-Niche Appeal: Those less enamored with book culture might miss the emotional weight of Ashe’s battles.

Score Breakdown (Out of 5)
-Concept & Originality: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5/5) – A love letter and a eulogy, penned in margins.
-Prose & Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) – Lush as a leather-bound tome, with sentences that beg to be underlined.
-Character Depth: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) – Ashe’s journey lingers; secondary players could use more pages.
-Emotional Impact: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5) – Quietly devastating, like a bookmark left in an abandoned book.
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5/5) – A story that clings to the ribs like the scent of old libraries—impossible to shake.

Ideal Audience
-Bibliophiles who’ve mourned a shuttered bookstore or dog-eared a favorite passage.
-Fans of The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry or 84, Charing Cross Road, craving stories about the lives books save.
-Anyone who’s ever pressed a flower (or a receipt) between pages and called it keeping time.

Gratitude
Thank you to NetGalley and Peter Briscoe for the advance copy. Between Memory and Oblivion is a testament to the stubborn, necessary act of remembering—and the fragile magic of holding history in your hands.

Note: Review based on an ARC; minor refinements may appear in the final edition.