The Memories that Make Us – Vanessa Carnevale

Whew, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve done a book review. I’ve been deep in the depths of reading for uni and after doing an entire subject on retelling stories and going through the different kinds of stories and how they’re retold. I adored it and I have a totally different view on stories and how each different kind of story “archetype” has lend themselves to the every day stories.

As one subjects ends, another starts and I’m currently nearly through my last subject for the year, which is based around short stories, it’s been a challenging semester, that’s for sure. I don’t do short stories all that well. Anyway, I’m getting distracted.

My dear friend Vanessa Carnevale has written another amazing book and I was lucky enough to get along to the launch earlier in the year where we made gorgeous flower crowns, ate delicious finger food, drank heavenly tea and got to make our own bouquet of flowers. It was stunning and so on pointe with the book.

I was lucky enough to see some of the earlier pages of this novel and while they changed drastically it was amazing to see how it changed. 

The Memories that Make Us , is a rollercoaster ride. It starts off with Gracie, who has just woken up from a coma with no recollection of who she is or what she does in the world. She doesn’t even remember her fiancé or her best friend, but she does remember the soft lull of flowers and their language. 

Gracie packs up her life and goes back to the flower farm she remembers as a kid, the one that her mother used to have and she was ready to sell off. There she starts to relearn herself and her surroundings; she finds people that have known her for almost all of her life and slowly they help her paint her past, but she doesn’t remember the immediate present and when Blake, her fiancé tries to get in contact with her she shuts him off, wanting to know for herself if she could remember him. That is until she comes across her neighbour,  Flynn, who is gentle and kind and has a way of pushing her buttons but also making her understand herself. 

Where does the line between wanting to remember who you are and the life you start to pave when you have a blank slate ahead of yourself?

I really enjoyed the story, Vanessa’s writing style is so effortless and it felt like I was right there with Gracie, learning and trying to figure out who she is. I know the biggest spoiler (and knew it before I was reading it) so the surprise wasn’t quite surprise to me but it was fun to see how Vanessa laid it out. I really appreciate effortless writing, because I know how much time and sweat and tears go into something that is so free flowing. I know that Vanessa had a tough time with the book but it was well worth it. This book is fantastic and I think that everyone should have a copy of it in their library. 

If you haven’t got your hands on it check it out over here.*

Thanks for an amazing book Vanessa, I can’t wait for your next one!

*This is an affiliate link. I’ll earn money if you buy from here.