It was my very great pleasure to meet Kate Storey just under a year ago at a bookish event so when Becky Hunter sent me a surprise copy of her debut in this genre, The Memory Library, I was delighted. I know it’s way too early, but I couldn’t wait any longer to shout about this book and it’s my absolute pleasure to share my review of The Memory Library today.

Published by Harper Collins’ imprint Avon on 1st February 2024, The Memory Library is available for pre-order through the links here.

The Memory Library

For forty-two years, Sally Harrison has been building a library.

Each year, on her daughter’s birthday, she adds a new book to her shelves – with a note in the front dedicated to her own greatest work.

But Ella – Sally’s only child – fled to Australia twenty-one years ago after a heated exchange, and never looked back. And though Sally still dutifully adds a new paperback to the shelves every time the clock strikes midnight on July 11th, her hopes of her daughter ever thumbing through the pages are starting to dwindle.

Then disaster strikes and Ella is forced to return to the home she once knew.

She is soon to discover that when one chapter ends, another will soon follow.

All you have to do is turn the page…

Journey through the pages of this heartwarming novel, where hope, friendship and second chances are written in the margins. Perfect for book lovers everywhere and fans of Sally Page’s The Keeper of Stories.

My Review of The Memory Library

Ella’s mother has had a fall.

Now, if you’re thinking of reading The Memory Library without a box of tissues close by, think again. Let me tell you, you’re going to need a boxful. This is a glorious story of the dynamics between Ella and her mother Sally, with a hint of mystery running through as we discover just why their relationship fractured in the first place.

Because much of The Memory Library revolves around the relationship between Sally and Ella there is an intense intimacy that heightens the impact on the reader. So many aspects of family relationships resonate with the reader, making this an almost visceral reading experience. What works so profoundly is the way Ella develops over the story. Whilst Sally’s life is undergoing the major change precipitating the accident that brings Ella home from Australia, she remains ironically constant like a kind of lode star. As a result, it is Ella who, always wanting to be Queen of the World, unyieldingly thinks she knows everything there is to know about Sally, and consequently it is Ella who finds herself in the greatest state of flux, change and self-awareness. The balance created by Kate Storey is simply wonderful as both women are gradually revealed to the reader and to one another in a convincing, relatable and affecting way. 

A wider supporting cast of characters adds humour, a sense of community and further layers to Sally and Ella’s personalities. Each one of these secondary people feels absolutely real, as if they could be living next door or could be encountered in the local library. Even Hadron the cat is as vivid as any human.

The central plot of The Memory Library is essentially simple – a daughter returns temporarily to take care of her mother following a fall. However, that belies the absolutely wonderful themes of the story, from prejudice and acceptance, through friendship, family, marriage and relationships of all kinds, to a deep and glorious celebration of books and reading. Reading The Memory Library is not only completely absorbing, but it is a healing, supportive book for the reader every bit as much as it is the story of Sally and Ella’s relationship. 

I loved everything about The Memory Library. I loved the concept of personal grief and difficulty hidden behind a public persona. I loved the understanding of loneliness both for those living alone and within relationships. I loved the concept that it’s never too late for healing and hope, especially with a little help from your friends. 

Written with humanity and deep emotion, Kate’s Storey’s The Memory Library is affecting and enlightening. Steeped in love of many kinds with a beautifully explored need for human connection, and an underpinning theme of books and literature, this is a story to break your heart and mend it again. I absolutely adored it!

About Kate Storey

Kate Storey started her career teaching English and Drama, and when she had her family, combined all three to write novels about family drama. Originally from Yorkshire, she now lives in a London suburb with her husband and two teenage daughters, so expects there’s plenty more drama to come.

Also writing as Lisa Timoney, you can find out more about Kate by visiting her website, finding her on Facebook and Instagram or following her on Twitter/X @LTimoneyWrites.