Community Reviews
I received a copy of the ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are subjective to myself as a reader.
I am no stranger to author James Flynn's work. I've read numerous short stories by him and what I have come to love most from this author is that I am constantly being surprised (or shocked) by his creative ways to broach topics and issues. Others are just plain entertaining and zany with my favorites being ones I'd call urban legends. (He writes suspense, fear and dread that creeps up your spine SO WELL!)
THANKS FOR THE MEMORY is a novella that explores the resulting consequences of someone who, on a whim, decides to upload a video to a social media app to get a laugh - but also in hopes of reviving his stand-up comic career. The video goes viral. When our main character realizes that the attention he's receiving may interfere with some new, promising aspects of his life, he deletes the video. The company who owns the app is furious. Then the threatening emails start to arrive...
This story is given to us in first person by the main character, Reed Blagden. (Complete with jokes and one liners!) I was shaking my head and smirking for the majority of the story - but you know, at my age, while I felt sorry for what he was going through, I also felt he got what he deserved. If you're going to put up a video of yourself engaged in "adult" activities...you really should be prepared for the consequences. The internet is forever. (Such as receiving the nickname "Bouncing Blagden"....oh my goodness, I was crying laughing!)
I believe the intent of the author is to shine a light on how much people have become addicted to technology - it's true. I've lived in my current neighborhood almost 4 years and there are several neighbors I see multiple times a day, yet I've never had my greeting returned or seen their faces because they never look up from their phones. Kids on electric scooters - phones held up in front of their faces. People on bikes - phones in front of their faces. It's sad.
The author included some very interesting data about how our memory works - the more we revisit a memory, the more it degrades over time and we slowly remember things differently. This played a very interesting and entertaining role in the plot and was just written to perfection.
James Flynn always delivers tales full of entertainment and enlightenment, Reed's story is no exception. A lesson is always best served wrapped in humor, at least that's my humble opinion!
You can find this review and many more on my website, https://thenerdynarrative.com or if you prefer video format, you can find those on my BookTube channel, https://youtube.com/thenerdynarrative
I am no stranger to author James Flynn's work. I've read numerous short stories by him and what I have come to love most from this author is that I am constantly being surprised (or shocked) by his creative ways to broach topics and issues. Others are just plain entertaining and zany with my favorites being ones I'd call urban legends. (He writes suspense, fear and dread that creeps up your spine SO WELL!)
THANKS FOR THE MEMORY is a novella that explores the resulting consequences of someone who, on a whim, decides to upload a video to a social media app to get a laugh - but also in hopes of reviving his stand-up comic career. The video goes viral. When our main character realizes that the attention he's receiving may interfere with some new, promising aspects of his life, he deletes the video. The company who owns the app is furious. Then the threatening emails start to arrive...
This story is given to us in first person by the main character, Reed Blagden. (Complete with jokes and one liners!) I was shaking my head and smirking for the majority of the story - but you know, at my age, while I felt sorry for what he was going through, I also felt he got what he deserved. If you're going to put up a video of yourself engaged in "adult" activities...you really should be prepared for the consequences. The internet is forever. (Such as receiving the nickname "Bouncing Blagden"....oh my goodness, I was crying laughing!)
I believe the intent of the author is to shine a light on how much people have become addicted to technology - it's true. I've lived in my current neighborhood almost 4 years and there are several neighbors I see multiple times a day, yet I've never had my greeting returned or seen their faces because they never look up from their phones. Kids on electric scooters - phones held up in front of their faces. People on bikes - phones in front of their faces. It's sad.
The author included some very interesting data about how our memory works - the more we revisit a memory, the more it degrades over time and we slowly remember things differently. This played a very interesting and entertaining role in the plot and was just written to perfection.
James Flynn always delivers tales full of entertainment and enlightenment, Reed's story is no exception. A lesson is always best served wrapped in humor, at least that's my humble opinion!
You can find this review and many more on my website, https://thenerdynarrative.com or if you prefer video format, you can find those on my BookTube channel, https://youtube.com/thenerdynarrative
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