The Memory Wall

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What to expect

There’s a fine line between real life and video games in this engrossing novel that’s part Kathryn Erskine’s Mockingbird, part Patrick Ness’ A Monster Calls.

Severkin is an elf who slinks through the shadows of Wellhall’s spiraling stone towers, plundering ancient ruins and slaying mystical monstrosities with ease.

He’s also a character in a video game—a character that twelve-year-old Nick Reeves plays when he needs a break from the real world. And lately Nick has really needed a break. His mother had an “incident” at school last year, and her health has taken a turn for the worse.

Nick is convinced his mother’s illness has been misdiagnosed, but no one believes him. His only escape is the online world of Wellhall, where, as the elf character Severkin, he can face any problem. But when Nick finds himself fighting alongside another elf who reminds him of someone he knows in real life, his worlds begin to collide.

Critics Review

u201cRosen adeptly explores memory and personal history as well as the loneliness of losing a parent, the complexity of biracial origins, and the metaphors of a quest and a divided cityu2026Readersu2014gamers and nongamers alikeu2014will cheer the resolution of Nicku2019s transformative journey. Thoughtful, earnest, and gratifying.u201d

Kirkus Reviews

u201cA complex, emotional story about grief and acceptanceu2026A strong, thought-provoking novel.u201d

Publishers Weekly

u201cThere are multiple layers and themes explored in this work. Nicku2019s motheru2019s family history links to East Berlin and the fall of the Berlin Wall. There are references to Germanic mythology. Themes about outsider experiences and racism are woven throughout. Most poignant, the details and realities of Alzheimeru2019s are depicted with care and accuracyu2026 A complex and emotionally rich selection that offers a nuanced and needed perspective on the grieving process. A strong addition for middle and high school collections.u201d

School Library Journal

u201cPrentice Onayemiu2019s subtle character creations intensify the complex life of biracial middle schooler Nick Reevesu2026Differentiating characters through accent and vocal pitch, Onayemi transitions between Nicku2019s dual worldsu2026Onayemi is an able interpreter of this emotionally charged novel.u201d

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