Review: False Memory by Dan Krokos

Miranda wakes up alone on a park bench with no memory. In her panic, she releases a mysterious energy that incites pure terror in everyone around her. Except Peter, a boy who isn’t at all surprised by Miranda’s shocking ability.

Left with no choice but to trust this stranger, Miranda discovers she was trained to be a weapon and is part of an elite force of genetically-altered teens who possess flawless combat skills and powers strong enough to destroy a city. But adjusting to her old life isn’t easy—especially with Noah, the boyfriend she can’t remember loving.

Then Miranda uncovers a dark truth that sets her team on the run. Suddenly her past doesn’t seem to matter... when there may not be a future.

Dan Krokos’ debut is a tour-de-force of non-stop action that will leave readers begging for the next book in this bold and powerful new series.

This review may contain spoilers.  And by may, I mean most certainly will.

False Memory by fellow Horde player, Dan Krokos, caught my attention.  Mainly because, well, FOR THE HORDE!  But also, because it looked badass.   The basic idea is that Miranda wakes up with no memories and no real clue who she is.  She soon discovers that she’s a superhero and part of a team of four Roses with the ability to cause fear and panic to normal people.

I mean, it’s an alright ability. Not as good as the ability to burn people with your eyes or use an alien ring to wish anything into existence.  But you take what you can get!

So what I might have expected was good writing and interesting, action-packed pages.  But that author, he has a soft spot the size of the Mariana Trench.  This book was a little more saucy than I expected and I liked it! Probably one of the few love-triangles that I’ve truly liked.  Miranda gets more action in a few days than I did throughout all of 8th grade!

Miranda was a bit like a rogue sneaking up behind you to stab you in the back.  She was fun to read.  Then, out of nowhere, BAM! She just kicked the shit out of me and I was left going, “Woah! Woah! Woah!”  That sneaky woman just emulsified my cold, withered heart until I was truly rooting for her. Which was a weird experience.  I’m not sure how to describe it.  There I was thinking I generally liked the book and didn’t mind Miranda, only to suddenly realize that there was no way in hell I was putting the book down and Miranda better live, goddammit!  As for the other characters, Peter, Noah and Olive, I was hot and cold on them.  Peter was definitely my favourite.  I loved the tension between Noah and Miranda.  Drama!  Beautiful, beautiful drama!

So here’s my problem with it, and this part gets spoilery so only proceed if you’ve read the book.

So I was all cool with Miranda et al being weapons to be sold off to the highest bidder. OF COURSE. That is just the kind of sense-making that I like to see.  But then things get a little more complicated.  Not just weapons but also clones.  And not just one set of clones but another and another.  Okay. FINE.  Everyone’s a clone.  And a clone of a clone.  And nobody’s memories are real and everyone’s memories can be replaced and nobody is just a weapon and FINE. Fine, okay?  I can deal with that, I guess.  I can deal with two Miranda’s and the real Miranda being dead and the real Miranda being only a clone of Mrs. North and Mrs. North being HERSELF a clone.  I can deal with ALL of it.  Okay?!  I’m fine.  I’m just absolutely fine.  I can handle it, okay?

There are too many truths.  So many truths that, whilst I can keep them straight, I’m not sure that I want to.  I threw my hands up in the air and yelled for Miranda to go join the fucking peace corps and travel to south east Asia or something.  Just get out, Miranda!  If you’re reading this, just go.  The truth isn’t worth it, sweetie.  You know what’s worth it?  Spending the rest of your life bumping uglies with Peter.  And I guess that destroyed some of my enjoyment of the book.  Because them being developed as a weapon was really the only reasonable truth I could imagine for their cultivated existence.  And whilst I am practically POSITIVE that Krokos is going to come up with something brilliant, I’m simply too emotionally exhausted after False Memory to summon the will to read anymore.  I refuse.  In my mind, Peter and Miranda ran off to a tropical island and lived happily ever after. The end.

Over all, I really liked this book.  I just feel so exhausted by it.  Incredibly, incredibly exhausted.  I want to pick up the next one because I want to see how Miranda and the others deal with the situation they’re in.   But part of me is afraid to.  I don’t know if I’m ready for it.  With False Memory, I wanted to feel THIS much.  But I wasn’t ready to feel THHHHIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSS much.  And with all those truths revealed in the first book?  Well, how else is Krokos going to break my heart in the next one?  HOW, HUH?!

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Kat Kennedy

Kat Kennedy is a book reviewer and aspiring author in the Young Adult genre. She reviews critically but humorously and get super excited about great books. Find her on GoodReads.

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