Thanks for the Memories (Cecelia Ahern)***

Joyce’s father, the wonderfully characterised Henry, is doing a quiz, which asks which opera the famous words “Too many notes, Mozart” were describing. “Emperor Joseph II!” Joyce says instantly, and then wonders how she could possibly have known such a thing. It was indeed Emperor Joseph II who said it, but neither Joyce nor Henry seem to notice that the question actually asking for an opera title. There is some dispute about whether the opera in question was The Abduction from the Seraglio or The Marriage of Figaro - Figaro has more notes, but Seraglio was composed first, so the comment could have been made before Figaro came into existence. I’ll go along with The New Penguin Opera Guide and say it was Seraglio. But the answer is definitely not Emperor Joseph II.

The main part of the book is about the sudden feeling of connection between Joyce, who has suffered a miscarriage, and university lecturer Justin. Justin gives blood that is received by Joyce in hospital – and somehow she has accessed his knowledge and memories, and has become an expert on opera, art and languages, among other things. After you get over the sheer unreality of it, it becomes very sweet. There almost-meetings are quite amusing, and there’s a strong feeling that Joyce and Justin would get on well, and be very good for each other.

But they don’t meet, and then it all goes wrong. Suddenly, their interest in each other becomes obsessive and creepy. At this point, the story stops being a sweet romance, and becomes something much more disturbing. Joyce insists she is not stalking Justin, but that’s how it looks. While Justin is more restrained, he certainly breaks the law in his attempts to find Joyce.

I’m sure it’s possible to write a great book about a couple of people who are stalking one another. It’s also possible to write a great book about two people who are magically drawn to one another. The problem is, it’s probably impossible to do both in the same book. From a romance with an element of mystery, magic and, crucially, comedy – common themes in Ahern’s books: see also PS I Love You, A Place Like Here and particularly If You Could See Me Now – it becomes a disturbing psychological drama. I started off wanting Joyce and Justin to meet and get together, but after a while I wanted them to stay well away from each other.

***For a more positive (and brilliantly written) review of this book, visit Amy's blog Fairy Kisses***

Joyce and Justin are good characters in both halves of the book. In the first half, Joyce is lovely and patient and kind. Justin is absolutely adorable: intelligent in a geeky sort of way, but completely hopeless socially. In the second half, they are not unlikeable. There’s no reason why insane people shouldn’t be nice. Actually, some of the nicest people I’ve met have been insane. But you can’t change genre halfway through. Not like this anyway.