The Memory Police: Lily Gladstone set for next film after Oscars 2024 - what is the book about?

Lily Gladstone has signed on to star in "The Memory Police," an adaptation of the Yōko Ogawa novel of the same name just days after Gladstone received an Oscar nomination for "Killers Of The Flower Moon." Martin Scorcese, another Oscar-nominee with “Killers of the Flower Moon,” is coming on board to executive produce the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

According to THR, there is more information available about the movie "The Memory Police". The report mentions that the director of "The Handmaid's Tale" and "I Think We're Alone Now", Reed Morano, is on board to direct the movie which has tones of Franz Kafka and George Orwell. The movie comes with a script by Charlie Kaufman, the writer of mind-bending movies such as "Being John Malkovich" and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind".

In an article published in Time magazine, the book was named one of the best books of the summer of 2019. The author, Ogawa, was praised for creating a fable that echoes the themes of famous works such as George Orwell's "1984", Ray Bradbury's "Fahrenheit 451", and Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "100 Years of Solitude". The Chicago Tribune called it a "masterful work of speculative fiction" and an "unforgettable literary thriller full of atmospheric horror." 

The New York Times compared the book to the novels of Samuel Beckett and Kobo Abe, saying that Ogawa's writing style captures the feeling of alienation that many individuals experience as the world's ecosystems, ice sheets, languages, animal species, and possible futures vanish more quickly than any one mind can comprehend.

What is “The Memory Police” about?

In a novel set on an island controlled by the Memory Police, an unknown force causes collective forgetfulness among the residents, leading to the disappearance of objects and concepts. The protagonist, a novelist, hides individuals with retained memories, like her editor R, from the Memory Police.

As disappearances escalate, including the vanishing of body parts, the author completes her novel amid societal decay. Eventually, the inhabitants succumb to forgetfulness and vanish, but the author assures R of a possible emergence for those who preserve their memories. The narrative explores themes of loss, memory, and acceptance in the face of a fading reality.

Who is Yōko Ogawa?

Yōko Ogawa is a Japanese author known for her works of fiction, including novels and short stories. Born on March 30, 1962, in Okayama, Japan, Ogawa has gained international recognition for her unique and thought-provoking storytelling.

She has written in various genres, including literary fiction, mystery, and science fiction. Some of her notable works include "The Housekeeper and the Professor," which explores the relationship between a brilliant mathematician with short-term memory loss and his housekeeper, and "The Memory Police," a dystopian novel that delves into themes of memory, loss, and the impact of authoritarian control on society.

Is “Killers of the Flower Moon” available for streaming yet?

“Killers of the Flower Moon” is available to rent or buy from all leading digital services, however those with a subscription to AppleTV+ can watch the film now as part of your subscription.