The Mechanics of Memory

Hope can’t remember the year before she came to the Wilder Institute, an elite mental institution. The snippets she can remember, especially about her partner, Luke, don’t match the things the doctors say. A new arrival with knowledge of Wilder’s business deals offers some answers. Can Hope figure out what’s going on and why Wilder wants to hide it at any cost? Debut author Lee offers a promising mystery setup with a middling resolution. Luke narrates his own motivations halfway through, deflating tension about Hope’s dedication to someone who institutionalized her. Side characters are one-note and neatly morally aligned with how much Hope likes them. Interesting speculative concepts—brain-computer interfaces, memory hacking, VR that could replace reality—are largely used as plot delivery mechanics. The main narrator, Sunny Lu, offers a solid performance, but some muddled words may have listeners straining to comprehend. Keong Sim and Charlie Thurston deliver their parts as new Wilder arrival Carter and Luke without issue, but their delivery is similar enough to cause confusion.