Memorial - Bryan Washington

Genre: Fiction | Contemporary | Romance | LGBT+

Publisher: Riverhead Books

Release Date: 27th October 2020

"It's not a waste, is what I'm saying. There are no wastes. Either nothing is a waste, or everything is a waste."

Benson and Mike have been together for four years, and they've been a good four years so far. They love each other … but recently they've been wondering if that's a good enough reason to stay together.

In a strange twist of fate, Mike sets off for Osaka to find his estranged dying Father at the same time his slightly abrasive Mother, Mitsuko, flies to Houston to visit and ends up being temporary roommates with Benson while they wait for him to return. In Japan, Mike is learning every day about his past, his family and himself on the journey of a lifetime while back home, Benson is thinking about starting his next Journey alone...

"The thing about a moving train is that, sometimes, you can catch it."

On the surface, Memorial is a love story, but it's something much more than that - a snapshot of life. There are no explosive reveals or dramatic turns, but instead this story captures the subtle and slow changes that sneak up on us and change us without us and the people around us without even realising it.

With poignant commentary on very real issues from the reality of coming out, to living with HIV to alcoholism - Memorial handles thought-provoking issues carefully and explores how they have affected the lives of our characters in this moment in time.

Powerful and poetic, this is a tender and heartfelt look at love and relationships but the parts we don't usually like to write stories about - the ending. Hearing from Benson and Mike, we spend just enough time with each character to fully bond with them and learn their unique voices - and somehow we manage to get an entire picture of their relationship without really seeing them interact with one another.

"I think, clear as day, that eventually our moment would end. I also realised I didn't want it to. And it was okay for me to not want it to."

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was gifted a copy of this title as part of a Book Buzz with my wonderful partners in @LoveReadingUK. Please do check them out for more bookish content!

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