The Most Precious Memory

by Beth Revis

A very personal story, “The Most Precious Memory” tells about a weird world where memories are sold as drugs, and two people caught in the underbelly of the black market in memory trade.

Genres: Short Stories, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fiction, Dystopia

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Beth Revis writes books. She also eats too much chocolate, wishes she could travel more, and prefers puppies to people. Beth lives in rural NC with her boys: one husband, one son, two very large puppies.

Reviews

[Becs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagine a world in which memories, good or bad, can be sold, erased and re-appropriated to someone else in exchange for money. Imagine that such memories are a drug to the buyers, giving them the kind of high you only achieve when you first experienced something powerful enough to create such a potent memory. Now imagine that in giving away all of your memories, or in taking someone else’s, you forgot yourself.

This story reads much like a version of the black market, only for memory trading. The concept is definitely unique but it fails to have the impact that it really deserved because this kind of story requires much greater character development in order to form some attachment to the characters. Ultimately I guess I just didn’t care about the twist, because the characters were relatively one dimensional to me.

I think the idea is great; I think Beth Revis actually went on to write an entire book, The Body Electric, running with an idea of the same nature. The problem is exactly that though – this felt like the beginnings of a great idea, unfinished.

[Denisse · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was only those who still had their own memories that cared about names.

Hey woow! Beth has the entire head full of great ideas.




Adoro la forma tan inteligente que tiene Beth Revis de escribir. Es perfecta. Y adoro como con tan pocas palabras nos puede dar una historia tan buena.

Esta historia nos da muy poca información, y aun así sabes, que la idea podría fácilmente volverse grande.
Ojala Beth sacara un libro al menos que definiera mas el mundo de esta historia corta.

Para los que como yo, no sabían de la existencia de esta historia, bueno Beth la escribió creo que como regalo para una pagina, o algo así, el punto es que esta para leer gratis desde esa pagina.
Se las dejo abajo, esta en ingles obvio, pero es muy corta, deberían leerla;)

The Most Precious Memory

[Joti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short & very interesting!! :D A guy named Devon has eaten up all of his memories of his life & one night, a man named Thomas sells him the 'most precious memory' & Devon can hardly wait to eat it - he starts to eat it only to find that Thomas is his brother & he was once called James & that he'd had a girlfriend with fiery red hair & had broken up with & left for college - & after Thomas tracked him down & that night, Devon/James realizes who he is & instead of eating the memory, he tries to hold on to it & then when it's over, Thomas wakes up, not knowing who he is & how he got to the extraction hall & James knows everything that's happened - and there was just a sense of deja vu - and that's it !!

[Meaghan R. (YA-aholic) · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow...short and great...really loved the concept and enjoyed the end...i liked that it wasn't a generic happy ending like so many other stories.

now, i have the same issue i had with her other short story, As They Slip Away...careless mistakes...it seems obvious that this was like a free write and the posted...so there's bound to be typos and grammatical mistakes and whatnot, but this plus all the issues i had with ATSA...gives me an inkling that Revis can tell a pretty damn good story, but not actually write it well...

still, it was a pretty damn good story...

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Most Precious Memory by Beth Revis

4 stars

What would you do if you get rid of memories? Would you keep them or would you let them go? But getting rid of memories comes with a promise. Most people become addicted to tasting their own memories and 'Devon' is left an empty memory-less shell. He meets a man named Thomas who is looking to give away the most precious memory. I was truly astounded by this story. It was very well done. It's brief, but beautiful. Revis brings forth an interesting that could have made an excellent book, but stands well on its on as a short story. If you would like to read this story here.

[Emma Ghanem · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was so incredibly sad. This short story by Beth Revis was incredible. It's almost like, the less information about the world, the better it is. Having a world where you can consume your own memories,and get high off of them is incredible. It would be awesome if Beth Revis could expand on this, and create another trilogy.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Beth Revis' Across the Universe and really enjoyed this chilling short story, available here to read for free.

[Leah (Jane Speare) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was eerie. :)

[Kiersten Powers · Rating 3 out of 5]

well this is certainly something different. i like the way it thinks outside of the invisible box.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an interesting concept. It some-what reminded me of a sci-fi version of Harry Chapin's "Cats In The Cradle."

[Philip · Rating 1 out of 5]

Short.

[Marco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting concept. I missed reading something from Beth Revis.

[TheOneAndOnlySam · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was sad. i enjoyde it, but sad :(

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Beth Revis' cleverness and this interesting and incredible idea. Even though it is very short, it is great!

[Nancy The book junkie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review coming soon!

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not expect that such a short, small little story would make me misty-eyed, but it did. This was beautifully written and so heartbreaking at the end.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was really touching and I loved it.