The Book of M cover art

The Book of M

A Novel

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The Book of M

By: Peng Shepherd
Narrated by: James Fouhey, Emily Woo Zeller
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About this listen

Brad Thor's Summer 2018 Fiction Pick for THE TODAY SHOW!

NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY ElleRefinery29PopSugar Verge

""Eerie, dark, and compelling, [The Book of M] will not disappoint lovers of The Passage and Station Eleven."" —Booklist

WHAT WOULD YOU GIVE UP TO REMEMBER?

Set in a dangerous dystopian world, The Book of M tells the captivating story of a group of ordinary people caught in an extraordinary catastrophe who risk everything to save the ones they love. It is a sweeping debut that illuminates the power that memories have not only on the heart, but on the world itself.

One afternoon at an outdoor market in India, a man’s shadow disappears—an occurrence science cannot explain. He is only the first. The phenomenon spreads like a plague, and while those afflicted gain a strange new power, it comes at a horrible price: the loss of all their memories.

Ory and his wife Max have escaped the Forgetting so far by hiding in an abandoned hotel deep in the woods. Their new life feels almost normal, until one day Max’s shadow disappears too.

Knowing that the more she forgets, the more dangerous she will become to Ory, Max runs away. But Ory refuses to give up the time he has left with the love of his life. Desperate to find Max before her memory disappears completely, he follows her trail across a perilous, unrecognizable world, braving the threat of roaming bandits, the call to a new war being waged on the ruins of the capital, and the rise of a sinister cult that worships the shadowless.

As they journey, each searches for answers: for Ory, about love, about survival, about hope; and for Max, about a new force growing in the south that may hold the cure.

Like The Passage and Station Eleven, this haunting, thought-provoking, and beautiful novel explores fundamental questions of memory, connection, and what it means to be human in a world turned upside down.

Dystopian Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Heartfelt
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Loved the idea of this book, a truly original concept. Beautifully written and engaging characters, heart wrenching at times. I feel like going back to the beginning and starting again immediately now I've finished, as I don't want the book to be over! I will certainly be looking forward to this authors next book when it happens! Great narration too.

Enthralling and intriguing

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Great concept and original take on the post-apocalypse idea. It's a very human tale, about what makes us who we are and love and loss. I thought the writing was great and some interesting narrative techniques really helped to keep things trucking along. The narrators were very good and the use of male and female for the respective POV's was the right choice.
I was engaged throughout, with only a few moments of wandering thoughts on my drives to and from work - that's a good sign of a compelling read!
I have some minor issues with the overall story and the level of disbelief-suspension required, plus it didn't quite hit the heights of my favourite audiobooks in terms of excitement, engagement or narration. Though it was still very good - hence the 4 star review.

The Book of 4 stars

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I can’t say I enjoyed this book but I understand why others would it is well narrated but longer than needed I think without twisting turns.

I like king books but I felt at the end I was glad it was over but not to say it is bad just. Not my cup of tea.

It is not brain chewing gum it is intelligent and almost religious in its way .

Don’t let me buy you off it if your 50/50 if you are go for it and I hope you enjoy it

Different dystopia apocalypse

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Transfixed throughout the whole thing, what a story!! Great characters, thought proviking storyline all the way through, great narrators!

Wow, incredibly thought provoking story

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