Wow - I'm blown away by These Memories Do Not Belong to Us, and I'm astonished to learn it's a debut.

The concept is compelling and almost disconcertingly timely, and I thought the writing and structure really did it justice. The interstitial setup, through which we occasionally hear from the narrator - the son who's received banned memories from his mother after her death, and is increasingly aware that his freedom is limited - helped orient and link her constellation of memories into a powerful overarching story. Structurally and conceptually, it reminds me of Sequoia Nagamatsu's How High We Go in the Dark - a high compliment! - with tonal elements of Rumaan Alam. I'll be eager to recommend this to anyone who likes near-in science fiction, dystopian literature, or just comes in asking for a really good book.

Thank you NegGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to read an ARC of These Memories Do Not Belong to Us. This is a dystopian novel of a future in which memories can be uploaded and shared among people via devices that have been implanted into their brains, and memories become a form of currency. The novel is composed of loosely related short stories that take place either before, during, or after a war that resulted in the whole world being ruled by the Chinese, who have renamed themselves as Qin. Each short story is a memory that was passed down to the narrator by his mother and there are “interstitial” chapters throughout the book that give some context to the stories in this larger overarching plot. The memories are all considered forbidden by the government due to their content and the narrator is trying to disseminate these memories to as many people as he can before he is caught and the are gone forever. The memories circle around themes of freedom, government censorship, family and filial piety, and friendship. They are beautifully written and engaging and it was fun to find easter eggs within later stories of events/characters etc from earlier stories. I found this novel to be reminiscent of some of my most favorite novels, The Overstory by Richard Powers and North Woods by Daniel Mason, and I look forward to picking up a finished copy of this upon the release date. I feel that a reread will be even more rewarding than reading it for the first time.

This book was a starkly beautiful and extremely prescient series of interconnected stories set in the same universe, revealing mundane, everyday life and small acts of resistance in a totalitarian state of the future.

In this world China is now Qin and has developed a technology called Mindbanks, which records our memories as we experience them, the ultimate form of control and the next level of data surveillance. The protagonist's mother has collected memories from different people that could be dangerous in the Party's eyes and unexpectedly radicalize her son. Qin is an aggressive colonial power that has taken over America.

There's a story of an armless Swimmer from a small town; a stuffy diplomat's son who falls in love with a white American woman who teaches him chess and English; a writer who apprentices to a watchmaker and learns platonic love; a man who fears losing his girlfriend to activism; and a pair of brothers who share illicit poetry penned by a foreigner at night.

The writing style could at times be slow to read but that could just be the translation. I had a pit of dread in my stomach the whole time while reading this but also admired the courage of people who still tried to find beauty and love when their lives were so thoroughly controlled by the government. Reading this really made me think; it was challenging at times but it will definitely stay with me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Over the past few weeks, I had the pleasure to read Yiming Ma’s (debut?) short story collection. In this collection we are transported to a future (and sometimes a past) where a person’s memories are recorded on Mind Banks. The sum total of a person’s memories can be recorded and played in the mind’s eye.

The collection with the narrator having recently inherited his mother’s memories. However, the Mind Banks aren’t the only thing new in this future. China has become an authoritarian, global empire spreading across most of America and Asia. Several of the memories the narrator inherits are critical of the powers of this empire, and will most likely lead to some good-old fashioned “re-education” by censorship officials.

Using the framing device of the narrator going through these inherited memories, Ma tells several compelling stories spanning several themes. We get a range of stories from two people driven apart due to their place in society, and a swimmer bringing pride and patriotism to home village, all the way to a story about a wife looking through her husband’s Mind Bank.

Ma masterfully uses this dystopian future setting to apply some additional pressure to our everyday world. This allows him to investigate the main themes of government surveillance and overreach, societal pressure, and even some comments on the downfalls of patriotism.

Not only are the setting and frame narrative expertly done, Ma’s prose is masterful. There is profound melancholy, sadness, and a fair bit of hope in his writing. This level of emotion helps the reader connect with each character, even if they will only be with them for a few pages.

Who is this book for? This book is for people who like near future science fiction, authors who use the setting to tell as much of a story as the plot, and people who love wonderful prose.

This is great for readers who like Ed Park’s “An Oral History of Atlantis” as well as near future science fiction.

The narrative structure of the novel takes such a beautiful form and placed me right beside the narrator and deep into each of the Memory Epics. The narrator’s bravery is palpable and their commentary is lent directly to the reader as a personal guide across time. Through each vignette and story woven together by circumstance and memory and culture and trauma and place and generational experience, I felt the weight of the government’s control as a heavy shadow in every characters’ story.

Reading this as an American several weeks into the second Trump administration, it’s difficult to avoid parallels with a world where truth and history have been distorted and made unreliable. The alteration of truth and the weaponization of misinformation and fear to subdue the working class are painfully relevant topics. This quote, toward the end, stuck with me:

“Is it so strange that we no longer remember how to resist? Especially as they expand their control to include everything we are allowed to recall?”

The narrator goes on to say:

“Still, I hope you can find the courage to tell your own truth. Even if your resistance begins as small as a bedtime story to your child; there is no need to risk everything you hold dear.”

Questions and concepts raised in the novel that I wish I had a book club to discuss with include, but are certainly not limited to:
- the idea of “purchase and lived histories”
- ownership and commodification of story
- memory as capital
- whether our consciousness is our own or how much it is a collective, generational experience
- how to resist in the face of fascism

The use of “Mindbank” brain-computer interface technology is especially fascinating. It is used as a means of advanced communication (mainly for the elite class) and, interestingly, implies that the latency and choice inherent in spoken language causes a loss of meaning when communicating verbally. Its principal use, however, is for the archival and harvesting and rewatching of lived experiences (something you learn in the initial “interstitial”).

I’m so grateful to be given the chance to read this early as an ARC! It was my first opportunity to read an ARC and I am so happy it was this novel. I’m very excited to read more of Yiming Ma’s work! He is a phenomenal storyteller.

In the spirit of the book's structure, I think it makes sense to give my thoughts before having delved deep into the book, during, and after having read.

Before -
The premise of this book was what drew me in; I thought this was a fresh take on an authoritarian society and looking at it through the lens of others' stories. The prologue sets you up nicely for what to expect, while managing to keep you in suspense of what could possibly be to come. I was hooked pretty immediately.

During -
This book made me think, and I love that. I was constantly asking questions of both the book and of my society, trying to apply what was occurring in the story to real life events happening around me now. There were multiple times I thought that the ability of the author to have separate, yet intertwined stories that captivated me each time was incredibly impressive.

After -
This is a story of freedom, a story of hardship, and a story of love. The final message made everything feel so much more real, and I have never felt more in awe of the beauty of communication and storytelling as I have at the end of this book. Truly I feel this could be a modern classic - the questions it raises about our society are thought-provoking in a way that doesn't sacrifice hope while still showing the pain and fear of real life. One of the many reasons I love to read is to live through others', and this story rewards you greatly for your empathy.


I am honored to have been provided an ARC of this book - thank you to Yiming Ma, Mariner Books, and NetGalley for providing me with this opportunity. And a second thank you to Yiming Ma, for reminding me to both fight and love through the hard times.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

This book was more spooky and eerie than I thought it would be, and it is so so good, but I want to let myself have this experience in a phyiscal book format.

This book is very well written, I heavily enjoyed the writing style. The cover is also quite interesting and very cool. And the concept is both fascination, well-executed, and relevant. I am grateful I was able to sample this read.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ebook for free! I am leaving this feedback voluntarily.

"Devastation occurs whether we’re paying attention or not."

In a world where humanity's very memories are regulated, our protagonist shares with us through a series of contraband moments, intertwined into a story of government control, escalation, resistance, passion, and ultimately what it means to be free.

tropes & story components:
this is a hard book to boil down. Its a series of short stories that wind together in some unexpected ways. There is more of an overarching theme than there is an overarching plot.
- dystopian future
- corrupt, controlling government
- resistance

content warnings:
As with most novels of dystopian futures, this isn't a happy book.
- death
- war
- oppression
- racism
- sexism

what I liked:
this is one of the most impactful novels I've ever read. Honestly, I struggle to know what to say and how to describe it. This is a powerful, deep piece of art. I cannot recommend this book enough.

these quotes get honorable mentions:

"...they don’t want us to know what it’s like to live without fear."

"...the Party has been in power for far longer than you or I have existed. Is it so strange if we no longer remember how to resist?"

other notes:
I disagree with other reviewers who say it needs editing. I think perceived flaws were a stylistic choice. I noticed nothing objectively wrong.
What it needs is patience on the part of the reader. some of the points made are slow to build and some of the stories told are slow to interweave. its worth it. keep reading.


Thank you to netgalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good book! I think it was unique and well written. I enjoyed the way the book went over the past of the parents and how things are so different to them now. I enjoy the story!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

This book made me think of Cloud Atlas and Man in The High Castle. The information that is being shared, yet controlled and disruption when memories that were inherited shed light on the histories and world views. Thought-provoking unique read

A series of interwoven vignettes that tell a story of collective resistance from a reluctant narrator.

-Futuristic Dystopian government
-Brain uploading-biotechnology
-“Who watches the watchmen?”
-1984 meets Memento meets Netflix’s Travelers series.


China, now known as the one-world Qin Empire, is controlling its citizens using mindbanks, a surgically inserted memory drive. The government, henceforth known as “the Party” uses mindbanks to store a collective memory, used to educate and entertain its populace. The memories of many are closely monitored by the Party.

One day, a woman passes her memories to her son. It turns out that she has many unsanctioned memories in her mind bank. What will her son do with this knowledge?

This story is that collection of unsanctioned memories with interludes.


5 star potential, needs some edits I think!! Seriously, I could see a polished version of this book being taught in schools.

one of the best dystopian/sci-fi fiction i've read so far.

<i>"When I was a boy, my mother used to tell me stories of a world before memories could be shared between strangers..."</i>

in this book we get a tech-driven future where memories aren’t just personal—they’re currency. The Qin Empire rules with an iron grip, using Mindbanks, devices implanted into citizens’ brains, to record and even sell experiences. Enter Memory Capitalism, a system where the rich can live someone else’s life and the powerful can erase or manipulate history itself. the story kicks off with the unnamed narrator inheriting his mother’s illegal memories after her sudden death. but these aren’t just nostalgic moments—they’re explosive. it was packed with truths that could destabilize the empire, even owning them makes him a target. as the protagonist scrambles to share these memories before they’re destroyed, the novel unravels a series of snapshots—tales of sumo wrestlers, activists, swimmers, and watchmakers—all resisting the empire’s suffocating control.

each memory feels like its own little world, but together, they paint a bigger picture of rebellion and resilience. from ancient rituals to futuristic protests, the stories are gripping, diverse, and deeply human. the narrator’s mission to preserve his mother’s legacy gives the novel its emotional core, while the memories themselves push the boundaries of genre, blending sci-fi, history, and dystopian drama into something unforgettable. what makes this book hit so hard is how timely it feels ESPECIALLY TODAY. the surface of memory-swapping tech and empire politics is a sharp commentary on how easily governments and media can twist the truth. it's a reality check for anyone living in an age of misinformation and curated narratives. but don't get it twisted—the novel pulses with themes of love, sacrifice, and the power of storytelling to push back against erasure.

the writing is so immersive, with a modern vibe that keeps the pace sharp while still digging deep. the narrator’s voice feels raw and urgent, pulling you into his desperate mission as the stakes climb. this isn’t just another dystopian tale—it’s a wake-up call wrapped in a high-stakes, emotionally charged narrative.

if you’re into speculative fiction that’s smart, intense, and deeply relevant, These Memories Do Not Belong to Us is a must-read. it's a bold reminder that even in the darkest times, stories can save us—and that some truths are worth risking everything for.

thank you so much Yiming Ma & Mariner Books!
this novel deserves all the 5 stars in the world. it was so good.

This is a beautifully haunting novel that stayed with me long after I turned the last page. The way Ma writes about identity, memory, and belonging feels so raw and human, yet there’s this dreamlike quality to the story that makes it almost otherworldly. It’s one of those books that pulls you in gently and then leaves you questioning everything.

The protagonist’s struggle with piecing together borrowed memories while trying to hold on to their own identity really hit me. It’s such a unique concept, but it’s handled with so much care and depth that it never feels overcomplicated. I loved the way the book balanced emotional moments with big, thought-provoking ideas—there’s a lot to unpack, but it never feels overwhelming.

There were a few parts that felt a little abstract, and I had to stop and reread to fully get it, but honestly, I didn’t mind. That dreamlike quality added something special. This book felt like stepping into someone else’s memories, and it’s an experience I won’t forget anytime soon. 4/5 stars.