Wow, this book was captivating. If you liked The Invention of Hugo Cabret, you'll love The Memory Bank. Like Hugo Cabret, much of the story is told in black and white illustrations; however, that doesn't mean that these are easy books to read. I found myself re-reading the pages with illustrations multiple times because so much of the story is inferred through the pictures.
The Memory Bank is a story of two sisters, Hope and Honey. Their parents abandon poor Honey on the side of the road and warn Hope to forget about Honey forever. Hope gives up, and in the process, stops making new memories. This leads to an investigation by The Memory Bank, as The Clean Sweep Gang is warring against memory and encouraging people to forget. As Hope learns about the process of collecting memories and meeting intriguing characters in The Memory Bank, Honey is on an adventure of her own; will Hope be able to find her sister and make new happy memories, or will she lose Honey forever to the Clean Sweep Gang? This enchanting story is a great one to share and discuss with a friend, as its dream-like telling leaves you with just the right amount of answered questions, as well as some unanswered questions about the magical setting of this book.
