Memory of Water by Emmi Itaranta

Memory of Water by Emmi Itaranta is classified as YA dystopian fiction. While it has the same defining features of YA dystopian fiction that Feed and The Hunger Games has, Memory of Water is most interesting because of its differences.

One of the biggest differences is that Emmi Itaranta is Finnish, instead of American, as all the previous books I have written about are American. She translated her original Finnish novel into English for American readers. (That is very unusual and impressive.)

Emmi Itaranta's writing style is very different from typical dystopian novels. From what I've read online, her writing is very characteristic of Finnish fiction, which often leaves the plot open-ended and lets the reader fill in the story with their imaginations. Itaranta's writing is similar to poetry. There are many repeated phrases and a light flowing melody to her words. One of the best parts of reading Memory of Water for me was just listening to the individual sentences and paragraphs as if they were their own poems.

For those expecting a typical heart-racing story or hoping to uncover a dark and disturbing secret about a conformist world, Memory of Water will disappoint. But if you approach the novel with an open mind, you might really enjoy this book.

Memory of Water follows Noria Kaitio in the land of New Qian, in which China rules over Finland and the rest of Europe. Global Warming has taken its toll on the land, and water is a scarce resource. The soil is dry and makes it hard for plants to grow. Heaps of old trash line the landscape.

As a tea master, Noria's father has a very important and well-respected job as a master of water. He holds a great responsibility that Noria is not aware of until it is her time to take up his job. Meanwhile, water grows more and more scarce. Noria isn't sure what to do - how much responsibility she needs to take to help the people of her town. There is also a possibility she is being watched...

I think Memory of Water is worth checking out. Dystopian fiction does not all have to fall into a tightly defined category. Memory of Water certainly doesn't, but it has a lot to offer.