The Chimes

More about the book

"A HIGHLY ORIGINAL DYSTOPIAN MASTERPIECE" --Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize winning author of March. "FOR ALL THE POETRY AND LYRICISM, THE CHIMES IS A SOLID SUSPENSEFUL ADVENTURE STORY AT HEART" -- NPR Books. This mind-expanding literary debut intertwines memory, music, and imagination. A boy stands alone on a rainy roadside, journeying to London with no memories beyond what he can physically hold. Written words are forbidden, and he has no parents—only a haunting melody urging him forward. This song promises answers about his past if he reaches the capital. In this world, life is governed by a vast musical instrument that prevents people from forming new memories. Each day feels identical, and the past remains a mystery. However, Simon begins to experience fleeting memories, waking each morning with an urgent sense of purpose. In the city, he encounters Lucien, who possesses a unique gift for hearing and harbors secrets about Simon’s past. This stunning debut, rich in themes of memory, music, love, and freedom, immerses readers in a captivating world that inspires and enthralls.