In a world where people can only remember one or two days in the past, the murder of a woman sets off a chain of events involving a famous author, his wife, and a detective. The story unfolds in a society divided between Monos and Duos, where memories are recorded in diaries and emotions like love and hatred are challenged. The book presents a murder mystery with unexpected twists and a unique premise that explores the impact of memory on relationships and society.

Characters:

The characters are generally unlikable but complex, involved in a web of personal motives and societal dynamics.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is polished and suspenseful, combining elements of literary style with a captivating thriller experience.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative revolves around a society divided by memory retention capabilities, with a central murder mystery that examines the implications of such a world.

Setting:

The setting is a contemporary society uniquely shaped by memory retention characteristics, creating a distinct social order.

Pacing:

The pacing has moments of drag and complexity, but also includes engaging twists that keep the reader guessing.

A man is whimpering in the kitchen. He is also blocking my way to the marble counter where my iDiary lies, its LED indicator still flashing electric purple. I squint; he’s clutching his left hand and ...

Notes:

Felicia Yap's novel 'Yesterday' is set in a world where people have limited memory retention abilities.

In this world, Monos can only remember the past day, while Duos can remember the past two days.

Everyone keeps a diary to track important events due to their memory limitations.

The story involves a murder mystery that challenges the perceptions of truth and memory.

The characters are described as mostly unlikable, which may make it hard for some readers to connect with them.

The novel explores themes of class distinction based on memory capability, with Duos considered superior to Monos.

The plot features a significant twist that changes the understanding of the characters and events.

Felicia Yap has a diverse professional background, including roles in science and education, before becoming a writer.

The book is often compared to popular thrillers like 'Gone Girl' and 'Before I Go to Sleep'.

'Yesterday' challenges traditional notions of history and personal narrative, as people can only remember a day or two of their own past.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for Yesterday would include themes of murder, moral conflict, and emotional manipulation, which may be sensitive for some readers.

Has Romance?

There is a medium level of romance in Yesterday, primarily illustrated through the relationships between characters and their emotional struggles.

From The Publisher:

How do you solve a murder when you can only remember yesterday?

Imagine a world in which classes are divided not by wealth or religion but by how much each group can remember. Monos, the majority, have only one day's worth of memory; elite Duos have two. In this stratified society, where Monos are excluded from holding high office and demanding jobs, Claire and Mark are a rare mixed marriage. Clare is a conscientious Mono housewife, Mark a novelist-turned-politician Duo on the rise. They are a shining example of a new vision of tolerance and equality-until...

A beautiful woman is found dead, her body dumped in England's River Cam. The woman is Mark's mistress, and he is the prime suspect in her murder. The detective investigating the case has secrets of his own. So did the victim. And when both the investigator's and the suspect's memories are constantly erased - how can anyone learn the truth?

Told from four different perspectives, that of Mark, Claire, the detective on the case, and the victim - Felicia Yap's staggeringly inventive debut leads us on a race against an ever-resetting clock to find the killer. With the science-fiction world-building of Philip K. Dick and the twisted ingenuity of Memento, Yesterday is a thriller you'll never forget.

Reader Stats (34):

Want To Read (18)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (15)

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Yesterday?

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About the Author:

Felicia Yap grew up in Kuala Lumpur. She read biochemistry at Imperial College London, followed by a doctorate in history at Cambridge University. She has written for The Economist and the Business Times. She has also been a radioactive-cell biologist, a war historian, a Cambridge lecturer, a technology journalist, a theater critic, a flea-market trader, and a catwalk model. Felicia lives in London and is a recent graduate of the Faber Academy's novel-writing program.

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Yesterday

Felicia Yap