Lucien is adrift. He has lost his grandmother , and is not coping well. A new procedure will erase his memories and gradually reintroduce them. As he awaits his turn he grapples with the need to find a way to help him remember all she was to him. He looks for a token to spur the memories back. It is a utopian idea , and a scary premise. The fact that your memories are subject to another’s whim even if it’s for your well being is unnerving. We are collages of every incident and accident we have, if you cherry pick them how authentic are we?

As a nurse who works with Alzheimer's patients daily, I was very intrigued by the premise of this book. I continued to be interested and fascinated as the characters partake in an expirmental drug called Mem.

With today's culture focused on new drugs and the treatment of all types of condition, I can envision this entire scenario occuring. There might have even been a movie similar to this recently, but I cannot recall the name. However, this felt like a movie in my head. The unfortunate part of new drugs is that we just don't know the long term effects, such as forgetting everything that happened in a drug meant to help us remember.

Sophie and Lucien are fabulous characters and I loved reading their story. I hope to read more from this author.

Totally creepy. I thought it was very well written but I was turned off by the plot. Still, a great story idea and a nicely done prose style.

𝐇𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐲. 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫; 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬. 𝐇𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭.

An experimental drug, Memoroxin, that shimmers in pill form, is a cutting edge therapy developed to treat Alzheimer’s patients as well as those who have mental illness or other neurological disorders, like PTSD, schizophrenia. The ‘cutting edge treatment’ lead by Dr. Angelica Sloane, uses the patient’s own memories as “an essential tool” to heal them. As with any substance, on the heels of it’s creation the abusers follow. Meet Lucien, a photographer who is still suffering with regrets and massive shame over the loss of his mother and famous artist, Isabel Bennet. She was a free spirit, terrifyingly so, always leaving him waiting for her. If only he could be that open, that liberated, if only he could finish a piece. He is caring for his grandmother in LA, as she undergoes treatment for her deteriorating mind. In the shimmering pills are memories of his mother, memories he covets. Lucien seizes the chance to see his mother through his grandmother’s eyes, by consuming his grandmother’s pills. It’s a form of remembering, he can capture the joy again- but at what cost? Through her mind, he can see versions of his mother he never knew, many ages and stages. It’s a violation, he knows this, these are not his treasures but are the memories wasted if his grandmother can’t retain them, as she is slowly disappearing herself into a place he cannot go?

Are we our memories? What happens when they are abused like other illicit drugs? Sophie is a ballerina and a waitress at the Chateau Marmont, recently cast in La Slyphide with the Los Angeles Ballet. No one understands living in the body, its limits, more than a dedicated dancer. Rubbing shoulders with “the beautiful people”, the Hollywood elite, is a dream her younger self back in Minneapolis, wouldn’t believe. It is where she has come to know Ray Delaney, Hollywood producer, the man pardoned from all his vile behavior. Just an example of the less glamorous people, the unseen, sleazy side of such beautiful haunts. Mem is the hot drug on the scene, “all over the Chateau”, the “ultimate escape”, losing yourself in others consciousness and memories. Sometimes the choice is out of our hands, lives led to ruin by the powerful. What could go wrong?

Both Lucien and Sophie end up at The Center, a rehabilitation clinic for addicts and abusers of Mem, headed up by Dr. Sloane. Sloane’s earlier days of research come into the story, showing she isn’t much different from the patients themselves. Angelica longs to convey “there is a way through it”, it being the pain. She also, though, knows the horror of seeing yourself from the other side, through another’s eyes, something we should never witness. It is our own memories we need to feed off of, our “happiest years”. She just wants to heal the suffering but she isn’t beyond the worst sort of violations, an intruder of intimacy. A bit of the novel deals with her story. Lucien and Sophie want themselves back, their own memories, where others aren’t encroaching on their minds. He has been losing himself in his grandmother’s moments. Sophie, in a horror story, with a stranger in her mind. The tale delves into the before Mem brought ruin and after the clinic. They feel a connection, they may have known each other before, there must be something to this familiarity. Neither can remember, until… They become close in rehab, Sophie just wants to see life from her own perspective and Lucien makes her feel like herself again. He is released first. Once they are both out, there are holes in their memories. Will they find each other again?

I often had a feeling of distraction, the past and present. They are troubled, tormented by Mem for different reasons. The story is quite sad, actually. Trauma isn’t an easy topic to address. The ideal of escaping it, from severe to mild- what exactly is that measure anyway? Trauma, pain, loss- it can feel like it has stolen our lives. For some reason it was Lucien that I kept connecting with. I liked this novel but also had to take my time with it. I thought Sophie’s Mem experience is, by far, the worst. Talk about a victim of circumstance. I don’t want to give away too much. It’s a fascinating and to me, horrifying idea- living through another’s perspective. No thank you, mine is difficult enough. What about dark memories, tormented minds and sharing in their thoughts? Hmmm…

What if someone’s memories intrude, haunt us? How do know which emotion is our own? Who are we if our mind is breaking away? Could joyful memories really fix what is broken? Are we better without pain? What do you think?

Published August 10th, 2021

Atria Books

This book was reminiscent of the 2004 movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, in its exploration of what happens when one tampers with memories. However, while the movie focuses on choosing to remove certain people/events from one’s memory, the book explores what happens when one adopts another’s memories through abuse of an experimental Alzheimer’s drug called Memoroxin, or “Mem”, for short.

I have now read three books in a row in which the author utilizes a “then” and “now” text structure in order to organize the events of the novel to show how the characters got where they are, and ultimately, where they are going. I was a bit put off by that at first, just because I’m beginning to feel that format is being overused, however, in this book it worked very well. I liked that there were some holes that the “present” storyline introduced, that the “past” storyline filled in. The two narratives worked together throughout the book rather than existing in their own spheres and waiting to come together until the end. I appreciated that.

In addition, I thought the prose was absolutely beautiful. There were so many lines after which I just stopped because they were so well put, I had to stop and think about them some more. My favorite series of lines was: “Anything to take the edge off. Is it an edge because it’s sharp, or because you’re looking over it, into the void?” Whew! What a thought.

Overall, I really loved the book, the storyline, and how it was written. There was just one storyline - that of Dr. Sloane and her daughter - that I wish had been explored a little further and had come to a more concrete conclusion. The reader does get the sense that things will end positively for them, but though they were secondary characters, I still would have liked a firmer resolution to their story. However, that would not deter me from recommending this book. It is very well written and offers the reader a lot to think about.

Ugh. I sooooo wanted to love this. This book sounded better in theory, than it did plot-wise. I do think this book should be adapted to screen. This story would make a great feature film. I really struggled with the writing style. Meredith Westgate's prose is good, but it was very long winded and over detailed to death. It was also very confusing too. Something about the writing just irked me, which made it a chore to get through. I do think parts of this novel were intense and emotional. I definitely felt something. The characters were complex and intriguing. But overall, I think this book was trying way too hard to be edgy and controversial. 3 stars for the story, all the stars for the gorgeous cover!

Thank you, Netgalley and Atria for the digital ARC.

This is a creative and thought-provoking read. A new, experimental drug is being tested in California. The drug, Memoroxin, helps people recover their memories and is being targeted to treat Alzheimer’s. But some are abusing the drug, taking it to feel what it is like to experience other people's memories, which can make it difficult to some people to function as they experience two sets of memories in one mind. Lucien and Sophie, the two main characters, meet at The Center, established to treat those who have abused Memoroxin. But they have no memory of how they got there, having taken the drug, or why they seem to have some pre-existing connection. Through the story, which switches from their time before entering The Center to after, we learn about Lucien and Sophie, their lives and relationships, and what brought them to the Center.

This book was really interesting. It looks at memories, perspective, and identity; how they interrelate; and how having access to others memories can shape the stories we tell ourselves and present to each other.

Recommended!

What an interesting premise!

The pace of the book was slow, but I think the pace was in line with the flow of the book.

Initially, it was difficult to keep track of the characters with the back and forth between last and present. Once I got about a third into the book, I was able to keep them straight.

This book definitely made me think of the what-if. At times, I felt like I was stuck in a weird dream or trance, and I liked reading something that really made think.

This is not the usual sort of book I would read, and I teetered on rating 3 stars, but I think it would be closer to 3.5 stars.

If you’re looking for something unusual, and different from the rest, definitely grab this one!

I can see why some would rate 5 stars. It’s the type of book that depending upon your mood you will either be really into it or not.

THE SHIMMERING STATE is a lyrical, dreamy, character-driven, not-so-dystopian novel about memory and identity. I honestly don’t have enough words to describe it, I’m still reeling a bit. This one definitely leaves you with a bit of a “WHAT IF…” mind trip. What started as a revolutionary way to treat dementia, “mem” has turned into THE exclusive party drug. Want to relive the memory of an Olympic athlete at the height of their competition? Or travel the world? What happens when you blur the lines between yourself and the memories you consume? I honestly feel like this would make a GREAT book club or discussion book on the themes alone.

This book is on the slower-paced side but I think balances two POV characters and their dual timelines in the "before" and then the "current" timeline when they are in a treatment center for taking Mem. I was instantly invested in how they got from the before to the "current" and how both characters changed in such little time. However, the prose does meander a bit through their lives and memories and makes the reader sit with these characters a bit longer to get answers. To me, this aligned well with other literary fiction or character-driven pacing and with the themes of memory in this book.

CW for this one: sexual assault, substance use/abuse, suicide (& attempts), death of a family member, cancer

I’d recommend this to fans of character-driven, lyrical prose, Black Mirror, and Blake Crouch.

As a librarian, I know I'm not supposed to judge a book by its cover. But, I'm only human and this cover was so irresistible to me that I picked it up without even reading the summary. And wow I'm glad I did. This was a weird and beautiful book that hit the Emily St. John Mandel superfan in me just right. Highly recommend.

The Shimmering State is a pretty unique book with a plot that made me feel like I was in the middle of a Black Mirror episode. I was intrigued and intereted during the time I read it, albeit a bit confused. At times, reading this book felt like one of those dreams where you're trying to run but your feet are stuck in quicksand.

Overall, this was a compelling and interesting book that will do well! The cover is stunning as well.

The concept of this book was so so cool. I liked the idea of Memoroxin and the people it impacted and I just thought it was interesting and definitely realistic. I liked the characters and their stories, but I definitely never connected to the characters. I just wanted to love this book so so much, but it took me so long to read and I just was not as intrigued and captivated as I thought I would. I’m not sure why this was for me, but it was just a really long book and the structure was really confusing at times. I think I needed a stronger and more clear beginning to set the tone for the book and keep me reading. Unfortunately for me, the concept was the best part and the execution fell a little short for me. It just felt like the blurb and the book I read were two completely different things.

At first I thought this was going pretty well as a story, it was entertaining to read and the structure worked. Then it all fell apart. Too many story additions in the last quarter of the book and the ending was messy, felt rushed, and honestly didn’t make sense in some aspects. But overall I’d give this a 3.5

It reminded me of another book I read and a tv series I had previously seen. The concept isn’t really new but the way it’s handled seems fresh.

The concept of The Shimmering State is an interesting one, with a new drug Memoroxin that allows people to experience memories. Not just experience, but fully live them. Initially developed to treat Alzheimer's the drug is abused, leading to the creation of a recovery centre where we find our two protagonists. Some people seem to believe this is a science fiction novel, it really is not - it's a story of addiction and firmly in the literary fiction genre (in my opinion)

Sophie and Lucien have different experiences with Memoroxin, while Lucien willingly took his grandmother's drug to deal with the grief associated with his mother's death, Sophie was unwillingly drugged which caused her to spiral. Having met prior to their addiction, they are drawn to each other in the recovery centre.

The novel switches between the present in the treatment centre and "before", showing what lead both Sophie and Lucien to treatment. I really struggled to get into the book. Part 1, which is over half of the book, dragged for me. It wasn't until Part 2 that the novel really picked up its pacing.

I was also underwhelmed by the storyline involving Dr. Sloane and Remy. It didn't feel completely concluded by the end. I think a couple of additionally chapters from Sloane's perspective, and definitely from Remy's would have helped the novel.

THE SHIMMERING STATE is a pretty wild book, My first instinct is to say it's similar to a Black Mirror episode, but of course the novel has a lot more nuance and heart than the TV show. In this not too distant futuristic LA, people begin abusing a drug that is meant for Alzheimer patients to take to regain their memories. Except, when you take it and it's not meant for you, it can have serious side effects and that's where we meet our protagonists: at a rehab facility designed specifically to fix people whose brains have become a bit warped because of this. On paper, this sounds like a fantastic plot but the book is a bit confusing and muddled at times, and I often felt like I had to slog my way through this debut.

It was certainly compelling to see why people would want to take the drug and live other people's memories. We see actors who take it so they can easily access other people's experiences to make their craft better, people who want to see themselves through other people's eyes, and sons who want to see their mothers who have passed through the eyes of their aging grandparents. It's a tough read at times, and easily pulls at your heartstrings even though the prose is sparse and sometimes even cold. It's certainly more of an experience than a plot heavy book but I commend the shooting for the moon and would love to see this as an indie film someday.

This book has such an interesting premise - the ability to download memories, put them in pill form (Memoroxin), and feed them back to an individual. Of COURSE, these pills hit the black market and become illicit substances. It's LA, after all, that shimmering mirage of a city. The book alternates between Before, when we meet Lucien and Sophie before their use of Memoroxin, and Today, when they are both patients at The Center - a place to detox from illegal Mem use. Several interesting questions are raised in the book - should we have the ability to erase memories? If we have that ability, who should have the control to decide what memories are kept? Should we be able to take others Mem pills to view life through their eyes? What happens if/when we do that? What is memory?

"Lucien moves to Los Angeles to be with his grandmother as she undergoes an experimental memory treatment for Alzheimer’s using the new drug, Memoroxin. An emerging photographer, he’s running from the sudden death of his mother, a well-known abstract expressionist painter. Even far from New York, her legacy haunts Lucien.

Sophie has just been cast as a lead in the upcoming performance of La Sylphide with the Los Angeles Ballet. She still waitresses during her off-hours at the Chateau Marmont, witnessing the recreational use of Mem pills among the Hollywood elite—people consuming memories not their own. One controlling, powerful regular’s obsession with Sophie spurs a series of events that threatens to unravel the life she has so carefully built.

When Lucien and Sophie meet at The Center, founded by the ambitious yet conflicted Dr. Angelica Sloane as a way to treat patients who’ve abused Mem, they have no memory of how they got there—or why they feel so inexplicably drawn to one another. Is it attraction, or something they cannot remember from “before”?"

Sophie and Lucien wind up at the Center for different reasons, and have different treatments. The book does end on a note of hope, as they meet again post treatment and still feel the pull towards one another. But I also found the book a bit depressing - Sophie endures some horrors, Lucien is horribly depressed, Dr. Sloane makes questionable decisions.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

First, I would like to say that I think the premise of this book is really unique. Having a pill that can provide a person their memories is not that far off in my opinion. It's not quite present day, but not quite the future; think the LA where the movie "Her" is set. Also, the cover of this book is absolutely perfect. It really captures the novel.

As for the direction the story takes, I thought there would be a more of a dramatic reason as to why Sophie and Lucien end up at the Center. The summary kind of hypes it up, but the execution of that plot line fell a bit flat for me. I appreciated seeing the development of Lucien and Sophie's character, though I wish we had more development of Angelica's. Her development seems a bit fast, and when I first read her perspectives it read a little forced.

The pacing of this novel was a bit slow for my liking, and I felt I dragged myself along here and there.

Overall, I think Westgate did a good job with her debut novel; I really appreciated the unique premise. I look forward to reading more of her work.

Thanks to @Netgalley and @AtriaBooks for letting me read this fantastic book. A big thank you to @MeredithWestgate for writing @TheShimmeringState. I really enjoyed this book. It hit home on a couple of the key parts of the story (dementia and addiction). I thought the characters really made the book a more enjoyable story. They were written well and when the story ended, I wanted more. I will suggested it to anyone that will listen. Thanks again.

At first I wasn't sure whether this novel was going to grab me, but then, it did. The premise is intriguing: there's a new drug developed for people with Alzheimer's that captures people's memories and then delivers them to those same people in pill form. Naturally, the drug is craved by people who want to delve into the lives of others.

Lucien's recent loss of his mother leads him to take his grandmother's pills, so he can remember his mother as his grandmother does. Sophie has someone else's memories forced on her by a manipulator who plays with the drug. Both find themselves at the Center, where a questionable psychiatrist helps people reject other's memories and regain their own.

By far the most compelling parts of the novel are Lucien's memories as his grandmother Florence, as he lives her life filled with surprises he never knew about. Sophie's story is grittier but less satisfying. There's a partially developed tangent about the doctor's entry into her daughter's memories that has the possibility of exploring the manipulative side of these drugs, but it is not fleshed out.

The exploration of someone else's memories could be a cluttered mess, but Meredith Westgate keeps them crisp and enthralling. She's a good writer and I look forward to where her imagination takes her--and us--next.

I loveeeeddd this one! The premises was something new and interesting and unlike anything I have read before! Highly recommend.