There are many classic tales of amnesia: a stranger with no memory arrives into a secure world, with danger following close behind, an errant husband returns with no memory of his past years, or an innocent young woman awakens to find herself married or betrothed to a stranger. All these tales contain secrets that must be unraveled, and until the character with no past can "remember," unknown danger threatens the livelihood of all. Listed below are some of our readers' favorite titles on this very popular romance theme.
What's The Appeal?
Amnesia victims have no memory; yet it is a human's
memory that mandates her/his behavior. Each individual's memory
holds her/his personal history, belief system, socialization skills
and temperament. Essentially, without memory one is free to become
another person. With no past to draw from, every experience is new
and must be approached from a fresh perspective.
A human's characteristics are complex. No one is strictly clever, shy, witty,
brash, bumbling or even retiring. Most people exhibit all of these
characteristics and many more. After a lifetime of crafting an
identity, one's behavior is quite circumscribed. However, identity
is often affected by the other people an individual interacts with
on a daily basis. A savvy business woman with a spine of steel may
be incredibly vulnerable in the bedroom–yet if you shared this
information with her business associates they would have difficulty
believing you. Lose your memory and not only do you forget how you
are "supposed to act," but no one else knows what to expect from the
"new" you either.
A person's success and survival are dependent
on her/his ability to socialize within the community. For instance,
a rake whose reckless behavior has made him an outcast will not be
welcomed by the gentry or allowed to marry their daughters. If he
must procreate, he will have to do so outside of his "accepted"
social circle.
When you subtract a person's memory from their
make-up, you allow them an opportunity to rebuild their belief
system. They can then be accepted by their peers, and readmitted
into society.
An amnesia victim has a fresh start. Not only does
that person get to recreate their own personality, they have a
chance to right wrongs, and to create a new personal belief system.
It is this chance for absolute redemption that makes the amnesia
story so appealing to readers.
-Kate Ryan
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