The Memory Painter

By: Gwendolyn Womack

Narrated by: Will Damron

Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Two lovers who have traveled across time, a team of scientists at the cutting edge of memory research - a miracle drug that unlocks an ancient mystery....

Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there's a secret to his success: Every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. When Bryan wakes, he possesses extraordinary new skills - like the ability to speak obscure languages and an inexplicable genius for chess. All his life he has wondered if his dreams are recollections, if he is reexperiencing other people's lives.

Linz Jacobs is a brilliant neurogeneticist absorbed in decoding the genes that help the brain make memories until she is confronted with an exact rendering of a recurring nightmare at one of Bryan's shows. She tracks down the elusive artist, and their meeting triggers Bryan's most powerful dream yet: visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer's, died in a lab explosion decades ago.

As Bryan becomes obsessed with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the scientists' deaths, his dreams begin to reveal what happened at the lab as well as a deeper mystery that may lead all the way to ancient Egypt. Together Bryan and Linz start to discern a pattern. But a deadly enemy watches their every move, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that the past stays buried.

A taut thriller and a timeless love story spanning six continents and 10,000 years of history, The Memory Painter is a riveting debut novel unlike any you've ever listened to.

©2015 Gwendolyn Womack (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Creative plot

Any additional comments?

The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack has a great premise. An artist, Bryan, has been haunted his whole life with 'remembering' previous lives. He has no control over it, and goes into a fugue-like state where he paints a scene from that life. Interestingly he gains the skills of the individual - chess master level chess skills, fluency in the language, samurai fighting skills and so on. One day he meets Lyns, a specialist in brain chemistry and memory. He recognizes her as a soul he's been connected to repeatedly. She has had recurring nightmares about being put to death in 3rd century Rome. She is shocked when she see's Bryan's painting of that nightmare.

Over the course of the novel, Bryan tries to convince Lyns of their connection, but his most recent memories of he last life point to Lyns' father's involvement in his death, along with Lyns in her previous incarnation. The novel moves at a good clip and we see Bryan in various incarnations and Lyns as she tries to make sense of all the seemingly random connections with Bryan. The individual lives are interesting, eventually bringing the reader to ancient Egypt and the idea that there was once an advanced civilization whose knowledge was lost to later generations. The idea is well executed and based on the nature of the past lives connections, plot incidences that might otherwise feel coincidental or even 'deus ex machina" make sense in the context. The characters were distinct enough and there were enough twists and suspense to keep my engagement high. Then ending worked well, although it left enough open that I wonder if there will be a sequel.

I enjoyed the dips into history and the brushes with the famous. Womack knew her the individuals she based 'past lives' on as well as their settings and the history. Womack used myth well to pull the threads together. While not the literary event of the year, it was an entertaining read that was thought provoking. Over all I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fast-paced mystery based in science and in history.

its great!!!

The book was great and very interesting this should be made a movie the ending was mind blowing and the narrorators voice was very soothing 10/10 would recommend this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Need more of this writer

What did you love best about The Memory Painter?

loved the way she made this story woven with personal histories through time. I've now read both of Ms. Womack books and can't wait for the next one. This book I did not want to end but wanted to know the ending. I believe those are the best books

What did you like best about this story?

several life times of history

Which scene was your favorite?

Egypt. This writer with the help of the reader can bring to life a scene.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I just liked the flow. Not to long in any place but moving at just the right pace.

Any additional comments?

Can't wait for the next book!

Loved it

Really enjoyed this story and the giant plot twist towards the end. At this point I’ve read two of Womack’s book and haven’t been disappointed or bored.

Fantastic story!

Great story with wonderful character development. I really look forward to hearing about their next adventure!

I enjoyed the narration

I enjoyed listening to the narrator. But after awhile I did become a bit confused with all the characters going back and forth in time. I felt I needed to take notes to keep up with who was who. After awhile I gave up on remembering who was who and just enjoyed the listen.

Couldn't stop listening

I loved the author's idea and story telling. The dips into several times through history was very intriguing. Narrator was good. Second book I have listened too from this author.

And again, Gwendolyn has delivered a showstopper.

I cannot say enough amazing things about this author. I absolutely adore her work. I love that it works my brain a little bit while still being easy to follow once you get into the feel of the approach to storytelling. I love that this author is taking reality-based grand mysteries of the Earth and using her imagination (or honestly maybe it's not imagin, but will we ever know) to spin an enriching and invigorating story that will grab you by the throat shortly in, take you on a magnificent journey, and drop you off at the other end both satisfied and largely contemplative. I cannot describe how heartbroken I was to find out that I had come to the end of her entire collection currently, and I'm deeply hoping that she continues to put out masterpieces such as the three she has already written.

The performer has a comforting voice that is easy to listen to over long periods of time, however a Siri mildly annoying tone on the main female antagonist. however the slight blip is easy to look over as the story grips you from the get-go, and it's just the flavor that the narrator put on that one voice.

A giant thank you to Gwendolyn for gracing my library with this treasure. I truly hope that there are more to come.

Been a while since I've been this enthralled

I read The Fortune Teller first and was wowed by it. Then I went back to see what else the author had done, and I am beyond Wowed with The Memory Painter. Glad I read them in this order though, and hoping there is a sequel to Bryan and Linz's adventures. I listened to this and now am buying the book, since there were so many mini-stories with unusual names--I want to keep them all straight. Intriguing, and loved the way it really used the potential of the mind and past lives. Double Wow!

Loved this Take-Me-Away Story

Gwendolyn Womack knows her history. Her awareness of esoteric knowledge is vast and deep as she interweaves reincarnation and mastery, art and power into a great story spanning 10,000 years. It’s motivational and inspirational, creating the desire to know our own personal lineage. Great job Gwendolyn. Thank You!