Avid fans of Sidney Sheldon will probably enjoy this book. It is indeed as is noted in the editorial reviews a rough-hewn and crudely carved sequel of "The Other Side of Midnight." Sheldon does not deviate from the routine trashy forumla replete with cliche bedroom scenes and a plethora of ruthless characters.Set in the late 1940s right after WWII, Catherine, wife of pilot Larry whom readers first encountered in "The Other Side of Midnight" regains her memory. She remembers how cruel Larry was to her and how he jilted her for his mistress, Noelle Page. Indeed, Noelle was the kept mistress of one Constantin Demiris who was written to sound like an ersatz Ari Onasis. Demiris, like a magician can make those in his disfavor disappear. Exit Larry and Noelle in the first installment.In this book, Catherine, the long-lost heroine is restored to glory and is swept off her feet by a man who is loosely based on the cliche Cavalry men.A psychiatrist and an eclectic mix of patients are thrown into this story; just how they are directly tied into the main plot has never been addressed. One character who is clearly written as an autistic savant displays some of the more prominent autistic behaviors. He is echolalic; he recites long chains of information and he knows the number and type of vehicles he passes in route to the doctor's office. His activities are solitary and few; he does not voluntarily interact with others. I am really tired of stories like this that portray characters with autism as automaton-like savants with isolated abilities that are far removed from the social world. I think stories like this do a grave disservice to those with autism and for others who come across autistic characters because it is just perpetuating a stereotype.This book does not really contain much of a mystery. It's just ruthless people getting even with each other. Even good old Demiris' wife Melina enters this story after having been relegated to shadow figure status in the original. Same old fare.An attorney who was directly involved in a trial engineered by Demiris re-enters the picture. Some fancy manuevering, and he runs away with the show. Literally.
Well, for many years I often wondered what Memories of Midnight would be about, and after having read it, I'm happy to say, it was the perfect ending to an outstanding story.This novel focused on Catherine Alexander, the character we first met in The Other Side of Midnight. And you will learn more about the great Constantin Demiris. In fact, had it not been for dear old Costa, we wouldn't have had much of a novel.I felt Sidney did a great job summing up the characters I grew to love in the first one. My only problem was I truly missed Noelle and Larry. Of course, if you read the first book, you know what happened to those characters, and I have to say they were sorely missed; however, if they were in this sequel, I'm not sure this book would have had the infamous twists and turns that Sidney was so well-known for doing. He was truly the master of plots. If you've never read one of his books, his writing sort of reminds you of a Law and Order episode, where there are several little stories that build up into a huge one. I've never read another author who can quite come up to Sidney's standard. I see why he won so many awards because he was truly a gifted author. I miss his work, but it's nice to revisit what he's left for us readers to intake.You will definitely enjoy this novel. Great read and fast paced!
What do You think about Memories Of Midnight (1991)?
Catherine is back and still crying like a baby and dying to fall in love! UGH! Hate that part of the story..Besides that... This one was entertaining but not as good as the other one.Demiris is back and ready to hunt down and kill everyone that pisses him off.. This time trying to cover his tracks. Melina.. she kept me reading it. She was so determined and I like determination. I wanted to find out what she was going to do about her husband, after everything he put her through! and what she did was awesome sad, but awesome and she got a standing ovation from me. I didn't like the ending at all! Thats the reason for only 3 stars.. It was so boring, non eventful, after all of the ups and downs that were placed in the books for the ending to be so blahhhh it made me mad!It was like riding a rollercoaster getting to the top where you will be dropped and then the whole park is shut down!So don't expect a superb ending.
—Crystal
Tip for anybody wanting to read this book... YOU HAVE TO READ PART ONE FIRST!!! PART ONE IS OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT. YOU NEED TO READ THAT BOOK TO UNDERSTAND THIS. both of them are GREAT!people dont like this book because they have not read other side of midnight. both books are outstanding and are a must read for any mystery lover. I was thoroughly gripped by this book.However... i will give this book a lower rating only because throughout the book Catherine is getting serious with guys she does not even know. but i wont tell you what happens to her.and also... i was not satisfied with the ending. the ending was not what i wanted.other than that... it was extremely good and i highly recommend Other side of midnight and Memories of midnight.
—Sherry
This is the sequel to The Other Side of Midnight and a worthy sequel all round. While the first was published in 1973, it wasn't until 1990 that this sequel was published. And since the first could have easily stood alone, I feel sure the author bowed to reader and publisher demand to provide a follow-up. Often that scenario ends in disaster for the second book but that's not the case here.This is basically a book of double-crossing. I mean everybody double and triple crosses everybody else in this story and so the fun of reading it becomes trying to figure out just how it's going to be done. One of the main characters from the first book is back, Catherine Alexander, but unfortunately, she is the patsy for all the other characters and batted about like a ping pong ball throughout the plot. For those readers of the first book who were left unfulfilled because not all story lines were fully resolved or for those that needed to have justice for the "bad" guys, then this is a must read.Overall a fun book to read.
—Benjamin Thomas
