Remembered by Yvonne Battle-Felton

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 2679 KB
• Print Length: 304 pages
• Publisher: Dialogue Books (7 Feb. 2019)
• Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B07GDNFDML

 

 

 

 

 

 

Synopsis

It is 1910 and Philadelphia is burning.

The last place Spring wants to be is in the rundown, coloured section of a hospital surrounded by the groans of sick people and the ghost of her dead sister. But as her son Edward lays dying, she has no other choice.

There’re whispers that Edward drove a streetcar into a shop window. Some people think it was an accident, others claim that it was his fault, the police are certain that he was part of a darker agenda. Is he guilty? Can they find the truth?

All Spring knows is that time is running out. She has to tell him the story of how he came to be. With the help of her dead sister, newspaper clippings and reconstructed memories, she must find a way to get through to him. To shatter the silences that governed her life, she will do everything she can to lead him home.

 

Review

Remembered is one of the books on the longlist for the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction, and after reading it I hope it gets to the shortlist, as it is such a wonderful book.  1910 Philadelphia, Spring visits her son Edward in the coloured part of the hospital and needs to tell him about his ancestry before he dies so he can go ‘home’ to be with his family.  Spring, with the help of her dead sister Tempe, recounts their history as slaves and takes us from the 1860’s to 1910 and the riots in Philadelphia, and the continued racial tensions. Remembered is about remembering your history, those who came before you and understanding where you came from.

Remembered is such a beautiful read full of historical detail, memorable characters and a lot of heart.  The story of Spring and her mother before her is heartbreaking and shocking in parts.  There is abduction, rape, suicide and violence but all are dealt with reality and empathy and not over dramatised. I found the history really interesting, emotional and informative especially learning the different categories of worker; slave, hired hand and freed slaves and what that meant for each individual. What comes through is a community that is supportive and is there for each other, to protect and love no matter what.  The white masters do not come out of this tale well, and neither should they considering some of the atrocities committed by them.

The characters of Spring and Tempe develop through the book and show a strength, belief and courage in their will to be free and escape their master Mr Walker; even after death Tempe is still strong and assertive.  Spring seems to have lost those she loves and now she is losing her son, who some believe drove the street car into the shop deliberately and are baying for his blood.  Through flashbacks she learns the truth about her beloved son and what actually happened that evening.  Her belief, and her sister’s spirit by her side give her the fortitude to tell Edward his story and know that he is going ‘home’ to his family.  Yvonne Battle-Felton breathes life into these wonderful women and their story and you cant help but take them to your heart.  Through their personal story we see how slavery effected them, and others around them, and how once free they were still battling prejudice.

Remembered is a powerful and haunting read and one that I will remember for a long time.  The personal history of being a slave and the continued racial tensions and segregation are brought to life with such wonderful insight and compassion. Not always an easy read, but in my opinion a must read, this book held my heart from the first to the last page and beyond. Emotive, erudite and breathtaking, this is a book we will hear a lot about this year and I hope will win some awards. Simply stunning!

 

Thank you for reading my review of Remembered, I really hope it might make you think of reading this wonderful book.  I really appreciate all your comments, shares and likes ad remember you can follow me on social media or get my reviews sent via email if you subscribe to my blog. ❤️