Remembrance by Rita Woods

Nov 17, 2019 Renee (The B-Roll) rated it it was amazing

First of all, a huge thanks to Bookish First for an ARC of this book; I actually used the points I had saved up to request this book versus winning it. As soon as I saw the cover I was intrigued and then once I read the synopsis I was hooked. This book is one of many new books for this year and the very very end of last year that discusses the African and African-American experience specifically thought the Atlantic Slave Trade and slavery in the French-speaking countries and colonies of the First of all, a huge thanks to Bookish First for an ARC of this book; I actually used the points I had saved up to request this book versus winning it. As soon as I saw the cover I was intrigued and then once I read the synopsis I was hooked. This book is one of many new books for this year and the very very end of last year that discusses the African and African-American experience specifically thought the Atlantic Slave Trade and slavery in the French-speaking countries and colonies of the Caribbean. I am excited to see more of these sorts of novels and narratives coming to light and am especially taken with their science fiction/fantasy spins on them. At the end of last year, I read The Deep and it too has that same overarching slavery-based narrative with an interesting science fiction/fantasy twist.

This novel follows three different storylines scattered throughout history but that eventually connect back together. I love the idea of connecting histories and stories and it works perfectly for this book.

Gaelle is a current-day woman who has lost the majority of her family after the destructive earthquake in Haiti and has made a life and home for herself in Ohio. She works at an elderly care facility and is especially taken with one elderly African-American woman who never speaks, never moves, and never has visitors. The facility managers and caretakers don't even know her name. One day while on duty, Gaelle sees a dark and shadowy man in the woman's room and she learns that he calls her Winter. Gaelle seems to always be extremely warm, to the point where if she concentrates hard enough things will burst into flames.
Margot is a young house slave in New Orleans with her sister Veronique and her mother. As plague, fevers, and disease wreak havoc upon the city, the family she is owned by and works for must flee to their country home called Far Water. While there, the patriarch of the family stays behind in the city and eventually succumbs to the disease. Debt collectors visit the family home at Far Water daily but when the debt must finally be paid, the family is forced to sale young Margot and Veronique. They are taken with a fight and moved to a much smaller family with less care than previous. Margot realizes that she has an innate ability to sense the particles that makeup things. With her ability, she can essentially infiltrate nearly anything and make it change its inherent structures.
Abigail is a house slave in Haiti who begins to notice changes happening amongst the other slaves on the island. Within days, the historic Haitian Slave Revolts begin and Abigail is forced to leave the island with the family, leaving her own sons behind. Prior to her forced departure, Abigail watches as her husband is burned alive for his part in the revolts. They arrive in New Orleans and eventually to the family's new home where Abigail tries to make a life without her own family and without knowing the fate of her sons. Overcome with stress and sadness, Abigail leaves the family and escapes into the bayou with the help of two strangers that follow her in the city, Simone and Josiah. While there, they teach her the ways of religions and spiritual work that supplements her own natural abilities. Abigail, or Mother Abigail as she is later called, has the ability to warp spacetime. With her abilities, she warps time and space to create a safe haven for Africans on the Underground Railroad, called Remembrance. One day, Abigail finds a baby tucked under the dead and frozen mother's body; she names her Winter. They live at Remembrance and help others on the Underground Railroad seek safety.
This book has soooo much going on in it, at first it seems like it would be nearly impossible to keep it all straight and understand what is happening but honestly, that is not the case at all. Because this book is so well written and the concepts are nicely thought out, those three storylines, as well as the other characters all, mesh together so well. How they each spill over and influence others was perhaps my favorite part of this book. Seeing how this is done and how the characters come to realize it is so much fun to read.

The overall concept of connecting storylines and characters was really what drew me in. I also read that the author got the idea for this book after she saw something on quantum mechanics! I think that little personal story about how this book's ideas came into fruition is so amazing and I loved how those scientific ideas just leached right into this book in so many ways. This book and its multiple plot lines just feel so smart and intelligent, and well-done on so many levels.

The confluence of so many strong women was really what drew me into this book. I was excited that three different women's storylines would be represented in this book, each offering a different view of the atrocity of slavery. Books like this are important and need to be read more widely because it speaks upon several topics. First, how awful, dehumanizing, and degrading slavery was. There is a point in this book where a white character is offered the chance to think about what makes people of color the go-to selection for a slave. I like that this book is not afraid to make some bold comments and ask some serious questions that need to be brought to life more often. Secondly, this book highlights how strong and resilient women are and what lengths they will go through to protect what is theirs. I especially loved that all the strong women in this book were African, African-American, or black; we need more books that showcase what horrible things women just like the characters in this book have gone through and how resilient the can be. And thirdly, I am so glad that this book discusses covertly the lasting AND CURRENT effects and ideas of colonialism and slavery. This is something that gets glossed over and plenty of people believe that once the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, slavery ending. That may politically be the case, but slavery continued on for years afterward and the mental, social, physical, financial, and emotional effects of slavery are still felt today and sadly, could be continued into the future. The general population does not realize how horrible slavery was and is, not just in terms of what these kidnapped peoples had to go through and endure but what their descendants still have to encounter and deal with today.

I will volunteer that I am an educated white cis-female rooted in the American South living a privileged life, so I have no idea what being African-American, black, or a person of color is like or entails. While I have no first-hand personal experience of those things, I am so glad that there are Own Voices books out there that allow me to read into these things and broaden my perspectives. I cannot get over how important a book like this is to read and share and I hope that you take something from this review to heart and buy/borrow/read this book! ...more

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Dec 30, 2019 sarah xoxo rated it it was ok

Shelves: arcs, read-2019

"Remembrance…It’s a rumor, a whisper passed in the fields and veiled behind sheets of laundry. A hidden stop on the underground road to freedom, a safe haven protected by more than secrecy…if you can make it there. "

Remembrance is a book that transcends genres. Set in both historical periods and modern day, lightly weaving in a magical /sci fi/ fantastical element.

With majority all black cast, this book focuses on the realities of African-American people throughout the years. Contrasting ...more

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Nov 15, 2019 Erin rated it liked it

Shelves: written-by-women, january-2020, african-american-author, i-won-it-in-a-giveaway

Giveaway win!

I don't really know what I expected going into this book but I know I expected something more.

Remembrance is about "3"(its really 4) women over different centuries. And their stories are suppose to tie together at the end but I don't think it did. I enjoy the stories of the women that took place in the past(Margot was my favorite character) but the story that takes place in the current day(Gaelle) was in my opinion unnecessary. I kind of got annoyed when I came across a Gaelle ...more

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Dec 27, 2019 Chelsey rated it liked it

Shelves: giveaways-arcs

Historical fiction meets fantasy in this debut novel. Told by four women across over 200 years, the story focuses on the trials and tribulations of three women possessing a power and strength of which they are all not aware.

Gaelle, an aide at a senior center in the present day, struggles to make ends meet. After her homeland suffered a devastating earthquake, she moved to the United States in an attempt to start fresh and make a life for herself. She develops a unique and somewhat frightening ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Historical fiction meets fantasy in this debut novel. Told by four women across over 200 years, the story focuses on the trials and tribulations of three women possessing a power and strength of which they are all not aware.

Gaelle, an aide at a senior center in the present day, struggles to make ends meet. After her homeland suffered a devastating earthquake, she moved to the United States in an attempt to start fresh and make a life for herself. She develops a unique and somewhat frightening relationship with one particular patient at the senior center, a Jane Doe, and the relationship opens her eyes to her own self worth and strength.

Set in the 1850s, we meet Margot, a striking house slave for a wealthy family in the south. After her master dies, she and her sister run away in an attempt to find freedom and avoid being sold to someone more cruel. On the journey, Margot’s sister dies and Margot grapples with finding the will to persevere.

We meet Abigail, another slave, in the late 1700s. Happily married and a mother to two boys, Abigail has purpose and love. When her husband joins the rebels and is burned by his master, Abigail is destroyed. She reaches her breaking point when she’s sold away from her children and is forced to New Orleans. In New Orleans, lost and broken, she comes under the wing of Simona and Josiah, two powerful and spiritual beings who transform Abigail’s world.

Unleashed and learning her power, Mother Abigail creates Remembrance. Remembrance is a safe haven for runaway slaves. A world that is separate from the outside and a place where people can be free and work for the benefit of themselves and their community. Here we meet Winter, Mother Abigail’s adoptive daughter. Winter knows nothing of the outside world and is naive to its evils. Her naivety makes her weak and when Remembrance is compromised, she must unleash her own powers or allow her community to perish.

The four women’s lives intersect in unexpected ways and challenge our concepts of time and space. The writing is beautiful and creates vivid images. The characters are well developed and it’s easy for the reader to connect with and evoke empathy for their plights.

Thank you to Bookish First and the publisher for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. ...more

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Nov 09, 2019 Sharon S rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jan2020pub

Brilliant, intense, intriguing, mystical.

Remembrance is powerful, stunning, memorable, one of my favorites this year. It's historical, fantasy, magical, with a bit of paranormal. It touched my soul, took my mind into new heights of imagination, feelings untouched opened, a wound resurfaced, then healed.

The main characters each have a chapter dedicated to them, Gaelle, Winter, Margot, Abigail, their family history interwoven into the backdrop of different historical time frames. This novel is ...more

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Jan 21, 2020 Nursebookie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc-physical, historical-fiction, blog-ig-feature, women-of-color, womensfiction, women-author

Remembrance is an amazing debut novel that is told in multiple timelines and narratives that has a magical and fantastical twist. I enjoyed reading about this amazing story of three strong women that is weaved seamlessly.

Rita Woods’ writing was complex with multiple plot lines and her writing was meaningful and deep. Her creativity and gripping story really caught my attention and interest.

Addressed in the story were themes such as slavery, colonialism and racism. Though laws have been passed ...more

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Jan 15, 2020 Read In Colour rated it it was amazing

I stayed up until the wee hours of the night consuming Remembrance. From the story lines to the characters to the breathtaking escapes, I was intrigued from start to finish.

At times it felt like I was in an Octavia Butler or Tananarive Due novel, at other times it felt like Toni Morrison's Beloved. It was certainly a wild ride, but one worth hanging around for.

I find myself reviewing the story lines of the three main protagonists over and over and trying to make all of the connections. I ...more

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Dec 27, 2019 Karen Kay rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-netgalley, netgalley-read-2019, united-states

I received this from Netgalley.com for a review.

"Remembrance…It’s a rumor, a whisper passed in the fields and veiled behind sheets of laundry. A hidden stop on the underground road to freedom, a safe haven protected by more than secrecy…if you can make it there."

Several different timelines make the story difficult to follow at times. I think the emphasis of a fantasy/magical story that just happens to be set in a historical time period just didn't blend well for me.

2 ...more

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Nov 20, 2019 Mel (Epic Reading) marked it as to-read

Shelves: arc-netgalley

eARC received! Read and review to come closer to publication date.
I was surprised to see TOR-Forge (Macmillan) as the publisher on this one as it doesn’t sound like magical realism or fantasy. Still sounds wonderful!

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Jan 16, 2020 BookGypsy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley

A gripping historical novel. This is deeply haunting as it takes you through the lives of several women. Flipping between the past and present. A gripping and heartbreaking novel that stays with you long after. I hope they make a movie.

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Dec 19, 2019 Lekeisha The Booknerd rated it liked it

Shelves: arc-for-review, bookish-first

Remembrance has a plot that, if well crafted, could be one of the greatest historical fantasies ever written. That said, it fell short for me. It took me nearly a month to read; simply because every time I came to a "present" chapter (Gaelle's POV), I would just get bored and put it down.

To understand the past, the author gives you Gaelle and Winter in this tug-of-war of what in the world is happening. I felt confused at times because the story unfolded backwards and then forward again.

I loved ...more

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Oct 02, 2019 Judi Ross rated it it was ok

I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review. I was expecting to read an historical novel but instead found that Remembrance was more a mystical adventure story about slavery and the Underground Railroad. What I liked was the location which was a very new approach for me. I found myself in Haiti and for a short time in New Orleans during the time of slavery. The author beautifully described the setting in each location, bringing the sights, smells and sounds to life. But ...more

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Nov 02, 2019 Susan McGrath rated it really liked it

I received an Advance Reading Copy of Remembrance by Rita Woods from the publisher (Forge) in exchange for an honest review. Remembrance is scheduled for release on January 21, 2020.

Remembrance is a historical fiction/ magical realism novel that takes place in two different time periods. The story follows two women in the pre-civil war era and one woman in the current day. Their stories intertwine in the novel, exploring the boundaries of physical space and stretching the limits of time.

The bulk I received an Advance Reading Copy of Remembrance by Rita Woods from the publisher (Forge) in exchange for an honest review. Remembrance is scheduled for release on January 21, 2020.

Remembrance is a historical fiction/ magical realism novel that takes place in two different time periods. The story follows two women in the pre-civil war era and one woman in the current day. Their stories intertwine in the novel, exploring the boundaries of physical space and stretching the limits of time.

The bulk of the story takes place in and around the settlement of Remembrance. This is a community of blacks who have set themselves apart from slavery-torn America. The settlement is led by Mother Abigail, a woman with the ability to manipulate space. She protects her community, keeping them hidden from the world around them, allowing them to live a life of freedom and choose to interact with the larger world only when they choose to. At the time of the story, Mother Abigail is beginning to fade, and looking to pass her role in the community on to her her adopted daughter, Winter.

Winter is struggling to find her place in the community, and struggling to figure out what powers she might, or might not, have. Due to Mother Abigail’s failing health, the boundary between Remembrance is fading, thrusting Winter into interactions with the world she is not prepared for.

In a parallel, but later, time, we also follow Gaelle. Gaelle works in a nursing home, where she takes care of a mysterious older woman no one seems to be able to connect to. Gaelle breaks through to the woman, learning that her name is Winter, and that strange things happen when the two of them are together.

The story in Remembrance is well-developed, painting a clear picture of a community fighting to survive in a changing world. It is filled with a cast of characters with goals and challenges that drive the story forward. The story in present day was less well developed. I found myself struggling to connect this story with Remembrance, other than the obvious connection of Winter. I ended up feeling that the novel would have been complete without the current day story, since it did not seem as well-developed or important to the book as a whole.

The same applies to the characters. We spent enough time with Winter and Mother Abigail for me to understand who they were and get invested in their goals. I did not feel the same for Gaelle, largely because I just didn’t get enough time with her.

Overall, I thought Remembrance was a sometimes lovely, sometimes terrifying, sometimes magical novel that might have been even better with some adjustments to the modern-day portion of the story. ...more

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Nov 07, 2019 Chandra Cox rated it it was amazing

**I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.**

Have you ever read one of those books that really gets into your soul, deep down, and stays with you always? Rememberance is one of those books. The harrowing story starts off with a bang and goes right into the storyline. Rememberance had that feel good thing to it and I found myself hugging the book after reading a really emotional chapter. It had easily become one of my all-time favorite books, and that says a lot (as I am an ...more

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Jan 10, 2020 Darlene Franklin rated it it was amazing

Won this book through goodreads giveaway which in no way influenced this review. Beginning in 1791, the story unfolds of the family in Haiti and travels to New Orleans and Ohio. The reader is enlightened through conversation and description of the lives of slaves and their society contributions. The dangers and treatment of slaves by slave catchers and owners is powerfully written and heart felt. I recommend the book to readers interested in slave history and the Underground Railroad.

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Nov 20, 2019 Fredrick Danysh rated it liked it

Shelves: advance-read

A gripping tale regarding the treatment of Black Americans over a two century period by following the lives of three women in different time periods. The women are all connected by voodoo. This was a frree advance review copy obtained through Goodreads.com.

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Dec 17, 2019 Jantine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, free-for-review

Sometimes you read a book, and you get so immersed in the story it's hard to say anything about what made it good technically. That is what I experienced with this book.

Off course, a huge part of it is build up, again, by the characters, who are not always nice, but always, always real. They are strong, but they fear. They love, they hate as well. They want to not just survive, they want to live.

This book made a big impression on me, one that will last for quite some time.

I received a free copy ...more

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Nov 30, 2019 Sue rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction

This was an interesting well written book that was a combination of historical fiction and magical realism. I will admit that I don't like magic of any kind in my books so this book was a real let down for me and I had to push through parts of it. Overall, the historical aspects of the story make it a very interesting book.

Remembrance takes place in 4 time periods:

Abigail in the late 1700’s Haiti
Margot in early 1800’s New Orleans
Winter in the 1800’s at Remembrance
Gaelle in current time ...more

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Dec 07, 2019 Ahaaha4 rated it liked it

I have very mixed feelings after finishing Remembrance by Rita Woods. I was drawn in by the cover and description. From the first page I could not stop reading until suddenly the story took a turn to fantasy and magic. Though I have enjoyed when authors put some mysticism into their writing Remembrance has too much of it for me, If the fantasy was left left out I would have thoroughly enjoyed it. The story revolves around three different time periods and four different women. Present day, where ...more

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Oct 23, 2019 John Williamson rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed the book and found it well written. The author has that unique gift of describing the location and events where the reader can visually imagine themselves part of the story. While I greatly enjoyed the book, I found the description of the book a little misleading – I was expecting a historical fiction story. I did appreciated learning more about life in Haiti and New Orleans in the 1700s during the time of slavery.

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Oct 23, 2019 Amber rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this book. The story was well written and kept me engaged. The descriptions of location and characters were beautiful. I also appreciated learning more about the experiences of slaves, including the history going back to Haiti in 1700s.
There were some details of each character that I found a little hard to follow at the beginning. I found myself going back to previous chapters to re-read the details.
Overall, I think this is a wonderful book and recommend it others!

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Oct 16, 2019 Melanie rated it it was amazing

I received an advance reading copy of this book through Bookbrowse.com and was captivated and totally absorbed by the well written narratives binding together the main characters Mother Abigail, Winter, Margot, and Gaelle. I was impressed by the novel’s powerful message of ancestral memories holding us together, creating and sustaining our sense of safety, comfort and community. The characters were so interesting, I would definitely read a “Remembrance: Book Two” should the author choose to ...more

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Nov 20, 2019 Jennifer Wilson rated it it was amazing

Ok.. so this book is a little different from what I normally read.
This story is about several different black women. Gaelle, Margot, Abigail, and Winter. It takes you through different periods in time, starting with Gaelle, a woman from present day Haiti that is now living in Cleveland, Ohio. Margot a slave girl in 1857, who in the beginning lives with her Grandmother and sister in Louisiana. Abigail, also a slave, who is forces to leave her home and children of Haiti, with her mistress to ...more

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Nov 15, 2019 Brianna Miller rated it liked it

Remembrance was an interesting book. I read an excerpt of it before receiving the actual book, and what I expected was quite different from what the book turned out to be. The book focuses on the stories of 4 different women (despite the synopsis saying 3 women), and as you can imagine, I anticipated that eventually all of these stories would intertwine. Three of the stories are based in a pre-civil war era, while the 4th story is based in present day. While the 3 older stories did intertwine, ...more

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Jan 25, 2020 Sally rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020-popsugar-challenge

Originally, I wanted to read Remembrance due to the fact that is a combination of historical fiction and magical realism. I thought that this combination had to create a wonderful story. Remembrance delivered so much more than I imagined.

The novel follows four women throughout the course of history with storylines that eventually connect together. I will never lie – I was not sure I could see how the four storylines would connect. Yet, as the story progressed, I found the connections just making Originally, I wanted to read Remembrance due to the fact that is a combination of historical fiction and magical realism. I thought that this combination had to create a wonderful story. Remembrance delivered so much more than I imagined.

The novel follows four women throughout the course of history with storylines that eventually connect together. I will never lie – I was not sure I could see how the four storylines would connect. Yet, as the story progressed, I found the connections just making sense. It never once felt forced to me. Honestly, now having finished the novel, I cannot envision the story any other way.

Each of the women in this story have a strength within them that is great to watch unfold during the course of the novel. Gaelle, the modern-day storyline, has been working at an elderly care facility since she moved to Ohio from Haiti after an earthquake in which she lost the majority of her family. Gaelle is struggling to understand an interaction that occurred with one of the seniors. During this time, Gaelle has been dealing with the fact that she will get very warm, to the point where she can warm other people when they are cold. How she is related to the rest of the characters? We will not know until the end. Margot is a young slave in New Orleans who lives with her sister and her mother. When plague, fever and disease wreak havoc in her area, she and her sister are sold to a smaller family that cares less about her wellbeing than her previous one. As a result of that, Margot and her sister runaway in hopes of finding freedom from slavery. Throughout this time, Margot starts to realize that there is something different about her.

Abigail is a slave in Haiti. During the Haitian Slave Revolts, she is forced by her owners to leave the island and her own children. Before leaving, Abigail had to endure watching her husband be burned alive for being a part of the revolution. Due to all the sadness that comes from these situations, Abigail runs away from her owners and escapes with the help of strangers. These strangers teach her the way of spiritual work that can enhance her special abilities. She becomes Mother Abigail and learns the ability to warp space/time. Using this ability, she creates Remembrance to be a safe haven for people running to freedom using the Underground Railroad. Winter is a child that Abigail found tucked under the frozen body of her mother. What kept her alive was her special ability, which we will find out about later in the story. Her story is tied to Mother Abigail’s. She has never known life outside of Remembrance, which is why she does not truly understand the plight of those that come to live there.

The stories of these strong women draw you into this novel and leave you learning so much about the horrors that slavery brought upon people. Woods brings to life how dehumanizing and degrading slavery was. Her portrayal of how the “slavers” treated the people under their “care” truly brought to light a detailed view of history that most of us really only think of as something sad under a banner of a bad time is history. Taking the story from the 1700’s in Haiti all the way to present day in America, Woods discusses the lasting effects of slavery and colonialism. I think those effects are generally lost under the banner of “slavery ended.”

I was also happy to see a topic mentioned that I have dealt with all my life, but that usually does not get discussed. Woods mentions this almost secretly within an interaction between Winter and another character. Louisa seems to continually comment on how light Winter is. As a Dominican, I have seen that fractured racism that became built into the development of our cultures. The idea that the lighter you were the closer to white you were. Depending on what side of that color line you were, you might feel better or worse about yourself and potentially resentful of others, even those close to you. To this day, when a child is born in a Hispanic household, more often than not the comment of “good they have good hair” is made (or a comment about the opposite). Most people do not realize that it comes from that color line issue, but it is something that is almost built into our core.

I am so thankful that was able to read Remembrance and will continue to recommend it to everyone who asks about a good book to read. ...more

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Jan 20, 2020 Bruin Mccon rated it it was amazing

Shelves: bookish-first

“‘Girl like you...they’ll have you bedded down with the master in no time. And when he gets tired of you, they’ll mate you like a hog to some old field hand...’”

Remembrance is a historical fiction novel set in three centuries—the 1700s, 1800s and present day.

The premise of this novel is that through magical powers, a slave has created a safe harbor on the Underground Railroad where whites, or blancs, cannot enter.

This book came at a time in my reading life when I was also reading Ain’t I a “‘Girl like you...they’ll have you bedded down with the master in no time. And when he gets tired of you, they’ll mate you like a hog to some old field hand...’”

Remembrance is a historical fiction novel set in three centuries—the 1700s, 1800s and present day.

The premise of this novel is that through magical powers, a slave has created a safe harbor on the Underground Railroad where whites, or blancs, cannot enter.

This book came at a time in my reading life when I was also reading Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism, which has an in depth review of the particular hell Black women endured during slavery. As this book had three sister duos, the reality of what they faced was brought home in the pages of Ain’t I a Woman: rape, blame and punishment for “seducing” their white rapists, brutal beatings, losing their children, watching their daughters raped, and obviously enslavement.

Remembrance falls under my very favorite historical fiction niche: speculative/sci-fi historical fiction. Prepare yourself because this book is a doozy. It was incredibly easy to lose myself in the pages of the story. The novel features four different narrators, which sounds especially complicated for a first-time novelist, but the end result is brilliant. What is even more amazing than a debut novel this well-developed and executed is the author, who is a family doctor by trade. Her medical knowledge is a boon to the book, which features more than one healer.

This book deals with a few themes, and I’m not certain others reading it would see the same things I did. First, three of the narrators have a sister, for whom they would do anything. There are grandmothers not just to the characters but to jackass white slaveholders as well. There’s a storyline where children are separated from their mother. Children born in Remembrance are all twins. This novel is about the ties that bind us, the souls we’ve lost that we carry on in our hearts.

It’s also about the choice to stay and fight or run. Are you a part of a community or an island, fighting alone? Several times in the book, a group of enslaved people band together to fight against whites. These weren’t just plot points, they are historical moments touched on during the novel that point to this theme. There is the constant threat of freed Black men and women being caught out without papers and being sold into slavery again. That is the white people sticking together and for evil reasons. Can a community of the good fight to keep what they have?

This isn’t a tidy novel with an easy conclusion. It is a rich, layered story that will have you thinking back on its themes months down the line.

4.5 ⭐️s. ...more

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Dec 16, 2019 Sydney Boston rated it it was amazing

Remembrance is a skillfully written historical novel with strong elements of magical realism. It tells a compelling story that addresses how people who are faced with adversity draw strength both as individuals and as a community in dealing with heart-wrenching challenges.

This is a book worth devouring and savoring! I struggled between devouring the novel by sitting for long periods of time reading and sinking into Woods’ story and savoring by reading snippets of the story and letting it sit and Remembrance is a skillfully written historical novel with strong elements of magical realism. It tells a compelling story that addresses how people who are faced with adversity draw strength both as individuals and as a community in dealing with heart-wrenching challenges.

This is a book worth devouring and savoring! I struggled between devouring the novel by sitting for long periods of time reading and sinking into Woods’ story and savoring by reading snippets of the story and letting it sit and sink into my mind and soul.

Woods' novel is written from four different points of view and spans several centuries. While most of the story takes place during antebellum times from three of the four points of view, a modern day thread has ties to the historical story. Each character is introduced at a different point in time and their stories are then interwoven. When I first picked up the novel, I was concerned that I might get lost in the characters and different time frames, but Woods' skillful style prevented that. Each character had a strong unique voice, personality, and perspective that came across whenever I was in that character's point of view. The time frames are clearly marked.

The world building in this novel is very strong, both in terms of location and also in terms of the historical context. I read lots of magical realism and fantasy novels but not a lot of historical novels. Woods immersed me in both time and place. Her descriptions are lovely and bring all the senses alive, making me feel like I was there with the characters, experiencing what they experienced. The magic in her world is self-consistent, well described, and a critical part of the story. I never felt like she used it as a convenience.

I have a few minor issues with the novel. The modern day story feels like it has shallow roots to the historical points of view; it doesn’t go deep enough to firmly reach/connect with the historical story. Yet, there are hints of deeper roots there that are not explored. One of the historical characters, Abigail, and the modern-day character, Gaelle, both originated in Haiti. I would have liked to have see a tighter connection between their backgrounds. Margot, one of the historical view-point characters, is intriguing and her story heart wrenching. Woods left me craving for more of this character. The character of Josiah, who appears in both the historical time line and modern one, is intriguing and mysterious. I would have enjoyed seeing the world through his point of view.

Woods' prose is hauntingly beautiful with strong female characters, and a story that resonates with events and prejudices in today's world. I found this book and its characters so compelling, it left me hungry for a sequel. I highly recommend it.
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Nov 13, 2019 L.A.L. rated it really liked it

Shelves: magical, fiction, history

At first, the title didn't make sense to me (based on the synposis that was provided on BookishFirst), but I found the synopsis intriguing. When I started on the opening chapters, I was immediately sucked into this story. Primarily historical fiction, this book has a bit of magical realism, which is not normally associated with historical fiction. But the magical realism aspect fit beautifully with the peoples and the timeframes described. In particular, New Orleans has long had an association At first, the title didn't make sense to me (based on the synposis that was provided on BookishFirst), but I found the synopsis intriguing. When I started on the opening chapters, I was immediately sucked into this story. Primarily historical fiction, this book has a bit of magical realism, which is not normally associated with historical fiction. But the magical realism aspect fit beautifully with the peoples and the timeframes described. In particular, New Orleans has long had an association with what is commonly called "voodoo" or "juju". So it made sense and did not take away from the historical aspects (the slave trade, the underground railroad, the revolts).

I thought it was brilliant how the author wove together the story of each woman, connecting them through the generations. The historical backdrops of Haiti and New Orleans felt so real. Ms. Woods beautifully describes the setting of each location, making the sights, smells and sounds feel as if you were actually there. Ms. Woods does a fabulous job of creating believable protagonists who struggle against incredible obstacles.

A couple of things I thought could be strengthened that would make it a 5-star read. First, Gaelle's story has some connection to the past, but not as strongly as I thought it might have. I would've liked to have seen a bit more of her history from Haiti and more about her gift. Second, I also struggled with the synopsis as written here. The one on the ARC currently says the story is about 3 women, but there are really 4. Then there's really little connection between Gaelle (present day) and Remembrance other than the "elderly woman who is more than she seems" (per the blurb above). Of course, if Gaelle's backstory of Haiti and her gift could have been developed a bit more, I think that may better connect her to Remembrance. Third, I thought Winter's story bogged down, particularly after (view spoiler) If felt a bit extraneous, I think tightening that section would help the story flow better. Last, Josiah remains a mystery of who he is and his true role with the lives of these women. I think adding a bit more backstory on him would've made the connection to each woman better.

Overall, this is a brilliantly done story and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a splash of magic.

Thank you BookishFirst and the Forge Publishing for the chance to win this novel in exchange for my honest review.
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Jan 07, 2020 Lizzie rated it liked it

Shelves: own

So here is the deal. I read an excerpt from this novel that was quite lengthy. I really enjoyed the beginning that I read. Then I get the full book as an ARC. I had such a hard time, almost slogging through the middle. Well as I get into the last third of the book, I was flipping pages so fast they were blurring because I could not put it down. This was hard to rate for me, and I went with 3.5 stars.

I usually enjoy historical fiction, perhaps not as far back as this one goes but I was very So here is the deal. I read an excerpt from this novel that was quite lengthy. I really enjoyed the beginning that I read. Then I get the full book as an ARC. I had such a hard time, almost slogging through the middle. Well as I get into the last third of the book, I was flipping pages so fast they were blurring because I could not put it down. This was hard to rate for me, and I went with 3.5 stars.

I usually enjoy historical fiction, perhaps not as far back as this one goes but I was very intrigued with the time in history in which this story takes place. And then the fantasy hit me. So I guess you could call this historical fantasy fiction. The story takes place in three different timelines with four very distinct women across 200 years.

Gaelle is our modern day, struggling, refugee, that is working in a senior center. She forms a relationship with a very old Jane Doe.
In the 1850's we have Margot, who is a house slave on the run with her sister. She loses her sister along the way, and struggles to come to terms with her new position in life.
Abagail is a married slave in late 1700's Haiti and she is sold away from her family to a house in New Orleans. It is there she meets Simone and Josiah who are spiritual beings and help her understand who she really is.

Mother Abagail creates a place called Remembrance and takes in all sorts of lost souls and slaves on the run. One of these souls is Winter, who also has her own special gifts and Abagail raises her as her own. This place is separate and hidden and provides a sense of community and belonging for those that reside there. It is a safe place that cannot be found, until the barriers begin to crumble and the safe world begins to crumble too.

The four women’s lives connect in many ways and challenge our concepts of time and space. The writing is wonderful and creates imagery so vivid and detailed you feel as though you are there. The empathy I felt especially toward the end of the novel is so deep. I felt connected to their world. All the marks of excellent writing.

My frustrations lie with waiting for all these pieces to fall together took longer than I imagined. I was getting frustrated with not understanding how these stories would connect, which is why I felt as though the middle was dragging on and just not getting there for me. I still enjoyed the story on a whole and thought the characters were written well, it was a timing issue for me.

Thank you to the publishers and author for allowing me to read and review. This book will be published on January 21, 2020 by Forge Books.
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Dec 09, 2019 Christina rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical, african-american, books-i-would-read-over-and-over, advance-readers-copy, historical-fiction, magical-realism, historical-slave-fiction, fantasy, fiction, adult-fiction

This is how a fantasy, historical slave fiction novel should be written. Beautiful, intense, mystical, and wrapped in magical realism.

Remembrance is a historical fiction/magical realism novel that takes place during two different time periods. The story follows three women in the pre-civil war era and one woman in the current day. Their stories intertwine in the novel, exploring the boundaries of physical space and stretching the limits of time, all while exploring the magic of vodun and other This is how a fantasy, historical slave fiction novel should be written. Beautiful, intense, mystical, and wrapped in magical realism.

Remembrance is a historical fiction/magical realism novel that takes place during two different time periods. The story follows three women in the pre-civil war era and one woman in the current day. Their stories intertwine in the novel, exploring the boundaries of physical space and stretching the limits of time, all while exploring the magic of vodun and other supernatural talents and abilities.

The women: Mother Abigail, Winter, Margot, and Gaelle. Somehow, each of these women are connected some way or another to each other in ways that go beyond time and place.

Remembrance is a place that was created in an attempt to take revenge on white slavers. Runaway slaves come to Remembrance in hopes of escaping life from their oppressors. This place is a sanctuary and haven to those who need safety, life, liberty and God-given freedom. This place, Remembrance, was created with vodun magic, in such a way, that the former enslaved people are living invisibly right under the noses of whites in a village near Ashtabula, Ohio. Created by the high priestess Mother Abigail, this little village houses black people who have fought for their freedom, have escaped a life of tortuous servitude, and has risked it all to live a life on the run.

Mother Abigail, a former slave from Haiti, has created Remembrance in an attempt of revenge against her and other white slavers. Her story takes us to find out how she created Remembrance, and how out of pure hatred and ultimate sadness, this place came to be.

Winter, as a baby, was brought to Remembrance. This is the only home she has. When situations arise at Remembrance, she has to decide if she’s going to fight for her home, or allow circumstances to destroy the only home she’s ever known.

Margot, a runaway slave, has found herself in Remembrance after nearly escaping re-capture. She, however, feels that things are not how they seem in Remembrance. She is curious as to how people are not caught or seen here, and she’s not going to quit until she talks to Mother Abigail about the strangeness of this place.

Gaelle, in modern day, has found herself somewhat connected and drawn towards an old woman at her job. When she discovers the old woman’s name as Winter, she becomes curious as to how she came to be at the place of her employment.

However, as time would have it, something is happening to and around Remembrance. It is up to the people of Remembrance to decide whether to protect what is theirs or live a life in the shadows fearing recapture.

The details in this book was impeccable. The timing, the flow, the pace, the plot lines, the twists, the ending!! Just a perfect read. I was literally caught on the edge of my seat throughout this book intrigued on what was happening. I swear there better be a part 2 because it ends on a cliffhanger! I would rate this book a 5!

If you didn’t like The Water Dancer, then this book is for you!

Thank you to Net Galley, Rita Woods and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. ...more

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