Official Review: The Way to Remember by Martha Reynolds
Posted: 21 Aug 2020, 02:01
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Way to Remember" by Martha Reynolds.]
The year is 1976, and nineteen-year-old Robin Fortune has just been expelled from college for selling marijuana. Returning to her hometown in disgrace, she finds herself ostracized from her family, working brutal hours just to scrape by, and without any real future prospects. But Robin has an ace up her sleeve, in the form of a novel she has spent the past two years writing. She pins all her hopes on one very special date: the day her favorite author, the world-famous Maryanna Capture, is scheduled to visit the local bookstore. With this event in mind, Robin hatches a brilliant plan to get her manuscript into Ms. Capture’s hands. If Robin can get Ms. Capture to read her book, then surely she will love it and pass it along to her publisher, won’t she? And the publisher, with a recommendation from the illustrious Maryanna Capture, will be quick to publish it and turn Robin into an overnight success, right? What could possibly go wrong?
The Way to Remember, written by Martha Reynolds, is a novel that follows Robin as she works to rebuild her life. In the process, she navigates life’s struggles, grows immensely, and learns a great deal about herself and those around her.
The main plot of the book, while attractive by itself, is augmented by side plots that invite rich, diverse characterization throughout the text. The reader is granted access, through Robin’s eyes, to the faults and foibles of a cast of characters, whose interactions with her and with each other create a rich tapestry of meaning and nuance. I found myself at times almost forgetting about Robin’s troubles in my eagerness to explore the lives of the other characters as well. The light and dark sides of each person are demonstrated, even if only briefly, making them all rich and thought-provoking.
Reynolds skillfully wields the themes of hurt and forgiveness throughout the novel, sometimes granting characters redemption and sometimes withholding it. As in life, no one in the novel is perfect, and it surprised me as I was reading to see in how many different ways people can – and do – wound each other in the course of normal living. The pain inflicted and struggle for absolution are obvious early on in Robin’s case, but they are later echoed in the actions and reactions of several other characters, creating contrasting tableaus dependent on how each situation is handled.
Initially I felt that the book started slowly, with the “meat” of Robin’s story not beginning until about halfway through. As I read, I found myself wishing that some of the early chapters would have been condensed slightly so that I could more rapidly begin following Robin’s grand plan. In hindsight, though, the early events are critical to lay the foundation for the remainder of the story, and I can’t think of anything specific that I would omit. I would advise a reader not to be too quick to discount those early events and to be patient in waiting for Robin’s saga to truly begin.
The book is remarkably well edited, with only a single, minor error that I could find. There is both profane language and sexual content present, although no graphic details are depicted. Therefore, the book would be inappropriate for children or teen readers, but perfect for adults or mature young adults.
The Way to Remember earns a score of 4 out of 4 for its vivid and heartfelt portrayal of a small-town young woman’s dreams playing out against a backdrop of life’s cruelties and kindnesses. It would most appeal to lovers of slice-of-life dramas and thoughtful tales of heartbreak and healing.
******
The Way to Remember
View: on Bookshelves
The year is 1976, and nineteen-year-old Robin Fortune has just been expelled from college for selling marijuana. Returning to her hometown in disgrace, she finds herself ostracized from her family, working brutal hours just to scrape by, and without any real future prospects. But Robin has an ace up her sleeve, in the form of a novel she has spent the past two years writing. She pins all her hopes on one very special date: the day her favorite author, the world-famous Maryanna Capture, is scheduled to visit the local bookstore. With this event in mind, Robin hatches a brilliant plan to get her manuscript into Ms. Capture’s hands. If Robin can get Ms. Capture to read her book, then surely she will love it and pass it along to her publisher, won’t she? And the publisher, with a recommendation from the illustrious Maryanna Capture, will be quick to publish it and turn Robin into an overnight success, right? What could possibly go wrong?
The Way to Remember, written by Martha Reynolds, is a novel that follows Robin as she works to rebuild her life. In the process, she navigates life’s struggles, grows immensely, and learns a great deal about herself and those around her.
The main plot of the book, while attractive by itself, is augmented by side plots that invite rich, diverse characterization throughout the text. The reader is granted access, through Robin’s eyes, to the faults and foibles of a cast of characters, whose interactions with her and with each other create a rich tapestry of meaning and nuance. I found myself at times almost forgetting about Robin’s troubles in my eagerness to explore the lives of the other characters as well. The light and dark sides of each person are demonstrated, even if only briefly, making them all rich and thought-provoking.
Reynolds skillfully wields the themes of hurt and forgiveness throughout the novel, sometimes granting characters redemption and sometimes withholding it. As in life, no one in the novel is perfect, and it surprised me as I was reading to see in how many different ways people can – and do – wound each other in the course of normal living. The pain inflicted and struggle for absolution are obvious early on in Robin’s case, but they are later echoed in the actions and reactions of several other characters, creating contrasting tableaus dependent on how each situation is handled.
Initially I felt that the book started slowly, with the “meat” of Robin’s story not beginning until about halfway through. As I read, I found myself wishing that some of the early chapters would have been condensed slightly so that I could more rapidly begin following Robin’s grand plan. In hindsight, though, the early events are critical to lay the foundation for the remainder of the story, and I can’t think of anything specific that I would omit. I would advise a reader not to be too quick to discount those early events and to be patient in waiting for Robin’s saga to truly begin.
The book is remarkably well edited, with only a single, minor error that I could find. There is both profane language and sexual content present, although no graphic details are depicted. Therefore, the book would be inappropriate for children or teen readers, but perfect for adults or mature young adults.
The Way to Remember earns a score of 4 out of 4 for its vivid and heartfelt portrayal of a small-town young woman’s dreams playing out against a backdrop of life’s cruelties and kindnesses. It would most appeal to lovers of slice-of-life dramas and thoughtful tales of heartbreak and healing.
******
The Way to Remember
View: on Bookshelves
Thanks for stopping by!