Remember by Marnie Cate

270 Pages, Kindle Unlimited, Fantasy, Metaphysical Fiction

Karen’s Magic Review

I always thought I had read this book, and hadn’t finished it. Back then I wasn’t as open to fantasy, and fairies were certainly a big no-no. As soon as I began reading Marne Cate’s Remember, I realised I hadn’t read it at all. So, I’m unsure what I did read, and why I associated it with this book.

From the very first page, this story draws in the reader. From the description, and because it was fantasy, I had assumed it was set in a bygone era. It wasn’t, it was modern day.

It is told in the first person by seventeen year old Marina, Mara for short. She and her family, a nine year old sister, are being brought up by Gram in a cottage on the outskirts of town. Mara has a boyfriend, Cole, who spends most of the time there, and one of the family already.

The thing that sets the family apart, and what makes the story interesting, is the magic inherited down through the generations. Gram must teach Mara how to use what she has buried deep inside her. It very much reminded me of a fairy tale. The family was lovely, and they represented kindness, and all that is good in the world. They cared for each other and it was a delight to read. I wanted to be part of their family too, and in a way, as a reader, I was.

They are all Protectors of the Magic, and will do just about anything to make sure it is not abused. This brings Mara into contact with her mother, Gram’s daughter, now remarried, and who wants custody of her children. The family want to remain together and stay with Gram, especially as their mother uses her magic to benefit herself.

Their constant battle keeps the story alive, and Mara learns about her skills as well as herself from the four fairies, each representing a different element; fire, earth, water and air. These all play a big part in the book. The world the author builds is truly amazing. The descriptions are powerfully descriptive, and the adventure Mara goes on, we go to. I loved it.

Their mother, in an attempt to get her children back does the unthinkable, and this leads to a violent and exciting climax. I could not put the book down at this point. I had to read the whole chapter to find our what happens as it builds and builds before exploding with a fight between the families.

It is a refreshing change to read something in this genre. Previously, I had read the author’s A Broken Girl Collection. This series could not have been more different, and shows the author’s versatility in absorbing and world-building stories.

My picture above shows Gram, just as I imagined her from the description. The forest also plays a big part in the series, and I think the photograph shows exactly how magical the place is. When Mara is taken by the fairies to learn what she needs to know, she visits a waterfall. The other two pictures are Mara, and the last one is the mansion where her mother lives. There is a great scene at the end of the book where they have to search the house and find a secret tunnels.

Description

Mara Stone always felt incomplete, as though something inside her was missing. Raised by a loving and doting grandmother, and in love with the blue-eyed boy of her dreams, Mara couldn’t pinpoint what was lacking.

Hiding the truth from you is no longer protecting you. Sit and I will tell you what you need to know.

With these words, the secrets of her great-grandmother, Genevieve Silver, were unburied, and her role as a Protector of the Elemental Magic was revealed. Unseen worlds exposed and memories restored, Mara sheds her ignorance to face things both fantastical and frightening.

Little did Mara realize the secrets would transform her life and the world she lived in forever!