Remember Me (2022)
Norman, CharityEmily Kirkland's return to New Zealand to care for her father Felix, who has developed dementia, has some unexpected consequences. She is able to deepen their previously distant relationship, but distressingly he seems emotionally caught up with a tragic event from twenty five years earlier when neighbour and friend Leah Parata went missing in the bush and was never found. Just what was it about Leah's disappearance that could be causing Felix - a rural GP - so much angst?
Set in the shadows of the Ruahine Ranges, this multi-layered story weaves a small-town mystery with an empathetic and insightful understanding of dementia.
Pages
306
306
Year
2022
2022
Reviews
04-03-2024
A great read - brought discussion about family dynamics, death and dying, ageing parents, taboo romance, and critical self-awareness as we age. All wrapped up on a non-scary thriller/whodunnit. This book is more deep family and relationship excavation than a true crime novel. It sparked great conversation!
27-10-2023
Everyone enjoyed this book. Relatable well formed characters, great story line, complex on many levels but easy to read. The book dealt with hard topics, dementia, Huntington's disease and relationship breakdown in a sympathetic way. Generated indepth discussion.
06-10-2023
A great first book for our group - all finished it, and it provided lots of discussion around the reality of the relationships within the book. Lots of our group had personal connections with the content, or location of the setting.
26-09-2023
Most really enjoyed this book but a couple found it too depressing. Everyone else agreed that it was very well-written and opened up a big discussion re the implications of dementia.
07-06-2023
We all loved this book. The issues of developing dementia and of hereditary illness were so thoughtfully told and with such insight. A delightful, interesting read!
22-05-2023
Everyone felt this was a very engaging read. The book was very well-written and everyone in our group seemed to have a personal connection to the subject matter. Very thought provoking and discussion was lively and insightful.
08-05-2023
We all absolutely LOVED this book - and a great discussion followed. Such a recent work with all the key components of good writing - plot, setting, characters, themes. Several of us could relate to that part of N.Z.
02-05-2023
We all thought this was a very satisfying choice. Well-written, good plotting, and very real characters, set in a believable very small town. Felix's dementia and the reactions of his children were beautifully depicted - most of the group could relate to this scenario.
13-04-2023
Enjoyed by all members. Particularly the NZ setting. The topics were very current and handled well. Our discussions could identify many personal experiences of the family relationships. We felt that the author had a very good perception of the behaviour of people with dementia and managed that care well whilst preserving the relationship of child/parent with dignity. The author wove the interactions with minor characters into the story line reflecting the NZ community very cleverly. Many of us were left wanting to read more of her books.
23-03-2023
Loved by all. We appreciated the complex character portrayals that all rang 'true'. Few of us predicted the ending, but were grateful for no loose ends. We enjoyed that it reflected Kiwi life...apart from tomato 'ketchup' rather than sauce. Most left the meeting preparing to read more Charity Norman.
09-03-2023
We all enjoyed this very readable, gripping and insightful book about a subject that, sadly, is close to all our hearts. Probably one of our favourites - we'll definitely look for more by this author.
02-03-2023
We all enjoyed this book. Challenging, wonderfully descriptive, clever plot and educational.
02-03-2023
Everyone felt it was an easy read, and read through it quickly. They enjoyed the storyline, and the insight into dementia was well thought out. Informative and interesting. A great enjoyable read. A number of readers would like to read more books by the author.
02-03-2023
Really enjoyed this book. Well structured mystery. Atmospheric, and really evocative of N.Z. mountain villages.
20-02-2023
We all enjoyed this book. It's a gripping narrative with well-developed characters and very good descriptions of the rural setting, bush and mountains. Norman writes well and deals with big issues - Alzheimers, Huntington's chorea and mercy killing -with sensitivity and compassion.
10-10-2022
Readable and engaging. Description of 'place' was well done.
18-08-2022
Universal approval of this book.