Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I gave this a good go a couple of times, but I am afraid that I now must admit defeat and give up. Nothing wrong with the book it's just not the right book for me.

I have mixed feelings about this book that I still need to unpack. I was left with the feeling that the author tried to do too much and so failed to do real justice to any of them. A simpler structure with a clearer narrative may have better achieved her aims.

I am in charge of the senior library and work with a group of Reading Ambassadors from 16-18 to ensure that our boarding school library is modernised and meets the need of both our senior students and staff. It has been great to have the chance to talk about these books with our seniors and discuss what they want and need on their shelves. I was drawn to his book because I thought it would be something different from the usual school library fare and draw the students in with a tempting storyline and lots to discuss.
This book was a really enjoyable read with strong characters and a real sense of time and place. I enjoyed the ways that it maintained a cracking pace that kept me turning its pages and ensured that I had much to discuss with them after finishing. It was not only a lively and enjoyable novel but had lots of contemporary themes for our book group to pick up and spend hours discussing too.
I think it's important to choose books that interest as well as challenge our students and I can see this book being very popular with students and staff alike; this will be an excellent purchase as it has everything that we look for in a great read - a tempting premise, fantastic characters and a plot that keeps you gripped until you close its final page.

Firstly I want to say thanks to Netgalley for approving me for this book.

I have chosen not to finish this book as it’s not really my genre of books. I requested this quite a few months ago and as I’ve come to read it now I’ve found its not a book for me and not really a genre I would like to read. Due to this I will give the book 3 stars as I feel it is a fair rating for not having finished the book

What an incredible story. Beautifully written and thought-provoking, deserving of all the praise. A must read.

A newspaper clipping introduces the story of Spring and her family. Did Spring's son, Edward, cause this crash as is believed? The story goes on to examine the lives of three generations of Edward's family. This is done in order for him to be able to 'cross over' and die at peace knowing for the first time where home really is. We follow Edward's grandmother when she was stolen away from her family at just the age of 11 and then lived the rest of her life as a slave. Edward's mother also lived some of her life as a slave until the passing of the Emancipation Proclamation. The awfulness of slavery, rape, forced abortions are explored at length; this book broke my heart many times and I had to set it aside in order to gather my thoughts and process what I had just read.

This book is incredible. Thank you Netgalley for my review copy. Remembered has been longlisted for the Women's Prize and it needs to be on the short list if not win the prize! This is an incredibly important book. A beautiful, difficult and necessary story.

Such a heart breaking but well written book, made me cry so much but beautifully written. Not surprised it's on Women's Prize Long list!

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!

An exploration of the history of slavery, through the history of one individual.

Edward, a black man, lies dying in hospital after an incident with a tramcar which looks like he is to blame – certainly the mob baying outside his window think so.

His mama, Spring, sits beside him and opens the Book that she’s been creating all her life. Spring’s story is heartbreaking, sad, yet true and representative of the stories of so many others who lived through slavery, and the continual prejudices post-freedom.

The characters are well crafted and full of life, and I cared deeply about them all through the empathetic narrative woven by Yvonne Battle-Felton. A book to remember.

Different to most of my reads,and a reminder I should probably be reading more books like this.
A story to remind us that it wasn't that long ago that people were bought and sold and stollen,and treated like they weren't even human due to the colour of their skin.
Gave me a lot to think about.

It a bad read overall.
Did enjoyed reading it.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Littlebrownbookgroupuk for my eARC of this book in exchange for my honest unbiased review