Remembrance by
Michelle Madow
My rating:
3 of 5 stars
Lizzie Davenport has been reincarnated from Regency Era, England ... but she doesn't know it yet.
Then Drew Carmichael transfers into Lizzie's high school at the beginning of the year, and she feels a connection to him, almost like she knows him. She can't stop thinking about him, but whenever she tries talking with him about the mysteries behind her feelings, he makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with her. Reaching him is even more difficult because she has a boyfriend, Jeremy, who has started to become full of himself after being elected co-captain of the varsity soccer team, and her flirtatious best friend Chelsea starts dating Drew soon after his arrival. So why can't she get him out of her mind?
Even though Lizzie knows she should let go of her fascination with Drew, fighting fate isn't going to be easy.
Actual rating 3.5 stars
Our birth is but sleep and a forgetting
The soul that rises with us, our life's star
Hath had somewhere its setting
And cometh from afar
~Intimations of Immortality - Ode. Wordsworth~
Hmm...ironic how my favourite quote from the book is not actually written by the author.
Anyway, I expected a snarkfest review would soon follow when I decided to read this but it turned out, I actually enjoyed this!
that this book gives Lauren Kate a run for her money?
In fact, I think it is more socially acceptable if Remembrance gained more fans than Fallen.
So, if you never heard of this yet, Remembrance is a story inspired by Taylor Swift's Love Story music video which was inspired by Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen ::Inspiraception::
The cool part here is of course the whole idea of reincarnation which Lauren Kate tried to write but failed miserably. Michelle Madow handled the concept better but I wished for more visual time transcends than hearing the history of Lizzie and Drew's past lives from Drew. It was as if the author didn't do enough research and wasn't confident enough to bring her characters back in time. Well, I think her school got in the way. The author meant this to be a homework after all when she first started.
Honestly, I don't know if I'm being completely unbiased with this one when it triggered so much sweet memories from my childhood/pre-teen/teen life (see things that captured my heart below). Things that I used to like and I used to wish for. And of course, I can remember vividly when I first listened to Love Story, back when I was in college. Actually, I was already eighteen at that time but the song and the video went viral and suddenly whenever someone blasted the song from her stereo, the whole wing would start to sing along with the song.
Aaaah, such a lovely time. *Chokes back tears*
I'm sorry if I just wasted your time. Okay, time for the actual review.
***Spoilers ahead, I think (somehow the blurb itself seems to give out everything***
Well, the plot actually sounds very cliche if you try to sum it up. Lizzie is in relationship with Jeremy, Drew suddenly transferred to her school, several eye contacts and electricity buzz later, Lizzie is positive she meant to be with Drew. Drew starts to be a douche and stays away from Lizzie. He even chooses to hook up with Lizzie's best friend, Chelsea. A few mean comments and a bucketload of tears later, Drew decides he cannot deny his feeling for Lizzie anymore. They both break up with their partners and starts to see each other behind their ex's backs.
Like I said before, not much time transcending actually happened, so this is more of a young adult romance/contemporary than a young adult paranormal/time travel.
What so special of this book is all the 'almosts' and 'not quites'. Let see if I somehow managed to explain this.
1. Lizzie is girl with a heart of gold. She works hard to get good grades, try to please everyone, and like to stay out of troubles. Sound like a Mary Sue? Almost but not quite. There are many facades of Lizzie. Sometimes she worries too much about hurting other people, sometimes she can be a little bit paranoid and inferior but at other times, she is brave enough to stick up for herself and willing to go to an extra mile to demand answers.
2. Drew. He obviously made a wrong decision by dating Lizzie's best friend and warning Lizzie to stay out of him. Almost like other countless scumbag heroes? But not quite. He managed to redeem himself later in the book and the explanation that came along with his previous behaviour does make sense.
3. Chelsea. The girl who changes her boyfriend every month, doesn't mind wearing barely there dresses in winter and like to draw attention to herself. Almost a bitch, but not quite. She actually cares and appreciates Lizzie as her best friend. In fact, she was the one who first wanted to be friend with Lizzie who at that time, was a loner.
4. Jeremy. Co-captain of the school soccer team. Highly competitive, listens to trashy rap songs, quite high tempered and easily jealous. Almost the typical jockey-jerk, but not quite. He lets go of an argument pretty quickly, unafraid to say sorry and encourages Lizzie to be more involved in his new social circle.
5. The almost insta love. Oh, you can imagine all the details. "There seems to no one else in the room but Drew and me, all the sparks and tingling sensation whenever he is there"...you know the drill. But given that Lizzie and Drew had known each other from their past lives, it kind of make sense. Oh well, I have yet to find out how Drew and Lizzie ended up together in the first place, hundreds of years ago but if it was insta love, you better watch out, Michelle Madow. Muahaha~
6. The almost love triangle. Or a love rectangle, whichever you prefer. But not quite, because for Drew and Lizzie the choice is crystal clear. At least, that's how I define love triangle is, only when the protagonist is torn between two other characters.
Some other small, small things that captured my heart
1. French classes
2. The swing on the playground
3. "Minuet" by Mozart.
4. Pinecones throwing.
5. Lizzie's halloween ensemble.
6. Pride and Prejudice first edition.
7. Lizzie's drawings.
8. Music box
And oh, I really feel it's necessary to include this unnecessary line;
"I flipped my phone open and pressed number four, followed by the green send button. Chelsea was fourth on my speed dial, preceeded by my dad'scell, mom's cell, and home number. Jeremy was number five."
LOL! Lizzie, I don't think I'm interested to know who is in your speed dial.
And I did tell you that this book is extremely fluffy, right? If you can't handle fluffiness, I advise you to stay away from this. Hazard: Risk of choking.
"I want you." he said. "Just you. I used to go through every day without thinking about the future, but with you all I can see are the possibilities of the experiences we could have together." He paused, clasping my hands in his. "But remember that whatever you choose. I want you to do what will make you the happiest".
All in all, I think the greatest quality of this book is its innocence, honesty and sincerity. I believe many of us have this so-called reader instinct which can detect if the author wrote a book for money and popularity or for his/her own fulfillment and the readers enjoyment.
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