Remember Me

by Laura Hendrie

A ferociously determined twenty-nine-year-old, Rose Devonic lives in Queduro, New Mexico, where she--like most others--makes her living selling embroidery. But a tragedy in her past has made her an outcast. Only by facing down her ghosts--and her hometown--will she learn to accept the liberating challenges of belonging, identity, and love.

Genres: Fiction, Novels

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Paula Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very engaging story. You wanted to see what was going to happen next.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is brimming with interesting characters, from Rose to Birdie to Alice and to many of the minor players in the story. The narrative point of view shifts so that the reader sees inside the thoughts of several characters and learns about rationalizations and motivations behind the action of the novel. The setting of a remote village that is sometimes cutoff from the rest of civilized New Mexico is easy for a Coloradan to visualize and understand. Our book group was fortunate to have Laura Hendrie attend our discussion of the book, and I felt that I learned so much from talking to the author. Like how the people of charming towns have to decide whether the town will grow with some respect for its history and people or whether it will develop as a theme park. Like how the author's personal experience with Alzheimer's helped develop the character of Alice in the story.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book because two of my favorite authors, Kent Haruf and Richard Russo, wrote positive blurbs about it. I can see a slight comparison to Kent Haruf. Just replace Kent Haruf's small-town Colorado settings with a small-town New Mexico setting where everybody knows one another. The setting figures heavily in the plot of this book. The author captures the feeling of being trapped in a small town with few options; however, I am not the type of person who gets overly sentimental about places, so I didn't identify too much with the characters. An enjoyable read, though, and would recommend to fans of Kent Haruf.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, I didn't like the book but pushed through it and it was like many books, hard to get going early on, but then easier to read once you got through the plodding beginning. Af first, I didn't like Rose and thought she was selfish and hard to figure out beyond that, and even though she is a little rough around the edges, her heart is in the right place in her affection for Birdie and her changed heart regarding Alice. In the end, I ended up disliking the townspeople instead (with the exception of Frank and Eli) and their narrow-minded opinion of Rose, but Rose proves in the end that she is a better person than all of them.

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Original Thoughts (2000):

Very good novel! I wish it weren't Hendrie's first - I want to read more of her books! It reminded me a little bit of Barbara Kingsolver and Kent Haruf's writing. Thought-provoking topics (aging, nursing homes, etc.). Sad, yet well-worth reading. Engrossing.

My Current Thoughts:

I've had a copy of this book on my shelf for 20 years, with great intentions of reading it a second time. It will be on the top of my re-read stack for my personal challenge in December. I remember it so fondly and hope it stands the test of time.

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great characterization! However, didn't always understand the motivation behind why some characters chose to do what they did. Plus the small mindness of this tiny town was highly irritating - different was not good and scape goats were necessary. On the positive side, it was a good learning experience about the traditional embroidery craft/trade in small New Mexico towns - the art & skill that goes into it.

[Laura Beth Vietor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised how much I liked this one. Rose was an identifiable character with her many flaws but truly big heart. The reader longs for her to suceed even though she is constantly being thrown challenge after challenge; I mean how much bad luck/hardship can one person survive? But the embroidery theme stays true & helps the fluidity.

[SOAL · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grew on me. I never disliked it, but it didn't exactly grab me right away. If it weren't for the fact that I was reading it for a book club, I might have given up a third of the way through. But I'm glad I stuck it out because it ended up being quite good, with some interesting turns. It was definitely worth reading.

[Mich · Rating 4 out of 5]

didnt get great reviews but i tho't this book was really good. the 'embroidering' part was a bit odd but i liked the underlying story a lot.. good chick read

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Loved the characters, loved the setting (New Mexico). Anyone who likes Barbara Kingsolver's books, especially Animal Dreams, would be likely to enjoy this one.

[Sue Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unusual story of ' it's the way things have always been around here' and 'I don't fit'. How the main character deals with that is an interesting follow.

[Denise Gobble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Loved the story.

[S Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the prose but felt that the narrative was not filling.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

this wasn't the same cover, I liked mine better.

yes slow to start, yes took a gazillion pages to get through two days but then there was a huge skip and it moved fast.


If you didn't know the characters thoughts and hearts I would be very judgemental and prob side w the town but by knowing I did love the characters and did "get" rose.

have a crush on frank! don'tunderstand his marriage at all.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

29-yr-old woman in a small town, NM, her family was killed in a car crash. She's seen by locals as a charity case, not part of their local tradition. Folks trying to run her out of town. She keeps coming back because it's where she belongs. Her surrogate dad dies from stroke complications, his sister has alzheimers. Girl tries to help them out. Finally comes back to town to make a stand.

[Cook Memorial Public Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose is an eccentric heroine and an outcast in her New Mexico town, a place that survives on exquisite embroidery. I loved the flawed and insecure characters, all looking for connection.

Recommended by Connie

Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/...

[Paula J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, heart-wrenching portrait of an orphaned woman and her search for community among the people inhabiting her isolated small town. Hendrie creates a world full of challenges for Rose, yet also gives her many opportunities to prove her mettle, to herself and to those around her. A true exploration of the power of friendship and simply showing up for one another.

[Gerry Durisin · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a small, isolated mountain town in New Mexico, Rose Devonic, a 29-year-old woman scorned by the townspeople because she can’t or won’t live up to their ideas of acceptable behavior, persists in living life HER way, even as she battles to win acceptance, or at least tolerance, from a narrow-minded, gossipy community.

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a slow start to it but I'm glad that I finished it ---I loved the characters. The theme of not giving power to those who control by fear was very inspiring.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in northern New Mexico, very few of the characters are hispanic, which I thought was odd. It was a great story, fast read, but the ending left me a little flat.

[Psalm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of liked how she's a lovable loser.

[Mary Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting characters. Quirky.

[Laurie Stoll · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found Remember Me as a boring story. Parts were interesting but for the most part this story just didn't seem to have much substance to it.

[Juli · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who knew a book centered on the act of embroidery could be interesting?

[Jodi]

Did not like

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great. My kind of story. Reminded me a lot of Kent Haruf. I her only other book, short stories... Stygo.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good reading. Very good storyline.

[Sheila]

Wonderful book. Reminded me of Kent Haruf and his great books...read every one!