Remember Me Like This: A Novel

Quite good regarding a family's struggle to recover after an unspeakable crime to a family member. All the characters were well developed except perhaps fourteen year old Justin, the victim, who remained an enigma for me.

This is a well-written, potentially interesting novel, based on the themes of what happens to the members of a family when one member of the family disappears and then what happens to the members of that family when the lost member miraculously returns. I found myself frustrated by the sense of guilt that weighs on all members of the family when the missing son returns, by the seemingly endless emphasis on the locale of the story (I found myself unable to relate to the story because I was not familiar with Corpus Christi), and by the ending of the story. Surprisingly, one of the most interesting aspects of the novel is the large number of questions the story raises that the author makes no effort to address.

I enjoyed the deep exploration of the very conflicted feelings of the main characters, admire and endorse the lack of answers to some obvious questions (including the big one that comes up at the end). But as someone who reads for story (i.e., plot), as well as the enjoyment of good writing, I wish there had been maybe a few more answers -- am not sure that the internal logic of the story (rather than the fashionable philosophy of Narrative construction) demands that so many questions be left hanging.

This was a great read. The characters were incredibly real and achingly human. Some authors are not only good writers, but have the ability to make us look deeper into ourselves and our relationships, which ain't always pretty but can help us to become more understanding of the frailties of life.

Easy read wanted to always get to the next section or page. Hard story but very well told and from all angles. Interesting how people's lives can be changed due to one event and how it can effect everyone so differently. Felt closes to the character Laura, being a mother but could relate to Cecil and the road he was willing to go down to help the family heal. Eric the dad was dealing with everything very differently then his wife. Griff " Lobster" was the most interesting as to his feelings before during and after and the responsibility he took as to being a confidant to his brother, but relaying information to his parents too. And Fiona loved her character and that she really watched out for Griff and was his escape....

Engrossing. Beautifully written. I loved it. I highly recommend you read every word and do not skim ahead to see what happens, which is very tempting. But then you would miss true beauty in the written word.

The author has an amazing understanding of the varied human emotions that parents and siblings must undergo when another has disappeared. What impressed me the most was the clear and often painful descriptions of those emotions and their evolutions through the period described. This book is not so much about the unexplained disappearance of a child as it is about the thoughts, hopes, fears and even joys that the different members of this family experience and to an extent, suffer. I think this is one of the best examinations of the family dynamics and ties that bind and sometimes tear us asunder.

Well crafted, emotional story with realistic characters. Descriptions and details were so vivid, I felt like I was there. Johnstons ability to portray guilt and grief were unlike any author I have read.

Direct from headlines. A little predictable but written to engage your emotions. The kidnapped boy seemed a little too normal for what he had Ben thru. Would have focused on his turmoil as well as the rest of the family

Bret Anthony Johnston chose a well-worn literary and cinematic premise for this novel, the missing child. However, rather than just formulating a cops-and-perps story, Johnston elected to focus upon the emotional toll exacted by the crime -- and its aftermath -- on the victim's family. He has received much well-deserved praise for this original and challenging approach. Johnston is a polished stylist and wordsmith, with an eye for the details that constitute "everyday life" and "ordinary people." The respect he has for his characters is evident in his meticulous, expansive accounting of what each is experiencing internally. And, for me, therein lies the rub. While I was aware of what Johnston was attempting to do, the detail-to-plot ratio became so excessive that the book, which I really wanted to love, eventually wore thin -- a brilliant narrative stalled under the weight of its own descriptive language. For this reason, I'm giving the book a 3.5. That said, Johnston is a gifted writer, and I'm not done with him. Perhaps I'll have a look at his short-story collection.

A great example of LITERARY fiction. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The author did an excellent job with character development and the story moves forward In a manner that keeps you totally immersed. His psychological insight was amazing.

Quite an amazing read. I really enjoyed reading this novel. It is a different type of novel in many regards, one heavily involving the thinking and feelings of each of the main characters, all while interweaving this with amazing descriptions and imagery surrounding the events of a suspenseful and emotional real life tragedy. Johnston does a marvelous job writing about topics of this nature as well as the surrounding emotion, reactions, and overall lives of the Campbell family. Very interesting and well written - highly recommended!

This topic is not something I would normally read, however the focus was on the characters and how they all were affected by the disappearance and reappearance 4 years later of the older son. There were no graphic descriptions of what happened to the boy. The relationships were what was important in this book. It is a must read. Very well done. Very suspenseful.

In this story about the aftermath of child abduction, author Johnston's precise prose makes you feel the weight of the sky as well as the weight of fear sorrow, and, especially, guilt felt by the abducted Justin and his family; father Eric, wife Laura, second son Griffin, and grandfather Cecil. To the author’s credit, he spares us the hellish and voyeuristic aspects of Justin’s experience. Unfortunately, he doesn’t bring the abducted boy to life, and, at times, Johnston overwrites his characters overwrought emotions. I have two additional quibbles, one about content, one about the use of prose. In the early pages the author creates taut suspense, whose (anti) climax comes when the abductor is released on bail. Then, Johnston again raises the emotional stakes when the abducted boy’s father and grandfather decide to abduct the abductor, a plan aborted by the boy’s mother. Then comes a lengthy, lyrical but overwritten, starry-eyed ending. I closed the book and wondered, can writing be too poetic and lovely to serve usefully?

This book took my breath away. The writing some of the finest I have ever had the pleasure to experience. Even though this is a very deeply disturbing story, the way it is crafted and the development of the characters is so very unique and respectful of the human condition . This was not a voyeur experience but rather a very intimate exploration of grief, alienation, and recovery. The sense of place he creates literally made me feel like i could touch and smell where we were,and I say we as I did feel like I was alongside this family everytime I picked up the book. And now that it is over -I really miss them all.

diologue was just too emotional and repetitive. i understood the need to e xpress the guilt the parents felt, but it just seemed too repetitive.

of course, what held your interest was waiting for some emotional response from the son who went thru four years of trauma. the book didnt address at all what the child experienced.

I really could not finish this, and this rarely happens. It is not because it was written badly, the prose was clear, descriptive, faultless, it just laboured the point. The changing of perspectives from one character to another was interesting, but it became tedious as I really wanted something to happen, anything. It is ok being cerebral, and trying to project how each character feels but a plot needs , some dynamics, some actual interaction,some direct speech. Third person introspection for page after page after page, is tedious, sorry. I flicked to the end to see if the ending would inspire me to try to work out how the author got there...but...even that old trick of mine produced frustration: it too was dull and I hate to say it, boring.

Kept waiting for something/anything of note to happen. Never did. No arc to the story or the characters. The dolphin subplot was meaningless and boring as was Eric's affair. Was more impressed with the sample I downloaded than the ensuing 250 or so pages. Wish I had better things to say but I'd pass on this one.

I did not enjoy this book. The characters were not strong enough to deal with what was happened in their lives. Justin seemed to be a little strange and to me should have concentrated on his feeling more.

Neither a great book nor awful. Mostly forgettable. I am sure that when I look through my Kindle library a few months from now this will be one of the books that I can't remember reading.

The dad in the book teaches high school history. Seems like a wasted opportunity not to add some historical/philosophical perspective to the narrative. There were some potentially interesting moral questions that could have been probed. Instead, the characters lived inside themselves, showing no evidence of any education that they could bring to bear on their situation.

Did I maybe doze and miss something? This was not a book worth wasting time on. It should have been represented as someone's opinion of what life may be like when a kidnapped child returns home. That way you would know what you're investing your time and money in.

Spoilers ahead. I was left waiting to learn 1) why Justin stayed with the kidnapper for four years without trying to escape, and 2) why the family's joy at Justin's return evaporated after the alleged kidnapper was released on bail a few weeks later, pending a trial. Despite the descriptions of the characters' introspection, they remained wooden and unreal. Why was the family told to refrain from asking about Justin's experience? Ever. This novel just didn't make sense to me.

My problem was the obvious angst that the author has for the Church of Christ. I couldn't tell if it was a hatred for the Church of Christ in particular or religion in general. He is always welcome to visit the Church of Christ and study with one of the elders. If he is not interested in the word of God for himself at least he would be operating from an understanding and some knowledge rather than ignorance. I will pray that you do that. And, if you have had a bad experience with members of the Church of Christ that you will know that not all people who claim to be Christians are always as kind as they are supposed to be. I will pray that you are able to meet and study with someone who is kin and loving.