Review: Remember Me by Mario Escobar

Remember Me

by Mario Escobar 

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Pages: 384

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Historians refer to the Spanish Civil War as one of the bloodiest wars of the twentieth century. In 1937, at Mexico’s request and offer, nearly 500 children from Spain—remembered as Los Niños de Morelia—were relocated via ship to Mexico to escape the war’s violence. These children traveled across the sea without their families and were expected to return at the war’s end. No one could have foreseen another world war was on the way—or that that Franco’s regime would prevent the children from coming home. These enduring conflicts trapped the children in a country far from their homeland, and many never made it back.

Kritters Thoughts: My second encounter with Mario Escobar and this one was just as good as the first!  Focusing on the Spanish Civil War and the many communities that the fighting affected through three children as they have to flee their home country in order to find safety while their parents remind behind to fight the war.  A combination of a "road trip" story as the children are moving from one place to another and a historical fiction with a real focus on time and place and the feelings that time has on its survivors.  

I love a book about war that is focusing on children as not all books can take that viewpoint.  Marco Alcalade is a young boy that was given a large responsibility to take care of his two younger sisters as they flee Spain to Mexico in hopes of a safe place to escape their hometown in the middle of war.  I often while reading had to remind myself of Marco's age and his sister's ages as there were times where he was maybe presented a little bit older than he really was.  I know that Marco had to man up for this adventure, but there were just a few times where I wish the young adult in him could have come out more.    

For me, one of the things I really loved was reading a book set partly in Spain and listening to places that I visited be described.  I could really visualize some parts of this book and for me that makes the book come even more alive.  

There is one more book by Mario Escobar that I haven't read that has been translated and after reading this one, I may have to read it soon to say I am all caught up on his English work.  I love his plot, characters, time and place.  

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.