Remember Me by Mario Escobar is a historical fiction novel about the Spanish Civil War. This book is fiction but based on historical fact. I enjoyed this book, mainly because it contained so much information about the Spanish Civil War. I did not know much about this time in Spain so I was glad to learn a little more. This book moved quickly for me, though at times it did not flow as well as it could have.

The primary focus on this book is the Alcalde family. The three children (Marco, Isabelle and Ana) are part of the 500 children who are being evacuated to Mexico. They are called the Children of Morelia. They are separated from their parents with the hope that they will see them again. In some cases these children were not exactly welcomed and treated as well as they were supposed to be. And at times this part of the story was hard to read. Marco takes seriously the last promise he made to his mother which was to keep his sisters with him and to keep them safe. Along the way they learn hard lessons and realize that you can't live for the past, that you can only live for the future. 3.5⭐

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction and Mario Escobar for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

It seems that I have encountered several novels in the past few months about the Spanish Civil War: A Long Petal of the Sea, The Fountains of Silence, and now Remember Me. This topic was never discussed in depth in the history books, and yet is such an important part of European history. Perhaps because these atrocities were sandwiched between the first and second world wars, little attention was given to the turmoil that caused the displacement of nearly 500 children and countless families. The Spanish Civil War was a war of ideological perspectives that severed a nation and devastated its people. Of the novels I've read, Mario Escobar has gone into the most detail about the events that destroyed the Spanish way of life. His meticulous descriptions will stay with me for some time.

"Surely some will declare that their ideologies are what make the world go 'round, when actually ideologies are what destroy it."

My assumption is that some of the more powerful moments may have been literally lost in translation. This novel seems to me that it would appeal to the young adult population since the literary method is simple, using straightforward telling and less showing. I was present and engaged for the entire novel, but not fully transported. To that end, this would be an ideal novel to teach high schoolers about this little-known part of history.

"War isn't the best brush for painting a future of peace."

This specific account of the children of Morelia was absolutely heartbreaking. The fact that so many young children were sent across the ocean alone for their safety speaks volumes of the situation in Spain at the time. That those in power chose to ignore the devastation caused by their actions, is completely mind-boggling.

"To see what's right in front of us requires enormous effort, because there's no man so blind as the one who doesn't want to see."

Kudos to Mario Escobar for bringing to light this incredibly disheartening part of world history.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for gifting me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

For more of my reviews, please visit my blog at https://mamasgottaread.blogspot.com/ , or follow me on Instagram @mamasgottaread .

Young Marco struggles to reunite his family after they are separated during the Spanish Civil War. The story is told in first person through Marco's eyes.

I found the book a real struggle to read. It described an ugly war with no good guys. I found it hard to like or identify with any of the characters. I enjoyed a previous book by this author, so continued reading. Nothing ever seemed to go right for the kids! The book underscored the tragedy of war.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received an ARC of this excellent historical novel from Netgalley, author Mario Escobar, translator Gretchen Abernathy, and publisher Thomas Nelson. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. Remember Me is an outstanding look into the civil war of Spain from November 1934, and the story of the Children of Morelia, the Spanish children in exile in Mexico from May of 1937 through the end of 1940 when the decision was made to return the children to Spain. We focus on the three Alcalde siblings, Marco (16), Isabel, and Ana

The author tells us that the Spanish Civil War was a river of tears and blood. All civil wars are bad - brother against brother, but the Spanish Civil War was tragic to a degree impossible to fully understand. The conflicts between the rebels and the Republican government and It's loyal citizens began in 1934 and by the time of the coup in July 1936 the citizens of the country were already hungry, afraid, and without much hope. By 1937 thousands of Spanish children had been dispursed into European countries, from Russia to England, Belgium, and France, and some to Argentina and Chile in South America. But Europe was now very unstable, and Mexican President Cardenas and his wife Amalia Solorzano made provisions to handle up to 500 Spanish children in the small town of Morelia, Mexico.

By the summer of 1937, many Spanish families had decided to send their children across the sea to safety in Mexico at this invitation of the Mexican government. 470 children were sent by train to Bordeaux, France, and then by ship across the turbulent Atlantic to Vera Cruz, and then to a boarding school set up to continue the education of those Spanish children, along with a few Morelia Mexican children.

It was many months after the children's arrival in Mexico before the parents of those in exile were given their location and address to write them. And of course, mail at that time took months to travel from Madrid to Mexico. Communication between the family members was sporadic and months went by between letters. In September 1939 Poland was invaded by Germany, and World War II was declared and grew to include most of Europe and Asia. Family members' children in Mexico were just hanging on, uncertain of their future, afraid for their families back home. When can they go home? Is there home and family left to return to?

Remember Me: A Spanish Civil War Novel by Mario Escobar is a historical fiction novel and that is the aspect that I appreciated the most about this book. I really didn’t know anything about this war that occurred in the years just before WWII and I learned something new. However, the book really wasn’t for me because it was nonstop stress, sadness and pessimism. There are a couple passages I marked in the book that really seemed to describe this aspect of the book. The first, “One lesson we learn as adults is that, if things are going poorly, they can always get worse.” And another reflection of the narrator is “I understood that suffering is our only lifelong, faithful friend. At every moment it reminds us we’re mortal and that around every corner we could lose all our happiness and long to curse the day we were born.” While I appreciate that war is horrible, other books have been able to tell the truth of tragedy while preserving some glimmer of hope. I requested and received this advanced copy to read and review from the publisher Thomas Nelson and NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Remember Me by Mario Escobar is a perfectly titled novel about the children who suffered during the Spanish Civil War way beyond the war's end in 1939 just before WWII.

Like many parents in war torn countries the Alcalde family had to make the decision to send their 3 children to Mexico to keep them safe during Spain's civil war when they were targeted by the regime in power as dissenters. Unfortunately, as in most of these similar cases, the children were never safe with the people in charge of them.

This impeccably researched book is told from the point of view of oldest son Marco who is given the unfair task of keeping his two younger sisters safe. Through hunger pains, physical torture, and sexual abuse the resilience of these children is remarkable. However, that does not in any way diminish the lifetime of the disastrous effects these years had on the children who survived to tell their stories.

I applaud the author for bringing this lesser known tragedy of Spain to light based on actual records of the children who lived through it. I especially think it is relevant to what the United States is doing by still keeping children locked in cages at our borders. These are lives that will never fully recover from the horrors that this country has caused them to suffer. Regardless of your political views harming children should never be acceptable to anyone.

There are parts of this book that are so hard to read but necessary. History is important not only to learn from but to never repeat the evils that it reveals about human beings.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A well written historical fiction set during the Spanish Civil War. If you enjoy historical fiction I recommend this book. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

A family in Spain sends their children to Mexico for safety during the Spanish Civil War. The children work to stay together and stay safe but really want to return to Spain after the war ends. The parents, meanwhile, get caught up in the war struggle but really want to reunite with their children...

When I read a book like this, I am always amazed at how little history I actually learned in school. There is so much to learn about how people dealt with wartime situations. This book is historically based fiction about the Spanish children sent abroad to avoid being in harms way during the Civil War in Spin the the 1930's. It is well written and kept my interest throughout the book. I could feel the pain that was endured by both parents and children involved in the conflict. I want to thank Mario Escobar for presenting a beautifully written story.

I have never read a book about the Spanish War. This story is heartbreaking about 3 children who are exiled from Spain to Mexico without parents. The parents remain in Spain to continue to fight for the republic. I can't even begin to imagine something like this which makes it a difficult read. It is absolutely heartbreaking.

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.

As much as I loved the author’s first two historical fiction novels, this one was just too hard to get into. I was looking forward to learning more about the Spanish Civil War. However, I felt like it was too difficult getting invested in the characters and the story. I don’t feel like the main characters, the Alcalde children, are well developed.

The book is full of the atrocities that the people suffered during the Spanish Civil War. But it felt like it was just a rehashing of the facts. And those were horrendous…from the detailed tortures and the sexual abuse.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

SUPER INTERESTING SUBJECT THAT CARRIED THE BOOK THROUGH

For me, the best part of this book was definitely the subject. It is a subject I am less than familiar with and I always love learning new things, so that was a major plus for me. Sadly, there were some writing issues for me, that I couldn't completely look past. But it didn't change the fact that I overall actually enjoyed this book.

"We move a few steps, and utopia retreats as if hoping to escape our small, selfish desires. The moment we make utopia fir our plans and schemes, it disappears. It never serves individualistic interests because there's always something to improve, something else to fight for."


👍 WHAT I LIKED 👍

Subject: The Spanish Civil War is a subject I have not explored too much, so the Niños de Morelia was an entirely new thing for me. I had never heard of these refugee children, that lived in Mexico during the worst of the war. It was very interesting to get a look into those fates through the eyes of the Alcalde children.

Philosophy: Especially the first part of this book had a wonderful, philosophical quality that I really enjoyed. There were many thoughts and musings about socialism, fascism, utopia and fighting for what's right. I wished that quality had been carried on throughout the entire book, but that was sadly not the case.

"True, we'll never reach it [utopia], but that's exactly what it's good for - to push us forward so we don't lose hope."


👎 WHAT I DISLIKED 👎

Characters: Our three main characters, the Alcalde children, and their parents were sadly lacking in character, so to speak. They didn't feel like real people, they weren't fleshed out enough. I couldn't tell you about their personalities, because I just couldn't feel them while reading.

Story: For me, the story was interesting - but only because of the subject. While reading this book I had a clear feeling that the author was more interesting in his subject - the Niños de Morelia - than in the story he had chosen to enlighten that subject through. The story, to me, felt shallow and sadly emotionless, even though so many horrible, upsetting things happen. I couldn't feel the emotions behind those events.

Remember Me by Mario Escobar

Coming of age in war-torn Spain, Marco Alcalde’s childhood is stolen from him during the Spanish Civil War. Though this war took place 1936-1939, the story covers other years as well.

Nothing means more to Marco than the love of his family. He takes on a lot of responsibility at a tender age, when he and his sisters are sent from Madrid to Mexico by their parents to protect them from dangerous conditions in their homeland. Life isn’t much better for the trio in the Americas.

Remember Me describes the horrors and effects of this civil war. Concentration camps equal to those of Nazi Germany, and killings of dissidents and undesirables were the norm. Fascism is fascism. Will the Alcalde family survive? Will they reunite?

Escobar is clear on his political views of the Spanish Civil War and its aftermath. There is history to be learned in this tale based on some true events. A solid four stars for Remember Me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #ThomasNelsonFICTION

Remember Me is a work of historical fiction centered on the Spanish Civil War. This book reads very much like a memoir or expanded diary, and the story is told from the point of view of a boy forced to act as a parent toward his younger sisters.

The siblings are forced to separate from their parents and flee from all they know and love in Madrid in order to scape almost certain death. The children face harrowing events that cause the children view atrocities and devastation that change them forever. As the book progresses, it seems less and less likely that they will be reunited with their parents in their beloved homeland. No spoilers here!

This novel is full of impassioned philosophical rhetoric from from the warring ‘Reds’ and ‘Fascists.’ The book’s characters often embark on conversations laden with soliloquies that don’t exactly feel realistic but do convey strong emotion tied to their beliefs.

Remember Me is a compelling read. I particularly enjoyed learning more about this point in history. If you are looking for historical fiction that reads like a memoir, this book is for you!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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I am so glad I received this book. .The stories of the children were amazing. I knew very little about this time in history. Definitely going to suggest this book to friends. Thank you.

An excellent researched book about the Spanish Civl War of the late 1930s. It follows the lives of the Alcande family, who are active in the revolutionary movement. They are targeted by the authorities, and the father decides to send Marco and his two younger sisters to Morelia Mexico for their safety! They are separated from their families and in conditions they had never envisioned.
Although they were supposed to return home after the war, many never did.
Although fictional characters, they were well developed and demonstrated the resilience of the young children. Marco fought continually to protect his sisters, despite his youth, fulling the promise made to his father.
This was a very disturbing, dark time in Spain, with graphic descriptions of the bloodshed. I found reading it to be difficult at times, and needed to put it down. But the talent of author Mario Escobar is apparent throughout.
I thank the author, #NetGalley and #HarperCollins for the ARC. All opinions are my own. If you are a fan of historical fiction, this is a must!

The Spanish Civil War, which happened between WW I and WW II, is not something I was completely aware off, I remember vaguely learning about it in school, so overall this book was a bit of an eye opener. The first half of the book was a bit of hard read as you seem to be getting a crash course into the politics of that era but it urged me to do a bit of research. The story follows the Alcalde family, mainly the Marco and his 2 sisters. They were part of the “Children of Morelia” – a group of 460 – 480 kids who were taking in by Mexico. Overall this book shows the horror of war, family ripped apart, brother against brother, what one human can do to another human based on their beliefs, but also it shows the bound of family, friendship, lessons one can learn for observing, and never to lose hope.
I want to thank Thomas Nelson Fiction for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

I was torn between giving this book 3 maybe 3.5 stars but went with 4 because it tells a story people should know. My main dislike for the book was that it written in the first person; it came across too stilted and choppy in first. Transitions were awkward, there would be an over abundance of detail and then a few choppy sentences before another overly abundant retelling. I think had it been written in third person the wonderful depth of all the research would have carried the story. Marco’s experience related in third person might have been even more impactful.

A Spanish Civil War Novel

1936-1939

The Spanish Civil War is referred to as one of the bloodiest wars of the twentieth century. Mr. Escobar’s novelization of the events is told by Marco, a fictional survivor and one of the 500 children that were relocated via ship to Mexico to escape the violence.

At what cost do you protect your child?

“Remember Me” is the story of the Alcalde family and focusses mainly on the children: Marco, Isabel and Ana who traveled across the sea without their parents only to be trapped in a country far from their homeland. Based on true events and documents we follow the siblings through their ordeal. Life was not easy, they had to endure hunger, beating and even kidnapping...their overall situation was horrible. The Alcade family represents the lives of thousands of families who were separated ... many children trying to survive alone and many parents suffering from having to let them go.

The story is told in three parts: the first deals with the Civil War in Spain, the second the children evacuation to Mexico and the last part covers the life in Spain under Franco’s rules. At the end of the book we have the author’s clarifications of the factual events from those needed to fit into his narrative and the final chapter gives a timeline of significant events during that period. The research is outstanding.

Mr. Escobar writing style is simple; his fluency of words and charged phrases will strike a chord in your heart, it did for me.

This is a great historical fiction