Remember Me Like This

A Novel

By: Bret Anthony Johnston

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

A gripping novel with the pace of a thriller but the nuanced characterization and deep empathy of some of the literary canon’s most beloved novels, Remember Me Like This introduces Bret Anthony Johnston as one of the most gifted storytellers writing today. With his sophisticated and emotionally taut plot and his shimmering prose, Johnston reveals that only in caring for one another can we save ourselves.

Four years have passed since Justin Campbell’s disappearance, a tragedy that rocked the small town of Southport, Texas. Did he run away? Was he kidnapped? Did he drown in the bay? As the Campbells search for answers, they struggle to hold what’s left of their family together.

Then, one afternoon, the impossible happens. The police call to report that Justin has been found only miles away, in the neighboring town, and, most important, he appears to be fine. Though the reunion is a miracle, Justin’s homecoming exposes the deep rifts that have diminished his family, the wounds they all carry that may never fully heal. Trying to return to normal, his parents do their best to ease Justin back into his old life. But as thick summer heat takes hold, violent storms churn in the Gulf and in the Campbells’ hearts. When a reversal of fortune lays bare the family’s greatest fears - and offers perhaps the only hope for recovery - each of them must fight to keep the ties that bind them from permanently tearing apart.

©2014 Bret Anthony Johnston (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Enthralling...[an] exquisitely moral mystery of how we struggle to accept and love the people we call family.” (The New York Times Book Review [Editor’s Choice])

“An achingly beautiful and psychologically insightful portrait of a family...[a] fully immersive novel in which the language is luminous and the delivery almost flawless.” (The Boston Globe)

“Tremendously moving... There’s real humanity in [Bret Anthony] Johnston’s writing, and it’s heartening to spend time with these folks as they relearn how to be a family.” (Ron Charles, The Washington Post)

loved it from the very beginning.

it's always interesting to read or listen to a book that is about an area or geography that you know. I was surprised to start off in such familiar territory. But that wasn't what made this book so spellbinding. Every turn was unexpected. I never knew how it was going to turn out. There was never moment of finality, not even at the very end.

Emotional but Over-written

An emotional story about the aftermath of a child abduction. IMHO, the emotional impact was weakened by the over-written agonizing of the parents and remaining sibling. It just became too repetitive and disrupted the momentum of the story. Decent performance,

Gripping

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

The story really only begins with the return of a boy who had disappeared. The author does an incredible job setting up believable characters and the real drama: will each of them and the family as a whole survive the new sets of circumstances that follow from Justin's return?

What was one of the most memorable moments of Remember Me Like This?

I won't give it away, but the epilogue raises all the right questions and made me want to read it all over again.

What does Mark Bramhall bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Honestly, I was so focused on the story, I hardly noticed the performance either way. And I mean that as a compliment.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not really, but I loved the way it drew me in to the characters and their choices, their means of coping with the new situation.

Any additional comments?

Really excellent story.

A SAD BOOK

The writer show us all the things that happen to a family with the kidnapping of kid. Even if the kid is recovery the situation does not change because of the sexual trauma of the kid, the guiltiness that every one in the family feel.
It is a sad book, well written, good narration.

Gripping tale of pain, justice and recovery

Would you listen to Remember Me Like This again? Why?

Yes. This book deals with the complexities of a family whose oldest child is kidnapped and is recovered, alive, 4 years later. All members have jagged edges of guilt, hope, and defeat, both regarding the search for Justin and the aftermath. All question what they could have done differently, and feelings of hatred and anger toward the man who took Justin away.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked that it didn't have a happy ending, but there were glimmers of hope amidst some of the mess left behind.

Which character – as performed by Mark Bramhall – was your favorite?

I don't really have one, but Mark Bramhall is a fantastic narrator, and his performance shines in the slow, humid descriptions of a Texas summer.

A wonderful read

An
author that knows how to actually write a book, this is real writing and how rare that is. And engrossing moving book that will stay with you for a long time. Definitely worth the time to read. I really enjoyed this book

Impressive Novel of Loss and Family

loved this dissection of an American family in the aftermath of a tragedy and how each member copes (or doesn't) with it.

i think the characters were so strong...it was like i was living this story through them. i knew how each of them thought, felt, existed.

the way Johnston handled the thought provoking experience of losing (and finding) a child was really expertly done. i couldn't stop the story from running in my head -- and i expect to continue to think about it for a while.

i was surprised and extremely impressed with how this novel ended...really really liked it

Compelling and moving

I had read this when it came out, and wanted to experience it again, with Mark Bramhall reading. The book is a very well-written exploration of the effects on a family and community when a child is kidnapped and held for four years. It is intense and thoughtful. Mark Bramhall does a marvelous and nuanced job of the narration. Highly recommended.

Not that Great

The story line had so much potential but there just never really seemed to be that big moment that a good book builds toward. I listened to the whole thing, but I wasn’t captivated.

The story seemed slow with too much trivial detal.

I finally gave up when I got tired of both the narrator and the characters.