A Promise to Remember
- ISBN13: 9780764203800
- Condition: USED – VERY GOOD
- Notes:
Product Description
When There’s Nothing Left But Memories. . . Andie Phelps is the envy of Santa Barbara. A devoted mother with a loving son and a successful husband, her greatest joy comes from reaching out to others. . . Melanie Johnston is the envy of no one. A single mom who works long hours to pay the bills, and her greatest joys relate to her teen daughter and son. Then the accident that changes everything. When opposite worlds collide, the impact reaches far beyond t. . . More >>
May 15th, 2010 at 4:00 pm
Kathryn Cushman has done an incredible job. She somehow finds a way to tell both sides of this tragic story and make you both angry AND sympathetic to each mother. Choosing to show both Andie and Melanie as flawed human beings reacting to death in their own way, Cushman allows the reader to decide who is right and wrong here.
I was amazed at how detailed Cushman’s story was. She introduced both mothers in the midst of the most horrible moment in their lives, and had each reacting in a logical way. The women never became stereotypical or cookie-cutter characters in any way. To be honest, I still don’t know who I felt more sympathetic toward, and that’s the sign of a powerful writer. Ultimately, she delivers a strong ending (it’s hard to say “upbeat” when dealing with a story like this) that really ties everything up nicely.
Kathryn Cushman is a writer to watch. I’m usually pulled more toward the suspense/thriller genre, but I’m glad I took a chance on this talented writer and entered her literary world for a little while. Looking forward to the next one!
Rating: 5 / 5
May 15th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Haunting. That’s what I call a book or movie that stays with me for days after I close the back cover or leave the theatre.
A Promise to Remember haunted me for days. Kathryn Cushman did a wonderful job making both grieving mothers real and sympathetic. When I was in Andie’s scenes, I’d get angry at single mom Melanie and her twisted view of a “legacy. ” But when reading Melanie, I’d be angry at the wealthy Phelps’ and the memorials they could buy for their son.
A Promise to Remember is a wonderful read.
If you like Karen Kingsbury, you will LOVE A Promise to Remember.
Rating: 5 / 5
May 15th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Kathryn Cushman’s debut is wonderful, but it’s not a light read. My heart ached for Melanie, who was compelled to visit the cemetery every day because she was afraid Jeff was lonely and because she’d made a promise never to abandon her children. I longed to comfort Andie, who was drowning in guilt that she wasn’t a good enough wife and mother. The ending isn’t “happy”, though I was at peace with it. Still, I was left wondering how both families would move on after surviving such loss. I thought of friends who’ve lost children, and grieved anew for them.
This soul-stirring novel will stay with me for a long time.
Rating: 5 / 5
May 15th, 2010 at 10:27 pm
I liked the story- told from the opposing perspectives that really makes you see how each person might feel they were completely in the right in their actions, which is why I gave it three stars. For people who are not interested in faith-themed books, this book was really heavy handed with the “message” and it was really, really burdensome. It seemed forced and took away from a story that was actually rather interesting in itself (rather Jodi Picoult-ish). I hated how trite the religious parts were, which simply jolts the reader out of the story because it just doesn’t flow with the rest of the story. Instead of adding to the story, which it could have, it reduced it.
When I bought this, I didn’t see anything on the page that indicated that it was a Christian-themed book. Now, I see this in the reviews, but not in the description. I’m not sure that I would have gotten it if I had known, because in my experience, Christian writing is like Christian music- the talent pool is smaller, so compared to the general population, those who succeed are often not of comparable quality to those who succeed in the general population. I say this as someone who used to search out Christian music and books and finally gave up due to this realization. I’m glad I got this free on my Kindle!
Rating: 3 / 5
May 15th, 2010 at 11:47 pm
This was a riveting story about pain, loss, and forgiveness. It was very easy reading and the author had my attention from the very beginning. I could not put it down. While it certainly was a tearjerker – it was full of hope. I was really touched.
Rating: 5 / 5