👶👶👶 Remember Me: A Spanish Civil War Novel, by Mario Escobar

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.

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Read 9/13/2020