Camilla10's Rec of the Week: 6/25/12

June 25, 2012

I remain, Yours by Momatu

Rating: M
Genre: Romance/Drama
Characters: Edward & Bella

Summary: Bella is unexpectedly given an antique desk that once belonged to Edward, and in it she finds a letter he wrote to his cousin in 1918. She responds and sets them off on a journey neither could ever have expected. Perhaps there are some things we aren't meant to understand, just accept... Will eventually contain character death - NOT Edward or Bella.

Did you ever wish you could have known Edward as a human teenager, beyond the dim memories he retains and shares with Bella? If you read I Remain, Yours you can, and your perception of him will never be the same.

You’ll discover that, apart from the patriotic desire of going to war, Edward was brave, compassionate, highly intelligent and mature. A lovely young man, who volunteers with sick war veterans in the hospital where – of course – a certain Doctor Cullen befriends him and his family ….

An unlikely and wonderful exchange of letters happens between Edward and Bella, via the magic desk given to her by a descendant of his family. The desk has a hidden drawer that allows for them to communicate and even give each other little things, like photos and mementoes.

At first both can’t believe what is happening to them, but they cannot resist the pull. The letters are delightful in themselves. Bella can tell him the future, the end of the Great War, the assassination of the Czar, and learn about his life and times, his interaction with his family, uncles, and cousins whom he loves. One is crippled by polio and Edward will be surprised and saddened to discover that polio has been defeated, in Bella’s time.

Everything Bella tells him is a continuous source of astonishment, TV, airplanes, and the fact that young ladies can ask boys to prom … He puzzles about “googling” something, and modern expressions and more make him wonder. But he is open minded. Like in here:

Yes, Tucson. I apologize. Quickly, Bella, what is the capital of Illinois? No looking in your computer gadget thingamabob. May I ask, what does it mean "to babysit"?

I know I have already told you this, but I want to repeat it. I do not care that your parents are divorced. I am sorry for it, of course, but I understand that you live in a very different world from mine. As much as I believe a marriage vow is unbreakable, I am a realist. If two people do not make each other happy, and their society allows for them to divorce, and the woman is able to provide for herself, it does seem pointless for them to remain together. 

This Bella is adorable, too. She has a sense of humor, she is loving and wise beyond her years. Despite the time chasm separating them, they are obviously made for each other and they soon pass from pen friends to people in love. This is made clear when events we know about start happening.

My Dear Bella, 

If there is one thing I have learned as the result of my father's sudden death, it is that not one single day, not one single moment can be taken for granted. We waste entirely too much time trying to impress and appease those who do not truly matter, while neglecting those who do. My dearest Bella, my dearest friend, please allow me to tell you how very much I value and treasure our friendship. In these past weeks, you have come to mean more to me than I can begin to explain. I do not know by what miracle our friendship has been made possible, but I will never cease to thank Heaven for it, and for you. 

While Edward copes with the aftermath, (particularly with an obnoxious uncle he eventually sends packing) and with his mother’s grief, Bella tries as hard as she can to support him.

 Dear Edward, 

Tell your uncle to stick a sock in it. Seriously, Edward, don't let him push you around. He has absolutely no right to tell you what to do. Please, don't blame yourself for what happened. I'm sure there was nothing you could have done. If there were any signs to be noticed, I'm sure you would have. You need to remember what your father told you, take care of your mother. I cannot even imagine how horrible this must be for both of you. 

And, later,

There has been a lot of research done into how people grieve in the last 91 years. I tried to find out as much as I could, but we deal with grieving after a loss much differently than you do, so I don't know if this will help or not. ……………………………………….. There may be nothing you can do or say, she may just need you to sit quietly with her not talking. Just squeeze her hand or put your arm around her. If she mentions your father, let her talk. Don't let anyone tell her what she should or shouldn't feel. No one knows what she has lost more than you do, but even your loss is different from hers. It is important to try to get her to eat, though. She needs to eat and sleep, and she needs to get exercise. Does she garden? Can you and she go for a walk, or is she expected to not leave the house? We don't really do the whole wearing black all the time thing. Some people refuse to wear black at all after someone dies. I hope that doesn't sound disrespectful to you. They're remembering and celebrating the person's life, rather than mourning their death. You said you had gotten a lot of flowers, does your mother have a favorite flower? Maybe you can try to keep some around the house... Have you asked her if she would like you to play for her? If you play while she is in another room, could she hear you? That way, it could be up to her if she joins you or not. I wish I could hear you play. 

The story is a WIP, but Momatu tells us that it is complete and she updates every week. As I write, the story got to the point where Bella and Edward are madly in love and crushed by the fact that they will never meet in their lifetimes. However, the reader knows that Edward too will get the influenza and that Doctor Cullen is there, so Fate will make the impossible possible …..

]What else can I tell you?  Go read this story – accurate from the historical point of view and careful in every detail– and get lost in it as I am.

2 comments:

  1. J Molly said...:

    Looking forward to reading this one. Thanks for the rec!

  1. Raum said...:

    Thank you for this great review, Camilla! I'm reading this story and it's one of the best I've ever met!! I'd like to add that Momatu is a very, very kind person and she replies to each review.

    - Raum

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