Customer Reviews

Remember the Morning

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The main benefit of working through this meandering novel, as I now look back on it, was to gain a glimpse of pre-revolutionary America. What attracted me to the book was the author's credentials as an historian. If the story's tensions, moods, and conlicts are historically accurate than the perspective it generates is intriguing. The search for a national and cultural identity among the changing political landscapes must have been most demanding upon the citizens of the colonies. The author describes how the various influences of the Dutch, British, French, African, and native American Indians converged in a cultural boiling pot. The plot and characters were tolerable. Although, there were times when I thought of putting the book aside to find a more rewarding read. Yet, the sense that finally emerged for me was one of appreciation for the gradual and difficult movement it must have been for the colonists to make from a European to an American conception of themselves. The book raised a question- "How did a new sense of an American identity develop for a people governed by Britian?"- and sought to provide a plausible answer. I would have enjoyed more historical identification of the events depicted either as footnotes or end notes. Yet, the author provided helpful definitions of terms as footnotes.

I was pleased to find that this book tells a story of the area in which I grew up - New York. However the characters; their struggles and dialogue are amateurishly developed. The way the author tells us of Iroquois language and custom brings to mind a low budget film.

Near the beginning of Remember the Morning, Catalyntie Van Vorst's grandfather explains something to her: "History is always complicated. That's why it's important to understand it. Otherwise it blows up in your face." Over the next 400 pages (almost), Catalyntie lives out a story as complicated as her own roots, threaded deep into the soil of worlds both old and new. This complexity, and the refusal to settle for simplistic resolutions, is the great strength of this novel--and its greatest weakness.

At its most basic, this is the saga of three people locked in love and rivalry: Catalyntie; her former slave and soulmate Clara; and the object of their affections, Malcom Stapleton, who loves Clara and feels something more and less than love for Catalyntie. Their story, splashed upon the towering canvas of the Hudson River Valley in pre-Revolutionary America, moves with the speed of a Mohawk war party and touches on themes that shaped America itself: all the inherent tensions of liberty and slavery, virgin land and the development (or exploitation) of it, simplicity and capitalism, Christianity and animism, hope and blood. Seen on one level, America is the story of rampant desire and Catalyntie personifies it. Driven and ambitious, she receives everything she wanted but happiness eludes her throughout; the peace she has arranged for herself at the book's end is still ambivalent.

And the journey has perhaps been too long. The novel's major flaw is that there's simply too much in it for the length; it spans the years, continents and themes without doing full justice, it seems, to any except Catalyntie. A book the length of Gone With the Wind, or perhaps a trilogy narrated by each of the three major characters in turn, would have better suited the scope. All the same it's a noble effort that helps us remember our own "morning" as a nation.

This was the book that introduced Thomas Fleming to me and I am glad it happened that way. Had I first read one of his stories related to II world war like Time and Tide, I might have stopped reading Fleming (I am not suggesting the latter category bad -- simply this is my personal preference. I enjoyed Time and Tide very much, too.)

This is one of those books that give you some knowledge while entertaining you. Though I am not least familiar with the pre-revolutionary American history, this book seems to be the result of good amount of research. In spite of all the facts incorporated, Fleming had been able to sustain the reader interest throughout the novel. The characters including Catalyntie and Clara are quite interesting.

There was way too much history and detail in this story to keep it all straight. It was an interesting look at a friendship between the two female characters, Catalyntie and Clara. But at times Catalyntie was too pathetic for words... sleezing herself out for Malcom, who loved Clara. The footnotes were helpful, but really the only reason I completed this book was because I'd paid for it!

I have to be honest. This was a well written story with characters that you grow to know very well. It is enjoyable. My problem started when Malcom Stapelton stepped out of the role of a fictional character and became Robert Rogers of Rogers Rangers. To me good historical fiction gives the real historical figures their due along with some help from the fictional heros. I would still recommend it to anyone who is interested in pre-revolutionary fiction.

Remember the Morning was a spectular book that will keep you perched on your seat. Thomas Fleming's use of history and the characters are one I will read again and again. Fleming will open your eyes to troubles of ethinic groups, race and poltics of the time.

A very interesting novel with well-developed characters (Catalyntie and Clara especially) set in a background of profound events that lead to the founding of America. Every component of colonial life is examined--slavery, relations with Indian tribes, relations with Europe and the ensuing political conflicts, and the status of women. Clara and Catalyntie emerge from their lives as Seneca captives to choose two divergent paths--Dutch Catalyntie in search of wealth and business success, black Clara in a search of the inner peace that her external world has denied her based on race. But they both find love from the same man, Malcolm Stapleton, an aspiring soldier who struggles with his own issues of identity and belonging, religion and country. Overall a good novel, but sometimes overly dramatic and unbelievable--Catalyntie's un-motherlike behavior and Malcolm's integration into the Seneca tribe. You'll enjoy it nevertheless.

On paper, this book sounded great.

In reality, it was long and boring, with no lovable (or even likable) characters.

The plot was thin and forgettable, the emotions and relationships were very unrealistic.

Skip this one, or sell it in your next garage sale.