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First Impression: Even if you expect the unexpected, it probably still won’t be enough.

Have you experienced incest, abuse, being molested?

Carly Remembers book cover

The query that accompanied Rebecca Nichols’s Carly Remembers originally stirred feelings of shock, disgust, and offense, but also intrigue. It was a brazen, uncomfortable opening asking a personal question of the reader in a way that was bold and, no doubt, triggering for anyone in a position to answer ‘yes.’ However, as the query continued, it seemed to want to reach out and hold dear anyone that has suffered. This is explained better in the official synopsis. The book attempts to provide a voice to all the ‘Carly’s’ that have been stripped of their youth, dignity, and voices. Though a work of fiction, Nichols has used her experience from work with the Probation Service to weave together a multitude of traumas so as not to identify any one survivor, but to shine a light on a topic that impacts millions of lives.

Before I continue, I would just like to express my gratitude to Rebecca Nichols for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I also appreciate the subsequent chats we had about my reflections and her thought processes during the creation of this novel.

Transported back to October 24th, 2010, the book starts with a punch. It’s hard hitting, serving up the violence immediately in the form of an assault aftermath. With two characters named John, and a Jim within the first three pages, the blow of this attack is softened due to giving attendance to the similar names. Then we have Franklin and O’Fallen. Throw in another J with Jones for good measure. The repetitive theme continues with door numbers. They all seem to require an ‘oh’ – hospital room ‘four-oh-three,’ ‘apartment number ‘three-oh-three,’ and the offices at four-seven-oh-one.’ More variation at the start when trying to decipher the value and longevity of each character would definitely have been appreciated.
 
At times, Nichol’s attention to detail is perfect. The descriptions provided by the narrator are delivered with extreme precision, e.g., the slipping on of the ‘green latex gloves’ at the first crime scene, ‘small four-room office area separated by six-foot-high cubicle dividers lined with gray cloth,’ and later, the hypnosis scenes. However, there are instances where the text could do with an editor’s eye. On one page we are introduced to Carly’s daughter, Jenny, but within a couple of pages, her name is Elizabeth. (I understand this is something that will be revisited in the next print run). A more polished feel would have been appreciated given that the book dealt with a serious police investigation.
 
Additionally, there are further moments that are questionable. For example, for a patient suffering from amnesia and unable to recall their name or much about their life, it’s strange that they recall being abused their whole life. It is also strange that the same said patient is up and walking around and meeting up with ‘strangers’ after being beaten within inches of their life. With broken ribs, burst stitches, and a fear of finding out the truth, how is it that a victim is freely walking around fearlessly in the neighborhood where she was attacked?
 
Explicit therapy journal entries are tough to read for two reasons. On the one hand, they discuss the intimate details of incest. On the other hand, they are devoid of emotion. The wrong tone is demonstrated. Whilst the notes should be clinical, one would expect them to convey more detail about the client. For example, although they are verbatim, it would have conveyed much to the reader had the therapist made more detailed notes about how the client presented. I was fortunate enough to have a direct conversation with the author and was provided with information that a general reader may not have.

Carly, in addition to having schizoid personality issues which makes her appear fearless in the face of things, she is used to not having anyone to rely on and doesn’t always act the way a “normal” person might act, sometimes being unaware of what “normal” person should or would do. She doesn’t always pick up on normal social cues.

R.S. Nichols, (2023)

Flaws aside, the book suddenly picks up pace in the latter half. Things happen when you don’t expect and even then, there’s still twists that will leave your head spinning.
 
With adult content that includes graphic scenes of a sexual nature, violence, molestation, and child sex abuse, the book is not suitable for kids or adolescents. The inclusion of disturbing content is likely to trigger anyone that has been affected by this type of abuse, so caution is urged. For adult readers that enjoy thrillers, this debut novel is a 3 out of 5. The ideas are there, but the execution could do with some strengthening.

Quick Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ / R Rated

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