Always Remember by Charlie Mackesy—The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse in the Storm opens with a charming note from the author explaining to his readers that he never expected to make it this far in the creation of his novel. The fact that you, the reader, are reading it means he was able to complete a story out of the piled, unorganized papers and hectically arranged work on his desk. As he fondly says, making this book “will always remind me that all kinds of things can come from mess," further encouraging his readers, "so no matter how chaotic life is—try to be gentle with yourself and don't give up.”
And maybe this was a full-circle moment for the author. After the painful, messy process of writing and creating, he realized that this is what it is about, the process, even if we fail, get it wrong, or get hurt: “There seems to be a lot to achieve in this life. But I think just to be here and to sing our song is a victory.”
Artistry and Craft
Always Remember slightly builds off the last book as we see the friends’ journey together and how their relationships have grown since the last book,
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse: a close-knit group weathering storms together and relying on each other.
One of the discernible stories in the collection of experiences between the friends is the storm, as the title suggests. But other than the storm, it is also about the boy dealing with abandonment. As the boy learns to love himself, love eventually returns to him, as he realizes that love never left him in the first place.
Like the previous book, Mackesy fills the pages with whimsical sketches ranging from messy, wandering ink drawings to detailed and loose watercolour and chalk landscapes. I thoroughly enjoyed the art in this book and found that there was some growth in the artist’s direction in showing the “bigger picture,” or the vastness and overwhelm of situations the friends find themselves in, with larger landscapes more frequently spread throughout the book compared to his earlier sketches. The novel is also significantly longer than Charlie Mackesy's previous work, yet every page feels meaningful rather than like filler. While each page feels meaningful, it can also feel a bit exhausting, especially if you plan to read the book all in one go instead of pacing yourself. ★★★★
Themes and Messages
Whether it is telling the reader that the truth is ‘
everyone struggles,’ or that to be truly strong means ‘to be gentle,’
the book shares an overarching narrative of connection, love, and self-forgiveness. It acknowledges the humanity that all of us hold: the desire to be loved and connected, finding strength in that love and connection. It also acknowledges our shortcomings, failures, and struggles, teaching us that becoming strong is only found from a place of
gentleness;
gentleness toward yourself and gentleness toward others. Reassuring readers that even though they may not see the way through the wilderness and storms of their lives, just
taking the next step is enough. Just taking the next step is a victory. And even if you are too afraid to take that next step, the next step could simply be to breathe.
This book comforts readers by telling them that they are not the storm, and the storm will pass. The book also acknowledges human pain and misery, the hurting that we all experience, saying, “There were some dark days, but you did not give up.” And even when things didn’t pan out, or you failed, or someone else did, and you experienced hurt, the author continues to acknowledge the inner strength it takes to move forward: “well done, good job for trying again, for taking the next step even when it seemed scary.”
The book acknowledges pain and the scars that life creates.
"A glacier carved this valley,” said the horse.
“That must have hurt,” said the boy.
“Yes, but look at the beauty it created.”
The book shows us that out of hurt and pain, beauty can still grow if we let it.
The book prompts readers not to be lost in past hurts or failures, but rather to value time and see time as the gift that it is, to “be in this moment, because it is all that we have," to take this life and seize it. As Mole fondly says, “carpe diem.”
The book reminds us that friendship and the love shared between friends do not end when friends are apart. The love between friends continues even when they are not together.
Letting us know that the "most beautiful places are the places where we are all together, where everyone we love is present." ★★★★★
Final Thoughts
The title of the book, Always Remember, suggests that the author has an important message to share with his readers. So what does he want us to remember? To be “kind to your soft wild heart,” to remember “the blue sky above never leaves,” to know that we are never alone—not truly—and most of all to always remember:
You Are Loved, and that is what matters.
At the very end of the book, the author leaves a little surprise that I would hate to spoil, so I will not. But altogether the book is whimsical, hopeful, and uplifting, prompting readers to be present despite life’s storms, despite life’s hurt and failures, to take the day and seize it.
Overall, I loved Always Remember: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse in the Storm, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a healing, slow compilation of gentle stories that have Christian undertones. Overall, I rate this short and endearing novel four and a half stars out of five.
Content Discretion:
Themes of Abandonment
If you’d like to explore more of
Charlie Mackesy's work,
click here.
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