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Reviewed by Trisha Dawn for Readers' Favorite
What the Dead Remember by Christina Welbourne follows Olive Fairwater, who travels to a remote town to take care of her dying grandfather. There she finds family secrets that had been hidden over the years. Olive sorts through her grandfather’s belongings and finds an old journal that describes an intriguing story of history, deception, death, and something that was just not natural. However, Olive realizes that this journal is also a warning. The past and present appear to be colliding with the opening of a door that was sealed between the realm of the living and another dark realm that has clearly been forgotten. The dark realm is governed by death and myth. It is said to be linked to Olive’s family over the years. The question now is what Olive is to do with the knowledge about her family and whether to embrace or reject this forgotten legacy.
What the Dead Remember by Christina Welbourne is a dark, atmospheric fantasy that focuses heavily on mood and suspense. I enjoyed the overall slow-burning tension in the folkloric setting. Another interesting aspect of the novel is that its layered narrative incorporates a journal that bridges the past and the present. It emphasizes that history is not hidden away but is very much present in our lives. Through this multi-generational approach, the narrative was invested in memory, legacy, and inheritance. Emotionally, the novel was less concerned with spectacle and more with character-driven storytelling. The themes of loss, self-discovery, and familial responsibility were seamlessly integrated into the fantasy world and flowed effortlessly into an engaging read that I couldn't put down.
