Book Review: The Forgotten Ones by Steena Holmes

Title: The Forgotten Ones

Author: Steena Holmes

Rating: 5/5 stars

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review.

Summary

This story follows two main characters, Elle and David, as their lives are turned upside down. Elle is a nurse, who has lived her whole life believing that both of her grandparents are dead. David is a lonely man lying on his deathbed in the hospital, visited by no one but a myriad of nurses. When the two meet, they form an unexpected bond that will change the course of many people’s lives. Elle is trying to learn her history and why her mother decided to cut her off from her grandparents and she is being told three different versions of the truth. As she learns more about her family, more questions continue to come up. Will she ever learn the whole truth or will the secrets be buried with her grandfather?

Review

Warning: Use of an outdated term for Native American.

This book was full of twists, turns, and full on loop-de-loops. I was not expecting anything going into this, as I had not heard of the novel or the author previously. But boy was I blown away! During the beginning, I had no idea where the story was going and I was intrigued. The novel opens up with vivid images of two interesting and well-developed characters that change and grow so much throughout the novel. The main thing that stood out to me while reading the story was the characterization. The personality and nature were clear for every single character. The writing style was concise and interesting to read with comprehensive descriptions of the characters and situations. I was curious about David and his stories while feeling sympathy for Elle and her current situation.

I would characterize this book as a drama. Big plot twists were occurring one after the other from the very beginning of the story and they did not stop until the last page. Things kept happening and they genuinely surprised me. The story was incredibly fast-paced and kept the reader intrigued the entire time. There was also a huge element of mystery throughout the novel. The reader is alongside Elle as she is searching for the truth about her mother and the past. This mystery lends itself to suspense. I found myself continually reading so I can figure out what the truth is.

Another important aspect of this book is mental health. Elle’s mother, Marie, is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. I will put out the disclaimer that I have no idea how well this illness is represented, however, I think it was a huge part of Marie and the actions she takes throughout the story.

The writing made the story so easy and enjoyable to read and the characters were well developed and unique. The story was complex and intricate and kept me on the edge of my seat. I stayed up until the early morning to read this book and to find out what the truth was. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves mysteries, psychological thrillers, and drama.

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