Forget Me Not is a gripping sci-fi novel by Alexandra Oliva. The story centers around Linda Russell who lives amongst the urban sprawl of Seattle in the not-so-distant future. A modern world where wearable tech and facial recognition is commonplace, VR gaming and self driving cars are mainstream, and social media has consolidated under one company: SocialHub.
Falsely dubbed #Clonegirl by the vicious, prying eyes of the media, Linda lives a life of solitude and eschews social encounters. That is until she meets her new neighbor Anvi, one of the few people who can coax Linda out of her shell. Together they explore the infamous house that Linda grew up in, a den of iniquity. Little do they know that doing so will open up a veritable Pandora’s box. When a tragic series of events unfolds, Linda comes face to face with the demons from her past and learns the unbearable truth about her childhood.
I was absolutely blown away by Forget Me Not. It is rare to come across a compulsively readable and accessible sci-fi novel, let alone one that crosses over into psychological thriller territory so effortlessly. I was captivated by the believable futuristic world that Oliva created, it feels eerily accurate given the trajectory we’re on right now. In fact, recently I deleted my Instagram and Facebook accounts and I’d be lying if I said that Forget Me Not didn’t have a big part to play in that.
Oliva sure knows how to write believable characters. I instantly fell in love with the vulnerable, naive and socially awkward Linda. I saw a bit of myself reflected in her character and I was very sympathetic to her plight. My heart ached for the sad, raw truth of what she experienced as a young girl. I also enjoyed Anvi, with her scintillating intelligence, ‘bad’ habit of adopting strays and steadfast determination. Even the villains were drawn in shades of grey and capable of evoking my compassion. And who could forget the courageous and lovable Nibbler?! Nothing has made me want a dog so badly.
Forget Me Not has all the elements you want in a great sci-fi thriller: a fast-paced and engrossing plot, well-developed characters and plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing the whole way through.
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
