Forgotten in Q&A with Catherine McKenzie

Feb 22, 2013 Lisa Brackmann rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I hate to call a book "Chick lit" -- it conjures up cartoon images of sparkly high heels and champagne glasses. There must be a better term to describe books about the misadventures of young women who are still finding themselves in life, work and love. In many ways, FORGOTTEN fits this description: Emma, an ambitious young lawyer, takes a trip to Africa to fulfill her late mother's bequest and life-long ambition. Things happen, Emma is thought dead, and six months later, comes back to find that ...more

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Jan 18, 2012 Susan (The Book Bag) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-read-in-2012

Catherine McKenzie has done it again! I read her first novel, Spin, in January of this year and loved it. You can read my thoughts about Spin HERE. I loved the writing and loved the characters and was excited to see what was next from this awesome author. When I was asked to read and review her third novel, Forgotten, I was ecstatic! I also have her second book, Arranged, sitting on my bookshelf and I really need to get it down and get it read. So far, I have loved everything she has written and ...more

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Apr 24, 2012 Luanne Ollivier rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Forgotten is the third book by author Catherine McKenzie. I've read the first two - Spin (my review) and Arranged (my review), but I have to say, this latest book is my favourite. (so far!)

I always stop and look at a cover before reading and wonder - what does the picture have to say about the story? Where could this woman be going?

Well, Emma Tupper goes on more than one journey. When her mother dies, she leaves Emma a ticket for a journey she wished she could have taken herself - a month in A Forgotten is the third book by author Catherine McKenzie. I've read the first two - Spin (my review) and Arranged (my review), but I have to say, this latest book is my favourite. (so far!)

I always stop and look at a cover before reading and wonder - what does the picture have to say about the story? Where could this woman be going?

Well, Emma Tupper goes on more than one journey. When her mother dies, she leaves Emma a ticket for a journey she wished she could have taken herself - a month in Africa.

"Her death was a fractional thing. One moment she was still and pale, but alive. The next she was gone. It seemed like almost nothing had happened, but that almost nothing changed everything for me."

Emma is a lawyer and has been working towards partnership for many years. When her firm strongly discourages her taking a month long absence, she surprises herself by going anyway. The trip starts out well, but within a few days, Emma is seriously ill. The safari leader leaves her with volunteers in a remote village with a promise to send a doctor. But then an earthquake decimates the country. Emma recovers, but there is still no way for her to contact anyone from her remote village. Six months later, she is finally able to return, ready to step into her life again. But, that life is no more - the key to her apartment doesn't work, there's a strange man living there, she can't reach any of her friends by phone, someone else has her job...and more. When Emma googles herself, she discovers the truth - she's been declared dead.

McKenzie has concocted a great premise that just opens up so many avenues. As one supporting character advises Emma - to "treat what happened to me like an opportunity to change the things in my life I didn't like."

Emma was an eminently likable character. Her best friend Stephanie was loads of fun - I'm quite taken with her bookstore/match making concept! All the classic elements of a great chick lit read are here - love interests (then and now), b****y co-workers, a great supporting cast with both humourous and wise characters, missed cues and found opportunities. But in addition to all that, there is that underlying question - what's important and what would you change? Lots of food for thought there.

McKenzie's prose flow easily, deliciously enveloping me in Emma's tale for hours at a time. If you're looking for the best books to stock your beach bag with this year, make sure you include Forgotten. It's one you won't forget. (sorry - couldn't resist!)
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Jul 17, 2012 Lydia Laceby rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: canadian-chick-lit

Forgotten is a novel about starting over amidst unusual circumstances and illustrates that the impetus for change can come in many ways regardless of whether you want it or are ready for it. Emma’s life is altered forever when she returns home from what was supposed to be a three week trip to Africa – her mother’s last wish before her untimely death - but due to a natural disaster, she unexpectedly ends up remaining for six months. Returning home, Emma discovers everything she had was gone – her Forgotten is a novel about starting over amidst unusual circumstances and illustrates that the impetus for change can come in many ways regardless of whether you want it or are ready for it. Emma’s life is altered forever when she returns home from what was supposed to be a three week trip to Africa – her mother’s last wish before her untimely death - but due to a natural disaster, she unexpectedly ends up remaining for six months. Returning home, Emma discovers everything she had was gone – her apartment, all her belongings, her bank account, even her boyfriend has moved on. Labeled missing and presumed dead, Emma finds that nothing normal remains of her perfect and orderly life. Watching Emma fight and then ultimately accept and adapt to her unexpected circumstances leads to a unique, fast paced and absorbing read.

In typical McKenzie style, the premise of Forgotten is just as unique and original as the storylines of her previous two novels and is one I found incredibly intriguing. To suddenly show up after several months expecting your life to go on as usual when it’s anything but because you’ve been declared to be missing and presumed dead was fascinating. How would I react if that was me? Would I expect everyone and everything to fall back into place, even if I wasn’t aware –as Emma was – that this assumption had occurred? Who could I go stay with? How would I be received? What if I wasn’t fortunate as I am to have friends and family that would take me in? What then? These were just a few questions inspired by reading Forgotten. It really made me think. And I like that.

McKenzie’s main characters usually grow on me over the course of her novels as I initially seem to have a hard time warming up to them. I find they are usually more detached and a bit cooler than other leading ladies I have cheered for in women’s fiction, but this doesn’t mean they are not worth rooting for. They all discover themselves over the course of her novels and Forgotten was no exception, although I found I didn’t enjoy Emma’s character quite as much. She came across as more rigid and dry to me and I didn’t find her internal dialogue and observations nearly as funny as McKenzie’s previous two main characters. I also thought her expectation that everything and everyone would just accept her back into their lives when she stayed away for so long without contact was a little too self-centered, but I suspect my own priorities might have been different. Even though I knew Emma was going through a rough time questioning her life after her mother’s passing, I just couldn’t relate especially with the slow drip of information that was revealed over the course of the novel which made me even more unappreciative of her lack of contact.

The supporting characters in Forgotten were fabulous. I wanted to have Emma’s best friend over to share a bottle of wine and have dinner with her exuberant and loving family. Emma’s love interest made me swoon and her arch enemy made me just as stabby as Emma. They were all fantastic and I only wish I had had the same strong feelings for Emma.

Regardless, I still really enjoyed Forgotten even with a little detachment. I still can’t quite put a finger on exactly why Forgotten didn’t stand out as much as McKenzie’s first two novels, Spin and Arranged, both of which I loved, but it was definitely still worth the read. ...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Jennifer Rayment rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Good Stuff

Simply put, I just adore anything that McKenzie writes, and this is no exception. She is just the perfect storyteller. She hooks you in with great characters that you can relate to and puts them into intriguing tales with plenty of twists and turns
The perfect book for just losing yourself into too
nothing cliche or predictable - thank you - now lets make this into a movie 'kay - cuz we need some romantic movies that are not cliche and predictable - this is a smart romance people ...more

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Aug 07, 2013 Tara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: highly-recommend

Another fascinating book from Catherine McKenzie! What would happen if everything in your life was taken away, if you had to start all over again?

Following her mother's funeral, Emma Tupper pursues her mother's dream of visiting Africa. Hardworking, stubborn Emma takes a month long sabbatical from the law firm that she had been dedicating 80 hour weeks in pursuit of a partnership to explore Africa. Only, what was supposed to be a month long sabbatical turns into a six month journey following an ...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Christina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourite-authors, canadian-author

Catherine McKenzie is one of my favourite authors, so it shouldn't be a surprise to you when I say that I love this book!

Catherine McKenzie has a real knack for making characters that are so relatable, and so realistic, I found myself loving the characters (and even hating one of them)! Now take these great characters, and put them into a story unlike any I've ever read (I don't want to give any of it away, but I will say that the art theft was a completely unexpected and exciting addition to th ...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Marci - rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, canadian-books, blog-publisher-tours

absolute best one to date! absolutely loved it!!

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Mar 08, 2012 Colleen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

Happy, happy sighs. I love this book. I love Catherine. 'Nuff said. ...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Melissa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

http://www.chicklitcentral.com/2012/1... ...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Kathleen Crowell rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I love CM! I can't understand why it took so long to make her books available in the US--so glad she is finally getting the attention she deserves! I loved this story! The only reason I didn't give it a 5 is because I still think Spin was better and it's hard to compare anything to that! ...more

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