Madeline is six years old but seems older; she’s an old soul. She is sensitive to the evils of the world and can tell when people, especially children, are “lost.” Her abilities draw a strange man to her that only she and sometimes her brother, Timothy, who is one of her favorite persons in the world seem to see. She dubs the man a fallen angel and names him Lucy. Madeline knows she’s weird, and people are wary of her, even her parents, especially when she tries to tell them about her gift. Madeline’s father is a deacon and thinks of her as evil because of her abilities. In Forgetting the Lost, a prequel to J. Martain’s Daughters series, follow Madeline as she tries to understand and navigate her world as well as her abilities.

I loved reading about Madeline’s world from her point of view. J. Martain does a marvelous job of depicting the narration from a six-year-old’s perspective, with all the confusion and innocence that entails. The author also did a great job with the plot and pacing as the book gradually followed Madeline through her teenage years as she got older, went to college, married, and had children. I loved the depiction of the 1940s, and I had no trouble visualizing the setting. Forgetting the Lost is a paranormal novella that gives off a Stephen King-esque vibe, which I absolutely loved! I haven’t read the other works in this series, but I’m eager to do so now that I’ve read this book.

Forgetting the Lost by J. Martain is set in the 1940s and follows the story of Madeline Galloway, a little girl who feels unloved and neglected. She is constantly bullied at school and mistreated at home. However, her brother Timothy seems to be the only person who cares for her until she meets a mysterious man she names Lucy. Madeline is unsure if Lucy is a guardian angel or a fallen one due to his strange aura and unusual emission of heat. As time goes by, she begins to see his true self, and with every tragedy she witnesses, her faith in him begins to waver. Is he there to help the lost ones, or will he be their demise?

Forgetting the Lost is part of the Daughters series by J. Martain and serves as the prequel to Daughters of Men. The story is suspenseful and features complex characters with intriguing personalities. It also tackles social issues such as child abuse and neglect, depression, and the impact of war on families. The author does a great job of captivating the reader by giving clues and leaving it to them to interpret the situation. The writing makes you wonder if Lucy is a kind being or a liar and a messenger of evil. The back-and-forth between him and Madeline is tense and leads to some shocking plot twists. By the time you reach the end of the book, you will want to go back and appreciate the subtle creative clues. The story has paranormal and supernatural elements and a unique plotline. I highly recommend this incredible story.