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Forget I Told You This
Winner of the Barbara DiBernard Prize in Fiction
Amy Black, a queer single mother and an aspiring artist in love with calligraphy, dreams of a coveted artist’s residency at the world’s largest social media company, Q. One ink-black October night, when the power is out in the hills of Oakland, California, a stranger asks Amy to transcribe a love letter for him. When the stranger suddenly disappears, Amy’s search for the letter’s recipient leads her straight to Q and the most beautiful illuminated manuscript she has ever seen, the Codex Argentus, hidden away in Q’s Library of Books That Don’t Exist—and to a group of data privacy vigilantes who want her to burn Q to the ground.
Amy’s curiosity becomes her salvation, as she’s drawn closer and closer to the secret societies and crackpot philosophers that haunt the city’s abandoned warehouses and defunct train depots. All of it leads to an opportunity of a an artist’s residency deep in the holographic halls of Q headquarters. It’s a dream come true—so long as she follows Q’s rules.
Amy Black, a queer single mother and an aspiring artist in love with calligraphy, dreams of a coveted artist’s residency at the world’s largest social media company, Q. One ink-black October night, when the power is out in the hills of Oakland, California, a stranger asks Amy to transcribe a love letter for him. When the stranger suddenly disappears, Amy’s search for the letter’s recipient leads her straight to Q and the most beautiful illuminated manuscript she has ever seen, the Codex Argentus, hidden away in Q’s Library of Books That Don’t Exist—and to a group of data privacy vigilantes who want her to burn Q to the ground.
Amy’s curiosity becomes her salvation, as she’s drawn closer and closer to the secret societies and crackpot philosophers that haunt the city’s abandoned warehouses and defunct train depots. All of it leads to an opportunity of a an artist’s residency deep in the holographic halls of Q headquarters. It’s a dream come true—so long as she follows Q’s rules.
301 pages, Audiobook
Published September 1, 2023
About the author
Hilary Zaid
3 books39 followersHilary Zaid is the author of two novels, Paper is White (Bywater, 2018) and Forget I Told You This (Zero Street Fiction, 2023).
Hilary's short pieces have appeared in print and online venues including Mother Jones, Ecotone, Lilith Magazine, The Southwest Review, The Utne Reader, CALYX, The Santa Monica Review, and The Tahoma Literary Review.
Hilary is an alumna of the 2017 Sewanee Writers' Conference (Tennessee Williams Scholar), the Community of Writers and the Tin House Writers' Workshop. Hilary lives in the Bay Area with spouse, children and dogs.
Hilary's short pieces have appeared in print and online venues including Mother Jones, Ecotone, Lilith Magazine, The Southwest Review, The Utne Reader, CALYX, The Santa Monica Review, and The Tahoma Literary Review.
Hilary is an alumna of the 2017 Sewanee Writers' Conference (Tennessee Williams Scholar), the Community of Writers and the Tin House Writers' Workshop. Hilary lives in the Bay Area with spouse, children and dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
September 2, 2023
My response to Forget I Told You This was uneven. As I began reading, I was excited by the complexity of topics the book was taking on. Near the middle, I simply felt overwhelmed by too many conspiracy theories. Yes, it's a conspiracy theory novel, but the concatination of conspiracies pushed things beyond the point of my ability to willingly suspend disbelief. As I finished reading, I found I was enjoying myself again. The writer tied up lose ends that had been bothering me and helped me to better understand what had been motivating the central character all along.
If I had to describe this book in terms of other books, I'd call it a cross between Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49 and Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, with perhaps a bit of Fraya Marske's A Marvellous Light thrown in.
What I liked—
• quick pacing
• a lesbian central character, who interacts with other lesbian characters over the course of the book
• the author's knowledge about and respect for book-making and the physical act of writing
• the circus-like moments with unexpected stilt walkers, acrobats, and fire artists
• the over-the-top details in descriptions of the physical realities of Q, the social media company at the novel's center
• family relationships that weren't easy, but that the characters were committed to
What I didn't like—
• the central character's lack of goals and the ways her actions felt like the result of outside influences rather than her own desires
• as noted above, the absolutely baroque piling up of conspiracies and unusual attempts to circumvent those conspiracies
• how quickly the central character found herself obsessing about sudden infatuations
If you enjoy Dan Brown or similar writers, it's a pretty safe bet that you'll enjoy Forget I Told You This and will find yourself racing through it. I received a free electronic review copy of this title; the opinions are my own.
If I had to describe this book in terms of other books, I'd call it a cross between Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49 and Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, with perhaps a bit of Fraya Marske's A Marvellous Light thrown in.
What I liked—
• quick pacing
• a lesbian central character, who interacts with other lesbian characters over the course of the book
• the author's knowledge about and respect for book-making and the physical act of writing
• the circus-like moments with unexpected stilt walkers, acrobats, and fire artists
• the over-the-top details in descriptions of the physical realities of Q, the social media company at the novel's center
• family relationships that weren't easy, but that the characters were committed to
What I didn't like—
• the central character's lack of goals and the ways her actions felt like the result of outside influences rather than her own desires
• as noted above, the absolutely baroque piling up of conspiracies and unusual attempts to circumvent those conspiracies
• how quickly the central character found herself obsessing about sudden infatuations
If you enjoy Dan Brown or similar writers, it's a pretty safe bet that you'll enjoy Forget I Told You This and will find yourself racing through it. I received a free electronic review copy of this title; the opinions are my own.
December 10, 2022
This is a beautifully written and suspenseful novel that explores the tension between the old and the new, the tangible beauty of the handwritten page and the technology that may just wipe those pages from existence. I loved this story for its big themes and taut plot, but particularly for its wonderfully flawed protagonist Amy Black, whose search for love and for her own self kept me turning the pages, eager to see what would come next in her journey. I highly, highly recommend this book!
August 10, 2023
FORGET I TOLD YOU THIS by Hilary Zaid is a literary masterpiece that flawlessly weaves together themes of love, loss, and the thrill of technology in a way that's nothing short of mesmerizing. Zaid's writing is an enchanting dance of words that transports you into a world both familiar and extraordinary.
At its heart, the novel presents the story of Amy Black, a queer single mother and aspiring artist, whose journey takes an unexpected turn when a stranger entrusts her with transcribing a mysterious love letter on a dark, power outage-stricken night and then vanishes. As Amy delves deeper into the stranger's disappearance and the intricate threads of the narrative, she finds herself entangled in a web of secrets, data vigilantes, and a breathtaking illuminated manuscript hidden within the labyrinthine library of Q, the world's largest social media company.
Zaid's prose is a symphony of emotions and imagery, drawing you into the protagonist's psyche as she navigates through the complexities of her life and the enigma that is Q. The exploration of Amy's personal journey as a mother, artist, and lover is executed with unparalleled depth and authenticity, making her a character who resonates deeply with readers.
What truly sets FORGET I TOLD YOU THIS apart is its ingenious blending of techno-thriller elements with heartfelt, intimate narratives. The world of Q, with its holographic halls and clandestine societies, mirrors our own obsession with technology and the fine line between connectivity and intrusion. As Amy's curiosity propels her into the heart of this digital realm, the tension escalates, culminating in a breathtaking crescendo.
Hilary Zaid has masterfully crafted a tale that is both a reflection of our contemporary society's digital complexities and a timeless exploration of the human spirit. FORGET I TOLD YOU THIS is a literary gem that showcases the author's prowess in storytelling, character development, and narrative innovation. If you're seeking a novel that seamlessly melds love, loss, and heart-pounding techno-thrills, look no further. This book deserves every one of its five stars and more.
At its heart, the novel presents the story of Amy Black, a queer single mother and aspiring artist, whose journey takes an unexpected turn when a stranger entrusts her with transcribing a mysterious love letter on a dark, power outage-stricken night and then vanishes. As Amy delves deeper into the stranger's disappearance and the intricate threads of the narrative, she finds herself entangled in a web of secrets, data vigilantes, and a breathtaking illuminated manuscript hidden within the labyrinthine library of Q, the world's largest social media company.
Zaid's prose is a symphony of emotions and imagery, drawing you into the protagonist's psyche as she navigates through the complexities of her life and the enigma that is Q. The exploration of Amy's personal journey as a mother, artist, and lover is executed with unparalleled depth and authenticity, making her a character who resonates deeply with readers.
What truly sets FORGET I TOLD YOU THIS apart is its ingenious blending of techno-thriller elements with heartfelt, intimate narratives. The world of Q, with its holographic halls and clandestine societies, mirrors our own obsession with technology and the fine line between connectivity and intrusion. As Amy's curiosity propels her into the heart of this digital realm, the tension escalates, culminating in a breathtaking crescendo.
Hilary Zaid has masterfully crafted a tale that is both a reflection of our contemporary society's digital complexities and a timeless exploration of the human spirit. FORGET I TOLD YOU THIS is a literary gem that showcases the author's prowess in storytelling, character development, and narrative innovation. If you're seeking a novel that seamlessly melds love, loss, and heart-pounding techno-thrills, look no further. This book deserves every one of its five stars and more.
September 10, 2023
I’ll be honest: I have no idea how to review this book. I feel like it was written for a very specific group of readers and while I’m one of them, I don’t know if it’s something other people will like.
The best way I can describe this is take the concept of a Dan Brown book, mix in some cyberpunk/technothriller elements, infuse it with poetry, and sprinkle in a niche passion for illuminated manuscripts. Also sapphic romance. It’s a little like the comic series Tokyo Ghost if I had to compare it to anything but it’s very clearly not like anything else.
Basically we have a middle-aged woman mourning the loss of her wife who had uterine cancer and she’s trying to make a living writing letters in a not very distant or far fetched future Bay Area. A massive Facebook/Meta-like company, called Q, is essentially becoming rich off data (so basically a true story) and destroying both human history and culture as well as all sense of privacy and free will. A lot of reviews talk about conspiracy theories and I don’t know if they’re stuck on the name of the company being Q and making references to QAnon or if they honestly think social media companies are harmless.
I loved this and it broke my heart and terrified me all at once. I’m looking for Zaid’s other book now and I look forward to more. Again, though, there’s probably a very small, very specific niche audience that this book will appeal to and I’m part of it but I’m not sure how to go about recommending it. Be forewarned it’s probably not for everyone. I love medieval history, words, and art - and I’m a Luddite who uses technology because it’s there and you kind of have to but I think the world was better off without most of it. So take that as a guide to if it’s your thing.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
The best way I can describe this is take the concept of a Dan Brown book, mix in some cyberpunk/technothriller elements, infuse it with poetry, and sprinkle in a niche passion for illuminated manuscripts. Also sapphic romance. It’s a little like the comic series Tokyo Ghost if I had to compare it to anything but it’s very clearly not like anything else.
Basically we have a middle-aged woman mourning the loss of her wife who had uterine cancer and she’s trying to make a living writing letters in a not very distant or far fetched future Bay Area. A massive Facebook/Meta-like company, called Q, is essentially becoming rich off data (so basically a true story) and destroying both human history and culture as well as all sense of privacy and free will. A lot of reviews talk about conspiracy theories and I don’t know if they’re stuck on the name of the company being Q and making references to QAnon or if they honestly think social media companies are harmless.
I loved this and it broke my heart and terrified me all at once. I’m looking for Zaid’s other book now and I look forward to more. Again, though, there’s probably a very small, very specific niche audience that this book will appeal to and I’m part of it but I’m not sure how to go about recommending it. Be forewarned it’s probably not for everyone. I love medieval history, words, and art - and I’m a Luddite who uses technology because it’s there and you kind of have to but I think the world was better off without most of it. So take that as a guide to if it’s your thing.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
June 11, 2023
Excellently written. Love the juxtaposition of tactile pen and paper versus digital social media. A lovely and unique cat and mouse undercover reporter style thriller that to me is oddly reminiscent of Erin Brochovich.
I adore that the author is able to paint a word picture so vibrantly. From the very beginning, "the kind of love that could dye your whole world midnight blue," and deep in the story, "a small glass bottle shimmering with liquid the color of blood... bloodred wax dripped over the cap, a square label, smaller than a postage stamp, white on black." And then, finally, "I slid the letter between the pages of my recovered portfolio, just another leaf hidden in plain sight among the leaves."
The prose of this book reads so much like poetry, and reminds me of Babel in its epic storytelling style.
Don't miss the author's acknowledgements at the end, which begins, "This is a work of fiction many of whose marvelous and terrifying elements are real." The book is truly a work of art.
I adore that the author is able to paint a word picture so vibrantly. From the very beginning, "the kind of love that could dye your whole world midnight blue," and deep in the story, "a small glass bottle shimmering with liquid the color of blood... bloodred wax dripped over the cap, a square label, smaller than a postage stamp, white on black." And then, finally, "I slid the letter between the pages of my recovered portfolio, just another leaf hidden in plain sight among the leaves."
The prose of this book reads so much like poetry, and reminds me of Babel in its epic storytelling style.
Don't miss the author's acknowledgements at the end, which begins, "This is a work of fiction many of whose marvelous and terrifying elements are real." The book is truly a work of art.
November 5, 2023
Zaid's 2nd novel is a must read for the 21st century. It is beautifully written, with compelling characters and a plot that is topically relevant right now. When I realised it had an AI theme, I wasn't sure I'd like it - but I was quickly drawn in and couldn't put it down. I am also not a niche LGBTQ reader - but the touching and sensuous love scenes would appeal to anyone who enjoys a bit of romance. For me, it had echoes of Bulgakov's Master & Margarita and A. S. Byatt's Possession. Highly recommend.
February 24, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up
May 14, 2024
A queer lead with face blindness (which was utilized very well, I thought, and added to the intrigue), complex conspiracies, a fictional amalgamation of Twitter/Facebook/Amazon that may or may not be sentient and/or evil, random circus acts, and (best of all) a culture of writing, books, physical printed/handwritten material. What's not to love? A very unique book that I'm glad to have stumbled over.
October 9, 2023
This is such an odd book. Zaid's narrator is wholly unreliable - awkward, resentful, lonely, prone to flights of imagination, selfish, ambitious, romantic, unperceptive (literally), needy, untrustworthy, and capricious - so her behaviors are erratic and often disturbing, as is her logic. Around this central character Zaid has built dark whimsy, a sinister and destructive corporate entity that promises delight in exchange for, well, everything, alongside a shadowy counter-corporate movement of artists and scholars. The visuals are incredible - they drove me through what was otherwise a fairly frustrating book that kept flipping between a prosaic story critiquing big tech, a side-story rejecting excessive faith in anything, a devastatingly sad story of aging, appealing musings on and descriptions of art, and a love story. That the bumbling narrator seems to have almost zero agency or understanding of the role she is playing - being directed to play - is probably a statement about how we interact with social media and information more generally, but was so off-putting, not least because she kept betraying people. Nonetheless, a really interesting book, thought-provoking, and beautiful in its own way. And the love story is charming.
January 28, 2024
This is a masterpiece that deals with themes of love and loss in a mesmerizing way. The author's word makes us travel to an extraordinary world. As I was an old school girl who still writes letters I can connect with FMC Amy Black. Her search for love makes us eager to turn the page.
Loved the collocation of pen, and paper versus social media. I enjoyed the prose of this book. The journey Of Amy Black, a queer single mother as she finds herself between ambition and her conscience is intriguing. Loved the middle-aged FMC. I am in an urge to read this author's other books. Part thriller, part mystery makes us think about the technology. Overall, I loved this novel and would recommend it for literary lovers.
Loved the collocation of pen, and paper versus social media. I enjoyed the prose of this book. The journey Of Amy Black, a queer single mother as she finds herself between ambition and her conscience is intriguing. Loved the middle-aged FMC. I am in an urge to read this author's other books. Part thriller, part mystery makes us think about the technology. Overall, I loved this novel and would recommend it for literary lovers.
June 30, 2023
I keep trying to find sapphic books I like and getting disappointed. I had mixed feelings about “Forget I Told You This” but ultimately, it wasn’t the book for me.
I was intrigued by the premise of a 46-year-old queer woman recovering from lingering heartache after getting dumped by a longtime lover years before, who is a scribe whose art lies in handwritten letters in a digital world, face blind and likely a little autistic.
Amy Black stumbles into a competition for a coveted artist-in-residency spot at Q, the world’s biggest and most corrupt social network, and simultaneously becomes embroiled in a complicated terrorist plot. The folks at Q, ironically enough, also love all things analog, medieval manuscripts that they steal and upload into the cloud.
Q is a data company, tracking connections, purchases, health data from wearable devices. Where this book really shone and what kept me reading was the commentary on what that data collection has done to our lives and communities, the ethics of the right to be forgotten, the contrast between posts and likes and letters and quills.
There were some brilliant passages of writing in here, too, and the relationships in this were fascinating, especially the problematic one between Amy and Connie, reflected later in her entanglement with the mysterious artist Blue.
I also struggled with the writing style in parts; I felt it dragged into unnecessary detail and back story. I got it the first ten times that Amy was still mourning the life she had with Connie, for example. And I was excited to read about a middle-aged woman but I’m 41 and didn’t really relate to Amy’s experiences; she felt 15 years older than me, though I definitely related to parts.
I also found the sex scenes rather awkward; they focused so much on bones and sharp angles that I couldn’t figure out what the underlying meaning was.
This book had a lot going for it, a very slow burn techno-thriller, and I picked it up because it was on a few most anticipated release lists, but I found it unsatisfying overall.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was intrigued by the premise of a 46-year-old queer woman recovering from lingering heartache after getting dumped by a longtime lover years before, who is a scribe whose art lies in handwritten letters in a digital world, face blind and likely a little autistic.
Amy Black stumbles into a competition for a coveted artist-in-residency spot at Q, the world’s biggest and most corrupt social network, and simultaneously becomes embroiled in a complicated terrorist plot. The folks at Q, ironically enough, also love all things analog, medieval manuscripts that they steal and upload into the cloud.
Q is a data company, tracking connections, purchases, health data from wearable devices. Where this book really shone and what kept me reading was the commentary on what that data collection has done to our lives and communities, the ethics of the right to be forgotten, the contrast between posts and likes and letters and quills.
There were some brilliant passages of writing in here, too, and the relationships in this were fascinating, especially the problematic one between Amy and Connie, reflected later in her entanglement with the mysterious artist Blue.
I also struggled with the writing style in parts; I felt it dragged into unnecessary detail and back story. I got it the first ten times that Amy was still mourning the life she had with Connie, for example. And I was excited to read about a middle-aged woman but I’m 41 and didn’t really relate to Amy’s experiences; she felt 15 years older than me, though I definitely related to parts.
I also found the sex scenes rather awkward; they focused so much on bones and sharp angles that I couldn’t figure out what the underlying meaning was.
This book had a lot going for it, a very slow burn techno-thriller, and I picked it up because it was on a few most anticipated release lists, but I found it unsatisfying overall.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 21, 2023
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free ebook copy of this work. This review is my honest opinion.
In the novel FORGET I TOLD YOU THIS, author Hilary Zaid created a wonderful sense of tension with the clash between paper and digital, extending the concept into not only a statement of identity for some people, but ultimately an intriguing web of mystery as well. I especially enjoyed the author’s descriptions as the story unfolded.
I highly recommend this work for fans of books that make you think.
In the novel FORGET I TOLD YOU THIS, author Hilary Zaid created a wonderful sense of tension with the clash between paper and digital, extending the concept into not only a statement of identity for some people, but ultimately an intriguing web of mystery as well. I especially enjoyed the author’s descriptions as the story unfolded.
I highly recommend this work for fans of books that make you think.
November 27, 2023
This is the second novel I have read from Hilary Zaid and I'm absolutely in love with her writing. Everything is so layered and there is so much going on, but it never gets confusing. I laughed when Q was the all-seeing and evil social media empire, since Twitter just got rebranded as "X." The language is beautiful, but it doesn't get in the way of the action. It's a page-turner in the best way.
June 9, 2023
Forget I Told You This follows queer middle-aged mother, calligraphy artist, & letter-writer Amy Black as she finds herself suddenly pulled into the crossfire between the future the world’s leading social media company, Q, is building & the past an underground group of artists seek to preserve; between spotlight & anonymity; between her ambition and her conscience.
This book dances between the lines of genre, with nods to both dark academia and dystopian speculation, in a writing style that shifted between poetry and prose. At certain times, this is the book’s strength; other times, it was its challenge. There were moments when the flowery language, detailed descriptions and hyper-realistic, almost fever-dream like atmosphere of the book really landed. There were sections and lines I read over and over again and thought, “wow, that was some good writing.” And, transparently, there were times when I thought “can we stop interrupting action to muse about xyz”. It felt a bit like Zaid was too ambitious with this story; if the author had chosen to take out a few of the threads & really hone in on the best ones, I would have rated this book higher.
However, I solidly enjoyed this book. I love a middle-aged woman MC, particularly a queer one. And I am biased to love Bay Area stories as a resident and I felt like Zaid expertly captured the dichotomy and tension between artists/activists/anarchists and big tech who cohabitate the Bay Area— and how an average person must find their within that tension in order to survive.
All in all, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it as a Fall read!
This book dances between the lines of genre, with nods to both dark academia and dystopian speculation, in a writing style that shifted between poetry and prose. At certain times, this is the book’s strength; other times, it was its challenge. There were moments when the flowery language, detailed descriptions and hyper-realistic, almost fever-dream like atmosphere of the book really landed. There were sections and lines I read over and over again and thought, “wow, that was some good writing.” And, transparently, there were times when I thought “can we stop interrupting action to muse about xyz”. It felt a bit like Zaid was too ambitious with this story; if the author had chosen to take out a few of the threads & really hone in on the best ones, I would have rated this book higher.
However, I solidly enjoyed this book. I love a middle-aged woman MC, particularly a queer one. And I am biased to love Bay Area stories as a resident and I felt like Zaid expertly captured the dichotomy and tension between artists/activists/anarchists and big tech who cohabitate the Bay Area— and how an average person must find their within that tension in order to survive.
All in all, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it as a Fall read!
January 9, 2024
I just finished reading a wonderful novel. If you want to be spellbound, intrigued, stimulated and challenged, I recommend Hilary Zaid’s latest novel, Forget I Told You This. In this fantastical account, Zaid has tightly woven a love story, a thriller, a social critique and a homage to the physical act of writing.
There’s much to celebrate in this book. The writing is rich and textured, evoking the interplay of senses. It’s atmospheric, capturing the heat of autumn in the Bay Area, the temperature of our digital culture, and the speed at which our attentions are diverted on a regular basis. Zaid marvelously connects contemporary life with the technologies of the past, and not just the distant past of medieval scribes and the crushed shells of snails: post boxes, typewriters -- even paper itself -- serve as anachronistic stimulants for the narrator, Amy Black.
Zaid touches on a number of themes – family, difference, love, and loss – all tied together through the idea of “connection”: what it means, how it’s sustained, what happens when it’s lost. The protagonist defies Big Tech, as Zaid herself puts the lie to the messages bombarding writers and readers everyday: No one writes. No one reads.
So, this is a book worth reading and I’m really glad Hilary Zaid wrote it.
There’s much to celebrate in this book. The writing is rich and textured, evoking the interplay of senses. It’s atmospheric, capturing the heat of autumn in the Bay Area, the temperature of our digital culture, and the speed at which our attentions are diverted on a regular basis. Zaid marvelously connects contemporary life with the technologies of the past, and not just the distant past of medieval scribes and the crushed shells of snails: post boxes, typewriters -- even paper itself -- serve as anachronistic stimulants for the narrator, Amy Black.
Zaid touches on a number of themes – family, difference, love, and loss – all tied together through the idea of “connection”: what it means, how it’s sustained, what happens when it’s lost. The protagonist defies Big Tech, as Zaid herself puts the lie to the messages bombarding writers and readers everyday: No one writes. No one reads.
So, this is a book worth reading and I’m really glad Hilary Zaid wrote it.
July 2, 2023
I ran out of patience and energy to continue with this book at 44%. Plenty of atmosphere, but really inconsistent plot. It kicks off with a big scene, then Amy wanders fairly aimlessly, filling in background, until about a third of the way through when we git a big burst of plot from a stranger. Then she wanders again. Is it still deus ex machina if it starts the plot instead of finishing it?
So, simultaneously overwritten ("The bruised purple notes of a Nocturne bled through the walls") and underwritten (her mother performed with the symphony, but we don't know which instrument). Plus the feast and famine plot pacing just was too much for me. I didn't require "calligrapher vs big tech" to be a thriller, but stuff has to actually happen.
So, simultaneously overwritten ("The bruised purple notes of a Nocturne bled through the walls") and underwritten (her mother performed with the symphony, but we don't know which instrument). Plus the feast and famine plot pacing just was too much for me. I didn't require "calligrapher vs big tech" to be a thriller, but stuff has to actually happen.
December 21, 2023
Hilary Zaid’s second novel is about a queer single mom who wants access to a secretive and exclusive artist residency, only to realize her imagined mecca is hardly what it seems. It’s speculative! It’s Californian! It’s techy! There’s enough going on plot- and suspense-wise to keep you engaged even if you really don’t want to think about your present (or past, or future) family at all. Because what’s worse than overbearing parents? The all-knowing surveillance state! For fans of Her and San Junipero.
I included this book in my round-up: https://chireviewofbooks.com/2023/12/...
I included this book in my round-up: https://chireviewofbooks.com/2023/12/...
September 1, 2023
An absolutely brilliant book that will draw you in with each subsequent page, and won't let you go until long after it's done. They say be careful what you wish for, and Amy learns this in the hardest way - leaving her to make a choice - does she follow her dreams, and Q's rules, or side with the vigilantes and take down the tech giant, likely helping the larger world? Zaid did an amazing job of bringing Amy and the world she lives in to life, and the plot moves along at a smooth pace with very few lulls. I loved this, and can't wait to read more by this author!
September 11, 2023
In Hilary Zaid’s gorgeously lyrical new novel, FORGET I TOLD YOU THIS, big data clashes with traditional arts as queer protagonist, Amy Black, struggles to decide whom she can trust and whom she might love. Part thriller and part mystery, the novel takes the reader on a breakneck journey through the near future while considering what technology has given us and what it has taken away. Fans of Zaid’s moving debut novel, PAPER IS WHITE, should be delighted with the author’s sophomore novel in which she employs her signature prose and a slightly wider lens.
November 1, 2023
I loved the rich, atmospheric prose of this novel. It is a techno-thriller about surveillance, yes, but what I was most moved by was the vulnerable depiction of family--an adult caring for her elderly parents and her adult brother with special needs, while aching for her son who has just left home. I also jotted this down: "Isn't that what we all want? To be recognized as the person were meant to be?"
June 8, 2024
I loved this book until the last fifth or so when it got too convoluted and too many flowery words not always seeming to have a point.
I loved the descriptions of paint and ink and writing and collaging because they’re similar to how I experience them. I loved that the world in it is basically our reality but a little more magical.
I guessed something in the plot pretty early on and spent the rest of the book waiting for it to be revealed.
But overall I loved it.
I loved the descriptions of paint and ink and writing and collaging because they’re similar to how I experience them. I loved that the world in it is basically our reality but a little more magical.
I guessed something in the plot pretty early on and spent the rest of the book waiting for it to be revealed.
But overall I loved it.
October 1, 2024
Terrifyingly possible dystopia. Algorithm got you pegged? Feel like your tech is always watching you?
This book will make you feel right at home.
Great characters. Powerful story about what is, and what almost is and might be. And how we can maybe still find ourselves as humans between the AI lines. Maybe. If you look long and hard.
This book will make you feel right at home.
Great characters. Powerful story about what is, and what almost is and might be. And how we can maybe still find ourselves as humans between the AI lines. Maybe. If you look long and hard.
June 2, 2023
While the book is propelled by a compelling mystery, I found myself wanting to slow down and re-read it for beautifully observed detail. Like Zaid's "Paper is White," this book is astonishing in its observation and painfully beautiful in its language.
October 31, 2024
Razor sharp, haunting, funny and a super astute parable for our tech-obsessed times. This is a book about the collision of art and commerce and how it works to entrap the mind of the artist. Awesome queer female rep too! Zaid is definitely one to watch.
September 25, 2023
This started off very intriguing - the opening scene was perfection. Then things began to unravel into a fever dream I couldn't quite follow.
September 26, 2023
This one was not for me, I'm afraid. A lot of interesting things added to the pot that eventually did not pan out much or just weren't explored enough for my taste.
October 20, 2023
I can’t wait to read this new novel by Hilary Zaid, a writer I so admire! The reviews are terrific—and the subject sounds all too timely. 💖
October 23, 2023
A fun, queer, up-to-the minute critique of the tech world and its impact on us, with intrigue, twists, and lesbian romance. A great read!
February 27, 2024
Weird book. I really struggled with reading it. I wanted to like it, but didn’t
October 29, 2023
3.5 stars
I was drawn to this book by how unique the main character, Amy, and its exploration of the role/importance of the art of the handwritten word in a high digital age sounded and I was mostly satisfied with what it delivered.
The descriptions were flowery in a way that generally worked to create a dream-like feel that I enjoyed. The tech dystopia elements of Q sat neatly on the line between realistic and absurd which made it somehow more true to life. I liked Amy’s struggles of figuring out herself as a middle-aged woman whose life had already come together then fallen apart again. The way both her love of the written word as a calligrapher and her face blindness inform her and the way she views the world as well as her role in the plot was interesting and added a lot of character to the novel.
What brought my enjoyment down a bit was how loosely Amy is tied to the plot. Her involvement is passive and incidental throughout much of it. She sort of wanders away from the central mystery and conspiracy plot to contemplate her life or just because she’s not someone who matters to the plot at that point in the story. At times it could still be engaging but other times I was ready for things to get going again.
I was drawn to this book by how unique the main character, Amy, and its exploration of the role/importance of the art of the handwritten word in a high digital age sounded and I was mostly satisfied with what it delivered.
The descriptions were flowery in a way that generally worked to create a dream-like feel that I enjoyed. The tech dystopia elements of Q sat neatly on the line between realistic and absurd which made it somehow more true to life. I liked Amy’s struggles of figuring out herself as a middle-aged woman whose life had already come together then fallen apart again. The way both her love of the written word as a calligrapher and her face blindness inform her and the way she views the world as well as her role in the plot was interesting and added a lot of character to the novel.
What brought my enjoyment down a bit was how loosely Amy is tied to the plot. Her involvement is passive and incidental throughout much of it. She sort of wanders away from the central mystery and conspiracy plot to contemplate her life or just because she’s not someone who matters to the plot at that point in the story. At times it could still be engaging but other times I was ready for things to get going again.
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