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The Forgetting Time: A Novel Paperback – February 7, 2017
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“What if what you did mattered more because life happened again and again, consequences unfolding across decades and continents?…A relentlessly paced page-turner and a profound meditation on the meaning of life.”
―Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan Train
What happens to us after we die? What happens before we are born? At once a riveting mystery and a testament to the profound connection between a child and parent, The Forgetting Time will lead you to reevaluate everything you believe…
What would you do if your four-year-old son claimed he had lived another life and that he wants to go back to it? That he wants his other mother?
Single mom Janie is trying to figure out what is going on with her beloved son Noah. Noah has never been ordinary. He loves to make up stories, and he is constantly surprising her with random trivia someone his age has no right knowing. She always chalked it up to the fact that Noah was precocious―mature beyond his years. But Noah’s eccentricities are starting to become worrisome. One afternoon, Noah’s preschool teacher calls Janie: Noah has been talking about shooting guns and being held under water until he can’t breathe. Suddenly, Janie can’t pretend anymore. The school orders him to get a psychiatric evaluation. And life as she knows it stops for herself and her darling boy.
For Jerome Anderson, life as he knows it has already stopped. Diagnosed with aphasia, his first thought as he approaches the end of his life is, I’m not finished yet. Once an academic star, a graduate of Yale and Harvard, a professor of psychology, he threw everything away to pursue an obsession: the stories of children who remembered past lives. Anderson became the laughing stock of his peers, but he never stopped believing that there was something beyond what anyone could see or comprehend. He spent his life searching for a case that would finally prove it. And with Noah, he thinks he may have found it.
Soon, Noah, Janie, and Anderson will find themselves knocking on the door of a mother whose son has been missing for eight years. When that door opens, all of their questions will be answered.
Gorgeously written and fearlessly provocative, Sharon Guskin’s debut explores the lengths we will go for our children. It examines what we regret in the end of our lives and hope for in the beginning, and everything in between.
- Print length368 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateFebruary 7, 2017
- Dimensions5.58 x 0.82 x 8.23 inches
- ISBN-101250118719
- ISBN-13978-1250118714
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Gripping, deft, and moving.”
―Chelsea Cain, The New York Times Book Review
“I love this book. It is absolutely spectacular. It’s a page-turner but also incredibly thought provoking. It left me completely changed―and isn't that why we all read in first place? The Forgetting Time is a book you'll want to talk about with all of your friends.”
―Octavia Spencer, Academy Award-winning actress
"Bold, captivating...Guskin amps up the suspense while raising provocative questions about the maternal bond and its limits...You'll be mesmerized."
―People (Book of the Week)
"For fans of Cloud Atlas and The Lovely Bones, this psychological mystery will have you hooked until the case is closed―or is it?"
―Cosmo
“If you took to Lovely Bones, you'll be completely engrossed by Guskin's mystery, which meticulously weaves together a web of sympathetic, multi-dimensional characters through alternating chapters…Plenty of fodder for your next book club.”
―InStyle (6 Books to Read this Month)
“Tender…provocative…wholly original…Guskin adroitly maintains the pace of her mystery plot…You’ll come away moved by this affecting tale of maternal love and the unbreakable cords of memory.”
―BookPage
“There’s much to consider in this provocative debut novel―from cultural differences in attitudes toward life and death to the question of whether or not parents can ever truly know their own children. More than anything, The Forgetting Time is a passionate entreaty to readers to embrace the present moment, to find joy, comfort and connection in the here and now.”
―Bookreporter.com
“A captivating, thought-provoking novel that explores what we regret in the end of our lives, hope for in the beginning and everything in-between…The Forgetting Time marks the debut of a major new talent.”
―Domino.com
“Sharon Guskin has burst onto the literary scene like an exploding star…Without doubt The Forgetting Time is the most enthralling debut novel of the year.”
―New York Journal of Books
“An incredible Russian doll of a novel. Beginning as a seemingly ordinary story of maternal struggle, it soon unfurls into a fascinating tour of reincarnation, a compelling murder mystery, and an examination of the familial bond. Like Alice Sebold’s The Lovely Bones, at its core it really is just superb fiction.”
―The Herald
“Provocative and suspenseful…Guskin portrays [Janie and Anderson] with immense empathy.”
―BBC.com (10 Books to Read in February)
“Engaging and riveting. It will make you think about what really matters and how best to spend the time we have.”
―Vancouver Sun
“A great read―Guskin combines a thought-provoking idea with a well-written and compelling story that ensures readers will stay with it, whether or not they believe that souls live on after death. This novel is both engaging and riveting. It will make you think about what really matters and how best to spend the time we have.”
―Windsor Star
“Readers will be galvanized by Guskin’s sharply realized and sympathetic characters with all their complications, contradictions, failures, sorrows, and hope. Deftly braiding together suspense, family drama, and keen insights into the workings of the brain, Guskin poses key and unsettling questions about love and memory, life and death, belief and fact. A novel that bridges the fuzzy categories of ‘literary’ and ‘commercial,’ The Forgetting Time offers a vast spectrum of significant and nuanced topics that will catalyze probing discussions.”
―Booklist (starred review)
“When I wasn't reading The Forgetting Time, I was itching to return to it. And when I was reading it, my mind was exploding with questions about what's possible, what's probable, and how our lives are caught between the two. Provocative, evocative, and fresh, Guskin's book is an explosive debut.”
―Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Leaving Time
“Sharon Guskin's debut is the literary equivalent of the sensation you get when, after stargazing from some hillside on a clear night, you're suddenly hit with the terrifying and exhilarating scope of the unknowable. A truly remarkable, dizzying and exquisite page-turner.”
―Téa Obreht, New York Times bestselling author of The Tiger's Wife
“What if what you did mattered more because life happened again and again, consequences unfolding across decades and continents? This question is at the heart of Sharon Guskin's luminous novel. The Forgetting Time is about memory and forgetting, grieving and letting go, and the lengths a mother will go to for her child. It is both a relentlessly paced page-turner and a profound meditation on the meaning of life.”
―Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan Train
“The Forgetting Time is a magical, wise, page-turner of a novel that brings to mind the early work of Alice Hoffman. I absolutely loved it. A very moving, soulful, and beautifully-made debut.”
―Dani Shapiro, bestselling author of Devotion
“A spellbinding ride. Guskin's beautifully rendered and wonderfully told novel explores the mysteries of how we connect to one another in the deepest of ways. What an amazing book.”
―Mary Morris, author of The Jazz Palace
“Sharon Guskin has written a novel that's meticulously crafted without ever losing the heart and soul of the story. It's both a beautiful tale of the bond between a mother and her young son as well as a gripping mystery that asks that universal human question 'were we here before?' Reading The Forgetting Time becomes a personal journey as you try to remember all that you've forgotten.”
―Diane Chamberlain, New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Sister
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Flatiron Books; Reprint edition (February 7, 2017)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 368 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1250118719
- ISBN-13 : 978-1250118714
- Item Weight : 9.6 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.58 x 0.82 x 8.23 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #303,006 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,036 in Family Life Fiction (Books)
- #2,835 in Psychological Fiction (Books)
- #6,143 in Psychological Thrillers (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

SHARON GUSKIN is the author of the debut novel, THE FORGETTING TIME. In addition to writing fiction, she has worked as a writer and producer of documentary films, including STOLEN and ON MEDITATION. She’s been a fellow at Yaddo, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Blue Mountain Center, and Ragdale, and has degrees from Yale University and the Columbia University School of the Arts. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons.
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find this novel engaging and thought-provoking, with well-developed characters that are easy to visualize and a storyline filled with surprise twists and turns. The writing is skillful and believable, and customers appreciate how it makes them think about life. While some customers describe it as a fast-paced read, others find it takes time to get moving, and opinions on the reading pace are mixed.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book engaging and beautiful, with one customer noting how it opens hearts and minds, while another describes it as a fascinating exploration of past lives.
"...It is not just a story, but a door into a subject you just won't forget. Written well too. Reincarnation. . . is it real?..." Read more
"This book is best read over a long week-and since you will not want to put it down and will be reading until the book or device you are reading on,..." Read more
"...The story has an OK, but not great closing. I finished it, but it was more struggle than a page turner." Read more
"...Ultimately this book is an exploration of memory...." Read more
Customers find the book thought-provoking, with its fascinating subject matter and well-researched content that opens minds to different wonders and possibilities.
"...It is not just a story, but a door into a subject you just won't forget. Written well too. Reincarnation. . . is it real?..." Read more
"...It is very compelling and so believable that I found it necessary to remind myself many times that this book is a work of fiction...." Read more
"...I was drawn in right from the start, sympathizing and empathizing with Janie, myself being a single parent of an autistic child...." Read more
"...She also incorporates documentation from published cases about past lives which are fascinating...." Read more
Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting its skillful execution and believability, with one customer highlighting the author's great talent for description.
"...Written well too. Reincarnation. . . is it real? Can there be life after this life?..." Read more
"...It is very compelling and so believable that I found it necessary to remind myself many times that this book is a work of fiction...." Read more
"...While well-written, it fell somewhat below my expectations. The first half of the book really drags. It is not an enjoyable read...." Read more
"...Some of her passages are so beautifully written I found myself reading them over and over again...." Read more
Customers enjoy the suspenseful story of the book, which features surprise twists and turns throughout.
"...Loved this book and recommend it to anyone that loves a great mystery!" Read more
"This author did an excellent job with this storyline and created characters that you truly care about...." Read more
"This book was very good. A different type of storyline. I liked the real stories interspersed with the fiction...." Read more
"...This book is an amazing debut novel...." Read more
Customers appreciate the well-developed characters in the book, noting how they are easy to visualize and feel what each character is experiencing.
"...and flowed seamlessly from one concept to another, her characters were well-developed, three-dimensional, and complex, and the interweaving of the..." Read more
"...author did an excellent job with this storyline and created characters that you truly care about...." Read more
"...Two thumbs up for the memorable characters and the interesting and somewhat heart-wrenching story lines...." Read more
"...And "The Forgetting Time" had a strong premise and good characters...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's portrayal of love, noting how it connects people and makes readers think deeply about life, with one customer highlighting the best parts as those describing motherly love.
"Part suspense, part supernatural/metaphysical, this is a pretty good book about a single mom (Janie) and her preschool son (Noah.)..." Read more
"...Good book for adults who need to be reminded and good for youth to encourage them to have empathy with others...learn how complex human relations..." Read more
"...This book was interesting o that I cared for every one of the people and I wanted to know more about them - that usually doesn’t happen for me...." Read more
"...The book feels like two stories. One is well researched and engrossing...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it fast-paced and easy to read, while others note that it starts slowly.
"...It was very fast paced, and a page turner...." Read more
"...The first half of the book really drags. It is not an enjoyable read...." Read more
"...It's fast-reading and enjoyable... and quite fascinating...." Read more
"...beginning, and she definitely knows how to end a story, but the middle dragged a bit...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the reading pace of the book, with some finding it engaging enough to keep them going, while others say it becomes boring in parts and is not an enjoyable read.
"...The first half of the book really drags. It is not an enjoyable read...." Read more
"...is obviously something she has enjoyed developing much of which is engaging and entertaining...." Read more
"...issue is that Janie, the main character of the story, is completely underdeveloped...." Read more
"...to the point where he seems tacked on to the main plot and ultimately unnecessary...." Read more
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Buy this if you are interested in Re-incarnation!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2017This book describes something that ALL of us think about throughout our lives. It is not just a story, but a door into a subject you just won't forget. Written well too. Reincarnation. . . is it real? Can there be life after this life? Much has been written about stories taken from very young children, mostly out of the U.S., documented, and later verified as truth. How could a small child know these things unless they actually had first hand experience. And short snips of these reported incidents are included along the way of reading Sharon Guskin's novel. How can that not jar us into questioning what is real and what imagined. The protagonist we read about here is a little boy of four, living in New York with his single parent mother. What sense can she make of the odd aversions, out of context information beyond his years, and horrific nightmares this young child keeps referring to and experiencing. Medical intervention and teachers can only sidestep the tumult evidenced. Help arrives in the form of a psychiatrist who had spent his career, and a good piece of his reputation, interviewing and studying these reincarnation stories and the children reporting them. Now he is dying of a disease for which there is no treatment. Noah, at four, and his mother who just can't give up because there are no answers for her or help for her son - finds her way to the good doctor. He is up against little time before his aphasia renders him non verbal and dying, and Noah becomes his last chance for an American example to further substantiate his last book. The book that gives him a hope of a lifetime's research being taken credible. This book has motivated me to read further on the subject and I appreciated her references to her own sources. Dr. Robin Bentel, Marin County, Ca
- Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2017This book is best read over a long week-and since you will not want to put it down and will be reading until the book or device you are reading on, falls into your face. I love books that make me hate that I need to sleep!
It is very compelling and so believable that I found it necessary to remind myself many times that this book is a work of fiction.
I loved the quotes and references to other books on the subject that added authenticity to this story.
I am still thinking hmm? Could this be for real as I have been around a couple of 3 year olds in my life that made statements or knew things they should not have known at 3 and still find these experiences inexplicable and mysterious.
Loved this book and recommend it to anyone that loves a great mystery!
- Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2017After reading all the great reviews, and interested in the different story focus on the possibility of reincarnation, I bought this book. While well-written, it fell somewhat below my expectations. The first half of the book really drags. It is not an enjoyable read. The characters are all distressed to the point of almost lacking the ability to cope with life. The mother (understandingly) is struggling with a very difficult 4 year old who insists he has another "mommy", has phobias about water and bathing, and in general displays potential mental issues. On the other hand, he can describe, in vivid detail, events, people, and places that took place or existed before he was born. A scientist becomes involved who has focused his career on these kinds of cases (reincarnation), and the book cites several examples from other published works ("Life after Life" as the most common source). But his attempts to document his findings (i.e. publish) are not going well, and he's hoping that this case will turn the tide in his career. But he is constantly morose - so basically we are reading about two very depressed people with a troubled and frustrating child. Not pleasant reading. At about the two-thirds point they are able to discover the "real" mommy that the child speaks of, find out where she lives, and go to see her. Her husband thinks they're whacko, and the "real mom" has similar, but more sympathetic feelings. The story does improve from that point on as the past mommy begins to think this may in fact a reincarnated version of her dead son, given his remarkable ability to recognize, describe, and recall true events from their son's life - even to the point of knowing and finding the person who killed him. It was sort of a "meh" book for me. While I don't doubt there are documented cases of children recalling, with accuracy, past lives as someone else, there is not enough work or scientific method to confirm that reincarnation is in fact real, and if so why is it only in very rare circumstances, and thirdly, why do I really care? The story has an OK, but not great closing. I finished it, but it was more struggle than a page turner.
Top reviews from other countries
- Amazon KundeReviewed in Germany on May 23, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome
I love this book
- BookWormReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2018
5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, original and moving
An original concept is explored in this beautifully executed and very moving story about the possibility of reincarnation. Single mother Janie is increasingly worried about her four year old son, Noah. He has knowledge of things he shouldn't and couldn't possibly have - books he has never read, experiences he has never had. He suffers nightmares and is so terrified of water she cannot even bath him. And most distressing, he cries for his mother and begs to go home - even though she is there, and he is at home.
In desperation, she turns to an elderly doctor who specialises in such cases. Doctor Anderson is racing against time as a form of dementia takes over his once sharp mind. He needs one more case to complete the popular science book that will be his last achievement. But it's not clear if he's really up to it, and the consequences could be terrible for mother and child if he gets it wrong.
It's one of those books that is so well written you are absorbed and enjoying it from the very beginning. Whilst the concept is controversial at the very least, it's presented in a very credible way. This isn't a fantasy and neither is it trying to 'sell' or 'convert' people to the idea of reincarnation or life after death. It's just a very good story with a gripping plot and characters you will like and care about. Both Janie and Anderson are completely believable and likeable, and you desperately want there to be a good outcome for them and little Noah. There is also a murder mystery element that develops, which adds to the pace and tension and keeps the reader hooked.
It's hard to put down, and a real tear jerker. I cried regularly throughout the final quarter. But it isn't maudlin or melodramatic, just dealing with very genuine emotions in a realistic and sensitive way. Whether or not you believe in reincarnation or the supernatural (I personally don't), it's a very good read and is thought provoking. Guskin has written this book very skilfully and I really look forwards to her next one - she is clearly a talented writer and I'd recommend this unusual novel to readers who enjoy literary fiction.
- MishyDReviewed in Australia on August 28, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this story!
This was a book I struggled to put down. The story was engaging and it was easy to visualise each part as it was being told - it felt like a true story!
- Christin Petra BuxReviewed in Canada on July 2, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Really good read
This is a well-written book. I love the flow of her writing, and, surprisingly, in this era of seemingly non-caring and unthorough editors, there were no spelling or grammatical errors. Yay! I enjoyed experiencing the author's imaginative writing interspersed with real-life accounts of the subject matter. It's a thought-provoking read and a really good delivery of the idea of reincarnation. If you are skeptical of the possibility of reincarnation, you may not be after reading this interesting story. And now, I'm going in search of another book written by Sharon Guskin.
- SrombiReviewed in India on July 1, 2023
3.0 out of 5 stars A Dive into Rebirth and Reminiscence - "The Forgetting Time" by Sharon Guskin
When the tapestry of reincarnation unfurls, it weaves threads of intrigue, wonder, and mystique. My fascination with reincarnation was piqued in my college days when I chanced upon Trutz Hardo’s '30 Most Unconvincing Cases of Reincarnation.' Further exploration led me to ‘A Thing Beyond Forever’ by Novoneel Chakraborty, ensnaring me into this enigmatic world. The recent AI sensation, ChatGPT, suggested that I pick up Sharon Guskin’s “The Forgetting Time” to satiate my ever-growing appetite for stories of rebirth.
With heart brimming with anticipation, I embarked on this literary sojourn. However, the initial euphoria soon gave way to a sense of déjà vu, as the plot meandered through familiar lanes and avenues. When you delve into reincarnation, you expect a maze of mysteries, a labyrinth where every turn leads to an exhilarating revelation. Sadly, the mystique in "The Forgetting Time" was conspicuously absent. It felt akin to watching a cricket match where the outcome is predestined; even the characters seemed to possess the clairvoyance of their eventual destinies.
Additionally, the book yearned for depth and complexity in its characters. As a reader, I seek to be transported into the lives and souls of the characters, but here they remained as distant as stars in the night sky.
However, let us not abandon ship just yet. The silver lining of “The Forgetting Time” resides in its rich references to real-life cases of reincarnation. This confluence of reality and fiction bestows a layer of credibility and relatability. Chapter 39, in particular, is the phoenix that rises from the ashes. This chapter was riveting, sending shivers down my spine and briefly rekindling the flame of intrigue I sought throughout the book.
To bestow upon Sharon Guskin her well-deserved accolades, the book is woven with delicate threads, albeit lacking the vivacity and ebullience one might expect. There is an elegance to her prose, and her venture into this domain is commendable.
In summation, “The Forgetting Time” might not be the magnum opus for the aficionados of reincarnation, but it is akin to a gentle brook that flows with a serene grace. This might be the book you pick up on a quiet evening when you desire a whisper of the past lives and not the tumultuous storms of reincarnated souls.
"For those who seek a serene stroll down reincarnation lane rather than a whirlwind chase through the labyrinth of lives lived."