Before I Forget

An aimless 20-something woman finds purpose as a caretaker in this sharp novel from Hoen (The Arc). Cricket Campbell surprises everyone, including herself, when she volunteers to care for her father, Arthur, who has Alzheimer’s, in the Adirondacks. Having avoided her hometown for a decade, she’s finally “ready to be something other than young.” She struggles to find work, though, and is surprised when Arthur claims her late boyfriend, Seth, has been paying him visits at their house on the edge of Catwood Pond, where Seth died in an accident on the ice a decade earlier. After Arthur’s claim that the loons will return to the pond proves true, his friend Carl agrees with a local dance teacher named Paula that his dementia has given him prophetic powers. Cricket isn’t sure, but she sees an opportunity when her former boss Gemma, a wellness influencer, spreads the word about Arthur’s supposed abilities, and soon people are begging for visits with the so-called Oracle of Catwood Pond. As Arthur’s health declines and money becomes a more pressing problem, Cricket considers cashing in on his newfound fame. Hoen’s satire of social media and opportunism adds bite to the tender portrayal of a young woman watching a parent fade. This family drama is worth a look. Agent: Erin Malone, WME. (Dec.)