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A Magical, Emotion-Filled 'Phantom of the Opera' Retelling
Sing Me Forgotten
Teen & YA Fantasy
Inkyard Press
March 09, 2021
ebook, hardcover, audiobook
336
Isda does not exist. At least not beyond the opulent walls of the opera house.
Cast into a well at birth for being one of the magical few who can manipulate memories when people sing, she was saved by Cyril, the opera house’s owner. Since that day, he has given her sanctuary from the murderous world outside. All he asks in return is that she use her power to keep ticket sales high—and that she stay out of sight. For if anyone discovers she survived, Isda and Cyril would pay with their lives.
But Isda breaks Cyril’s cardinal rule when she meets Emeric Rodin, a charming boy who throws her quiet, solitary life out of balance. His voice is unlike any she’s ever heard, but the real shock comes when she finds in his memories hints of a way to finally break free of her gilded prison.
Haunted by this possibility, Isda spends more and more time with Emeric, searching for answers in his music and his past. But the price of freedom is steeper than Isda could ever know. For even as she struggles with her growing feelings for Emeric, she learns that in order to take charge of her own destiny, she must become the monster the world tried to drown in the first place.
“What someone looks like isn’t what determines their humanity.” -Jessica S. Olsen, Sing Me Forgotten
Sing Me Forgotten is the debut novel by Jessica S Olsen. A heartfelt and fantastical retelling of The Phantom of the Opera, Sing Me Forgotten is perfect for all readers in your life, so spread the word!
Isda is bound by duty and fear to stay hidden in the Channe Opera House. Isda is a character that chooses to not be defined by her tragic past. Instead, she devotes her life at the Opera House by learning how to play the organ, singing, imitating choreography and putting the skills she was born with to work by helping the man who saved her from certain death as a baby.
Isda’s storyline reminded me a lot of the Rapunzel fairytale. Isda is naïve, and implicitly trusts her caretaker, Cyril. Because of how she is born, and the laws of where she lives, Isda knows if anyone in Channe becomes aware of her existence, her death would be imminent. By hiding her away, Cyril assures Isda that she is safe. His only demand is that she uses her natural born gifts to help alter the memories of the patrons of the Opera—which pads his money coffer.
It is only when Emeric Rodin enters the Opera House and fills Isda’s world with color does she realize that perhaps her small life in the Opera House isn’t as cozy as she had once thought. The storyline of Sing Me Forgotten is so enchanting! Most readers will know vaguely how the classic fairytales have played out, but because Isda is so beguiling you become invested and hope against the certain reality of what is to come.
As a debut novel, Sing Me Forgotten packs a weighty punch. Classic literature lovers, music lovers, fantasy fans, and everyone in between will love this book. With vivid imagery, rich descriptions, poignant emotions, and charismatic characters, Sing Me Forgotten is a must-read for every kind of reader.
Jes is a self-proclaimed bookworm, who recently moved from the PNW back to the Midwest. When her nose isn’t in a book, she’s spending time with her husband, two kids, and her three fur babies, or exploring the globe. She also firmly believes that you should start the day with coffee, and end the day in bed with a good book.
