Forgotten Souls

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Every morning on my way to work I drive by my town’s cemetery; it’s gated in, cramped, creepy and eerily resembling to the cover of T.G. Arsenault’s debut Forgotten Souls. Every morning I drive by, ignorant to those buried there. Every morning since I’ve read Forgotten Souls I drive by, and I remember.

The unlikely team of librarian Andrea Varney and somewhat rebellious youth Darren Jacobs travel on a journey to remember the souls of those who have departed. They have been destined to work together, but there is something else—a dark, lurking shadow—working against them. Will they be able to accomplish their goal before the end draws near?

Arsenault’s writing is familiar, but was definitely able to create a style of his own. He often switches back and forth between viewpoints—some even of the dead—but never misses a beat. His writing is fierce, creepy, and at times, downright gritty. But that’s what makes Forgotten Souls such a good horror novel; it seems so real. Arsenault depicts the state of Maine as a dreary, backwoods kind of place yet manages to work in some light humor to not bog the story down with such depression.

The characterization in Forgotten Souls is astounding, but only for Darren. The reader gets to know this character from a young child perusing the shelves of a local library to an indecisive teen who is still looking for his purpose in life. Arsenault does not hide from telling the gritty details of Darren’s life, and for that, he creates a three-dimensional hero. I only wish the same amount of time was devoted to Andrea because she seemed to be still wrapped in some mystery by the end of the novel.

Some parts of Forgotten Souls might be too scary—or too detailed—for younger readers, but this type of horror should appeal to fans of Stephen King and Dean Koontz.

A truly great novel makes the reader emote, whether it’s with each turn of the page or after the book has been set down. A tale that can cause me to think back about its characters and themes a week after reading is one that accomplished a purpose. It lead me on an adventurous journey, and like one of the main characters at the end, I’m still getting over it. Arsenault has made a strong entry into the world of fiction, and I’m eagerly awaiting his next read.

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