One mental issue I struggle with is bipolar and I truly feel the author has captured this illness well. Without the right medication and without taking it, a person with bipolar has highs and lows. Although I never self-medicated with drugs, at times I did use alcohol. It is difficult to control if medication aren't taken and it is easy to see how the mother spiraled out of control so quickly.
Family members often have to deal with the fall out and I can easily see the daughter having to be a parent figure while struggling to have a normal life. I can't blame her for the situation she wound up in as after so many years of taking care of her mom and household, anyone would get to the breaking point.
Carlson really opens readers eyes as to how people can become homeless and this is a topic that needs to be address. Hopefully by reading this, people will think twice about these human beings. ( )

This is a tragic book but there are lots of people in this world who have this experience. It is sad to read about this but it may help me to be more grateful for what I have.
Mrs P ( )

I was very impressed with how realistic the plot in the book was. It demonstrated beautifully how many people really are just one step away from homelessness. A series of bad luck, starting with a mentally ill mother, lands this teenager, in a new town, abandoned with no money, job or home. She is determined to survive on her own, without resorting to crime or getting involved in bad elements. The reverse: she attempts to do it all while keeping her status as well off and popular. In Forgotten, we are reminded about what is really important and what real friends are. ( )