Forget this Ever Happened

Starred review from September 14, 2020
Small-town politics, weird creatures, and LGBTQ first love elevate this fast-paced piece of speculative horror from nostalgic homage to gleeful update. It’s 1993, and 17-year-old Claire Whitmore is stuck in her mother’s retrograde hometown of Indianola, Tex., for the summer, caring for her chronically ill grandmother. But when furred lizard-creatures speak to her in the backyard, Claire learns about the town’s secret: the monster colony in its old power plant, whose reality-bending powers force anyone leaving Indianola to forget them. But as Polish American Claire and 17-year-old Mexican American monster exterminator Julie Alvarez investigate the monsters’ interest in Claire—as well as a cheerful, ominous neighbor—they discover the buried connection between their families, a hidden love affair, and the truth behind Indianola’s monsters. Clarke (Star’s End) unfolds the town’s mystery with a compulsively building menace, while delightfully alien monsters, sweet queer representation, and a riot grrrl soundtrack keep even tense moments fun. Fans of Brenna Yovanoff, Christopher Pike, and Stranger Things will enjoy this light, smart thriller. Ages 14–up.