(Some spoilers discussed)
First off, no joke, I gasped out loud when I turned the cover of this book and saw the endpapers. I won't spoil it, just--what an incredible way of introducing a ghost story. The design work on this book really added that extra touch.
Now as for the story: it's as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. And I was prepared for that, as I read Nina LaCour's "We are Okay" and was especially impressed by her writing. But I wasn't prepared for how hard the subject matter would hit. It's not a ghost story in the traditional sense; there's isn't really a horror aspect. It took me off guard a little, but when things started coming together, for me that moment of realization was perfect.
------------------------SPOILERS START HERE----------------------------
I got a sense it would be emotional, as around 25 pages in I was already invested in the story, and knew there was still something painful to unveil. What I didn't realize until I was deep into the story is that it would specifically be about trauma. My interpretation is that the ghosts manifest as a person's self before the trauma they experienced, and in order to heal, they have to accept that these past selves ARE a part of them, no matter how much they've changed, no matter how unworthy, or sullied they feel. By accepting them, they acknowledge and accept those traumas and can begin to heal from them. It's brilliant.
I love this book so much.
First off, no joke, I gasped out loud when I turned the cover of this book and saw the endpapers. I won't spoil it, just--what an incredible way of introducing a ghost story. The design work on this book really added that extra touch.
Now as for the story: it's as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. And I was prepared for that, as I read Nina LaCour's "We are Okay" and was especially impressed by her writing. But I wasn't prepared for how hard the subject matter would hit. It's not a ghost story in the traditional sense; there's isn't really a horror aspect. It took me off guard a little, but when things started coming together, for me that moment of realization was perfect.
------------------------SPOILERS START HERE----------------------------
I got a sense it would be emotional, as around 25 pages in I was already invested in the story, and knew there was still something painful to unveil. What I didn't realize until I was deep into the story is that it would specifically be about trauma. My interpretation is that the ghosts manifest as a person's self before the trauma they experienced, and in order to heal, they have to accept that these past selves ARE a part of them, no matter how much they've changed, no matter how unworthy, or sullied they feel. By accepting them, they acknowledge and accept those traumas and can begin to heal from them. It's brilliant.
I love this book so much.