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ukponge's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Pregnancy
bella_cavicchi's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
My 2022 reading trend is finding books about women living in London (or, at least, part of the time) and realizing they don't need a relationship (man) to be happy. I relate and I love it. GHOSTS is a true gem.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Toxic relationship, and Medical content
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Transphobia
nikenacs's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
[Book club - March 2022]
@ everyone who described this as "relatable" - u good???
Liked the style, but found the content debatable. The book's strong points are definitely its reflections on dad-daughter relationships and the concept of memory/passing of time. However, the other 80% of this book is dedicated to Straight Horny Nonsense™, internalized misogyny, white superficial feminism, casual alcoholism, not a single positive friendship or other interpersonal relationship, and Nina's absolutely insufferable inner monologue. Seriously, the entire way this book describes dating and heterosexual relationships makes me question whether anyone in the straight white millennial dating pool is okay. Like, at all.
I may just not be the intended audience, being queer, ace and in my mid-twenties. Still, I sincerely hope I do not turn out like these sad fucking characters once I'm in my thirties.
@ everyone who described this as "relatable" - u good???
Liked the style, but found the content debatable. The book's strong points are definitely its reflections on dad-daughter relationships and the concept of memory/passing of time. However, the other 80% of this book is dedicated to Straight Horny Nonsense™, internalized misogyny, white superficial feminism, casual alcoholism, not a single positive friendship or other interpersonal relationship, and Nina's absolutely insufferable inner monologue. Seriously, the entire way this book describes dating and heterosexual relationships makes me question whether anyone in the straight white millennial dating pool is okay. Like, at all.
I may just not be the intended audience, being queer, ace and in my mid-twenties. Still, I sincerely hope I do not turn out like these sad fucking characters once I'm in my thirties.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Alcoholism
juliaconnelley's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness and Dementia
waybeyondblue's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Alcohol, Mental illness, Dementia, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Classism and Vomit
krissnotjenner's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Abandonment
thebooklooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia
kathabooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Vomit, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Terminal illness
savvylit's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed immersing myself in Nina's perspective. There's a passage early on where she describes her agent, Vivienne, as being able to utter "throwaway thoughts that would become fundamental truth to whoever heard them." That's how I felt about Nina - and Dolly Alderton - while reading Ghosts. Some of Nina's throwaway thoughts seem to perfectly encapsulate truths about living in our modern era.
Here are a few of Nina's observations that felt like fundamental truths to me:
"Dynamics of power always rearrange themselves when you're not watching them."
"I had never known a feeling as unbearable - as sour, wrenching, and unshakeably sad - as pity for a parent."
"I'd noticed this was a thing that people did when they got into their thirties: they saw every personal decision you made as a direct judgement on their lives. If you voted Labour and they voted Lib Dem, they thought you were voting Labour specifically to let them know that their politics were incorrect."
Another aspect of Ghosts that I enjoyed was the relationship dynamics between Nina and her parents. The way that Nina and Nancy deal with Bill's illness was so nuanced and unflinchingly realistic. Adult-child to parent relationships fall onto such a complicated spectrum of feelings. I don't know about you but I rarely find books that explore these relationships beyond two dimensions. But Ghosts fully fleshed out the family dynamics so well.
Here are a few of Nina's observations that felt like fundamental truths to me:
"Dynamics of power always rearrange themselves when you're not watching them."
"I had never known a feeling as unbearable - as sour, wrenching, and unshakeably sad - as pity for a parent."
"I'd noticed this was a thing that people did when they got into their thirties: they saw every personal decision you made as a direct judgement on their lives. If you voted Labour and they voted Lib Dem, they thought you were voting Labour specifically to let them know that their politics were incorrect."
Another aspect of Ghosts that I enjoyed was the relationship dynamics between Nina and her parents. The way that Nina and Nancy deal with Bill's illness was so nuanced and unflinchingly realistic. Adult-child to parent relationships fall onto such a complicated spectrum of feelings. I don't know about you but I rarely find books that explore these relationships beyond two dimensions. But Ghosts fully fleshed out the family dynamics so well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Toxic friendship
jenicatreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia
Father suffers from this throughout