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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
3.5 stars The premise was most creative, but found the execution somewhat lagging.
Ugh, this book had no redeeming qualities for me. I apparently am not a fan of addiction stories, not even ghosts could keep me in this... what the fuck is all I have to say....what the actual fuck.
I would give it negative stars if I could, the whole thing felt like a fever dream, in the worst way
I would give it negative stars if I could, the whole thing felt like a fever dream, in the worst way
Great story! It touches on addiction, death, grief, and recovery. I hope you have a strong stomach for the ending. I was so engrossed I started and finished this book in one day.
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was kind of surprised at how much I didn’t like this book. For me personally, one of those stories that made me feel icky but not for any real reason I could pick out.
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Well written but repetitive in parts as we follow the main character’s descent into addition.
Erin is haunted, and it is by choice.
If that seems rather innocuous to you, then you have yet to dive into Clay McLeod Chapman’s latest gem: Ghost Eaters.
Stripping the romanticism and fantastical glamour out of the concept of interactions with the supernatural, and, instead, diving right into every worst part of addition, loss, despair, and not the best kind of self-discovery.
Ghost Eaters is about desperation, and, while the irony of not being able to put down a drug-centric book was not lost on me, it is not a pretty tale.
The story centers around Erin, a girl with a few dreams, and some lofty plans to get her life where she wants it to be. The problem with Erin is that she is enthralled by her college ex: Silas. Silas is a dreamer, an addict, and a wandering soul. Silas, however, holds heavy influence over Erin, and — possibly more importantly — their mutual friend Tobias.
Slight spoiler alert: Silas dies, and then the insanity begins.
In her grief in trying to figure out just how she can find some closure with his death, Erin will do just about anything to close the book on Silas. Enter Tobias and Ghost: a drug that Silas and Tobias had been “working on” to see the dead.
Let’s just say things get worse from there.
One of the things that I love about Mr. Chapman’s stories is something that actually somewhat annoys me with many other authors: things are not tidy. Much like real life, not all storylines are cleanly wrapped up in a bow, and, for me, this really gives his worlds a more realistic tint. With Ghost Eaters this approach really focuses the madness and decent into Erin’s chaotic spiral. I have described this book to friends as “Haunted Trainspotting,” and I feel that there is a kinship in the portrayals of addiction that are compelling as well as repellent.
Progressing through Ghost Eaters made more more and more itchy. Yeah, it’s that visceral.
I enjoyed the worldbuilding in this novel because it rides a fine line between being placed in the very concrete space of Richmond, Virginia, while also straddling a liminal space of filth and madness.
Yes, it’s horror, but it is also social commentary, and one of the best damn books you could pick up this year. As usual, Mr. Chapman’s mind has spun up a world that I’d rather not live in, but I sure as hell enjoyed visiting it.
If that seems rather innocuous to you, then you have yet to dive into Clay McLeod Chapman’s latest gem: Ghost Eaters.
Stripping the romanticism and fantastical glamour out of the concept of interactions with the supernatural, and, instead, diving right into every worst part of addition, loss, despair, and not the best kind of self-discovery.
Ghost Eaters is about desperation, and, while the irony of not being able to put down a drug-centric book was not lost on me, it is not a pretty tale.
The story centers around Erin, a girl with a few dreams, and some lofty plans to get her life where she wants it to be. The problem with Erin is that she is enthralled by her college ex: Silas. Silas is a dreamer, an addict, and a wandering soul. Silas, however, holds heavy influence over Erin, and — possibly more importantly — their mutual friend Tobias.
Slight spoiler alert: Silas dies, and then the insanity begins.
In her grief in trying to figure out just how she can find some closure with his death, Erin will do just about anything to close the book on Silas. Enter Tobias and Ghost: a drug that Silas and Tobias had been “working on” to see the dead.
Let’s just say things get worse from there.
One of the things that I love about Mr. Chapman’s stories is something that actually somewhat annoys me with many other authors: things are not tidy. Much like real life, not all storylines are cleanly wrapped up in a bow, and, for me, this really gives his worlds a more realistic tint. With Ghost Eaters this approach really focuses the madness and decent into Erin’s chaotic spiral. I have described this book to friends as “Haunted Trainspotting,” and I feel that there is a kinship in the portrayals of addiction that are compelling as well as repellent.
Progressing through Ghost Eaters made more more and more itchy. Yeah, it’s that visceral.
I enjoyed the worldbuilding in this novel because it rides a fine line between being placed in the very concrete space of Richmond, Virginia, while also straddling a liminal space of filth and madness.
Yes, it’s horror, but it is also social commentary, and one of the best damn books you could pick up this year. As usual, Mr. Chapman’s mind has spun up a world that I’d rather not live in, but I sure as hell enjoyed visiting it.
This book was fantastic. The writing was excellent and it was fast paced. I’m never knew what kind of trip this was going to take me on and I wasn’t excited eating the one it did.
“What is a ghost? Is it a shadow of our past clinging to our present? I believe it’s our addictions. The habits we form that end up consuming us if we allow them to take over.”
“Ghost Eaters” by Clay Chapman is not your typical horror novel. It is not gory, and the supernatural aspects are unlikely to make you want to sleep with a light on. But still it is grotesque, still it is frightening, and still it is grossly beautiful. While this book heavily discusses things like the supernatural and addiction, that is not what the book is about. Chapman uses these concepts as mediums—in essence, this book is about grief. Specifically about the horrifying and complex nature of grief and all of its consequences.
In his work, Chapman writes of an often unseen (or ignored) aspect grief, alluding to an inherent connection between addiction and grief. He writes of loss, of pain, and anger. At the same time, he portrays raw feelings of desire, of fear, and confusion. He writes of pill junkies, and for those who would do absolutely anything to see their loved one again, even when that means destroying themselves.
This book was far from perfect. At times, the storyline was quite convoluted. There seems to be several moving aspects that didn’t quite mesh together as the author intended. But I appreciate it nonetheless. Like Erin (the mc) and many other people in this world, I can emphasize with loss and irrational action, for I know what it feels like to be addicted to sadness, to crave grief, and to truly believe that moving on is utterly impossible.
3 ⭐️!!
“Ghost Eaters” by Clay Chapman is not your typical horror novel. It is not gory, and the supernatural aspects are unlikely to make you want to sleep with a light on. But still it is grotesque, still it is frightening, and still it is grossly beautiful. While this book heavily discusses things like the supernatural and addiction, that is not what the book is about. Chapman uses these concepts as mediums—in essence, this book is about grief. Specifically about the horrifying and complex nature of grief and all of its consequences.
In his work, Chapman writes of an often unseen (or ignored) aspect grief, alluding to an inherent connection between addiction and grief. He writes of loss, of pain, and anger. At the same time, he portrays raw feelings of desire, of fear, and confusion. He writes of pill junkies, and for those who would do absolutely anything to see their loved one again, even when that means destroying themselves.
This book was far from perfect. At times, the storyline was quite convoluted. There seems to be several moving aspects that didn’t quite mesh together as the author intended. But I appreciate it nonetheless. Like Erin (the mc) and many other people in this world, I can emphasize with loss and irrational action, for I know what it feels like to be addicted to sadness, to crave grief, and to truly believe that moving on is utterly impossible.
3 ⭐️!!