Reviews with content warning for Racism - These Ghosts are Family

When working on the docks, Abel Paisley had an opportunity to change his life forever. He took it and ran. What he really took was the life of his best friend, Stanford Soloman, after Stanford was killed by a falling container, and Abel was mistaken for the only other Black man that worked there. These Ghosts Are Family presents the consequences of Abel's decision, and the endurance of both the family he left behind In Jamaica, and the new family he created in England, and then the US. It follows various members of his family, both past and present, to create a beautifully intertwined look at family.

There is a lot to unpack in this book. Each chapter follows a different member of Abel Paisley's family, from slavery in Jamaica in 1817 to modern day life in New York in 2020. It was pointed out that each chapter could be read as a short story, and I did find myself reading this book in this way, taking each chapter as a new insight into the Paisley family. This does mean that the book jumps around a bit, but it is subtle, not jarring, and I really liked this, although I know this wouldn't suit everyone.

I adored how each chapter focused on one member of the family, and how read together, it paints an almost full picture of how one person's decision impacts generations to come. I loved that it all interconnected, that, despite the generations, I could make links throughout the chapters, and how it tells the story. The writing is beautiful, it's so mesmerising and engaging, I couldn't wait to keep picking this up and reading more.

Atonement is the chapter that most stands out to me, as a white woman, on reflection. This chapter follows Debbie, a descendant of Harold Fowler, the man who owned the plantation and the slaves that Abel Paisley is descended from. She discovers Fowler's diary, and begins to confront her own history and its part in slavery. It was really interesting to read, and made me consider my own personal privilege and my own white history. It was hard to read, especially considering that I felt Debbie was only going on her journey for selfish reasons. I do think it's supposed to be this way though, forcing a white reader to think about how they would react in that scenario, and consider their place in the world.

My favourite chapter was How We Are Born, which is the final chapter of the book. I felt it brought the story full circle, and was such an interesting note to end the book on. I wish more had been made of it, and it had been built up to and linked to more throughout the rest of the book, but it felt like the perfect way to end.

Overall, I would encourage you to read this. It is a brilliant standalone story, and explores family ties and generations in such an in depth, considered way, making the reader consider their own family, their own history, and exposing them (well it exposed me!) to a life that is not their own. To me, I would've loved more depth and more exploration of the family members, but I did really enjoy it!

Content Warnings

charlieer's review

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dark emotional reflective medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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