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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Interesting and kept me guessing as to what the outcome would be. Enjoyed it.
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Unfortunately this book was not for me, I found it too slow paced and a little unbelievable.
I appreciate that others may appreciate this style.
I did however enjoy the little extras such as notes and photos.
I appreciate that others may appreciate this style.
I did however enjoy the little extras such as notes and photos.
***Four and a half stars rounded down to four***
Carl Louis Feldman is a complex character that I actually grew to enjoy quite a bit, despite the fact that he may be a serial killer. He supposedly has dementia, but it’s unsure whether or not he is actually suffering from the disease or if he’s faking it. Is he really seeing these hallucinations? His requests throughout their road trip are very unique and random, which made me wonder throughout the whole novel if he was just playing around being difficult. He spent his life as a photographer, and the main character who plays his daughter believes that many of his subjects are relevant to other murders of young women throughout Texas.
The main character is just as complex as Carl. We really don’t know her real name until the very end of the novel, since she’s playing different roles throughout their trip to minimize exposure to themselves. She has spent much of her time since her sister’s disappearance trying to hunt down her killer, and has put all of her eggs in one basket believing that Carl is the true culprit.
What follows between the two is a twisted road trip throughout many of Texas’s major cities, many of which Carl has spent much of his life photographing. The main character is sure that she can convince Carl to remember what he’s done regardless of his dementia symptoms, if he’s even sick to begin with. Their dynamic is humorous at times, but can get quite sad and makes you wonder if the main character is taking advantage of a sick, innocent man. But is anyone truly innocent?
Despite its slow beginnings, I loved every minute of Paper Ghosts. Many late nights were had trying to find out the truth, and I was satisfied with the ending. I definitely think anyone who is interested in psychological thrillers will enjoy this story and Heaberlin’s unique writing style. She creates crazy imagery using her words, and I’m slowly becoming a huge fan of her work!
Carl Louis Feldman is a complex character that I actually grew to enjoy quite a bit, despite the fact that he may be a serial killer. He supposedly has dementia, but it’s unsure whether or not he is actually suffering from the disease or if he’s faking it. Is he really seeing these hallucinations? His requests throughout their road trip are very unique and random, which made me wonder throughout the whole novel if he was just playing around being difficult. He spent his life as a photographer, and the main character who plays his daughter believes that many of his subjects are relevant to other murders of young women throughout Texas.
The main character is just as complex as Carl. We really don’t know her real name until the very end of the novel, since she’s playing different roles throughout their trip to minimize exposure to themselves. She has spent much of her time since her sister’s disappearance trying to hunt down her killer, and has put all of her eggs in one basket believing that Carl is the true culprit.
What follows between the two is a twisted road trip throughout many of Texas’s major cities, many of which Carl has spent much of his life photographing. The main character is sure that she can convince Carl to remember what he’s done regardless of his dementia symptoms, if he’s even sick to begin with. Their dynamic is humorous at times, but can get quite sad and makes you wonder if the main character is taking advantage of a sick, innocent man. But is anyone truly innocent?
Despite its slow beginnings, I loved every minute of Paper Ghosts. Many late nights were had trying to find out the truth, and I was satisfied with the ending. I definitely think anyone who is interested in psychological thrillers will enjoy this story and Heaberlin’s unique writing style. She creates crazy imagery using her words, and I’m slowly becoming a huge fan of her work!
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
I was attracted to this book because of the pretty cover (yes, I truly am that shallow). I thought the premise was clever: the sister of a serial killer's victim kidnaps him, hoping to coerce him into telling her where he buried her sister.
Like the main character in Rebecca, our heroine doesn't have a name. Carl, the man she believes murdered her sister, was once a famous photographer but is now in a care home supposedly suffering from dementia. She begins to visit him, pretending to be his daughter, before taking him out on 'holiday'. In reality she's planned a road trip around Texas, visiting all the locations in his photography book - the last places his victims were seen alive.
The relationship between Carl and his 'daughter' reminded me of Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling, and the story itself a kind of cross between Silence of the Lambs and As Good As It Gets - even though no one falls in love, or gets eaten! I particularly loved Carl's dark sense of humour, and how the heroine's meticulously thought-out plan quickly unravels. They also meet a host of eccentric characters along the way - my favourite was Trudy, the gun-toting estate agent!
Although the subject matter is dark, there are no scenes of graphic or gratuitous violence. The story is mostly about the mystery of the missing girls and the relationship between Carl and his 'daughter'. The places mentioned are real and the book contains 'Carl's' photographs amongst the text, which add an eerie note. Towards the end there are perhaps a couple too many coincidences, but Paper Ghosts is one of my favourite books this year - possibly ever!
Thank you to Julia Heaberlin, Michael Joseph (Penguin), and NetGalley for my copy of this book, which I received in exchange for an honest review.
Like the main character in Rebecca, our heroine doesn't have a name. Carl, the man she believes murdered her sister, was once a famous photographer but is now in a care home supposedly suffering from dementia. She begins to visit him, pretending to be his daughter, before taking him out on 'holiday'. In reality she's planned a road trip around Texas, visiting all the locations in his photography book - the last places his victims were seen alive.
The relationship between Carl and his 'daughter' reminded me of Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling, and the story itself a kind of cross between Silence of the Lambs and As Good As It Gets - even though no one falls in love, or gets eaten! I particularly loved Carl's dark sense of humour, and how the heroine's meticulously thought-out plan quickly unravels. They also meet a host of eccentric characters along the way - my favourite was Trudy, the gun-toting estate agent!
Although the subject matter is dark, there are no scenes of graphic or gratuitous violence. The story is mostly about the mystery of the missing girls and the relationship between Carl and his 'daughter'. The places mentioned are real and the book contains 'Carl's' photographs amongst the text, which add an eerie note. Towards the end there are perhaps a couple too many coincidences, but Paper Ghosts is one of my favourite books this year - possibly ever!
Thank you to Julia Heaberlin, Michael Joseph (Penguin), and NetGalley for my copy of this book, which I received in exchange for an honest review.
suspense is a great category for this. it was suspenseful every moment; never fully escalated into scary, but the tension was very rarely lifted. i appreciated that instead of the oft used dramatic irony, the tension was shared by the main character the whole time.
When I’m picking an audiobook from my library, I usually go to the “thriller” section, click on “what’s available,” and pick whatever premise intrigues me the most. That’s how I ended up listening to [b:Paper Ghosts|32912154|Paper Ghosts|Julia Heaberlin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500927213l/32912154._SY75_.jpg|53529293] while I set up my classroom. A young woman takes a suspected serial killer with dementia on a field trip to try to discover the truth about what happened to her sister.
The story kept me intrigued and on my toes the whole time. It was creepy, chilling, and (just like our main character) I was never sure who I could trust. I wanted to know what happened and then when it was revealed, I was not disappointed by the solution. It was surprising in a good way, which is my main expectation from a thriller. The story drug on a little slowly in the middle for a bit, but that gave more time to connect with the characters and think about the possibilities. Overall, a solid read that I really enjoyed!
**read as an audiobook**
P.S. For anyone else who’s watched every episode of Criminal Minds countless times, Carl gave me super big Frank from season 2 vibes for a lot of the story, which I think added to the creepiness factor!
The story kept me intrigued and on my toes the whole time. It was creepy, chilling, and (just like our main character) I was never sure who I could trust. I wanted to know what happened and then when it was revealed, I was not disappointed by the solution. It was surprising in a good way, which is my main expectation from a thriller. The story drug on a little slowly in the middle for a bit, but that gave more time to connect with the characters and think about the possibilities. Overall, a solid read that I really enjoyed!
**read as an audiobook**
P.S. For anyone else who’s watched every episode of Criminal Minds countless times, Carl gave me super big Frank from season 2 vibes for a lot of the story, which I think added to the creepiness factor!