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bretts_book_stack's review
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
thepagesofpoppy's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
reflexivemagpie's review against another edition
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ciaravirk's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Drug abuse
aimeecait16's review
dark
sad
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
3.0
moominmama_11's review against another edition
2.0
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Picador books for my copy - 2/5
A coming of age story exploring a teenage friendship that haunts through the years.
Theron and Jake are children of divorce who meet during a summer in New Hampshire and fall into a fast friendship based on music, drugs and shooting the breeze. Theron falls fast in love with Jake, an older somewhat enigmatic character who is withholding and charismatic. It’s unclear whether Jake feels the same but their bond is real, until a near fatal car wreck and the rhythms of teenage life separate the boys. Theron makes his way in New York, where he has an on-off relationship with beautiful, rich, equally damaged Lou, and explores his same sex attraction in a loveless way laced with internalised homophobia. Then Jake contacts Theron and they meet and spend a blissful, yet still unsure and destructive few days together until Jake again leaves for his wife and his life in Texas, but not before another car crash. The book ultimately comes to a tragic end, with yet another car crash, but it does end on a note of hope and a sense that Theron is ready to let go.
This book had some lovely passages where the longing and insecurity of Theron was crystal clear, but Jake was something of a cipher throughout. The book was very slow and the doomed relationship has been done much better before. The language was over wrought at times and the car crash device was not as well employed as it thought it was.
I wouldn’t recommend this one.
A coming of age story exploring a teenage friendship that haunts through the years.
Theron and Jake are children of divorce who meet during a summer in New Hampshire and fall into a fast friendship based on music, drugs and shooting the breeze. Theron falls fast in love with Jake, an older somewhat enigmatic character who is withholding and charismatic. It’s unclear whether Jake feels the same but their bond is real, until a near fatal car wreck and the rhythms of teenage life separate the boys. Theron makes his way in New York, where he has an on-off relationship with beautiful, rich, equally damaged Lou, and explores his same sex attraction in a loveless way laced with internalised homophobia. Then Jake contacts Theron and they meet and spend a blissful, yet still unsure and destructive few days together until Jake again leaves for his wife and his life in Texas, but not before another car crash. The book ultimately comes to a tragic end, with yet another car crash, but it does end on a note of hope and a sense that Theron is ready to let go.
This book had some lovely passages where the longing and insecurity of Theron was crystal clear, but Jake was something of a cipher throughout. The book was very slow and the doomed relationship has been done much better before. The language was over wrought at times and the car crash device was not as well employed as it thought it was.
I wouldn’t recommend this one.
jsncnrd's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3.
This one was a letdown, unfortunately. I'm not sure if I read the same book that the 5-star reviewers did? Because it just did not do it for me. Maybe the praise I'd seen for it had me go into the book with unrealistic expectations.
On paper, this book is everything I love -- a gritty story about longing, loss, grief, and pain, guaranteed to make its readers cry. Not only did I not cry, but I was just ready to finish it when Part 3 rolled around.
I really didn't connect with the characters, and when I DID connect with Theron, it was in very brief instances. Jake was not a likeable character. A liar, a cheater, and a manipulator. It was hard to root for Theron and Jake's relationship when they were so toxic for one another and their friendship itself felt unhealthy, unsafe, and so brief that its significance almost seems overinflated. It also commits the sin of "telling" and not "showing" when it comes to their supposed love for one another. It felt like I was supposed to believe they truly loved each other because we were told to.
The book approaches the topic of suicide, but does so in a very cursory manner for a book in which it is supposed to be an important element. Drug use was central to the plot, but the topic of addiction was barely explored. A book with this tone and this plot is an excellent place to do a deeper dive into these topics than it did, and it felt like a missed opportunity.
The prose and writing itself was at times quite lovely and impressive -- but the issue I had was that at other times it felt very contrived and manufactured.
By no means was it a BAD book -- it is a decent story, but the elements and components of it all just did not add up to anything groundbreaking or earth-shattering for me personally.
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advance copy of the book in exchange for a review!
This one was a letdown, unfortunately. I'm not sure if I read the same book that the 5-star reviewers did? Because it just did not do it for me. Maybe the praise I'd seen for it had me go into the book with unrealistic expectations.
On paper, this book is everything I love -- a gritty story about longing, loss, grief, and pain, guaranteed to make its readers cry. Not only did I not cry, but I was just ready to finish it when Part 3 rolled around.
I really didn't connect with the characters, and when I DID connect with Theron, it was in very brief instances. Jake was not a likeable character. A liar, a cheater, and a manipulator. It was hard to root for Theron and Jake's relationship when they were so toxic for one another and their friendship itself felt unhealthy, unsafe, and so brief that its significance almost seems overinflated. It also commits the sin of "telling" and not "showing" when it comes to their supposed love for one another. It felt like I was supposed to believe they truly loved each other because we were told to.
The book approaches the topic of suicide, but does so in a very cursory manner for a book in which it is supposed to be an important element. Drug use was central to the plot, but the topic of addiction was barely explored. A book with this tone and this plot is an excellent place to do a deeper dive into these topics than it did, and it felt like a missed opportunity.
The prose and writing itself was at times quite lovely and impressive -- but the issue I had was that at other times it felt very contrived and manufactured.
By no means was it a BAD book -- it is a decent story, but the elements and components of it all just did not add up to anything groundbreaking or earth-shattering for me personally.
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advance copy of the book in exchange for a review!
heyshannonhall's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I inhaled this and it made me cry so much. Anyone's Ghost is the story of three car crashes and two boys whose paths cross on and off throughout their teen years and early adulthood and how their lives affect each other.
It reminds me a lot of The Perks of Being a Wallflower (but a very adult version, read the content warnings for sure) in the way that it's written—our main character, Theron, is so introspective and wants so bad to belong. Very bisexual-coded coming of age (do I want him or do I want to be him?) and such gorgeous and heartbreaking depictions of grief and longing and shame and masculinity.
What kept it from five stars for me: too many drugs (maybe a personal thing, but there are SO many drugs) and while the prose was beautiful, at times it felt just a little overwritten and unbelievable.
Overall, I really loved it and it really affected me. Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Press for the eARC!
It reminds me a lot of The Perks of Being a Wallflower (but a very adult version, read the content warnings for sure) in the way that it's written—our main character, Theron, is so introspective and wants so bad to belong. Very bisexual-coded coming of age (do I want him or do I want to be him?) and such gorgeous and heartbreaking depictions of grief and longing and shame and masculinity.
What kept it from five stars for me: too many drugs (maybe a personal thing, but there are SO many drugs) and while the prose was beautiful, at times it felt just a little overwritten and unbelievable.
Overall, I really loved it and it really affected me. Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Press for the eARC!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, and Drug use