A review by ninjamuse
Ghost Stories of the Rocky Mountains by Barbara Smith

informative mysterious fast-paced

3.0

I’ve read enough collections of ghostly folklore over the years to say this is one is very typical. The stories are grouped by setting (mines, inns, highways, etc.) and relayed with seriousness. Smith’s more interested in writing down the stories than she is in sensationalising them or passing judgement, which I appreciate, but she also knows how to tell a story, pique interest, and give the reader chills. 

Also typical, in my experience, are the historical tidbits and figures that flesh out some of the stories, the range of ghosts from “I felt a presence” to “a ghost fixed my flat tire” to “we don’t book people into that room anymore”, and the general quirkiness of the collection. I also liked that the book feels pretty comprehensive and that a lot of the history and stories were new to me. Smith’s done a lot of research, from interviews to reading biographies to scrolling through newspaper archives, but she’s also good about picking and choosing the encounters that will appeal most to readers. 

You can also tell, though, which stories came from which sources, because there are some disappointingly short snippets that clearly came from a single column-inch in an old newspaper, where Smith can’t say more than “it was reported that”. At least she shares in the disappointment. Her connections between stories can also feel a bit forced at times but I don’t think I’d be able to do much better in her shoes and I’d rather that than utterly disjointed reading.

And fortunately, like I said, I’ve read a lot of true ghost stories—including other collections by Smith—so this was exactly what I wanted when I picked it up. It’s quirky, it’s easy reading, it’s entertaining, and I finished the book satisfied. But as it’s a totally average book for its genre, it gets a totally average rating. 

To bear in mind: Occasionally has an … interesting … definition of what constitutes the Rockies.

5/10