runner4019 's review for:

BRAT: A Ghost Story by Gabriel Smith

4.5

dark emotional funny fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I am still not sure how to feel about this novel. I don’t really think it should be called a ghost story, since

the “ghosts” weren’t real and the narrator was just grieving the passing of his father. Now. Don’t get me wrong, this book was still creepy in a very subtle manner. And I really enjoyed the way we, as the readers, were brought into the protagonist’s delusions. And I also liked the dialog between the narrator and his brother toward the end. That felt like we got a bittersweet little sample of the narrator’s childhood memories of his parents. Additionally, the author included other stories, in the form of manuscripts and short stories, within the novel. But I was really struggling with what they all meant. Why was the short story written by the narrator’s ex girlfriend about a wealthy man who masturbates onto paintings included? I was lost with that one. And I also don’t know how I feel about the story ending with the narrator writing the book we’re currently reading. But I think this is one of those books I’ll have to read again before I fully grasp all the ideas. And it’s definitely worth a second read :)