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A review by brightbelladonna22
The Ghost of Us by James L. Sutter
emotional
funny
medium-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
3.0
Before the actual review, let it be 100% known that this is my favorite cover of the year. Drew me in instantly. 10/10. Whoever drew this absolute masterpiece needs to know that this is perfection, and actually what drew me to The Ghost of Us! Spooky, sapphic, and tender -- utterly stunning.
As for the book said masterpiece cover belongs to...it was, sadly, a bit of a miss for me.
Let's start with the good:
-I adored the premise. A contemporary rom-com with a touch of paranormal? Amazing
-I felt that Cara's voice was on point. Sutter perfectly embodies bitter, standoffish Cara and manages the transitions between more lighthearted moments and more serious with ease. I also loved Aiden, her ghostly bestie. Their friendship is realistically drawn and I love the push and pull between both their motives; it makes for delicious narrative tension and also leaves the narrative ripe with opportunities for Cara's and Aiden's growth
-Meredith's grief is captured very well without overwhelming the narrative. I think this goes back to how Sutter balances heavy and light
-I liked Cara's whole family dynamic and also liked her friendship with Holly. It was refreshing to have a queer YA romcom where the MC coming out is not the main conflict (although there are certainly mentions of homophobia--more on that later)
-Sutter's prose flows very nicely
So, what has The Ghost of Us hovering at 3 stars for me?
-the main thing was that the depiction of Cara's sexuality did not feel authentic. Even though I appreciated that Sutter mentions a couple sensitivity readers in the acknowledgements, there were parts that made me, a bisexual woman, uncomfortable. Namely, Cara's coming out story (trigger warning: involves cyberbullying and sexual harassment by a former friend). I also didn't like the way that Cara sexualizes Meredith. It feels...male gaze-y.
-the other thing is the relationship between Cara and Meredith. By the end, I liked them, but the pacing was off for me. Felt too fast in the beginning and lagging in the middle
-the motivation for Cara's ghost hunting is never fully clear to me? It felt like it vacillated between "connecting to Grandma" and "wanting to leave this dead end town." In the end, I'm not sure the motivation ever mattered, but it definitely weakened her arc
I would give another one of Sutter's books a try, but this one just didn't click for me like I was hoping!
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books, and James L. Sutter for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!
As for the book said masterpiece cover belongs to...it was, sadly, a bit of a miss for me.
Let's start with the good:
-I adored the premise. A contemporary rom-com with a touch of paranormal? Amazing
-I felt that Cara's voice was on point. Sutter perfectly embodies bitter, standoffish Cara and manages the transitions between more lighthearted moments and more serious with ease. I also loved Aiden, her ghostly bestie. Their friendship is realistically drawn and I love the push and pull between both their motives; it makes for delicious narrative tension and also leaves the narrative ripe with opportunities for Cara's and Aiden's growth
-Meredith's grief is captured very well without overwhelming the narrative. I think this goes back to how Sutter balances heavy and light
-I liked Cara's whole family dynamic and also liked her friendship with Holly. It was refreshing to have a queer YA romcom where the MC coming out is not the main conflict (although there are certainly mentions of homophobia--more on that later)
-Sutter's prose flows very nicely
So, what has The Ghost of Us hovering at 3 stars for me?
-the main thing was that the depiction of Cara's sexuality did not feel authentic. Even though I appreciated that Sutter mentions a couple sensitivity readers in the acknowledgements, there were parts that made me, a bisexual woman, uncomfortable. Namely, Cara's coming out story (trigger warning: involves cyberbullying and sexual harassment by a former friend). I also didn't like the way that Cara sexualizes Meredith. It feels...male gaze-y.
-the other thing is the relationship between Cara and Meredith. By the end, I liked them, but the pacing was off for me. Felt too fast in the beginning and lagging in the middle
-the motivation for Cara's ghost hunting is never fully clear to me? It felt like it vacillated between "connecting to Grandma" and "wanting to leave this dead end town." In the end, I'm not sure the motivation ever mattered, but it definitely weakened her arc
I would give another one of Sutter's books a try, but this one just didn't click for me like I was hoping!
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books, and James L. Sutter for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!