pyreghost's reviews
9 reviews

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

i found that this book somewhat baffles me in terms of my own mixed feelings on it. at times it truly felt like something mediocre that was just falling short of its mark, but then it would hit me with the most beautiful prose and my appreciation would grow again.

when this is good, it’s so good. i imagine a more dedicated fan of YA would find themselves more thoroughly and continually impressed than i was.

but then there were times where the writing just felt… clumsily put together. in moments where what was happening was so crucial, too! i felt like an editor receiving a rough draft in certain chapters, which made for a less than immersive experience.

gibson does, however, absolutely demonstrate a writing talent. the characters are wonderfully distinct and crafted with precision and care, and there are moments within this that have definitely stuck with me. i find myself thinking my likelihood towards recommending this would depend on who i’m talking to. i think fans of vampire media should consider giving it a shot - perhaps without expecting anything too world-changing, however.

Paradise Lost by John Milton

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adventurous challenging reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

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adventurous dark emotional lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A Natural History of Ghosts: 500 Years of Hunting for Proof by Roger Clarke

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challenging informative lighthearted reflective slow-paced

4.5

if you are at all like me (in possession of an insatiable special interest in ghosts, and ghost hunting, and its history) then this book is more or less everything it says on the tin: an utter must-read. a book of healthy skepticism written by a genuine and passionate believer, a man whose own immense interest in ghosts had him following around his predecessors at the age of 14 (dude, if that could have been me, me too). what i would give to meet him and just ask him questions. thank you mr. roger clarke for making this passion project of a book that i otherwise would have wanted to will into existence myself.

this book won’t change your mind on any matter of ghost belief, but i do not believe it tries to, or claims to try to. it is a record of history wherein our author readily recognises our own predisposed biases to finding our own conclusions. this is a gathering of information on a topic that is historically shunned from being taken seriously enough for such a compendium. for these reasons, i found this read to be so very valuable!

Content Warnings