Reviews

Why do ghosts haunt? Because they have unfinished business. Because there is something that keeps them on earth until they have completed their mission.

Ruth has gone to Newfoundland for the Summer to visit her cousin Ruby, who she discovers looks very much like her. It is almost as though they are twins. But that is not the weirdest thing. Because although Ruth doesn't believe in ghosts and visions and having the Sight, she starts experiencing the moment she gets to her Aunt Dolly's house, starting with a ghost that comes to visit her the first night.

With Ruby's help, the two girls learn what the ghost is trying to tell them, despite the fact that Ruth keeps saying she doesn't believe in ghosts or curses or any of this stuff.

An interesting take on a middle grade ghost story. Both Ruth and Ruby seem like very real children, set in the 1980s Newfoundland. Good descriptions of the landscape, and the flowers.

#TheGhostRoad #NetGalley

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

readingrobin's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious 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? Yes

2.5

A spooky, mysterious story with a rich atmosphere and setting that you don't really find too often in books. Cotter paints Newfoundland in such a way that you can see the landscapes so clearly as you read along and feel the chill and dampness that the main character's experience as they uncover the secrets behind their family line. Kids will love the ghostly aspects of the mystery, as pieces start to come together and twists pop up at every turn. It's somewhat difficult to read as an adult, as I think it would have flowed better if the chapters managed to be a bit longer and the style was a bit less repetitive and simplistic.

zoemig's review against another edition

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3.0

I love to read books with Canadian settings so picking up The Ghost Road by Charis Cotter, a ghost story set in Newfoundland which has been compared to Coraline (which I adored), was an easy sell. In this lovely middle grade novel, Ruth travels to Newfoundland for the first time, while her dad is on his honeymoon. Ruth is spending the summer with her cousin, Ruby, and it turns out their moms were twins who died young, due to a curse. Ruth and Ruby are looking to find the truth about the curse, and hopefully break it.

I really love stories about twins, being one myself, and I thought it was a great element to this story, even if it's a scenario where all the twins die young. There were some fun twists to the plot, and while the writing was a bit too simplistic for me at times, given the target audience, that's probably for the best. My favourite thing about The Ghost Road was certainly the setting, it was a charming introduction to Newfoundland in the 1970s, and I loved the little bits about the native flowers (and wish there had been a little more of that, since Ruth's father is a botanist). I thought Ruth was a great character, a realistic blend of courageous and scared. I would certainly recommend The Ghost Road for anyone looking for a new middle grade novel with a paranormal twist and fantastic Canadian setting.

skundrik87's review against another edition

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4.0

Just the right amount of spooky, and some of the descriptions of Newfoundland are beautiful.

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