merbearmer's review against another edition
4.0
Minor spoilers:
This book was so cute!! Hanna Alkaf just has this way of making me feel the emotions in the book so strongly so when Suraya was being bullied, my heart dropped, and when she made her first friend, it leapt. I loved that there were elements like hipsters and iPhones and Star Wars that helped me see myself in this story, even though the book is filled with elements of Malaysian culture! Also, I'm obsessed with Suraya and Jing's friendship, Jing was so ride-or-die for Suraya, it just brought me so much joy.
This book was so cute!! Hanna Alkaf just has this way of making me feel the emotions in the book so strongly so when Suraya was being bullied, my heart dropped, and when she made her first friend, it leapt. I loved that there were elements like hipsters and iPhones and Star Wars that helped me see myself in this story, even though the book is filled with elements of Malaysian culture! Also, I'm obsessed with Suraya and Jing's friendship, Jing was so ride-or-die for Suraya, it just brought me so much joy.
nabilahs's review against another edition
5.0
What a nice journey! Its true that Only Friendship Can Save You.
I love the relationship between the young girl, Suraya and her pelesit, Pink. A ghost named Pink
I love the relationship between the young girl, Suraya and her pelesit, Pink. A ghost named Pink
manuuvital's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
khairun_atika's review against another edition
3.0
"Nobody is ever really ready for goodbye. But sometimes you need to bid farewell to the things holding you back so that you can move forward." - The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf
This is the exactly the sort of book I would have loved reading as a middle-grader. I grew up reading lots of horror, particularly by R L Stine and Anthony Horowitz, so it is a delight to know that Malay girls everywhere in this day and age have access to this engaging fable, written by a Malay female author.
The Girl and the Ghost is the story of Suraya and the pelesit that she inherited from her late grandmother, who was a witch. Suraya, quiet yet affable young girl who has never had a real friend, affectionately names the dark little monster Pink, and instead teaches Pink not to use his powers for evil. However, this binding promise is threatened when Suraya makes friends with other humans, making Pink feel threatened and betrayed.
While this story could take a turn to explore the birth of greed and evil, it instead explores Suraya's deep and profound friendship with Pink. It packs a lot of heart in the form of an endearing young girl, who is determined to please others despite the darkness that constantly surrounded her bleak life. It is such an inspirational story of good triumphing over evil, while also highlighting the looming danger that will always be a threat in every person's life.
It was also very heartwarming to see the inclusivity of different races in this book. It portrays the predominantly Malay yet ultimately multicultural society in Malaysia, which is also somewhat familiar to Singaporeans alike. The Malay cultural references are a welcome addition to the book - be it in the mention of evil spirits, cultural practices or even the local cuisine. As a horror fan and a Malay girl, I would have gladly devoured this book as a child, and I am grateful to have experienced this spellinbinding story, even as an adult.
This is the exactly the sort of book I would have loved reading as a middle-grader. I grew up reading lots of horror, particularly by R L Stine and Anthony Horowitz, so it is a delight to know that Malay girls everywhere in this day and age have access to this engaging fable, written by a Malay female author.
The Girl and the Ghost is the story of Suraya and the pelesit that she inherited from her late grandmother, who was a witch. Suraya, quiet yet affable young girl who has never had a real friend, affectionately names the dark little monster Pink, and instead teaches Pink not to use his powers for evil. However, this binding promise is threatened when Suraya makes friends with other humans, making Pink feel threatened and betrayed.
While this story could take a turn to explore the birth of greed and evil, it instead explores Suraya's deep and profound friendship with Pink. It packs a lot of heart in the form of an endearing young girl, who is determined to please others despite the darkness that constantly surrounded her bleak life. It is such an inspirational story of good triumphing over evil, while also highlighting the looming danger that will always be a threat in every person's life.
It was also very heartwarming to see the inclusivity of different races in this book. It portrays the predominantly Malay yet ultimately multicultural society in Malaysia, which is also somewhat familiar to Singaporeans alike. The Malay cultural references are a welcome addition to the book - be it in the mention of evil spirits, cultural practices or even the local cuisine. As a horror fan and a Malay girl, I would have gladly devoured this book as a child, and I am grateful to have experienced this spellinbinding story, even as an adult.
internationalkris's review against another edition
4.0
Suraya's grandmother was a witch and the master of a pelesit - a creature of chaos. When she dies the pelesit is bound to her blood so he passes on to her spirited young granddaughter. Though this creature has the ability to bring grief to her enemies, Suraya is more interested in having him as a friend. But a friendship between a human girl and a creature filled with dark magic is not destined to be smooth and easy. A really terrific middle grade fantasy set in Malaysia. Scary and gory, but also funny and kind. A total winner.
lydiaerickson7's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.25
nwfloo's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
inkbomb's review against another edition
5.0
I was skeptical when I started reading. While I love MG books, reading something someone else has chosen for me is always a risk. This book is not a risk. This book is an adventure. It reaffirms the necessity of friendships, and looks at how relationships with the people in our lives are not always what they appear to be. It was existential without being confusingly abstract - a difficult feat for a middle grade book. It explores important themes of grief, of bravery, and of seclusion and exclusion, but in a way more appropriate for a younger audience.
dinibharadwaj's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
I'm not very much into spooky books but this one was delightfully charming and highlighted the beautiful diversity of Malay culture.