Scan barcode
A review by savvylit
Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really enjoyed immersing myself in Nina's perspective. There's a passage early on where she describes her agent, Vivienne, as being able to utter "throwaway thoughts that would become fundamental truth to whoever heard them." That's how I felt about Nina - and Dolly Alderton - while reading Ghosts. Some of Nina's throwaway thoughts seem to perfectly encapsulate truths about living in our modern era.
Here are a few of Nina's observations that felt like fundamental truths to me:
"Dynamics of power always rearrange themselves when you're not watching them."
"I had never known a feeling as unbearable - as sour, wrenching, and unshakeably sad - as pity for a parent."
"I'd noticed this was a thing that people did when they got into their thirties: they saw every personal decision you made as a direct judgement on their lives. If you voted Labour and they voted Lib Dem, they thought you were voting Labour specifically to let them know that their politics were incorrect."
Another aspect of Ghosts that I enjoyed was the relationship dynamics between Nina and her parents. The way that Nina and Nancy deal with Bill's illness was so nuanced and unflinchingly realistic. Adult-child to parent relationships fall onto such a complicated spectrum of feelings. I don't know about you but I rarely find books that explore these relationships beyond two dimensions. But Ghosts fully fleshed out the family dynamics so well.
Here are a few of Nina's observations that felt like fundamental truths to me:
"Dynamics of power always rearrange themselves when you're not watching them."
"I had never known a feeling as unbearable - as sour, wrenching, and unshakeably sad - as pity for a parent."
"I'd noticed this was a thing that people did when they got into their thirties: they saw every personal decision you made as a direct judgement on their lives. If you voted Labour and they voted Lib Dem, they thought you were voting Labour specifically to let them know that their politics were incorrect."
Another aspect of Ghosts that I enjoyed was the relationship dynamics between Nina and her parents. The way that Nina and Nancy deal with Bill's illness was so nuanced and unflinchingly realistic. Adult-child to parent relationships fall onto such a complicated spectrum of feelings. I don't know about you but I rarely find books that explore these relationships beyond two dimensions. But Ghosts fully fleshed out the family dynamics so well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Dementia
Moderate: Toxic friendship