Scan barcode
A review by hiking_pages
The Apparition Phase: Shortlisted for the 2021 McKitterick Prize by Will Maclean
4.0
‘The alchemy of our imaginations. I had been so adrift without it. The privets were choked with litter; the only incantations written on the concrete walls were the names of football teams and bands and doomed couples. I could not hold back the banality of this world on my own’.
Tim and Abi are somewhat antisocial, hyper-intelligent and share a common passion for all things paranormal. When they decide to fake a ghost photo and consequently scare the life out of one of their carefully chosen classmates, a chain of life-altering events sets in motion.
This was a cosy, nostalgic read for any of us who grew up enjoying tales of the paranormal and the fascination surrounding otherworldly happenings long before the internet and Tik Tok. I often think ghost stories represent forms of grief and this was no different, only told in a pleasantly subtle and empathetic way, especially as our protagonists are somewhat unlikeable from the off.
The plot was succinctly put together with nuances of classic ghost story telling and the descriptions were beautiful - I loved the inclusion of the Rollright stones and Avebury, as well as references to other famous paranormal books that i remember growing up in the late 80s and 90s.
It wasn’t quite the story I was expecting, but it was a really enjoyable ride none the less.
Tim and Abi are somewhat antisocial, hyper-intelligent and share a common passion for all things paranormal. When they decide to fake a ghost photo and consequently scare the life out of one of their carefully chosen classmates, a chain of life-altering events sets in motion.
This was a cosy, nostalgic read for any of us who grew up enjoying tales of the paranormal and the fascination surrounding otherworldly happenings long before the internet and Tik Tok. I often think ghost stories represent forms of grief and this was no different, only told in a pleasantly subtle and empathetic way, especially as our protagonists are somewhat unlikeable from the off.
The plot was succinctly put together with nuances of classic ghost story telling and the descriptions were beautiful - I loved the inclusion of the Rollright stones and Avebury, as well as references to other famous paranormal books that i remember growing up in the late 80s and 90s.
It wasn’t quite the story I was expecting, but it was a really enjoyable ride none the less.