"The story is short: It begins with a woman getting fed up; it ends with her dying." ~ 90%
But first, there is a 69-year-old Jamaican man named Stan who once faked his own death. And so These Ghosts are Family begins. He meets his firstborn daughter, a home health aide, as she shows up to work to care for the father she thought was dead all this time.
We see the consequences of Stan's decision throughout the family tree from Jamaica to present-day Harlem. Their lives could have been completely different had Stan taken a different path. Through alternating time periods, readers witness a family forming and fracturing over generations. Themes include loss, growth, infidelity, migration and the common struggle.
These Ghosts are Family is a family saga that is interesting yet hard to follow at times. I was all in for some of the characters' individual stories whereas I was lost on a couple others and had to slow down to digest exactly what the author intended. It turned out to be a well thought-out tale. I can best describe this debut novel as a challenging read worth your time.
Happy Pub Day, Maisy Card! These Ghosts are Family is now available.
Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.
Author: Maisy Card
Published: March 2020
Pages: 224
Edition: Galley
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤
No comments:
Post a Comment