Ghosting
Its Edith’s manipulating of the words, her short sentences, and the rhythm that propels me forward in her memorable free verse story of a group of teens out on the town. Maxine has just moved back to Illinois for her senior year and after four years, she’s greeted with some new and old familiar faces. What made this story so enjoyable was the variety of characters along for that ride. Packed all together into Brendon’s SUV was such a diverse assortment of backgrounds, hopes, talents and morals. There’s some illegal drinking and smoking, a bit of relaxing in the local playground. Seems harmless and fun, just living in the moment. Careless behavior, a spilled drink and then the mood shifts. It’s not what they expected to find in Brendon’s car and it was time to move on. It’s amazing how I felt the shift of the book move with free verse, so little words but the power within those words, so moving and compelling. It’s as if the negative space on the page was a voice, a deterrent. To stop and make me think about the words that have been spelled out before me. Don’t rush through it, think about it and so I did, lots of times I stopped and enjoyed the story before reading the words that were written on the page. As they pile back into the car, the conversation switched to terrifying moments and then a suggestion to ghosting. The house that is supposed to be haunted sounds perfect and only a few individuals don’t want to join in the fun. Two brave souls descend on the house, while the house’s owner watches from his window. He’s tired of bad guys trespassing on his property. The door gets closer and the tension builds. So little words fill the page, it’s the suspense of what is happening that is tearing at me. Those choice words, they’re breaking me and tearing at me in so many directions. Back at the car, Brendon is upset with his passengers for snooping in his car, a younger sister is frantically arriving to talk to her sister, and then there is the house. I have a bad feeling about this. Shots! There are gunshots and people are reacting, moving, trying to assess what is happening. I knew I wouldn’t like this. Screaming, a cracked windshield, and now blood. I need to read slower to take this all in.
I received a complimentary e-book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
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