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Ghosting
On a hot summer night in a Midwestern town, a high school teenage prank goes horrifically awry. Alcohol, guns, and a dare. Within minutes, as events collide, innocents becomes victims—with tragic outcomes altering lives forever, a grisly and unfortunate scenario all too familiar from current real-life headlines. But victims can also become survivors, and as we come to know each character through his/her own distinctive voice and their interactions with one another, we see how, despite pain and guilt, they can reach out to one another, find a new equilibrium, and survive.
Told through multiple points of view in naturalistic free verse and stream of consciousness, this is an unforgettable, haunting tale.
Told through multiple points of view in naturalistic free verse and stream of consciousness, this is an unforgettable, haunting tale.
428 pages, Hardcover
First published August 19, 2014
41 people are currently reading
1562 people want to read
About the author
Edith Pattou
7 books846 followersEdith Pattou is the author of several fantasy novels, including East, an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults. She is a graduate of the Francis W. Parker School, Scripps College (B.A., English), Claremont Graduate School (M.A., English) and UCLA (M.L.I.S.). She is married to Charles Emery, a professor of psychology at The Ohio State University. They have one child, a daughter.
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/edith-pa...
For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/edith-pa...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 144 reviews
August 21, 2014
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
4 Stars for the story – 5 Stars for the cover
“When I was a little girl
ghosting was a sheet of paper and
a drawing in
black ink.
A crudely sketched ghost,
with a Tootsie Roll
taped on.
Not scary.
A fun Halloween prank.
You slipped it under a
neighbor’s door,
ran away,
giggling.
“You’ve been ghosted!”
Exciting.
Harmless.
But now
ghosting is:
this can’t be happening,
screams like knives in your ears,
pooling glistening blood.
Everywhere.
And death, bellowing
hot and loud
in
your
face.”
I had
no idea
this book would be
written in stream of consciousness verse form
until after I requested it.
Trust me when I say I was more than just a little concerned that I would immediately decide to hate it for this reason alone. Luckily for me, I’ve read enough ARCs on the Kindle with jacked up formatting that I was pretty much able to ignore the structure (thank God it wasn’t written in iambic pentameter!) and started to hone in on the words.
This book is the reason I am addicted to requesting ARCs. You never know when you’ll end up experiencing something pretty great – and then you see that you’re the first of your friends to read it. Bonus!
Ghosting brought back memories of the first time I shared a moment with real, flawed kids . . .
and had to explain to my mother that THAT is what teenagers are really like. They aren’t perfect. They have real-life worries. They are sometimes sad. They are HUMAN.
Faith, Maxie, Anil, Emma, Chloe, Felix, Brendan, Faith and Walter are some of the most realistic teens I’ve ever read. Teens who do stupid things like drink and do drugs – or really stupid things like “ride the whip." Teens who have witnessed things they should never have to. Teens who are just trying to find their place in the world.
Ghosting is a prime example of why I continue to read YA. As a mom, it made me want to smack some of these kids - and then give them a huge hug. It made it want to simultaneously ground them from ever leaving the house - and then give them the opportunity to spread their wings and experience life. This book ripped my heart out and pieced it back together. I hope Ms. Pattou finds herself on the top of the bestseller list and knocks the wind out of the sails of all those not-so-great books that give YA a bad name.
Recommended to? Anyone who wants to sparkle in a different way . . .
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you, NetGalley!
4 Stars for the story – 5 Stars for the cover
“When I was a little girl
ghosting was a sheet of paper and
a drawing in
black ink.
A crudely sketched ghost,
with a Tootsie Roll
taped on.
Not scary.
A fun Halloween prank.
You slipped it under a
neighbor’s door,
ran away,
giggling.
“You’ve been ghosted!”
Exciting.
Harmless.
But now
ghosting is:
this can’t be happening,
screams like knives in your ears,
pooling glistening blood.
Everywhere.
And death, bellowing
hot and loud
in
your
face.”
I had
no idea
this book would be
written in stream of consciousness verse form
until after I requested it.
Trust me when I say I was more than just a little concerned that I would immediately decide to hate it for this reason alone. Luckily for me, I’ve read enough ARCs on the Kindle with jacked up formatting that I was pretty much able to ignore the structure (thank God it wasn’t written in iambic pentameter!) and started to hone in on the words.
This book is the reason I am addicted to requesting ARCs. You never know when you’ll end up experiencing something pretty great – and then you see that you’re the first of your friends to read it. Bonus!
Ghosting brought back memories of the first time I shared a moment with real, flawed kids . . .
and had to explain to my mother that THAT is what teenagers are really like. They aren’t perfect. They have real-life worries. They are sometimes sad. They are HUMAN.
Faith, Maxie, Anil, Emma, Chloe, Felix, Brendan, Faith and Walter are some of the most realistic teens I’ve ever read. Teens who do stupid things like drink and do drugs – or really stupid things like “ride the whip." Teens who have witnessed things they should never have to. Teens who are just trying to find their place in the world.
Ghosting is a prime example of why I continue to read YA. As a mom, it made me want to smack some of these kids - and then give them a huge hug. It made it want to simultaneously ground them from ever leaving the house - and then give them the opportunity to spread their wings and experience life. This book ripped my heart out and pieced it back together. I hope Ms. Pattou finds herself on the top of the bestseller list and knocks the wind out of the sails of all those not-so-great books that give YA a bad name.
Recommended to? Anyone who wants to sparkle in a different way . . .
“I feel as if gulal has been just thrown all over me. That I am drenched with color. A walking talking incarnation of radiant Technicolor.”
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you, NetGalley!
August 10, 2014
I have to say that when I first picked up this book and saw that it was written all in verses I had my reservations. I thought ok, this is going to be a bust and I am going to put this book down in in a few pages. Well I did not put the book down. In fact, I actually really enjoyed the book. Although, all of the different points of views/voices coming at me all at once was a little difficult to get them all straight. As I kept reading then I was able to figure out who was who and it was better.
In the beginning, I did not care for some of the people in this book. Yet again as I got farther into the book, I grew to care about them all. I called them people and not characters as it felt like I was reading about real people and how they were reacting emotionally to this event brought me into their world. I did not leave until the end.
As I was reading this book, it made me instantly think of this poem. I now have a nice appreciation for books that are different and not written in the same standard format.
Drunk Driving Poem." (The author is unknown.)
I went to a party, Mom,
I remembered what you said.
You told me not to drink, Mom,
So I drank soda instead.
I really felt proud inside, Mom,
The way you said I would.
I didn't drink and drive, Mom,
Even though the others said I should.
I know I did the right thing, Mom,
I know you are always right.
Now the party is finally ending, Mom,
As everyone is driving out of sight.
As I got into my car, Mom,
I knew I'd get home in one piece.
Because of the way you raised me,
So responsible and sweet.
I started to drive away, Mom,
But as I pulled out into the road,
The other car didn't see me, Mom,
And hit me like a load.
As I lay there on the pavement, Mom,
I hear the policeman say,
"The other guy is drunk," Mom,
And now I'm the one who will pay.
I'm lying here dying, Mom...
I wish you'd get here soon.
How could this happen to me, Mom?
My life just burst like a balloon.
There is blood all around me, Mom,
And most of it is mine.
I hear the medic say, Mom,
I'll die in a short time.
I just wanted to tell you, Mom,
I swear I didn't drink.
It was the others, Mom.
The others didn't think.
He was probably at the same party as I.
The only difference is, he drank
And I will die.
Why do people drink, Mom?
It can ruin your whole life.
I'm feeling sharp pains now.
Pains just like a knife.
The guy who hit me is walking, Mom,
And I don't think it's fair.
I'm lying here dying
And all he can do is stare.
Tell my brother not to cry, Mom.
Tell Daddy to be brave.
And when I go to heaven, Mom,
Put "Daddy's Girl" on my grave.
Someone should have told him, Mom,
Not to drink and drive.
If only they had told him, Mom,
I would still be alive.
My breath is getting shorter, Mom.
I'm becoming very scared.
Please don't cry for me, Mom.
When I needed you,
you were always there.
I have one last question, Mom.
Before I say good bye.
I didn't drink and drive,
So why am I the one to die?
In the beginning, I did not care for some of the people in this book. Yet again as I got farther into the book, I grew to care about them all. I called them people and not characters as it felt like I was reading about real people and how they were reacting emotionally to this event brought me into their world. I did not leave until the end.
As I was reading this book, it made me instantly think of this poem. I now have a nice appreciation for books that are different and not written in the same standard format.
Drunk Driving Poem." (The author is unknown.)
I went to a party, Mom,
I remembered what you said.
You told me not to drink, Mom,
So I drank soda instead.
I really felt proud inside, Mom,
The way you said I would.
I didn't drink and drive, Mom,
Even though the others said I should.
I know I did the right thing, Mom,
I know you are always right.
Now the party is finally ending, Mom,
As everyone is driving out of sight.
As I got into my car, Mom,
I knew I'd get home in one piece.
Because of the way you raised me,
So responsible and sweet.
I started to drive away, Mom,
But as I pulled out into the road,
The other car didn't see me, Mom,
And hit me like a load.
As I lay there on the pavement, Mom,
I hear the policeman say,
"The other guy is drunk," Mom,
And now I'm the one who will pay.
I'm lying here dying, Mom...
I wish you'd get here soon.
How could this happen to me, Mom?
My life just burst like a balloon.
There is blood all around me, Mom,
And most of it is mine.
I hear the medic say, Mom,
I'll die in a short time.
I just wanted to tell you, Mom,
I swear I didn't drink.
It was the others, Mom.
The others didn't think.
He was probably at the same party as I.
The only difference is, he drank
And I will die.
Why do people drink, Mom?
It can ruin your whole life.
I'm feeling sharp pains now.
Pains just like a knife.
The guy who hit me is walking, Mom,
And I don't think it's fair.
I'm lying here dying
And all he can do is stare.
Tell my brother not to cry, Mom.
Tell Daddy to be brave.
And when I go to heaven, Mom,
Put "Daddy's Girl" on my grave.
Someone should have told him, Mom,
Not to drink and drive.
If only they had told him, Mom,
I would still be alive.
My breath is getting shorter, Mom.
I'm becoming very scared.
Please don't cry for me, Mom.
When I needed you,
you were always there.
I have one last question, Mom.
Before I say good bye.
I didn't drink and drive,
So why am I the one to die?
July 17, 2014
Let us discuss my complete and utter surprise at how much I *loved* this novel. A novel in verse? I may have rolled my eyes and crinkled my nose, thinking I'd bail after a chapter or two. A novel told from multiple points of view (nine POVs, I believe), no less, all in first person--something that's usually a train wreck. Yeah, and then I devoured the book in about three hours. The rhythm of the words propels you forward as much as the tension of wondering what's going to happen next.
Basics first, though: I felt like this was Maxine's story more than anyone else's. Max opens the story and ends it, and in many ways--because she's an outsider to the group around which the plot centers--she's a good observer. She's old and new, having moved back to Illinois for her senior year of high school after leaving four years prior for Colorado. She fell out of touch with her best friends, Emma and Felix. Now Emma is a gorgeous popular girl who tends to take too many risks, and Felix is a depressed stoner. Emma is dating Brendan, one of those douchey hot popular guys, and her best friend is Chloe, a vapid airhead. Chloe is dating Anil, a supersmart guy from an Indian family (and I get the feeling he may be one of the few Indians in town since he feels his ethnicity so profoundly). Max's mom forces her to go out with Emma one night, and Emma arranges an outing, all six of them going out to a party. As is so often the case, there's booze and drugs. Circumstances put the six at a "ghost house," which is unknowingly (to them) inhabited by a very sheltered, homeschooled, naive young man and his grandmother, and it also sends Emma's little sister Faith racing to the scene to warn her sister about some family drama.
Add in two guns, and something awful happens.
The book is split almost evenly into "before" and "after," following each character. Interestingly, this awful thing is a catalyst, giving each character something he or she didn't have before. It's an "issue" type of a book, for sure, but it never feels preachy. In many ways, I feel it's because the novel is far more character-driven than plot-driven. The characterizations are real and fresh and lovely. For no reason I can explain, Faith is my favorite character in the novel. There's just something so great about her relationship with and trust in her sister, even though Emma through most of the novel is such an asshole to everyone else.
This would make an interesting companion book to Cari Luna's The Revolution of Every Day . Something about the tone and the construction of both books remind me of each other, although Revolution is adult. I might reread them back to back one day to see if that holds true with less distance. Hrm.
Anyway, I highly recommend Ghosting. I read this one on my tablet, but it's a book I'm going to insist on buying in physical form for my library.
Basics first, though: I felt like this was Maxine's story more than anyone else's. Max opens the story and ends it, and in many ways--because she's an outsider to the group around which the plot centers--she's a good observer. She's old and new, having moved back to Illinois for her senior year of high school after leaving four years prior for Colorado. She fell out of touch with her best friends, Emma and Felix. Now Emma is a gorgeous popular girl who tends to take too many risks, and Felix is a depressed stoner. Emma is dating Brendan, one of those douchey hot popular guys, and her best friend is Chloe, a vapid airhead. Chloe is dating Anil, a supersmart guy from an Indian family (and I get the feeling he may be one of the few Indians in town since he feels his ethnicity so profoundly). Max's mom forces her to go out with Emma one night, and Emma arranges an outing, all six of them going out to a party. As is so often the case, there's booze and drugs. Circumstances put the six at a "ghost house," which is unknowingly (to them) inhabited by a very sheltered, homeschooled, naive young man and his grandmother, and it also sends Emma's little sister Faith racing to the scene to warn her sister about some family drama.
Add in two guns, and something awful happens.
The book is split almost evenly into "before" and "after," following each character. Interestingly, this awful thing is a catalyst, giving each character something he or she didn't have before. It's an "issue" type of a book, for sure, but it never feels preachy. In many ways, I feel it's because the novel is far more character-driven than plot-driven. The characterizations are real and fresh and lovely. For no reason I can explain, Faith is my favorite character in the novel. There's just something so great about her relationship with and trust in her sister, even though Emma through most of the novel is such an asshole to everyone else.
This would make an interesting companion book to Cari Luna's The Revolution of Every Day . Something about the tone and the construction of both books remind me of each other, although Revolution is adult. I might reread them back to back one day to see if that holds true with less distance. Hrm.
Anyway, I highly recommend Ghosting. I read this one on my tablet, but it's a book I'm going to insist on buying in physical form for my library.
December 10, 2022
Rated 4.5. This was powerful and impactful 🥺 I loved it!
January 30, 2016
I was hesitant to read this book. I am not sure why, maybe because there isn't much given in the book synopsis, maybe the name, maybe the cover, maybe I just didn't hear too much about it, really I haven't heard anything about this book. I decided to give it a try and see what happens. I am so glad I did. This was an amazing read and found the book to be far more intense than I expected. It was a jewel to find and I was floored by this "unputdownable" read.
Eight teenagers, all with a bit of history but with completely different lives go out and party the last weekend before their senior year of high school. What starts off as a normal type of teenager party... drinking, bit of drugs, and boredom turns the night into something different. Something that sounded harmless, fun, and just a prank, but it wasn't and their fun harmless prank led the night into something none of them would ever forget.
So there really isn't much to go on with the description, the title, the book summary so needless to say I didn't quite know what I was getting into. What I found was a very very intense jaw dropping drama of a read. It was real, it was different, it was a bit of a hard read, it was beautiful and haunting and it was just plain horrifying. It was all these things and more. I am really glad I didn't know what to expect because the shocking moments of truth were just incredible and I think it made it so much more powerful.
The characters were just amazing in this book. They were all a bit screwed up and a bit self involved and a bit lost. So bringing them all together was a just a big mess. Each character had a strong tie to another and a very influential place in the decisions that were made that night. Each played a very crucial part in bringing down the night. There were some very stereotypical players... we did have the stoner, the party girl, the tramp, the jock, the nerd, and the good girl. We also had two others that were brought into the mix later on that play a very important part in the story but were a huge part throughout the entire book. Even though the characters were stereotypical they didn't necessarily feel that way. I was able to be in each of their heads and feel their lives, the reasons they lived the way the did. I loved them all and hated them all. In the end I felt for them, strongly.
I truly believe the reason this book was so powerful was the writing. Not just the amazing characters brought this story together. The book is written in verse and it fit this story very well. The verse made all the emotions come to life and that is what hooked me in the end. The verse style also made this book a very fast read. I read on the back of the book, a blurb written about the book, it said to be prepared to read the book in one sitting because it can't be put down. I did read this in one sitting. I couldn't stop reading this book. It was in me and I had to see it to the end and I did.
A very captivating read that I recommend to any realistic fiction readers, suspense thriller readers, or well just any YA readers, OK any readers. I think this is a treasure many will love. I know I did.
December 20, 2016
The prologue to Ghosting is great. It’s a short little poem of soft nostalgia and creepy, supernatural imagery. I wish the rest of the book could live up to this lovely little prologue, but it doesn’t.
Ghosting is a novel in verse, about a group of reckless teens who have a life-changing incident one night. But the incident isn’t supernatural, or even that creepy. I mean, it’s upsetting, of course, but it’s not what the prologue led me to expect.
The book is structured with a "before" section and an "after" section. I think this device can be useful, but there’s just not enough there. The characters are set up, they go out on their night of partying, the incident happens, and then everyone copes with it for a few hundred pages.... But it’s not enough. The characters are interesting, but the reader doesn’t learn about them very deeply, and there isn’t much change or resolution, considering the premise of the book. I guess a lot of it feels contrived and superficial. For example, I was thrilled with a little surprise lgbt+ representation, but that faded into the background right after it was brought up. Ghosting deals with a lot of different issues, and none of them are given the attention they deserve.
But Ghosting is a very readable book. Perhaps because it’s written in verse, I flew right through it - and I did enjoy jumping back and forth to different characters’ perspectives.
I’m sure that people looking for a general YA drama will enjoy Ghosting. Just don’t expect anything supernatural or anything particularly creepy. This book is quite plain.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Children's Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Ghosting is a novel in verse, about a group of reckless teens who have a life-changing incident one night. But the incident isn’t supernatural, or even that creepy. I mean, it’s upsetting, of course, but it’s not what the prologue led me to expect.
The book is structured with a "before" section and an "after" section. I think this device can be useful, but there’s just not enough there. The characters are set up, they go out on their night of partying, the incident happens, and then everyone copes with it for a few hundred pages.... But it’s not enough. The characters are interesting, but the reader doesn’t learn about them very deeply, and there isn’t much change or resolution, considering the premise of the book. I guess a lot of it feels contrived and superficial. For example, I was thrilled with a little surprise lgbt+ representation, but that faded into the background right after it was brought up. Ghosting deals with a lot of different issues, and none of them are given the attention they deserve.
But Ghosting is a very readable book. Perhaps because it’s written in verse, I flew right through it - and I did enjoy jumping back and forth to different characters’ perspectives.
I’m sure that people looking for a general YA drama will enjoy Ghosting. Just don’t expect anything supernatural or anything particularly creepy. This book is quite plain.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Children's Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
June 9, 2016
I don't read many verse novels--usually only if they are recommended to me or are on an award list--but this one was fantastic. Even with multiple narrators the story easy to follow...especially since each of them speak in a different form of verse. The story is tragic and sad, but all too real in today's world of guns and violence. Everyone involved feels varying degrees of responsibility and guilt, and each of them reacts differently to the aftermath. Definitely adding to my library shelves.
May 27, 2021
Normally, contemporary YA novels aren't something I seek out. In fact the only reason I decided to read Ghosting is because it was written by Edith Pattou, who also wrote East and Fire Arrow. Both of these are terrific YA fantasy books, and I was curious to read even more from this talented writer. Ghosting showcases Pattou's deft storytelling and character insight, but I didn't connect with it the way I did with her other books.
Ghosting is a tense page-turner with a compelling storyline, but I thought the verse format was unnecessary. There is very little in the way of figurative language that would usually justify writing characters' thoughts as unrhymed poems. This format was readable, but didn't add anything just by being there.
The characters are mostly realistic and well-written. Chloe and Felix are probably the most successful members of the cast. They were multifaceted, flawed, but well-meaning enough to be likable. Anil is sympathetic but feels a bit too stereotyped as the scholarly, slightly shy Asian with doctor parents. He wasn't a badly written character in himself, but I would have liked to see more done with Anil's story.
The glimpses we get of show depth to this character even with his relatively brief appearances. It was odd that the were never revealed, though. But the whole thing was handled delicately and compassionately in the writing, so I have no complaints on that count. In fact, Ghosting is overall a good-quality book and doesn't feel cheap or sensationalist at all. It's an entertaining and suspenseful story, but for me it lacks that re-readable quality. Maybe YA contemporary suspense/drama just doesn't jell with my reading taste, but it is a good book and deserves more attention from readers who enjoy the genre.
Ghosting is a tense page-turner with a compelling storyline, but I thought the verse format was unnecessary. There is very little in the way of figurative language that would usually justify writing characters' thoughts as unrhymed poems. This format was readable, but didn't add anything just by being there.
The characters are mostly realistic and well-written. Chloe and Felix are probably the most successful members of the cast. They were multifaceted, flawed, but well-meaning enough to be likable. Anil is sympathetic but feels a bit too stereotyped as the scholarly, slightly shy Asian with doctor parents. He wasn't a badly written character in himself, but I would have liked to see more done with Anil's story.
The glimpses we get of show depth to this character even with his relatively brief appearances. It was odd that the were never revealed, though. But the whole thing was handled delicately and compassionately in the writing, so I have no complaints on that count. In fact, Ghosting is overall a good-quality book and doesn't feel cheap or sensationalist at all. It's an entertaining and suspenseful story, but for me it lacks that re-readable quality. Maybe YA contemporary suspense/drama just doesn't jell with my reading taste, but it is a good book and deserves more attention from readers who enjoy the genre.
May 3, 2022
It was a good book. Not my favorite, though it had a good story. With it being written in verse gave the characters more personality and I found I could really relate with the characters. All in all I'd give it a 3.5 I would read it again.
February 20, 2016
I first read this in January 2015 but had to reread it for a class on YA literature I am taking.
February 2016 Review: I still really love this book. The free verse works so well with the random thoughts of the 7 main characters (as well as the thoughts of mentally off Walter and the Chief of Police, whatever his name is). In my memory most of the book led up to the Critical Event but that isn't the case as all. The Critical Event (there's a gun involved that is told about right on the inside flap so this isn't a spoiler) is about as major as you can imagine but it happens almost dead centre of the book. The remaining half really follows each individual as they deal with what happened. Each character is painted with an individual brush and reacts in a way I felt was authentic. The events portrayed are certainly tragic and each moment is emotionally charged but I felt that was accurate to how teens feel. Also of interest is that the parents are pretty much all real idiots (or criminals). Near the end of the book, the stoner Felix, relates the events that took place as being similar to the board game Mousetrap where one event leads to another and another until the trap goes off. This is a perfect analogy to the story. This is a great story and one that I wish was better known.
January 2015 Review: I think I might be in love with novels written in prose as I loved "Karma" and "Inside Out and Back Again" and I loved this one as well. Not counting how amazing it is to write the same story from five distinct viewpoints, this is a simple and lovely tale of redemption after a horrific event. I am so happy I read it.
February 2016 Review: I still really love this book. The free verse works so well with the random thoughts of the 7 main characters (as well as the thoughts of mentally off Walter and the Chief of Police, whatever his name is). In my memory most of the book led up to the Critical Event but that isn't the case as all. The Critical Event (there's a gun involved that is told about right on the inside flap so this isn't a spoiler) is about as major as you can imagine but it happens almost dead centre of the book. The remaining half really follows each individual as they deal with what happened. Each character is painted with an individual brush and reacts in a way I felt was authentic. The events portrayed are certainly tragic and each moment is emotionally charged but I felt that was accurate to how teens feel. Also of interest is that the parents are pretty much all real idiots (or criminals). Near the end of the book, the stoner Felix, relates the events that took place as being similar to the board game Mousetrap where one event leads to another and another until the trap goes off. This is a perfect analogy to the story. This is a great story and one that I wish was better known.
January 2015 Review: I think I might be in love with novels written in prose as I loved "Karma" and "Inside Out and Back Again" and I loved this one as well. Not counting how amazing it is to write the same story from five distinct viewpoints, this is a simple and lovely tale of redemption after a horrific event. I am so happy I read it.
August 21, 2014
4.5 stars
To see my full review:
http://abookvacation.com/2014/08/18/a...
If you haven’t yet added this unique novel to your TBR pile, then I’m going to suggest that you do so right now. Written in free verse, this novel throws out exactly what each character is thinking as it happens, and while initially jarring, I found that I liked it very much. Readers easily know who is thinking and speaking as the sections are chunked, focusing on one character at a time, but it certainly isn’t a traditional novel in the sense of its flow.
Ghosting, told through the eyes of the many teens involved in the prank/misunderstanding, allows readers an up close and personal look at these teens inner and outter lives before and after the life-altering event. I have to say that it took a while to lead up to the event in question, painting a vivid portrayal of the characters lives, and it was as if I was their shadow, watching, knowing something bad was coming. This put me on pins and needles, and I liked how well I got to know all the characters as the plot slowly drove toward the event that changes everything. And once we are there, it all seems to then quickly tumble to its end as those involved attempt to heal in many ways. It’s beautiful, and the ark of a story is followed superbly as we build to the climax and resolution. Due to the way it’s written, this is actually a rather fast read, though it looks to be much longer than it really is, so do not let the size of the novel stop you from picking up this unique read.
To see my full review:
http://abookvacation.com/2014/08/18/a...
If you haven’t yet added this unique novel to your TBR pile, then I’m going to suggest that you do so right now. Written in free verse, this novel throws out exactly what each character is thinking as it happens, and while initially jarring, I found that I liked it very much. Readers easily know who is thinking and speaking as the sections are chunked, focusing on one character at a time, but it certainly isn’t a traditional novel in the sense of its flow.
Ghosting, told through the eyes of the many teens involved in the prank/misunderstanding, allows readers an up close and personal look at these teens inner and outter lives before and after the life-altering event. I have to say that it took a while to lead up to the event in question, painting a vivid portrayal of the characters lives, and it was as if I was their shadow, watching, knowing something bad was coming. This put me on pins and needles, and I liked how well I got to know all the characters as the plot slowly drove toward the event that changes everything. And once we are there, it all seems to then quickly tumble to its end as those involved attempt to heal in many ways. It’s beautiful, and the ark of a story is followed superbly as we build to the climax and resolution. Due to the way it’s written, this is actually a rather fast read, though it looks to be much longer than it really is, so do not let the size of the novel stop you from picking up this unique read.
July 3, 2014
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I'm glad that I got the chance to read this.
Ghosting by Edith Pattou
School is about to start up again but before that happens a bunch of kids get together for a party. When that starts to get boring, they decide that they will instead go to the house in the neighborhood that is supposedly haunted. Once there things quickly get crazy and soon horrible things happen that none of them thought would.
This novel is actually quite powerful. I loved how it is told in free verse. There aren't enough good books that are told in this form. Even people who do not normally like poetry might like this. I know that I did.
The characters are very relateable even the ones that do horrible things. You can't help but feel bad for all of them since you know what kind of things they have gone through. Most the characters develop quite a bit as the novel goes by too.
Overall I would give this novel five out of five because it was very well written. I am probably going to read more of what this author writes in the future because she is very good.
Ghosting by Edith Pattou
School is about to start up again but before that happens a bunch of kids get together for a party. When that starts to get boring, they decide that they will instead go to the house in the neighborhood that is supposedly haunted. Once there things quickly get crazy and soon horrible things happen that none of them thought would.
This novel is actually quite powerful. I loved how it is told in free verse. There aren't enough good books that are told in this form. Even people who do not normally like poetry might like this. I know that I did.
The characters are very relateable even the ones that do horrible things. You can't help but feel bad for all of them since you know what kind of things they have gone through. Most the characters develop quite a bit as the novel goes by too.
Overall I would give this novel five out of five because it was very well written. I am probably going to read more of what this author writes in the future because she is very good.
July 1, 2014
I'll admit that this took a while for me to really get into. The novel is written in verse, which I didn't fully understand. While there was some difference in style between the characters, there was no real characterization within the style choices. It felt as if the author was uncertain how to write a novel, so she chose to write in verse. Don't get me wrong. I love poetry and one of my best friends is a freaking brilliant poet. This style just didn't make sense in flow or reason. That being said, I was captivated by the plot and could barely put the book down as I got closer to the climax. The characters eventually developed and, despite similar diction and voice, the characters came into their own. Some remained complete tools, and Emma was just a bitch. But for their age, everything felt right. Max and Faith were my favourites and loved their point of views the most. This is one of those simple, nice summer reads that you will fly through.
August 19, 2014
At first, I put this ebook down after reading about 10%. I couldn’t get into it. Then when I went to look at the early reviews, which were 4 and 5 stars, I wondered if I should give the book another try. What a surprise this novel-in-verse ended up being.
A group of friends do something crazy on a dare. They go to a ghost house. Imagine desiring a night of spooky fun with your friends, something insanely dangerous happens instead, and everyone ends up fighting for his or her life. That’s what happens in this novel. By the time I hit 40% of the e-ARC, I was invested in the story. Past the midpoint, I couldn’t put the book down.
The multiple points of view were a bit confusing until I got used to them. I enjoyed the teen characters, their voices, and their personal struggles. I’m glad I finished this YA novel despite my initial reservations. I read this via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
A group of friends do something crazy on a dare. They go to a ghost house. Imagine desiring a night of spooky fun with your friends, something insanely dangerous happens instead, and everyone ends up fighting for his or her life. That’s what happens in this novel. By the time I hit 40% of the e-ARC, I was invested in the story. Past the midpoint, I couldn’t put the book down.
The multiple points of view were a bit confusing until I got used to them. I enjoyed the teen characters, their voices, and their personal struggles. I’m glad I finished this YA novel despite my initial reservations. I read this via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.
Read
February 14, 20173.5 stars. I liked this book. I was nervous when I saw that it was written in verse, but the different ways that each character chose to write their verses ended up being one of the most interesting and original parts for me. The story was gripping and emotional, I was definitely interested. I think I would have liked it more if there was a little more detail; the author did a great job of creating these characters and helping me to feel like I knew them, although the writing style was minimalist and simple (in a good way). All in all, I liked it and would recommend it.
March 17, 2016
Holy s$&@ this book!!!
I loved this book. I can't believe I hadn't heard about it before I randomly picked it up in the library yesterday.
I LOVED so many of the characters especially Faith, Felix, Anil, and Max. This story is told in verse, which lends to the personality and pacing in the text.
I don't want to give away to much, but this book is a beautiful, exciting gem and I think my students would LOVE it.
I loved this book. I can't believe I hadn't heard about it before I randomly picked it up in the library yesterday.
I LOVED so many of the characters especially Faith, Felix, Anil, and Max. This story is told in verse, which lends to the personality and pacing in the text.
I don't want to give away to much, but this book is a beautiful, exciting gem and I think my students would LOVE it.
October 25, 2017
IMG_0229Ghosting by Edith Pattou has to be my favorite book I have read this month so far! The book is about seven teenagers who decide to go ghosting to a house that they think is abandoned but turns out that two people actually live there. Ghosting is basically when you go to an abandoned house or cemetery or whatever place is haunted so you can go and look to see if you can find a ghost. While five of the teens stay inside of the car, two of the teen girls decide to go to the house. Drunk from MoonBuzz and alcohol they had at a party, everyone is loud and reckless. Meanwhile, one of the teens sister is riding her bike to hurry up and catch her sister before she does something stupid. But just a arrives to her sister, that's when everything takes a turn for the worst. When one of the girls realizes that the house is not abandoned and haunted because she sees an old lady crying over something that they did, that is when the first shot goes off. When one teen has a bloody foot and running to the car they don't realize what it's going to unfold next. Because inside of the house lived a young teen who thought that he was a sheriff and owned owned a rifle gun. What happens next to one of the teens actually made me cry. I was so sad because one of them did not do anything wrong except sleep inside the car. So now each teen has to come to terms with what happened to them that night. Whether it's being paralyzed, losing and eye, or even having to go through so many surgeries, this book will literally have you on the edge of your seat. Told in nine different perspectives including, the seven teens who affected that night, the shooter who did the unthinkable, and the sheriff who got the call. Written in the style of poetry with 423 pages, Ghosting is bound to capture your heart. Not only did she capture the ones who were there that night, but she actually included the shooter which I thought was amazing because most stories won't do that. And the fact that she also included the sheriffs side of the story and how he felt during this aftermath was truly genius. This is one of the books that I give a five out of five stars. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read, it's not necessarily mystery , but it will certainly have you at the edge of your seat.
January 4, 2024
I'm going to keep this quite plain,
I had taken a pause from reading for a while- I just had so much going on that it became an inconvenience to read some days.
SO; I made a challenge for myself.
To read one book every week! But wow- I zoomed through this in one night.
This book brought me back to reading.
I'm going to keep my thoughts short and simple, and list a couple of my favorite details/parts.
The book starts out describing "Ghosting" as when we were kids.
Nothing dangerous;
A prank.
You would write "You've been ghosted" with a tootsie roll, not like now.
It kind of represents childhood-
One day, not-too-long-ago, childhood would mean playing down by the creek with your friends. Or hitting the ball around, with your dad!
Nowadays (For me at least) Childhood is often spent on your phones, scrolling, watching, listening, comparing, texting. Some of us grew up in covid, so it's understandable.
But don't you see the similarities?
Like ghosting, it started sweet- like a silly prank.
Then, turned different, like walking through the graves looking.
Faith, Emma, Anil, Maxie, Chloe, Felix, Walter and Brendan's take on the word "ghosting" changed drastically that night.
In some ways- like Maxie, I feel bad for them. These children were scarred emotionally and physically.
They were far too young to have had to go through this...
But wouldn't that make them too young to drink beer, smoke weed, own guns, be a try-hard, change themselves entirely just for the eyes of one person?
No they didn't deserve what happened to them,
I'm just saying that maybe, they had it coming for them.
My favorite little detail/details would have to be-
The fact that Faith loves puffins. I don't know, it just fits!
My favorite scene of all would have to be-
Any time Maxine talked about her previous life, in Colorado. She seemed so happy there, well- happier. It gives us a glimpse of a more in-depth version of her character. Maxine was also my favorite though! (Her and Polly! :D)
I had taken a pause from reading for a while- I just had so much going on that it became an inconvenience to read some days.
SO; I made a challenge for myself.
To read one book every week! But wow- I zoomed through this in one night.
This book brought me back to reading.
I'm going to keep my thoughts short and simple, and list a couple of my favorite details/parts.
The book starts out describing "Ghosting" as when we were kids.
Nothing dangerous;
A prank.
You would write "You've been ghosted" with a tootsie roll, not like now.
It kind of represents childhood-
One day, not-too-long-ago, childhood would mean playing down by the creek with your friends. Or hitting the ball around, with your dad!
Nowadays (For me at least) Childhood is often spent on your phones, scrolling, watching, listening, comparing, texting. Some of us grew up in covid, so it's understandable.
But don't you see the similarities?
Like ghosting, it started sweet- like a silly prank.
Then, turned different, like walking through the graves looking.
Faith, Emma, Anil, Maxie, Chloe, Felix, Walter and Brendan's take on the word "ghosting" changed drastically that night.
In some ways- like Maxie, I feel bad for them. These children were scarred emotionally and physically.
They were far too young to have had to go through this...
But wouldn't that make them too young to drink beer, smoke weed, own guns, be a try-hard, change themselves entirely just for the eyes of one person?
No they didn't deserve what happened to them,
I'm just saying that maybe, they had it coming for them.
My favorite little detail/details would have to be-
The fact that Faith loves puffins. I don't know, it just fits!
My favorite scene of all would have to be-
Any time Maxine talked about her previous life, in Colorado. She seemed so happy there, well- happier. It gives us a glimpse of a more in-depth version of her character. Maxine was also my favorite though! (Her and Polly! :D)
November 13, 2020
For the eight central teens in Edith Pattou’s fifth book, Ghosting is no longer a harmless childhood prank. The novel follows the interwoven lives of eight teens before and after one fateful night of alcohol and violence. The odd group comes together seeking boozy summer fun, but the night ends in tragedy from a prank gone wrong. Despite what the title implies, the incident isn’t paranormal. In fact, the novel’s violence is painfully reminiscent of real stories about gun violence affecting youth. However, the experience opens characters up to painful, honest conversations about their relationships and ambitions.
The novel is a quick read…because you won’t put it down. The story is narrated in verse by multiple characters. Because of this, the reader has insight into each character’s thoughts and lived experience which contributes a strong sense of realism. At first the style of narration seemed strange, but each character’s stream of consciousness runs together seamlessly. Form meets function in that the novel’s verse increases momentum while events unfold. But the book isn’t driven by plot. It’s propelled by authentic, compelling characters.
I’d recommend this book to someone interested in suspenseful stories of survival.
The novel is a quick read…because you won’t put it down. The story is narrated in verse by multiple characters. Because of this, the reader has insight into each character’s thoughts and lived experience which contributes a strong sense of realism. At first the style of narration seemed strange, but each character’s stream of consciousness runs together seamlessly. Form meets function in that the novel’s verse increases momentum while events unfold. But the book isn’t driven by plot. It’s propelled by authentic, compelling characters.
I’d recommend this book to someone interested in suspenseful stories of survival.
February 18, 2024
Well Damn
The beginning of this book threw me off. I was starting to think “what’s the point”. It was being told from the perspective of so many characters. But then the “Ghosting” happened and all hell broke loose. I was like wait a minute! The series of events that happened rapidly and unexpectedly grabbed my attention. Then there was the tension of finding out the severity of everyone’s injuries and if they’d survive. At the same time, there was the suspense of what would happen to Walter. I was torn on whether I should view him as guilty or not guilty. I definitely felt compassion for him. I enjoyed that the book touched on the power of reading, substance abuse, and mental health in subtle ways. It never felt preachy. I would’ve liked the “after the Ghosting” portion to be longer and more detailed. Other than that, I felt like it was an intense, but entertaining read.
The beginning of this book threw me off. I was starting to think “what’s the point”. It was being told from the perspective of so many characters. But then the “Ghosting” happened and all hell broke loose. I was like wait a minute! The series of events that happened rapidly and unexpectedly grabbed my attention. Then there was the tension of finding out the severity of everyone’s injuries and if they’d survive. At the same time, there was the suspense of what would happen to Walter. I was torn on whether I should view him as guilty or not guilty. I definitely felt compassion for him. I enjoyed that the book touched on the power of reading, substance abuse, and mental health in subtle ways. It never felt preachy. I would’ve liked the “after the Ghosting” portion to be longer and more detailed. Other than that, I felt like it was an intense, but entertaining read.
March 7, 2018
I read “East” at the beginning of this year and loved it, so when I spotted this book on the library shelf a couple weeks ago, I knew I had to read it. It really is a shame that this book didn’t get as much recognition because it should have. I found myself reluctant to put this one down. I’ve always enjoyed novels that are written in verse, and this one is no exception. I think it worked out perfectly for this book. It made the characters more real to me as well as made the events more fast-paced and devastating when described through quick snippets. This book is definitely proof that sometimes less is more.
January 29, 2020
Due to its unusual format, this is really more of a novella than the full length book it appears to be. It took me a few "sections" to get into the flow, but then it was a quick read. I enjoy books with multiple POVs and this was an interesting way to present them, not just with different ways of speaking, but with different organization of the text for each character. Always fun to stumble on an author from Columbus!
October 14, 2022
I read this novel as I was trying to find innovative text types to show my students, and I was surprised by how engaging and captivating the story was considering it was written all in verse. Each character has a unique perspective, and unique style of verse to match this, which allows the story to unfold from multiple perspectives.
It was well written, poses ethical questions without being preachy, and opens up the room for discussion about a range of ideas. A thought-provoking read.
It was well written, poses ethical questions without being preachy, and opens up the room for discussion about a range of ideas. A thought-provoking read.
September 28, 2025
First, a little message for Edith Pattou. Illinois university has an excellent BSN program, the idea that nursing school and a university education are separate from each other shows a lack of knowledge about nurses and quite honestly is an affront to nurses everywhere who have bachelor, masters and doctorate degrees. Secondly, why not medical school?
Now, I read this book in a day and a half, I loved how it was written and all of the characters.
Now, I read this book in a day and a half, I loved how it was written and all of the characters.
August 12, 2020
Hope and honesty
This one is an easy read, but not at all shallow. It’s big with images and characters, that unlike a lot of YA characters, are real people. People we might go to school with, people who are sorting themselves and their feelings out as they go along. The poetry is clean, strong, well done. Definitely worth a read.
This one is an easy read, but not at all shallow. It’s big with images and characters, that unlike a lot of YA characters, are real people. People we might go to school with, people who are sorting themselves and their feelings out as they go along. The poetry is clean, strong, well done. Definitely worth a read.
March 22, 2021
I very much enjoyed the free-verse style and pace of this book. I cared about the feelings and perspectives of all of the characters. Reading other reviews, some people felt that the characters didn’t have enough depth. I disagree. The author reveals a flow of thoughts and feelings that tie the characters together yet separates them enough to make their own journeys.
I liked it!
I liked it!
November 27, 2021
I usually don't get attached to characters this quickly, but their personalities are so well defined by what one learns about them by the main catalyst event that it's tense and heartbreaking when it hits. Also, if anyone wants a ya book to convince them that gun control is completely necessary, this is the one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2017
This one felt severely under developed to me in the second half. The first half told the story beautifully so I was expecting much more from the second half and it fell flat. Glad I read it, probably not one I'd read again.
November 7, 2018
This is a very very fast read for how large the book is. It is in a poem format and just keeps pulling you in, until you are completely immersed in the story of these teens. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who wants a fun, quick read that will make them think.
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