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Fatati u Ihirsa ta' Malta
- GenresHistoryParanormal
226 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
11 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 16, 2019
Probably rating this higher than I should because I find the topic and the history of Malta interesting. I did find it incredibly difficult to read... it felt like a jumble of thoughts strung together, and I found the vocabulary unnecessarily complex.
March 16, 2022
The Ghosts of Malta are my first encounter with author Joseph Attard. It is the book I chose as a memento from my first trip to the islands of Malta.
I loved the synopsis of the book, explaining to me that I will be diving into a deep, dark adventure of ghostly encounters with the various Maltese spirits.
As a fan of the mythological books by Michael Scott, I took the book off the shelf and hurried to the cashier. Sadly, this work has nothing to do with the level of storytelling I expected. Actually, it involves no storytelling at all.
The book starts in retro style, with a biography about the author, seemingly written by Mr Attard himself. Then we get a foreword which lacks emotion and mysticism.
The book is not creative fiction but a record of the author's research on the subject of supernatural existences in the area of Malta. The author quotes different sources and other authors, and has a few paragraphs of personal expeience.
The language used is a classic example of the dictionary abuse we are often told to avoid as writers, with unnecessary descriptions which just blast rarely used idioms and adjectives at us.
The chapters are short, but tell us of mutlitple "ghosts", which makes the stories short and insufficient. We get to learn some history throughout the book, but it is also a vague, bleak attempt at historical reporting.
The styles used in the book switch back and forth between essayistic, reporting, news, notes and a little bit of creative fiction (as I cannot believe most of the quotes are literal recollections).
Unfortunately, the book tries to do so much at once, failing miserably at all of them. While I respect the author for attempting this, they should stick to one topic and let it grow naturally. Otherwise, they end up producing a boring, messy textbook like the ones we hated during our high school days.
Oh, and by the way, poltergeists, spirits, ghosts and leprechauns, let alone "Turks" are definitely not the same thing, so putting them under the same ubrella is irritating.
I loved the synopsis of the book, explaining to me that I will be diving into a deep, dark adventure of ghostly encounters with the various Maltese spirits.
As a fan of the mythological books by Michael Scott, I took the book off the shelf and hurried to the cashier. Sadly, this work has nothing to do with the level of storytelling I expected. Actually, it involves no storytelling at all.
The book starts in retro style, with a biography about the author, seemingly written by Mr Attard himself. Then we get a foreword which lacks emotion and mysticism.
The book is not creative fiction but a record of the author's research on the subject of supernatural existences in the area of Malta. The author quotes different sources and other authors, and has a few paragraphs of personal expeience.
The language used is a classic example of the dictionary abuse we are often told to avoid as writers, with unnecessary descriptions which just blast rarely used idioms and adjectives at us.
The chapters are short, but tell us of mutlitple "ghosts", which makes the stories short and insufficient. We get to learn some history throughout the book, but it is also a vague, bleak attempt at historical reporting.
The styles used in the book switch back and forth between essayistic, reporting, news, notes and a little bit of creative fiction (as I cannot believe most of the quotes are literal recollections).
Unfortunately, the book tries to do so much at once, failing miserably at all of them. While I respect the author for attempting this, they should stick to one topic and let it grow naturally. Otherwise, they end up producing a boring, messy textbook like the ones we hated during our high school days.
Oh, and by the way, poltergeists, spirits, ghosts and leprechauns, let alone "Turks" are definitely not the same thing, so putting them under the same ubrella is irritating.
October 8, 2022
Believer of ghosts or not, this book is definitely packed with stories about things which are no longer accepted in the modern, scientific world. A world that dissects everything that is visible to the human eye, down to hard-cold facts that can be understood by our feeble minds.
For cynics, moderates and believers -. this book is worth a read. It's well-written and offers a good historical context of old and new. And in some odd way, you understand how the mentality has greatly shifted in modern life, and how that energy has shifted to what we're susceptible to. Believing or not in ghosts or poltergeists is not the issue - it's rather an understanding of the energies around us that we all feel. When visiting a house, an old street, or even people who emit energies - good or bad.
It is definitely impressionable - and I must say I have found it a bit hard to stay in the dark after I read the stories. But if you can stick to it, it's worth a read.
The writer was a former cynic and has presented valid arguments as well as much research. I won't go to any merits as to the truth of the stories - but again, they left a big impression.
For cynics, moderates and believers -. this book is worth a read. It's well-written and offers a good historical context of old and new. And in some odd way, you understand how the mentality has greatly shifted in modern life, and how that energy has shifted to what we're susceptible to. Believing or not in ghosts or poltergeists is not the issue - it's rather an understanding of the energies around us that we all feel. When visiting a house, an old street, or even people who emit energies - good or bad.
It is definitely impressionable - and I must say I have found it a bit hard to stay in the dark after I read the stories. But if you can stick to it, it's worth a read.
The writer was a former cynic and has presented valid arguments as well as much research. I won't go to any merits as to the truth of the stories - but again, they left a big impression.
September 1, 2022
Some interesting stories and generally well written but the author does not prove his assertion that ghosts do exist beyond any doubt. All of the evidence and facts he relates is hearsay, anecdotes, myth and legend except for a cursory mention and pseudoscientific description of electroplasm. He asserts that the more anecdotes there are the greater the veracity. There is no serious attempt to find other explanations for the manifestations he relates. If the author was still alive, and to his devotees, I would suggest reading the book, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, by Oliver Sachs, for one alternative insight.
January 24, 2019
I’d say it’s a disappointment. While hoping to read more about haunted places in Malta, I got too much of religion. Heaven. Purgatory. Priests and prayers. While showing quite typical Maltese ways of seeing life it is forgotten that Christianity can be wrong and there is no heaven or hell and then all those explanations written in the book break down to pieces.
But, as I have been to this beautiful island the descriptions in the book reminded me of it’s beautiful places.
But, as I have been to this beautiful island the descriptions in the book reminded me of it’s beautiful places.
September 7, 2018
I can't say I have been convinced by the argument for the existence of ghosts, but I enjoyed the 'colour' that it brought to the retelling of some episodes of the history of Malta, which I am slowly discovering having moved in recently. Unfortunately, in the last few chapters, it trails off in a downward spiral of non-arguments for and against the existence and place of ghosts in Modern Malta.
July 17, 2019
I am finding it a bit hard to read due to lack of punctuation and a convoluted english.
The Maltese author is probably using a Maltese trail of thoughts and language structures that arer not very fluid.
But the stories are interesting. I guess the way to read it is if this was a collection of articles and gossip.
Still interesting.
The Maltese author is probably using a Maltese trail of thoughts and language structures that arer not very fluid.
But the stories are interesting. I guess the way to read it is if this was a collection of articles and gossip.
Still interesting.
January 9, 2020
Interesting book from an historical POV. Not much reality where ghosts are concerned.
April 23, 2015
If you love ghost stories read this book it is fantastic. I live in Malta and although I have never seen a ghost they are very much part of our daily lives. Better yet come visit :) You will be impressed by our long long history.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews