What do you think?
Rate this book
The Girl with the Ghost Machine
What if a machine could bring back the ones we love?
When Emmaline Beaumont's father started building the ghost machine, she didn't expect it to bring her mother back from the dead. But by locking himself in the basement to toil away at his hopes, Monsieur Beaumont has become obsessed with the contraption and neglected the living, and Emmaline is tired of feeling forgotten.
Nothing good has come from building the ghost machine, and Emmaline decides that the only way to bring her father back will be to make the ghost machine work…or destroy it forever.
When Emmaline Beaumont's father started building the ghost machine, she didn't expect it to bring her mother back from the dead. But by locking himself in the basement to toil away at his hopes, Monsieur Beaumont has become obsessed with the contraption and neglected the living, and Emmaline is tired of feeling forgotten.
Nothing good has come from building the ghost machine, and Emmaline decides that the only way to bring her father back will be to make the ghost machine work…or destroy it forever.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2017
32 people are currently reading
2105 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
May 4, 2017
Emmaline loses her mother to a sudden illness when she is ten and almost loses her father too. Her father becomes obsessed with creating a ghost machine to bring her mother back. His obsession results in a lack of care for Emmaline. Emmaline comes to resent the machine for the time it takes her father from her but is moving on from her grief while her father is still locked in his.
One night, Emmaline pours some tea that she makes, which is just like the tea her mother used to make for her during thunderstorms, into the machine. The machine has a reaction finally and Emmaline's mother comes back for a brief period of time. But there is a cost, Emmaline can no longer remember the tea or what her mother was like during thunderstorms. She shares what she learns with her two best friends - twins Gully and Oliver - who have different reactions to Emmaline's mother's return.
When Emmaline's father finds out that the machine is working and loses a memory to see his wife again, he begins to lose his obsession and pay more attention to Emmaline though he refuses to unplug the machine. Then tragedy strikes again...
This was an amazing story with wonderful language and lots to think about. What would a person give to bring back someone who has died even if it is only for a little while? Is it worth the cost? The story also has a lot to say about grief and moving on with your life and how people take different amounts of time to begin living their life again.
I recommend this one to thoughtful middle graders.
One night, Emmaline pours some tea that she makes, which is just like the tea her mother used to make for her during thunderstorms, into the machine. The machine has a reaction finally and Emmaline's mother comes back for a brief period of time. But there is a cost, Emmaline can no longer remember the tea or what her mother was like during thunderstorms. She shares what she learns with her two best friends - twins Gully and Oliver - who have different reactions to Emmaline's mother's return.
When Emmaline's father finds out that the machine is working and loses a memory to see his wife again, he begins to lose his obsession and pay more attention to Emmaline though he refuses to unplug the machine. Then tragedy strikes again...
This was an amazing story with wonderful language and lots to think about. What would a person give to bring back someone who has died even if it is only for a little while? Is it worth the cost? The story also has a lot to say about grief and moving on with your life and how people take different amounts of time to begin living their life again.
I recommend this one to thoughtful middle graders.
July 2, 2017
Check out this and other reviews on my young adult book blog, Here's to Happy Endings!
The Girl with the Ghost Machine is an interesting story about a grieving girl who lost her mother to illness, and who is afraid she is losing her father to a machine that he is trying to build to bring her mother back. It's completely original and touching in a lot of different ways, and the whole premise of the book was completely fantastic.
Emmaline lost her mother a few years ago, and her father started to build a big machine in the basement that would bring her back. He could never get it going or figure out how to make it work, but Emmaline hated it - it was taking up all of his time and not leaving any for her. So after begging him to stop building it and spend more time with her, only to be met with his insistence that he keep trying, Emmaline takes matters into her own hands one night.
When Emmaline decides to dump her cup of tea into the machine in an attempt to break it one night, what happens instead is something completely unexpected - she sees her mother's ghost and gets to spend some time with her. When she tells her friends about the experience, they demand to see - and try to bring back their goldfish and their dog. When Emmaline's father finds out what it can do, he is overjoyed - his machine works! But they slowly learn that it comes with a price - every time you place something that reminds you of the person you want to see into the machine, you lose a memory you had of that person.
Emmaline uses the machine to help her neighbors, and her father uses the machine to see Emmaline's mother a few times, but Emmaline isn't sure that she will ever want to use it again.
When tragedy strikes and one of Emmaline's friend's lives are on the line, Emmaline must decide if she should try and use the machine again if the worst happens. However, when the machine causes a rift between her and her other friend, she decides to stand up to her father and tell him that the machine is causing more harm than good.
The Girl with the Ghost Machine is one of the most creative middle grade books that I've come across. Admittedly, I haven't read any of Lauren DeStefano's other middle grade books, so this was a nice treat. Sometimes I just get in the mood for middle grade novels, and I was super excited to dive into this one, because it sounded like it was going to be something new.
This book is a book that combines love and loss along with a little bit of hope to weave together a tale that makes you look at life in a new light. It was beautifully written and really easy to get lost in - I read the book in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down.
The reason I gave this one four stars instead of five was because of the characters - to me they felt like they could have been a little more well rounded personality wise - I couldn't really connect with them. Emmaline's father just seemed so absent, and her friends weren't all that memorable. Emmaline's character did have a bit more in terms of personality, but I still would have liked to see more things that would have made her even more interesting.
Aside from the issues I had with the book's characters, I was absolutely in love with this. There is so much to think about after reading this book, and while reading it, and I know for a fact that I'm going to read this one again and again.
If you like middle grade, or are a fan of Lauren DeStefano's work, I highly recommend picking this one up and giving it a read!
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - Thank you!
The Girl with the Ghost Machine is an interesting story about a grieving girl who lost her mother to illness, and who is afraid she is losing her father to a machine that he is trying to build to bring her mother back. It's completely original and touching in a lot of different ways, and the whole premise of the book was completely fantastic.
Emmaline lost her mother a few years ago, and her father started to build a big machine in the basement that would bring her back. He could never get it going or figure out how to make it work, but Emmaline hated it - it was taking up all of his time and not leaving any for her. So after begging him to stop building it and spend more time with her, only to be met with his insistence that he keep trying, Emmaline takes matters into her own hands one night.
When Emmaline decides to dump her cup of tea into the machine in an attempt to break it one night, what happens instead is something completely unexpected - she sees her mother's ghost and gets to spend some time with her. When she tells her friends about the experience, they demand to see - and try to bring back their goldfish and their dog. When Emmaline's father finds out what it can do, he is overjoyed - his machine works! But they slowly learn that it comes with a price - every time you place something that reminds you of the person you want to see into the machine, you lose a memory you had of that person.
Emmaline uses the machine to help her neighbors, and her father uses the machine to see Emmaline's mother a few times, but Emmaline isn't sure that she will ever want to use it again.
When tragedy strikes and one of Emmaline's friend's lives are on the line, Emmaline must decide if she should try and use the machine again if the worst happens. However, when the machine causes a rift between her and her other friend, she decides to stand up to her father and tell him that the machine is causing more harm than good.
The Girl with the Ghost Machine is one of the most creative middle grade books that I've come across. Admittedly, I haven't read any of Lauren DeStefano's other middle grade books, so this was a nice treat. Sometimes I just get in the mood for middle grade novels, and I was super excited to dive into this one, because it sounded like it was going to be something new.
This book is a book that combines love and loss along with a little bit of hope to weave together a tale that makes you look at life in a new light. It was beautifully written and really easy to get lost in - I read the book in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down.
The reason I gave this one four stars instead of five was because of the characters - to me they felt like they could have been a little more well rounded personality wise - I couldn't really connect with them. Emmaline's father just seemed so absent, and her friends weren't all that memorable. Emmaline's character did have a bit more in terms of personality, but I still would have liked to see more things that would have made her even more interesting.
Aside from the issues I had with the book's characters, I was absolutely in love with this. There is so much to think about after reading this book, and while reading it, and I know for a fact that I'm going to read this one again and again.
If you like middle grade, or are a fan of Lauren DeStefano's work, I highly recommend picking this one up and giving it a read!
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - Thank you!
March 19, 2019
"And if someone was still close enough to hold on to, then you should hold on."
4.5 stars
Another heartfelt, beautiful story from Lauren DeStefano!
Her middle grade books have become my automatic to-reads; after her first two stunning books this third one didn't disappoint. Her writing is magical, gorgeous and has an ethereal softness that can't be described with words. Her main characters are well-developed, intelligent, and immediately likeable. Even though her novels are written for children, adults will also enjoy reading them and will takeaway important life lessons (and maybe shed a few emotional tears in the process).
4.5 stars
Another heartfelt, beautiful story from Lauren DeStefano!
Her middle grade books have become my automatic to-reads; after her first two stunning books this third one didn't disappoint. Her writing is magical, gorgeous and has an ethereal softness that can't be described with words. Her main characters are well-developed, intelligent, and immediately likeable. Even though her novels are written for children, adults will also enjoy reading them and will takeaway important life lessons (and maybe shed a few emotional tears in the process).
August 26, 2018
When I first heard about The Girl with the Ghost Machine I knew it was one I had to read. We all have people who we have lost and would give anything to see again, so this book was a definite 'what if' for me.
Emmaline lives with her Father, who builds this machine in order to see his wife, Emmaline's Mother again, but it just doesn't seem to work. Emmaline tells her friends about the machine, and they come to see what is going on with it, and if they should destroy it. They somehow end up fixing the machine, but not all is as it seems. The Ghost Machine works just fine if you feed it an item belonging to the person who you want to see again, but it also requires a sacrifice. Would you willingly feed this machine an item of clothing knowing what it needed?
The Girl with the Ghost Machine was a quick audiobook to listen to, I loved the story line and the friendships within the pages of this book, and the narrator really brings them to life. I loved the detail that went into the book, how we are told the backstory but then pick up the story and go from there. The friendships, the nosy neighbours, just made this book even more real. I really liked the idea of a machine bringing a loved one back one last time for you to see them, this was one thing about the book that I really liked, the possibility of 'what if'. However, towards the end of the book tissues are required and how Emmaline deals with this event in regards to the Ghost Machine was hard but sensible.
Final Verdict
The Girl with the Ghost Machine was a book I really enjoyed. I liked that we get to see Emmaline's story from start to finish and how her life progresses and the decisions she makes.
Emmaline lives with her Father, who builds this machine in order to see his wife, Emmaline's Mother again, but it just doesn't seem to work. Emmaline tells her friends about the machine, and they come to see what is going on with it, and if they should destroy it. They somehow end up fixing the machine, but not all is as it seems. The Ghost Machine works just fine if you feed it an item belonging to the person who you want to see again, but it also requires a sacrifice. Would you willingly feed this machine an item of clothing knowing what it needed?
The Girl with the Ghost Machine was a quick audiobook to listen to, I loved the story line and the friendships within the pages of this book, and the narrator really brings them to life. I loved the detail that went into the book, how we are told the backstory but then pick up the story and go from there. The friendships, the nosy neighbours, just made this book even more real. I really liked the idea of a machine bringing a loved one back one last time for you to see them, this was one thing about the book that I really liked, the possibility of 'what if'. However, towards the end of the book tissues are required and how Emmaline deals with this event in regards to the Ghost Machine was hard but sensible.
Final Verdict
The Girl with the Ghost Machine was a book I really enjoyed. I liked that we get to see Emmaline's story from start to finish and how her life progresses and the decisions she makes.
November 15, 2018
After City of Ghosts, I was hoping this would be a fun read too... But I was so wrong. This middle grade book is so sad and heart-breaking 😭
The good news is, the story becomes heart-warming towards the ending.
.
The theme is about dealing with loss and death. A gloomy theme for a middlegrade book, but the author delivers it nicely. The plot is not too predictable. The pace is slow but steady, and somewhat page-turner.
I was going to give it 3 stars, but I added one more because something hits right in the feels.
.
No illustrations inside.
A lot of quotable sentences.
The good news is, the story becomes heart-warming towards the ending.
.
The theme is about dealing with loss and death. A gloomy theme for a middlegrade book, but the author delivers it nicely. The plot is not too predictable. The pace is slow but steady, and somewhat page-turner.
I was going to give it 3 stars, but I added one more because something hits right in the feels.
.
No illustrations inside.
A lot of quotable sentences.
June 28, 2022
Gorgeously gentle and heartfelt. I wept and underlined and hold this book close to my heart. I want to give it to every grieving person I know.
April 16, 2018
This book is really good. I finished this book in 4 days. This book talking about the ghost machine that Emaline and her father made it, purpose is to bring her mother back to live that die when Emaline was 5 years old. This book also is a sad book. I never get bored to read every pages of it. It is also talking about the relationships between parents and kid, and friends. Will the ghost machine bring her mother back or something will change? If you interesting in this book, just read it:)
June 5, 2017
This review and others posted over at
my blog.
I’m going to come right out and say that I found this book underwhelming and forgettable. I love the concept and how thought-provoking it was, but the characters were weak and I couldn’t connect to the story because of that.
Nothing about Emmaline’s personality stood out to me. Her situation was sad and I enjoyed the way she approached the idea of the ghost machine and how she struggled with her feelings upon discovering it works. For each visit with a ghost, the person using the machine would have to give up a memory attached to the person they’re bringing back. Emmaline was wary of the cost immediately and she posed very thoughtful arguments to her father as to why this machine shouldn’t be used. But her personality didn’t come through so I didn’t really feel for her, more for the situation itself.
The rest of the characters made even less of an impression on me and it caused what I believe should have been an emotional and pivotal part of the book to fall so flat that I found myself wishing I could force myself to react appropriately. I wanted this scene to evoke some emotion in me other than “huh,” but I just couldn’t muster up more than that. I know page counts in middle grade are often on the short end and I think this stopped the characters from feeling developed.
This is still a good book to broach the subject of the loss of loved ones and what we would sacrifice to see them again – and if we should even be allowed to make that choice. Younger readers might find this book more moving and I would still recommend it even though I didn’t get the feels I was looking for.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I’m going to come right out and say that I found this book underwhelming and forgettable. I love the concept and how thought-provoking it was, but the characters were weak and I couldn’t connect to the story because of that.
Nothing about Emmaline’s personality stood out to me. Her situation was sad and I enjoyed the way she approached the idea of the ghost machine and how she struggled with her feelings upon discovering it works. For each visit with a ghost, the person using the machine would have to give up a memory attached to the person they’re bringing back. Emmaline was wary of the cost immediately and she posed very thoughtful arguments to her father as to why this machine shouldn’t be used. But her personality didn’t come through so I didn’t really feel for her, more for the situation itself.
The rest of the characters made even less of an impression on me and it caused what I believe should have been an emotional and pivotal part of the book to fall so flat that I found myself wishing I could force myself to react appropriately. I wanted this scene to evoke some emotion in me other than “huh,” but I just couldn’t muster up more than that. I know page counts in middle grade are often on the short end and I think this stopped the characters from feeling developed.
This is still a good book to broach the subject of the loss of loved ones and what we would sacrifice to see them again – and if we should even be allowed to make that choice. Younger readers might find this book more moving and I would still recommend it even though I didn’t get the feels I was looking for.
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
May 8, 2017
Thanks for making me cry again, Lauren.
The master of middle grade grief stories strikes again with this tale of a girl on the verge of adolescence who has lost her mother, left with a father who is obsessed with bringing his wife back to life through a machine powered by electricity and memories. Really, that's what this is about - memories, and how those we love who have died are never truly gone as long as we hold onto those memories. The author captures those elusive and strange feelings that are part of the grieving process but are so difficult to articulate, feelings "of watching something slip away when it was so loved and needed" and those specific to the tween/early teen psyche.
As always, I recommend her middle grade stories to those who work with children who are traumatized and/or grieving, both for the adult who is helping and the child who is suffering. This age group is often lost/underrepresented in fiction for these situations, and Lauren is my go-to writer for recs as a librarian and as a reader - and as someone who has lost someone she loves and couldn't ever imagine living without (but somehow I do).
And as each DeStefano book is better than the last . . . moving on to The Glass Spare.
The master of middle grade grief stories strikes again with this tale of a girl on the verge of adolescence who has lost her mother, left with a father who is obsessed with bringing his wife back to life through a machine powered by electricity and memories. Really, that's what this is about - memories, and how those we love who have died are never truly gone as long as we hold onto those memories. The author captures those elusive and strange feelings that are part of the grieving process but are so difficult to articulate, feelings "of watching something slip away when it was so loved and needed" and those specific to the tween/early teen psyche.
As always, I recommend her middle grade stories to those who work with children who are traumatized and/or grieving, both for the adult who is helping and the child who is suffering. This age group is often lost/underrepresented in fiction for these situations, and Lauren is my go-to writer for recs as a librarian and as a reader - and as someone who has lost someone she loves and couldn't ever imagine living without (but somehow I do).
And as each DeStefano book is better than the last . . . moving on to The Glass Spare.
August 15, 2020
Oh wow, this story made me THINK, it made me cry and it left me with this solemn yet hopeful feeling.
What is it about cartoons and young reader books that make me cry big fat tears? I mean the last time I cried like this was when I saw The Good Dinosaur earlier this year.
This is a 9-12 read but has so much emotion to it I highly recommend it to adults as well. It reminded me of Coraline due to the dark depths of the book and the age of the character is so close to Coraline as well. However, this book stands on its own feet without having to compare it to anything else.
The writing was fluid and wonderful, the character was so precious and the memories from her POV sliced me open. This book is about love and loss and the feel of how a child views a parent. For anyone who has lost a family member or friend tread cautiously as this will bring up those moments as the subject matter is very heavy. It would be a wonderful book to read with a young one who has suffered loss and has very important lessons throughout it.
**Huge thanks to Bloomsbury for sending this my way!**
What is it about cartoons and young reader books that make me cry big fat tears? I mean the last time I cried like this was when I saw The Good Dinosaur earlier this year.
This is a 9-12 read but has so much emotion to it I highly recommend it to adults as well. It reminded me of Coraline due to the dark depths of the book and the age of the character is so close to Coraline as well. However, this book stands on its own feet without having to compare it to anything else.
The writing was fluid and wonderful, the character was so precious and the memories from her POV sliced me open. This book is about love and loss and the feel of how a child views a parent. For anyone who has lost a family member or friend tread cautiously as this will bring up those moments as the subject matter is very heavy. It would be a wonderful book to read with a young one who has suffered loss and has very important lessons throughout it.
**Huge thanks to Bloomsbury for sending this my way!**
Read
May 11, 2017I'm not really sure what to say about this one right now or how to rate it. It ended up being a very different book than I thought it was going to be. It has good messages about losing those we love and the memories they leave us with and saying goodbye and moving on but the entire book is horribly sad and full of death. Not a light read at all.
March 14, 2018
I didn't like this. The story didn't feel like it would go over well with its intended audience. It was really, really heavy and so incredibly sad. I wouldn't hand this to a kid.
June 14, 2017
I'm so in love with all the middle grade books by Lauren. She has now published three, and I loved them all. So much. They are gorgeously written and have such heartbreaking and real stories. I'm so happy to say that I loved this newest one of hers so much too. Eee. Been waiting ages for it, and was so worth it.
But I will say that I do wish it had been longer. It's so short, aw. Such little words on each page. I wanted to read so much more about all of these characters. But this small book was also just enough, because it was stunning. And I loved every word of it. Sigh. It was beyond heartbreaking and sad yet hopeful as well.
Since this book was very short, I'm not going to write too much about it. Just share some things that I loved a whole bunch. Eee. The writing in this book was stunning. And oh gosh, that cover is beautiful. I love it so much. And so so fitting with the story too. I only wish there had been artwork inside the book too. And that the book had been even longer. Aw. Because I loved it so. It's told mostly from the point of view of Emmaline, whom is twelve years old. But also a little bit from her dad and her closest friends. Oh, I really enjoyed getting to know Emmaline. She was so cute and kind and lovely. She lost her mom two years ago, and she's still grieving a lot for her. Her dad too. I loved reading about her mom, though. She seemed awesome. Wish she lived.
This book tells the story of a ghost machine. So not full reality. But so gorgeous. When her mom died, her dad started working on a machine that could bring her back to him. Which he has been working on for two years, without taking care of Emmaline. That part made me so sad. Because she deserved so much better. Hmph. Emmaline was simply awesome. And I loved reading about her. Thankfully, her dad did get better with time, and I grew to like him a bit. But he really should have taken better care of her. Not okay.
Emmaline is tired of her dad never being around, and so she tries to destroy the ghost machine, as it doesn't work. But instead she figures out how to make it work. And oh, it was a bit heartbreaking to read about. Yet really interesting too. There is a cost to using the machine, which was pretty sad, yet I'm glad was there. This book focus mostly on this machine, and stuff around that. And how Emmaline is missing her mom, yet she's moving on without her too. Oh, I just adored this little girl a whole lot. She's the best.
Some other characters I loved to pieces were her two best friends, Gully and Oliver. They are twins, and so adorable. I loved reading about their friendship, and I wish there had been even more about that. Aw. But what there is was enough too. I loved reading about things they had done together in the past, and things they are doing now. These three friends were adorable. But ahh. I'm not okay with what happens halfway into the book. It was so cruel. And the most heartbreaking. And I loved it so much, even so. Ack.
I'm so glad to finally have gotten to read this book. Eee. It was adorable and heartbreaking and so sad. It made me cry too. How rude. But I loved it so. You really need to read the middle grade books by Lauren. They are all stunning. So good. Just wishing they could all have been longer. Hmph. But I still loved them all so much. The Girl with the Ghost Machine was such a stunning story about loss and friendship and family. It was a bit short, yet so amazing. Heartbreaking but so good. I loved it lots. You must read it too.
---
This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2017/0...
But I will say that I do wish it had been longer. It's so short, aw. Such little words on each page. I wanted to read so much more about all of these characters. But this small book was also just enough, because it was stunning. And I loved every word of it. Sigh. It was beyond heartbreaking and sad yet hopeful as well.
Since this book was very short, I'm not going to write too much about it. Just share some things that I loved a whole bunch. Eee. The writing in this book was stunning. And oh gosh, that cover is beautiful. I love it so much. And so so fitting with the story too. I only wish there had been artwork inside the book too. And that the book had been even longer. Aw. Because I loved it so. It's told mostly from the point of view of Emmaline, whom is twelve years old. But also a little bit from her dad and her closest friends. Oh, I really enjoyed getting to know Emmaline. She was so cute and kind and lovely. She lost her mom two years ago, and she's still grieving a lot for her. Her dad too. I loved reading about her mom, though. She seemed awesome. Wish she lived.
This book tells the story of a ghost machine. So not full reality. But so gorgeous. When her mom died, her dad started working on a machine that could bring her back to him. Which he has been working on for two years, without taking care of Emmaline. That part made me so sad. Because she deserved so much better. Hmph. Emmaline was simply awesome. And I loved reading about her. Thankfully, her dad did get better with time, and I grew to like him a bit. But he really should have taken better care of her. Not okay.
Emmaline is tired of her dad never being around, and so she tries to destroy the ghost machine, as it doesn't work. But instead she figures out how to make it work. And oh, it was a bit heartbreaking to read about. Yet really interesting too. There is a cost to using the machine, which was pretty sad, yet I'm glad was there. This book focus mostly on this machine, and stuff around that. And how Emmaline is missing her mom, yet she's moving on without her too. Oh, I just adored this little girl a whole lot. She's the best.
Some other characters I loved to pieces were her two best friends, Gully and Oliver. They are twins, and so adorable. I loved reading about their friendship, and I wish there had been even more about that. Aw. But what there is was enough too. I loved reading about things they had done together in the past, and things they are doing now. These three friends were adorable. But ahh. I'm not okay with what happens halfway into the book. It was so cruel. And the most heartbreaking. And I loved it so much, even so. Ack.
I'm so glad to finally have gotten to read this book. Eee. It was adorable and heartbreaking and so sad. It made me cry too. How rude. But I loved it so. You really need to read the middle grade books by Lauren. They are all stunning. So good. Just wishing they could all have been longer. Hmph. But I still loved them all so much. The Girl with the Ghost Machine was such a stunning story about loss and friendship and family. It was a bit short, yet so amazing. Heartbreaking but so good. I loved it lots. You must read it too.
---
This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: http://carinabooks.blogspot.no/2017/0...
February 2, 2022
“The time you did have with her makes you who you are. So she’s alive as long as you’re alive.”
When we lose someone we love, it doesn't matter how old they were, or what the situation was, it doesn't even matter if we said goodbye or not—it always hurts and loss is a piece of love we carry with us forever.
I knew this book was gonna make me cry and made me relive all the goodbyes I had to say in my life so far, that's why I had it in my TBR for years until finally I felt I was ready and I read it, and I loved it. I'm a firm believer that children's books don't talk about death, grief and loss enough, they don't even adress it and that's a huge mistake. Fortunately, we still have some authors who try to bring these kind of stories to life and that's what matters.
DeStefano's writing was so easy to follow and Emmaline was a very pure character, although her best friends were my favorite characters. I love all the symbolism behind the creation of the machine, the way it worked, and of course, the message is beautiful and heartbreaking—it's just like life.
If you're brave enough to read it, you'll do it in one sitting, trust me, there's no way you can stop reading this beautiful story of a little girl and her relationship with death and a certain machine that can make her life better... or worse.
When we lose someone we love, it doesn't matter how old they were, or what the situation was, it doesn't even matter if we said goodbye or not—it always hurts and loss is a piece of love we carry with us forever.
I knew this book was gonna make me cry and made me relive all the goodbyes I had to say in my life so far, that's why I had it in my TBR for years until finally I felt I was ready and I read it, and I loved it. I'm a firm believer that children's books don't talk about death, grief and loss enough, they don't even adress it and that's a huge mistake. Fortunately, we still have some authors who try to bring these kind of stories to life and that's what matters.
DeStefano's writing was so easy to follow and Emmaline was a very pure character, although her best friends were my favorite characters. I love all the symbolism behind the creation of the machine, the way it worked, and of course, the message is beautiful and heartbreaking—it's just like life.
If you're brave enough to read it, you'll do it in one sitting, trust me, there's no way you can stop reading this beautiful story of a little girl and her relationship with death and a certain machine that can make her life better... or worse.
April 20, 2017
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.
It was definitely one of the best I've read. It reminded me of Neil Gaimans' Coraline yet stands so beautifully on its own. The subject matter is tough and because of that I really felt as though I would put it down. I kept going and the further I got into the story the less likely I was to put it down. If I was prone to crying this would have bought me to tears. I mean full out, sobbing my eyes out crying. I came close.
No spoilers from me! Just pick up this book when it's available. I hope you will be blown away by it as I was!
It was definitely one of the best I've read. It reminded me of Neil Gaimans' Coraline yet stands so beautifully on its own. The subject matter is tough and because of that I really felt as though I would put it down. I kept going and the further I got into the story the less likely I was to put it down. If I was prone to crying this would have bought me to tears. I mean full out, sobbing my eyes out crying. I came close.
No spoilers from me! Just pick up this book when it's available. I hope you will be blown away by it as I was!
June 22, 2017
WOOWWW!!!!!! Probably one of the most gut wrenching books I have read in a long time. I read this pretty much in one sitting. I couldn't put it down and I couldn't stop crying. Such a beautiful story about losing loved and the possibility and temptation to see them again.
August 4, 2017
This book was too depressing. It is filled with loss and grief. It didn't help that the characters were bland. There is a happy ending for the MC, but I did not like the way the story ended.
September 18, 2017
Incredibly moving middle grade book about loss and love. Beautifully written.
March 29, 2020
Such a sad but beautiful story 😢. I loved it.
June 2, 2021
Don't read this unless you're ready for some serious feels. Gorgeous.
June 7, 2022
This was a good read. It does a great job talking about the complexity of grief in a way that is accessible for kids. It left me feeling sad and hopeful at the same time.
October 3, 2020
This was so so powerful!
A loved one will always settle in your heart. A loved one will never be lost as long as the memories are still alive.
A loved one will always settle in your heart. A loved one will never be lost as long as the memories are still alive.
December 26, 2017
***This review has also been posted on Xpresso Reads
Back in the day, everyone would rave about DeStefano's YA series but I never really got around to reading the Wither series. Years later, here I am raving about DeStefano's middle grade series. I honestly cannot imagine if her YA books could be any better or honestly, if any YA book could even tackle grief the way DeStefano does in every single one of the middle grade books I've read by her.
So probably there is some book out there that does grief better BUT THATS NOT THE POINT OF THIS REVIEW. The point of this review is so that I can sing The Girl with the Ghost Machine praises because series, this book hits you right in the fucking feels.
Emmaline Beaumont's father starts building a ghost machine when her mother passes away but in his drive to bring her mother back, Emmaline's father forgets about her. For two years all he does is work and work on this machine, never leaving the basement and almost forgetting that he has a daughter who needs him. The Girl with the Ghost Machine isn't a book about how he is a terrible father though (even if it easily could be and her dad IS kind of terrible.) It's about grief.
That old saying that time heals all wounds?
It's actually kind of BS. Time will most certainly not heal all wounds if someone doesn't develop proper coping mechanisms in regard to grief... But also, I am probably not the best person to talk about grief in general.
I could definitely be more specific about The Girl with the Ghost Machine. I could tell you the writing is so mesmerizing (and tbh, I am half tempted to use some cheesy metaphor to accentuate that point), I could tell you that Emmaline is truly a formidable heroine and that the secondary characters in this book are all amazing, or I could just vaguely mention those details so you might be tempted to figure out why it is I am writing this bizarre non-review.
Perhaps this book just brings out the weirdly pretentious review-writing in me. The Girl with the Ghost Machine, after all, is more literary fiction than not and I ~am~ a lit major...
The point isn't though that I am a lit major or that this book turned me into a pretentious asshole, it is that The Girl with the Ghost Machine is an absolute winner of a book and I am truly disappointed that it isn't getting more hype. If you aren't in tears by the end of the book, you're probably a monster and you should probably go get your emotions checked out.
I am rambling now so I will stop but mark my words and READ THIS BOOK. Then please come cry with me about it because I am tired of being sad all by myself.
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book for review.
Back in the day, everyone would rave about DeStefano's YA series but I never really got around to reading the Wither series. Years later, here I am raving about DeStefano's middle grade series. I honestly cannot imagine if her YA books could be any better or honestly, if any YA book could even tackle grief the way DeStefano does in every single one of the middle grade books I've read by her.
So probably there is some book out there that does grief better BUT THATS NOT THE POINT OF THIS REVIEW. The point of this review is so that I can sing The Girl with the Ghost Machine praises because series, this book hits you right in the fucking feels.
Emmaline Beaumont's father starts building a ghost machine when her mother passes away but in his drive to bring her mother back, Emmaline's father forgets about her. For two years all he does is work and work on this machine, never leaving the basement and almost forgetting that he has a daughter who needs him. The Girl with the Ghost Machine isn't a book about how he is a terrible father though (even if it easily could be and her dad IS kind of terrible.) It's about grief.
That old saying that time heals all wounds?
It's actually kind of BS. Time will most certainly not heal all wounds if someone doesn't develop proper coping mechanisms in regard to grief... But also, I am probably not the best person to talk about grief in general.
I could definitely be more specific about The Girl with the Ghost Machine. I could tell you the writing is so mesmerizing (and tbh, I am half tempted to use some cheesy metaphor to accentuate that point), I could tell you that Emmaline is truly a formidable heroine and that the secondary characters in this book are all amazing, or I could just vaguely mention those details so you might be tempted to figure out why it is I am writing this bizarre non-review.
Perhaps this book just brings out the weirdly pretentious review-writing in me. The Girl with the Ghost Machine, after all, is more literary fiction than not and I ~am~ a lit major...
The point isn't though that I am a lit major or that this book turned me into a pretentious asshole, it is that The Girl with the Ghost Machine is an absolute winner of a book and I am truly disappointed that it isn't getting more hype. If you aren't in tears by the end of the book, you're probably a monster and you should probably go get your emotions checked out.
I am rambling now so I will stop but mark my words and READ THIS BOOK. Then please come cry with me about it because I am tired of being sad all by myself.
Note that I received an advanced copy of this book for review.
April 3, 2018
Remember Bridge to Terabithia ? This book might be even more heartbreaking. But it is also full of beauty and hope. It asks us to consider: What would you be willing to give up to see someone you loved one more time? This is a book I’ll proudly slide into my children’s hands someday. It has so much to teach; it certainly taught me.
April 20, 2017
A touching and powerful book. I was immediately captured by the premise. A machine that brings back a dead loved one for a brief period of time but for that you lose a memory forever. What are those few more moments worth? I was shocked, I was in tears, I loved this book!
June 15, 2017
Loved it. Lauren DeStefano never fails to deliver. ♥️
June 30, 2024
So good. So sad 🥺
Why do books always break my heart like this?
Why do books always break my heart like this?
August 6, 2017
This review originally appeared on herestohappyendings.com.
The Girl with the Ghost Machine is an interesting story about a grieving girl who lost her mother to illness, and who is afraid she is losing her father to a machine that he is trying to build to bring her mother back. It's completely original and touching in a lot of different ways, and the whole premise of the book was completely fantastic.
Emmaline lost her mother a few years ago, and her father started to build a big machine in the basement that would bring her back. He could never get it going or figure out how to make it work, but Emmaline hated it - it was taking up all of his time and not leaving any for her. So after begging him to stop building it and spend more time with her, only to be met with his insistence that he keep trying, Emmaline takes matters into her own hands one night.
When Emmaline decides to dump her cup of tea into the machine in an attempt to break it one night, what happens instead is something completely unexpected - she sees her mother's ghost and gets to spend some time with her. When she tells her friends about the experience, they demand to see - and try to bring back their goldfish and their dog. When Emmaline's father finds out what it can do, he is overjoyed - his machine works! But they slowly learn that it comes with a price - every time you place something that reminds you of the person you want to see into the machine, you lose a memory you had of that person.
Emmaline uses the machine to help her neighbors, and her father uses the machine to see Emmaline's mother a few times, but Emmaline isn't sure that she will ever want to use it again.
When tragedy strikes and one of Emmaline's friend's lives are on the line, Emmaline must decide if she should try and use the machine again if the worst happens. However, when the machine causes a rift between her and her other friend, she decides to stand up to her father and tell him that the machine is causing more harm than good.
The Girl with the Ghost Machine is one of the most creative middle grade books that I've come across. Admittedly, I haven't read any of Lauren DeStefano's other middle grade books, so this was a nice treat. Sometimes I just get in the mood for middle grade novels, and I was super excited to dive into this one, because it sounded like it was going to be something new.
This book is a book that combines love and loss along with a little bit of hope to weave together a tale that makes you look at life in a new light. It was beautifully written and really easy to get lost in - I read the book in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down.
The reason I gave this one four stars instead of five was because of the characters - to me they felt like they could have been a little more well rounded personality wise - I couldn't really connect with them. Emmaline's father just seemed so absent, and her friends weren't all that memorable. Emmaline's character did have a bit more in terms of personality, but I still would have liked to see more things that would have made her even more interesting.
Aside from the issues I had with the book's characters, I was absolutely in love with this. There is so much to think about after reading this book, and while reading it, and I know for a fact that I'm going to read this one again and again.
If you like middle grade, or are a fan of Lauren DeStefano's work, I highly recommend picking this one up and giving it a read!
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - Thank you!
The Girl with the Ghost Machine is an interesting story about a grieving girl who lost her mother to illness, and who is afraid she is losing her father to a machine that he is trying to build to bring her mother back. It's completely original and touching in a lot of different ways, and the whole premise of the book was completely fantastic.
Emmaline lost her mother a few years ago, and her father started to build a big machine in the basement that would bring her back. He could never get it going or figure out how to make it work, but Emmaline hated it - it was taking up all of his time and not leaving any for her. So after begging him to stop building it and spend more time with her, only to be met with his insistence that he keep trying, Emmaline takes matters into her own hands one night.
When Emmaline decides to dump her cup of tea into the machine in an attempt to break it one night, what happens instead is something completely unexpected - she sees her mother's ghost and gets to spend some time with her. When she tells her friends about the experience, they demand to see - and try to bring back their goldfish and their dog. When Emmaline's father finds out what it can do, he is overjoyed - his machine works! But they slowly learn that it comes with a price - every time you place something that reminds you of the person you want to see into the machine, you lose a memory you had of that person.
Emmaline uses the machine to help her neighbors, and her father uses the machine to see Emmaline's mother a few times, but Emmaline isn't sure that she will ever want to use it again.
When tragedy strikes and one of Emmaline's friend's lives are on the line, Emmaline must decide if she should try and use the machine again if the worst happens. However, when the machine causes a rift between her and her other friend, she decides to stand up to her father and tell him that the machine is causing more harm than good.
The Girl with the Ghost Machine is one of the most creative middle grade books that I've come across. Admittedly, I haven't read any of Lauren DeStefano's other middle grade books, so this was a nice treat. Sometimes I just get in the mood for middle grade novels, and I was super excited to dive into this one, because it sounded like it was going to be something new.
This book is a book that combines love and loss along with a little bit of hope to weave together a tale that makes you look at life in a new light. It was beautifully written and really easy to get lost in - I read the book in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down.
The reason I gave this one four stars instead of five was because of the characters - to me they felt like they could have been a little more well rounded personality wise - I couldn't really connect with them. Emmaline's father just seemed so absent, and her friends weren't all that memorable. Emmaline's character did have a bit more in terms of personality, but I still would have liked to see more things that would have made her even more interesting.
Aside from the issues I had with the book's characters, I was absolutely in love with this. There is so much to think about after reading this book, and while reading it, and I know for a fact that I'm going to read this one again and again.
If you like middle grade, or are a fan of Lauren DeStefano's work, I highly recommend picking this one up and giving it a read!
Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review - Thank you!
March 23, 2017
The Girl with the Ghost Machine is a really lovely book. It sometimes takes me a while to get through a middle grade book, but I couldn't put this one down and read the whole thing in less than 24 hours.
It's a book about a sensitive subject and it's done very well. It's raw and honest, yet also very gentle and thoughtful. The author has done a wonderful job of making the reader care about the characters and understand how they're feeling as they deal with great loss in their lives. She's also snuck advice for how to take care of yourself in the wake of a loss (such as eat food even if you don't want to, allow yourself to smile about small things, etc.) into the story seamlessly.
I've been known to cry at a book from time to time, but it's rare that I read a book that makes me weep wholeheartedly. This book did it for me. I really loved it, but it was really really sad. I know some of us may be hesitant to recommend a tearjerker to middle grade age children, but books are such a wonderful, safe way to delve into emotions, and this book does it so kindly and thoughtfully and with such hope. For a child (or adult) dealing with a devastating loss, I think this book could be a good tool to help them work through some of it. For a child who hasn't dealt with death, encountering some of the related concepts and emotions in fiction before real life can be valuable. For all these reasons I don't hesitate to recommend this book.
I'd say it's a modern day Bridge to Terabithia, but it doesn't feel especially modern; it has a very timeless quality about it, which is part of its charm.
I know the story and the characters will stay with me for a long time.
It's a book about a sensitive subject and it's done very well. It's raw and honest, yet also very gentle and thoughtful. The author has done a wonderful job of making the reader care about the characters and understand how they're feeling as they deal with great loss in their lives. She's also snuck advice for how to take care of yourself in the wake of a loss (such as eat food even if you don't want to, allow yourself to smile about small things, etc.) into the story seamlessly.
I've been known to cry at a book from time to time, but it's rare that I read a book that makes me weep wholeheartedly. This book did it for me. I really loved it, but it was really really sad. I know some of us may be hesitant to recommend a tearjerker to middle grade age children, but books are such a wonderful, safe way to delve into emotions, and this book does it so kindly and thoughtfully and with such hope. For a child (or adult) dealing with a devastating loss, I think this book could be a good tool to help them work through some of it. For a child who hasn't dealt with death, encountering some of the related concepts and emotions in fiction before real life can be valuable. For all these reasons I don't hesitate to recommend this book.
I'd say it's a modern day Bridge to Terabithia, but it doesn't feel especially modern; it has a very timeless quality about it, which is part of its charm.
I know the story and the characters will stay with me for a long time.
November 27, 2017
Emmaline’s father misses her mother so much after her premature death that he builds a ghost machine to bring her back. But in the two years he spends tinkering with it night and day, it still won’t work properly. Emmaline, frustrated by the way the machine has consumed her father’s life, attempts to break the machine by pouring her cup of tea into it. Then the extraordinary happens—the machine actually works! Not, however, the way her father intended. The machine uses memories to bring back a loved one, but once the time is up the memory never returns. Emmaline has to decide whether this extra time is worth losing memories forever. As she discusses it with her oldest friends, twins Gully and Oliver, a tragedy occurs which no-one expects.This story opens up very deep questions concerning power over life and death and leaves them unanswered. The events that take place in a way feel like parts of two different stories. It was enjoyable to read—yet, the way the plot shifted was not entirely satisfactory. There are a few very sensitive moments between Emmaline and the twins that seem to be part of a much larger story and I wish the author had been able to expand on them.
Elizabeth L. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews