Resisting Gravity: A Ghost Story

by John Bolinger

Resisting Gravity (A Ghost Story) is about grief and healing. Bruce Benson, a retired Boston man whose wife dies after fifty years of marriage experiences terrible grief to the point at which he believes that if he sells their house and everything in it, the painful memories can be abated. He buys an old house (built in 1882) in Cambridge that he decides to redo, using his carpentry skills even though his career has been that of an accountant. He hopes that his being busy will ease the pain of his recent loss (and the loss of his daughter, who years before died at the age of nine). The house, however is haunted by the spirit of a little boy named Andrew (and his dog, Finn), who died in 1882 of Scarlet Fever. It is not a horror story. The little ghost actually helps Bruce in extraordinary ways to survive the loss of his wife and child. The theme is really about rediscovering life after unspeakable pain and loss and the innate power to find joy and purpose again. The story includes humor and pathos mixed in a way that is credible but also inspiring.

Kindle Edition

Published May 31, 2018

Reviews

[D.C. Wright-Hammer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Bolinger's Resisting Gravity is a brilliant and refreshing story about a widower, Bruce, and the ghost of a young boy from the 19th century, Andrew. Bruce, attempting to deal with the death of his wife and the loss of a child earlier in life, moves into a mansion in Massachusetts that has fallen on disrepair over the years.

Bruce, a retired accountant by trade and a carpenter by hobby, dives into renovating the building as a way to distract himself from his near constant anguish. While doing so, he makes a shocking discovery. One of the original inhabitants of the home is still around. Dying tragically over a century prior, Andrew materializes as a friendly apparition, offering Bruce an unlikely companion in his journey to move on with his life.

At a time when many books lean on global conspiracies and enormous stakes to grab readers' attention, it was a delight to be immediately immersed in an interpersonal tale that felt just as important. It only takes a couple of chapters to really feel Bruce's pain, and the development of his relationship with Andrew is surprisingly believable. Later, some philosophical questions are broached in a sensible way - not clumsy or preachy. Sprinkles of perfectly-timed, laugh-out-loud humor around Bruce's social life offer a rare depth to this shorter read. The story stays true to its heartwarming nature throughout culminating in an amazingly emotional and satisfying ending.

Fans of literary fiction who love flowing prose that set scenes perfectly will love this book. Add in Bruce's unbelievably touching story of grief and healing, and Resisting Gravity is a must read for just about anyone.