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Ghost Roads #3
Angel of the Overpass
Lady of shadows, keeper of changes, plant the seeds of faith within me, that I might grow and flourish, that I might find my way through danger and uncertainty to the safety of your garden. Let my roots grow strong and my skin grow thick, that I might stand fast against all who would destroy me. Grant to me your favor, grant to me your grace, and when my time is done, grant to me the wisdom to lay my burdens down and rest beside you, one more flower in a sea of blooms, where nothing shall ever trouble me again.
Rose Marshall died when she was sixteen years old and on her way to her high school prom. She hasn’t been resting easy since then—Bobby Cross, the man who killed her, got away clean after running her off the road, and she’s not the kind of girl who can let something like that slide. She’s been looking for a way to stop him since before they put her body in the ground.
But things have changed in the twilight world where the spirits of the restless dead continue their “lives.” The crossroads have been destroyed, and Bobby’s protections are gone. For the first time, it might be possible for Rose to defeat him.
Not alone, though. She’ll need every friend she’s managed to make and every favor she’s managed to add to her account if she wants to stand a chance…and this may be her last chance to be avenged, since what is Bobby Cross without the crossroads?
Everything Rose knows is about to change.
Rose Marshall died when she was sixteen years old and on her way to her high school prom. She hasn’t been resting easy since then—Bobby Cross, the man who killed her, got away clean after running her off the road, and she’s not the kind of girl who can let something like that slide. She’s been looking for a way to stop him since before they put her body in the ground.
But things have changed in the twilight world where the spirits of the restless dead continue their “lives.” The crossroads have been destroyed, and Bobby’s protections are gone. For the first time, it might be possible for Rose to defeat him.
Not alone, though. She’ll need every friend she’s managed to make and every favor she’s managed to add to her account if she wants to stand a chance…and this may be her last chance to be avenged, since what is Bobby Cross without the crossroads?
Everything Rose knows is about to change.
301 pages, Paperback
First published May 11, 2021
163 people are currently reading
1225 people want to read
About the author
Seanan McGuire
508 books17.2k followersHi! I'm Seanan McGuire, author of the Toby Daye series (Rosemary and Rue, A Local Habitation, An Artificial Night, Late Eclipses), as well as a lot of other things. I'm also Mira Grant (www.miragrant.com), author of Feed and Deadline.
Born and raised in Northern California, I fear weather and am remarkably laid-back about rattlesnakes. I watch too many horror movies, read too many comic books, and share my house with two monsters in feline form, Lilly and Alice (Siamese and Maine Coon).
I do not check this inbox. Please don't send me messages through Goodreads; they won't be answered. I don't want to have to delete this account. :(
Born and raised in Northern California, I fear weather and am remarkably laid-back about rattlesnakes. I watch too many horror movies, read too many comic books, and share my house with two monsters in feline form, Lilly and Alice (Siamese and Maine Coon).
I do not check this inbox. Please don't send me messages through Goodreads; they won't be answered. I don't want to have to delete this account. :(
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
June 15, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rose Marshall is an intriguing character. She's been dead for decades, but she still has an afterlife. And the beast of a man who forced her from the daylight into the twilight's debt has come due. Because of the events of Annie's books in the Incryptid series, particularly 7 and 8, there's a huge vacuum in power in the land of the dead that has left Bobby Cross in a precarious position. And unfortunately for Rose, she owes some powerful beings some favors for the things they've helped her with before, which leaves Bobby's destruction up to her.
One thing I always love about Seanan's books is the depth of her characters, and Rose is certainly deep. This is just book three of the series, and we know an awful lot about her. Even more importantly, because of this depth, we've seen Rose's choices and rooted for her, not realizing that every choice she's made has led her down this path. It'll be interesting to watch how these choices and this path forward change her story, and I'm totally there for it.
Highly recommend, but please start with book one... and maybe read up through Incryptid 8 at least, if you've not read that series. It's not entirely necessary, but this will spoil that a bit.
Rose Marshall is an intriguing character. She's been dead for decades, but she still has an afterlife. And the beast of a man who forced her from the daylight into the twilight's debt has come due. Because of the events of Annie's books in the Incryptid series, particularly 7 and 8, there's a huge vacuum in power in the land of the dead that has left Bobby Cross in a precarious position. And unfortunately for Rose, she owes some powerful beings some favors for the things they've helped her with before, which leaves Bobby's destruction up to her.
One thing I always love about Seanan's books is the depth of her characters, and Rose is certainly deep. This is just book three of the series, and we know an awful lot about her. Even more importantly, because of this depth, we've seen Rose's choices and rooted for her, not realizing that every choice she's made has led her down this path. It'll be interesting to watch how these choices and this path forward change her story, and I'm totally there for it.
Highly recommend, but please start with book one... and maybe read up through Incryptid 8 at least, if you've not read that series. It's not entirely necessary, but this will spoil that a bit.
May 10, 2021
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
2.5 hearts
Angel of the Overpass is the third full length installment of The Ghost Roads series following Rose, a hitchhiking ghost of legend killed when a car ran her off the side of the road. The Driver of cursed car has been chasing her for seventy years but with the Crossroad dead that is about to change and the hunted is about to become the hunter.
There are some pretty big issues I had with this book and I'll get into those in a minute. First let's talk about the good stuff.
I did like that in this book Rose transformed from a ghost running to escape the demon chasing her, to one that is finally ready to do something to get rid of the murderer. She is finally ready to own her death and find a way to help keep the living safe at the same time. With the blessing of three goddesses, she is the chosen one to go after Bobby Cross now that he doesn't have a deal protecting him. She will run into some obstacles along the way and see some interesting stuff in the Twilight as powers realign themselves. McGuire is really good with imagining crazy places and the beings in them. I'm always entertained by that in all of her series.
Now the thing that jumped out like a sore thumb in this story was all the 'woke' stuff. There are multiple scenes that didn't seem to fit and felt like they were thrown in there just to make a speech for the reader to read. The worst offender was with Ocean Lady at a diner. It was the first time I rolled my eyes and was taken completely out of the story as homophobia was addressed. It was done poorly, didn't make any sense and just made me feel preached at. But, that wasn't all, it was like she had a list she wanted to make it through so there was also white privilege, Asian hate, more homophobia, bad cops, and pronoun usage.
Now, I completely admit I'm a little sensitive to all of the 'woke-ism' right now, since it feels everywhere in the real world and in my reading I would like to get away from it. However, if it is so blatant it takes you out of the story you are in, that is a problem. Plenty of authors find a way to have a voice subtly, without jamming it down your throat. It really felt like a solid fourth of this book was spent on some agenda instead of the plot. Again, I admit I'm possibly more sensitive to it at this time and it might not be as blatant to others or bother them at all.
I like Seanan McGuire a lot and have read 40+ books by her. This was probably one of the first times I was really disappointed in the direction she took with a story and felt so taken out of the story so many times it was distracting. I do hope this is a aberration and doesn't start leaking into her other series as well as she is a favorite author of mine.
Narration:
Amy Landon is really a pro and has a ton of credits to her name. She brings the story to life and was a great pacing with her voice that really has the ability to draw in the reader. I thought her narration did credit to all the characters in the book and enjoyed her performance immensely.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
2.5 hearts
Angel of the Overpass is the third full length installment of The Ghost Roads series following Rose, a hitchhiking ghost of legend killed when a car ran her off the side of the road. The Driver of cursed car has been chasing her for seventy years but with the Crossroad dead that is about to change and the hunted is about to become the hunter.
There are some pretty big issues I had with this book and I'll get into those in a minute. First let's talk about the good stuff.
I did like that in this book Rose transformed from a ghost running to escape the demon chasing her, to one that is finally ready to do something to get rid of the murderer. She is finally ready to own her death and find a way to help keep the living safe at the same time. With the blessing of three goddesses, she is the chosen one to go after Bobby Cross now that he doesn't have a deal protecting him. She will run into some obstacles along the way and see some interesting stuff in the Twilight as powers realign themselves. McGuire is really good with imagining crazy places and the beings in them. I'm always entertained by that in all of her series.
Now the thing that jumped out like a sore thumb in this story was all the 'woke' stuff. There are multiple scenes that didn't seem to fit and felt like they were thrown in there just to make a speech for the reader to read. The worst offender was with Ocean Lady at a diner. It was the first time I rolled my eyes and was taken completely out of the story as homophobia was addressed. It was done poorly, didn't make any sense and just made me feel preached at. But, that wasn't all, it was like she had a list she wanted to make it through so there was also white privilege, Asian hate, more homophobia, bad cops, and pronoun usage.
Now, I completely admit I'm a little sensitive to all of the 'woke-ism' right now, since it feels everywhere in the real world and in my reading I would like to get away from it. However, if it is so blatant it takes you out of the story you are in, that is a problem. Plenty of authors find a way to have a voice subtly, without jamming it down your throat. It really felt like a solid fourth of this book was spent on some agenda instead of the plot. Again, I admit I'm possibly more sensitive to it at this time and it might not be as blatant to others or bother them at all.
I like Seanan McGuire a lot and have read 40+ books by her. This was probably one of the first times I was really disappointed in the direction she took with a story and felt so taken out of the story so many times it was distracting. I do hope this is a aberration and doesn't start leaking into her other series as well as she is a favorite author of mine.
Narration:
Amy Landon is really a pro and has a ton of credits to her name. She brings the story to life and was a great pacing with her voice that really has the ability to draw in the reader. I thought her narration did credit to all the characters in the book and enjoyed her performance immensely.
Listen to a clip: HERE
July 14, 2021
My reading life is currently ruled by library due dates and I have been hoarding this book, the last of three that are all due on the same day. I love so many of Seanan McGuire’s novels and this one is no exception. The first book (Sparrow Hill Road) was a collection of short stories but the following volumes have been proper novels and up to McGuire's usual standards.
The Ghost Roads series takes those legends and urban myths about spectral phenomena and hangs it on a system of McGuire‘s own devising. She provides a field guide, the rules of their existence, and knowledge of the higher goddesses that make sure that everyone abides by their obligations. Our main character Rose is a hitcher, a hitchhiker ghost, who must interact with the living and gets to enjoy a bit of physicality if they lend her a jacket. Her pleasures are simple: a good cheeseburger, hot crisp fries, and a malted milk shake. Pie and coffee. A chance to rest and be warm.
Rose's life is more complex than most hitchers, for she is pursued in death by the man who killed her, Bobby Cross. He ran her down with his supernatural car and has been chasing her ghost self ever since. Rose has learned to discern the smell of his arrival and to identify other potential victims and she has taken it upon herself to help those that she can.
This series is enmeshed with McGuire’s InCryptid series, so some of the details here are closely related to events in That Ain’t Witchcraft. Antimony Price has done the world a favour by killing the ghostly dealmaker known as The Crossroads. Now Rose gets to have a showdown with her killer without his sponsorship by the Crossroads. But Rose is just a little hitchhiker ghost, right?
Thank you, Ms. Mcguire, for another hit of one of my chosen addictions.
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
The Ghost Roads series takes those legends and urban myths about spectral phenomena and hangs it on a system of McGuire‘s own devising. She provides a field guide, the rules of their existence, and knowledge of the higher goddesses that make sure that everyone abides by their obligations. Our main character Rose is a hitcher, a hitchhiker ghost, who must interact with the living and gets to enjoy a bit of physicality if they lend her a jacket. Her pleasures are simple: a good cheeseburger, hot crisp fries, and a malted milk shake. Pie and coffee. A chance to rest and be warm.
Rose's life is more complex than most hitchers, for she is pursued in death by the man who killed her, Bobby Cross. He ran her down with his supernatural car and has been chasing her ghost self ever since. Rose has learned to discern the smell of his arrival and to identify other potential victims and she has taken it upon herself to help those that she can.
This series is enmeshed with McGuire’s InCryptid series, so some of the details here are closely related to events in That Ain’t Witchcraft. Antimony Price has done the world a favour by killing the ghostly dealmaker known as The Crossroads. Now Rose gets to have a showdown with her killer without his sponsorship by the Crossroads. But Rose is just a little hitchhiker ghost, right?
Thank you, Ms. Mcguire, for another hit of one of my chosen addictions.
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
December 4, 2024
Angel of the Overpass
By Seanan McGuire
This is a story told by a ghost about other ghosts, her life as a ghost, and more! Fun, exciting, and definitely the great imagination of McGuire! It's definitely one of my favorite books!
By Seanan McGuire
This is a story told by a ghost about other ghosts, her life as a ghost, and more! Fun, exciting, and definitely the great imagination of McGuire! It's definitely one of my favorite books!
February 24, 2021
I may be in the minority on this one, but aside from the strong end, this particular novel was a bit too meandering for my taste.
Don't get me wrong. I love the taste of malt and Seanan almost never steers me wrong, but the events in this one just seemed to be checking off the boxes of old plot threads and making all the chickens come home to roost.
That's a GOOD thing, mind you, but my empathy for the character is getting as attenuated as her ghost-memory attachment to the world she hitchhikes. The original thread of Bobby the soul-fuel converting homicidal maniac was a pretty good foil if not perfect, and several of the ghost-ideas (including a certain oil-splattered dino) was cool, but any novel must fly on the strength of its characters.
This one, unfortunately, was always a little middling, which is a shame, because I like the ideas of psychopomps. Especially psychopomps undergoing their OWN transformations.
Still, it's worth the read and the minor intersection with a recent Price novel of Seanan. The Crossroads had a reckoning, after all, and this explores some of those consequences.
Don't get me wrong. I love the taste of malt and Seanan almost never steers me wrong, but the events in this one just seemed to be checking off the boxes of old plot threads and making all the chickens come home to roost.
That's a GOOD thing, mind you, but my empathy for the character is getting as attenuated as her ghost-memory attachment to the world she hitchhikes. The original thread of Bobby the soul-fuel converting homicidal maniac was a pretty good foil if not perfect, and several of the ghost-ideas (including a certain oil-splattered dino) was cool, but any novel must fly on the strength of its characters.
This one, unfortunately, was always a little middling, which is a shame, because I like the ideas of psychopomps. Especially psychopomps undergoing their OWN transformations.
Still, it's worth the read and the minor intersection with a recent Price novel of Seanan. The Crossroads had a reckoning, after all, and this explores some of those consequences.
February 4, 2022
Notes:
Yay for libaries!
- I was really excited to read another book in the Ghost Roads series. It's a weird & quirky UF with lots of fun elements.
- This book was 1/3 plot and 2/3 Rose ramble-rants. I wouldn't have minded that if it wasn't repetitive. If the book was edited a bit more, it would probably lose about 75 pages of repeated words/phrases.
- I love the concepts for the series! Ghosts, death, vengeful spirits and supernatural/mystical figures are a lot of fun.
- Amy Landon's narration was great, but I was a bit disappointed by the filler aspect of the book. It took the shine off the very cool story that was told.
Yay for libaries!
- I was really excited to read another book in the Ghost Roads series. It's a weird & quirky UF with lots of fun elements.
- This book was 1/3 plot and 2/3 Rose ramble-rants. I wouldn't have minded that if it wasn't repetitive. If the book was edited a bit more, it would probably lose about 75 pages of repeated words/phrases.
- I love the concepts for the series! Ghosts, death, vengeful spirits and supernatural/mystical figures are a lot of fun.
- Amy Landon's narration was great, but I was a bit disappointed by the filler aspect of the book. It took the shine off the very cool story that was told.
May 23, 2021
Rose has always been a favorite character of mine (who doesn’t love the inspiration for an urban legend?!?!) I was glad to see in this book not only the story evolved, but Rose evolved as well. I like that being a ghost doesn’t mean she stopped growing as a person. I also was really glad to see a resolution to the issue of Bobby Cross. I know in the acknowledgements Seanan says she’s done with Rose’s story for now but I am going to clutch to that “for now” because there is so much more I’d like to see after the ending this book provided!
May 28, 2021
I have enjoyed the Ghost Roads series on audio and was eager to get back to the story of Rose Marshall and her battle with her killer and tormentor Bobby Cross. Seanan McGuire did not disappoint. Angels of the Overpass took us deeper into the world below the road as we interacted with the ghosts and creatures who dwell there.
Now that the crossroads have been destroyed, Rose must stop Bobby once and for all. Deals with gods and new creatures in the twilight world kept me listening. We come across a stranger diner with a witch, make deals with gods, stand before a soul sucking train and will be chased by a dinosaur.
McGuire’s imagination and her realm of the restless dead, with its urban legends and unique spirits, held me spellbound. Rose, our girl in the green prom dress, has grown throughout the series, and I loved seeing her make deals, protect those she cares about, and enjoy a good malt.
The world-building from reapers to ferrymen was brilliantly executed. When I closed my eyes, I felt as if I traveled between the different realms of the twilight world. As a fan of the InCryptid series, I loved how the author tied in events and characters from that world to this. If you haven’t begun that series, I hope the thread that began in The Girl in the Green Silk Gown has you curious.
The Ghost Road series and Rose’s story is best read/listened to in the order of their release. The story builds on events, discoveries, friendships and character growth.
Amy London narrates the series and has become the voice of Rose and the characters she interacts with. London created unique voices for each character we met, complete with regional accents. Her tone and pacing enhanced my overall enjoyment of the series. I highly recommend listening. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Now that the crossroads have been destroyed, Rose must stop Bobby once and for all. Deals with gods and new creatures in the twilight world kept me listening. We come across a stranger diner with a witch, make deals with gods, stand before a soul sucking train and will be chased by a dinosaur.
McGuire’s imagination and her realm of the restless dead, with its urban legends and unique spirits, held me spellbound. Rose, our girl in the green prom dress, has grown throughout the series, and I loved seeing her make deals, protect those she cares about, and enjoy a good malt.
The world-building from reapers to ferrymen was brilliantly executed. When I closed my eyes, I felt as if I traveled between the different realms of the twilight world. As a fan of the InCryptid series, I loved how the author tied in events and characters from that world to this. If you haven’t begun that series, I hope the thread that began in The Girl in the Green Silk Gown has you curious.
The Ghost Road series and Rose’s story is best read/listened to in the order of their release. The story builds on events, discoveries, friendships and character growth.
Amy London narrates the series and has become the voice of Rose and the characters she interacts with. London created unique voices for each character we met, complete with regional accents. Her tone and pacing enhanced my overall enjoyment of the series. I highly recommend listening. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
June 16, 2021
Angel of the Overpass is the third book in McGuire's Ghost Roads series, and would be a satisfactory finale to the Rose Marshall story. Rose is a ghost who exists in a complicated afterlife of many levels with a complex, mythologically-based hierarchy. She was killed in 1952 by a hit-and-run driver when she was on the way to her high school prom, and has been haunting the roads (and the two preceding volumes) ever since. She's become an archetype, the phantom prom date, the girl in the green silk gown. Due to the destruction of a lot of the infrastructure of the afterlife by Antimony Price in a different McGuire series, InCryptid, big changes are on the way and Rose finally gets to seek revenge on the evil driver who killed her and then must adapt to the new situation and assume a new role. It's an involved situation, and too much of the book is spent re-setting the backgrounds and summarizing the situations. The writing is quite good, and I found a lot of lovely little quips and quotes, but there was also just a little too much politically-correct rhetoric at times. In the traditional sense it was a good road-novel, but it just took a little too long before she finally arrived.
May 18, 2021
absolutely immaculate. my all-time favorite series, bar none.
April 28, 2021
Angel of the Overpass is another entertaining entry into the world of Rose, the Girl in the Green Silk Gown. This book introduces another god-like entity into the mix which is fascinating, if mind-boggling. It also helps further illustrate the very creative and interesting aspects of the different layers to the world - the daylight, the twilight, the midnight. Things are coming to a head with Bobby Cross and its exciting to see how things unfold.
That said, this is not a book to read without having read the prior entries in the world. I've read the prior entries (albeit some time ago) and I still got confused about who and how we got to the why of events in this entry. Although, the book rambles and is at times very repetitive, it's not about things that help you better understand the story, which is unfortunate.
That said, this is not a book to read without having read the prior entries in the world. I've read the prior entries (albeit some time ago) and I still got confused about who and how we got to the why of events in this entry. Although, the book rambles and is at times very repetitive, it's not about things that help you better understand the story, which is unfortunate.
May 11, 2021
3.5 stars
I love Rose, but I felt like the pacing of this book was a little too slow and meandering for my taste. I did enjoy the connection to That Ain't Witchcraft from the InCryptid series. Annie's books in the InCryptid series and the Ghost Roads series really add to each other and I'd definitely recommend reading both to get the full story. If this is the last Ghost Roads book we get, it has a satisfying ending. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't be happy to return to Rose for another story at some point in the future.
I love Rose, but I felt like the pacing of this book was a little too slow and meandering for my taste. I did enjoy the connection to That Ain't Witchcraft from the InCryptid series. Annie's books in the InCryptid series and the Ghost Roads series really add to each other and I'd definitely recommend reading both to get the full story. If this is the last Ghost Roads book we get, it has a satisfying ending. But that doesn't mean I wouldn't be happy to return to Rose for another story at some point in the future.
August 8, 2021
There are spoilers ahead for Sparrow Hill Road, The Girl in the Green Silk Gown, and That Ain’t Witchcraft. The crossroads are dead, and no one knows what that means for the ghosts who were tied to them or for Bobby Cross, still alive but dependent on his soul-sucking car to stay that way. Rose has been blessed by Persephone herself, and the Ocean Lady has now tasked her with hunting Bobby down and putting an end to his reign of terror. As she navigates through the ghost roads, trusting the twilight to take her where she needs to be, Rose gradually uncovers everything she needs to avenge her own death and stop a killer once and for all. Trigger warnings: death, child death, decapitation, car accidents, fires, captivity, threats.
Much as I love Rose and the Ghost Roads, this is probably the weakest in the trilogy. The Girl in the Green Silk Gown was more tightly plotted to great effect, but Angel of the Overpass returns to the somewhat meandering storytelling of Sparrow Hill Road. It feels more like a series of short stories strung together than a novel, and although Rose is presented with a clear problem at the beginning of the book, it takes its time getting there, and not all of the detours feel all that relevant. (Many of them end up being relevant, but there’s no way to know that when Rose is running from a conglomerate of dinosaur ghosts instead of hunting Bobby Cross.) I struggled to stay invested in the story. A lot of the beginning chapters are mere rehashes of Rose connecting with old and powerful friends, without adding much of anything new to her situation.
It doesn’t help that one of the major past plot events doesn’t take place in this series. I get that there has always been crossover between Ghost Roads and InCryptid, but it’s off-putting to have something as significant as the death of the crossroads happen in a book I haven’t yet read. It’s not a very seamless overlap if you’re not familiar with InCryptid, and I’m sensing it’s part of the reason for my lack of investment. (Being told something happens isn’t the same as being along for the ride, is it?) Overall, I like that Rose’s character development takes her to some unexpected places and she deserves her final confrontation with Bobby Cross, but I’m not sure there’s really enough story here for its own book. I’ll always love this world and its characters, but this feels like a good place to leave it for now.
P.S. Did anyone else get a Middlegame vibe from this line?
“'Nothing that can hurt you now, little dead girl, and nothing that can hurt me. A species of pan-dimensional mathematicians trying to do some great work of impossible calculus. They still walk the world, but they have no spirit to throw over me like a blanket, and they belong to this reality now, as much as they can be said to belong to any.’”
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
Much as I love Rose and the Ghost Roads, this is probably the weakest in the trilogy. The Girl in the Green Silk Gown was more tightly plotted to great effect, but Angel of the Overpass returns to the somewhat meandering storytelling of Sparrow Hill Road. It feels more like a series of short stories strung together than a novel, and although Rose is presented with a clear problem at the beginning of the book, it takes its time getting there, and not all of the detours feel all that relevant. (Many of them end up being relevant, but there’s no way to know that when Rose is running from a conglomerate of dinosaur ghosts instead of hunting Bobby Cross.) I struggled to stay invested in the story. A lot of the beginning chapters are mere rehashes of Rose connecting with old and powerful friends, without adding much of anything new to her situation.
It doesn’t help that one of the major past plot events doesn’t take place in this series. I get that there has always been crossover between Ghost Roads and InCryptid, but it’s off-putting to have something as significant as the death of the crossroads happen in a book I haven’t yet read. It’s not a very seamless overlap if you’re not familiar with InCryptid, and I’m sensing it’s part of the reason for my lack of investment. (Being told something happens isn’t the same as being along for the ride, is it?) Overall, I like that Rose’s character development takes her to some unexpected places and she deserves her final confrontation with Bobby Cross, but I’m not sure there’s really enough story here for its own book. I’ll always love this world and its characters, but this feels like a good place to leave it for now.
P.S. Did anyone else get a Middlegame vibe from this line?
“'Nothing that can hurt you now, little dead girl, and nothing that can hurt me. A species of pan-dimensional mathematicians trying to do some great work of impossible calculus. They still walk the world, but they have no spirit to throw over me like a blanket, and they belong to this reality now, as much as they can be said to belong to any.’”
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
October 9, 2024
Angel of the Overpass (Ghost Roads #3) by Seanan McGuire is a great series finale. I love Seanan McGuire's brand of urban fantasy and this series from her is totally underrated. If you're at all interested in ghost stories, I can't recommend it enough. By the way, I listened to the audiobook edition of this story and Amy Landon does a great job of bring Rose and her world to life.
May 10, 2021
Rated 4.5 really.
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Engaging character voice. Creative spin(s) on a few classic urban legends. Humour, depth and heart.
Cons: A bit meandering. Recaps too much of the previous installments while dropping a bomb from a related series in our laps.
WARNING! There's a road accident (with kids involved) sporting some potentially disturbing imagery, and an instance of homophobia.
Will appeal to: Urban legend fans. Readers with a penchant for dead characters who know how to come alive on the page.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on NetGalley and Edelweiss, and got approved for it on both sites. Thanks to DAW Books for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.
THE LONG AND THRILLING ROAD
I love this series with all my heart and soul, and there's plenty to love about it - from its engaging main character and her backstory to its rich mythology. I have to be honest though: this time I ran into a few bumps in the road (or, well, in the Ghost Roads 😁), and even if I cherished the time I spent in Rose's world and the ending went above and beyond my expectations, I'm not going to pretend those bumps never happened. Anyhow, let's start with the reasons why this book was almost a five-star read:
- McGuire has a strong hold on the protagonist (well, all her characters really - practically none of them is short of tridimensional and complex), and I never tire of staying in Rose's head. Everyone who's familiar with my blog knows how much I love my dead/undead book people, but Rose is a special case - a 16 y.o. girl pushing 90 in ghost age, which makes for the most interesting character ambivalence/development (mind you, it's not like she sounds 16 and 80+ at the same time - she sounds like "an ageless being with a grown woman's/creature's wisdom and sass, and a girl's heart underneath", as I said in my review for the first installment. I stand by my words). And yes...I said "character development", because all the best dead/undead book people grow, despite their predicament. Just when I was thinking that Rose might have no more (un)life left in her, McGuire pulled an awesome twist, and now...everything's going to stay the same, except everything changed. If the powers-that-be are listening, I DEMAND more Rose adventures (because I know the author, for her part, would be nothing but happy to provide them).
- This world is to die for - no pun intended. It's got "ghost cars, highways turned goddesses, itinerant or multilayered diners" (from my review of the second installment) and much more...all kinds of urban legends you can think of, and even a few you can't, because McGuire either put a spin on them or created them from scratch. This book in particular weaves a bunch of new details into the geography of the dead, and gives us both new perspectives about characters we already know and new characters to get acquainted with...some of which decidedly unusual.
- For a ghost world, things get real enough. See Rose and Gary's relationship. I admire a writer who doesn't shy from real, whatever the cost.
- The writing. Duh. [...]
Whole review here.
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Engaging character voice. Creative spin(s) on a few classic urban legends. Humour, depth and heart.
Cons: A bit meandering. Recaps too much of the previous installments while dropping a bomb from a related series in our laps.
WARNING! There's a road accident (with kids involved) sporting some potentially disturbing imagery, and an instance of homophobia.
Will appeal to: Urban legend fans. Readers with a penchant for dead characters who know how to come alive on the page.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on NetGalley and Edelweiss, and got approved for it on both sites. Thanks to DAW Books for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.
THE LONG AND THRILLING ROAD
I love this series with all my heart and soul, and there's plenty to love about it - from its engaging main character and her backstory to its rich mythology. I have to be honest though: this time I ran into a few bumps in the road (or, well, in the Ghost Roads 😁), and even if I cherished the time I spent in Rose's world and the ending went above and beyond my expectations, I'm not going to pretend those bumps never happened. Anyhow, let's start with the reasons why this book was almost a five-star read:
- McGuire has a strong hold on the protagonist (well, all her characters really - practically none of them is short of tridimensional and complex), and I never tire of staying in Rose's head. Everyone who's familiar with my blog knows how much I love my dead/undead book people, but Rose is a special case - a 16 y.o. girl pushing 90 in ghost age, which makes for the most interesting character ambivalence/development (mind you, it's not like she sounds 16 and 80+ at the same time - she sounds like "an ageless being with a grown woman's/creature's wisdom and sass, and a girl's heart underneath", as I said in my review for the first installment. I stand by my words). And yes...I said "character development", because all the best dead/undead book people grow, despite their predicament. Just when I was thinking that Rose might have no more (un)life left in her, McGuire pulled an awesome twist, and now...everything's going to stay the same, except everything changed. If the powers-that-be are listening, I DEMAND more Rose adventures (because I know the author, for her part, would be nothing but happy to provide them).
- This world is to die for - no pun intended. It's got "ghost cars, highways turned goddesses, itinerant or multilayered diners" (from my review of the second installment) and much more...all kinds of urban legends you can think of, and even a few you can't, because McGuire either put a spin on them or created them from scratch. This book in particular weaves a bunch of new details into the geography of the dead, and gives us both new perspectives about characters we already know and new characters to get acquainted with...some of which decidedly unusual.
- For a ghost world, things get real enough. See Rose and Gary's relationship. I admire a writer who doesn't shy from real, whatever the cost.
- The writing. Duh. [...]
Whole review here.
May 30, 2021
If you enjoy this review, please consider visiting my blog for more
This book contains mention of violence, homophobia and sexism. If topics like these are ones you’d rather avoid, consider reading another book
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. Before I continue with the review, I feel the need to point out the bias my judgement may be based on. Seanan McGuire has been one of my favourite authors (if not my favourite author) for about a decade now, so my standards for her may have simply grown to unreasonable heights. That being said, this is a review, so I’m about to share my honest thoughts and feelings now that I’ve read The Angel of the Overpass.
This book was very slow to start, to the point that I had to keep making myself read until I was nearly half way through, the descriptive language that I usually enjoy in the Ghost Roads books for whatever reason seemed to just slow things down this time around. I also miss the loving food descriptions, this is the first book in the series that hasn’t made me crave a burger.
I felt like Rose, Bobby and even supporting characters like Emma and Apple were flat versions of themselves, with narrated motives that were established in other books, and the turns of phrase or habits with which we are accustomed. Even characters unique to this book seemed uninteresting to me, and I can’t quite put my finger on why. The ties to the InCryptid series seemed a bit clunky, and nothing was learned about the animus mundi or James’s father, so the crossover seemed more like in-book advertising for the other series.
The plot of The Angel of the Overpass was established fairly quickly, and then there was some strange stalling while Rose was convinced to do something that she was very obviously going to do. Bobby Cross appeared much closer than ever before in this book, so I was surprised to find that a lot of his threat fell away at close range. Maybe this was intentional, a comment on the ordinariness of most abusive people, but the effect it had (at least in my opinion) was to kill the tension a little, to the point where mundane travel was drummed into a potential threat to drive the plot forward.
This complaint is a small one, but I think it deserves to be mentioned. The title of the book is never tied into the plot. We never learn the true meaning behind Rose being known as ‘the Angel of the Overpass’ as opposed to her other names, and we never learn what it is about this aspect of her that is distinct from her other roles.
A lot of loose threads are tied up in this book, a little quickly for my taste, but I am glad that several matters were settled. I wish the way Rose completes her quest in this book had been foreshadowed in previous books to make it seem more earned, as it was, the ending seemed both anti-climactic and convenient. I was a fan of the ending of this book for Rose though, and think her character will become more interesting as a result.
Overall, this book was a better entry in the Ghost Roads series than it was a stand-alone story. If you’re a fan of the Ghost Roads and InCryptid series’ you should read this book, but I wouldn’t recommend it to people only passingly interested, or looking for an entry point to the world or series.
This book contains mention of violence, homophobia and sexism. If topics like these are ones you’d rather avoid, consider reading another book
I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. Before I continue with the review, I feel the need to point out the bias my judgement may be based on. Seanan McGuire has been one of my favourite authors (if not my favourite author) for about a decade now, so my standards for her may have simply grown to unreasonable heights. That being said, this is a review, so I’m about to share my honest thoughts and feelings now that I’ve read The Angel of the Overpass.
This book was very slow to start, to the point that I had to keep making myself read until I was nearly half way through, the descriptive language that I usually enjoy in the Ghost Roads books for whatever reason seemed to just slow things down this time around. I also miss the loving food descriptions, this is the first book in the series that hasn’t made me crave a burger.
I felt like Rose, Bobby and even supporting characters like Emma and Apple were flat versions of themselves, with narrated motives that were established in other books, and the turns of phrase or habits with which we are accustomed. Even characters unique to this book seemed uninteresting to me, and I can’t quite put my finger on why. The ties to the InCryptid series seemed a bit clunky, and nothing was learned about the animus mundi or James’s father, so the crossover seemed more like in-book advertising for the other series.
The plot of The Angel of the Overpass was established fairly quickly, and then there was some strange stalling while Rose was convinced to do something that she was very obviously going to do. Bobby Cross appeared much closer than ever before in this book, so I was surprised to find that a lot of his threat fell away at close range. Maybe this was intentional, a comment on the ordinariness of most abusive people, but the effect it had (at least in my opinion) was to kill the tension a little, to the point where mundane travel was drummed into a potential threat to drive the plot forward.
This complaint is a small one, but I think it deserves to be mentioned. The title of the book is never tied into the plot. We never learn the true meaning behind Rose being known as ‘the Angel of the Overpass’ as opposed to her other names, and we never learn what it is about this aspect of her that is distinct from her other roles.
A lot of loose threads are tied up in this book, a little quickly for my taste, but I am glad that several matters were settled. I wish the way Rose completes her quest in this book had been foreshadowed in previous books to make it seem more earned, as it was, the ending seemed both anti-climactic and convenient. I was a fan of the ending of this book for Rose though, and think her character will become more interesting as a result.
Overall, this book was a better entry in the Ghost Roads series than it was a stand-alone story. If you’re a fan of the Ghost Roads and InCryptid series’ you should read this book, but I wouldn’t recommend it to people only passingly interested, or looking for an entry point to the world or series.
May 11, 2021
Angel of the Overpass is the third novel in Seanan McGuire's Ghost Roads series. If you haven't read this series, I strongly recommend picking it up, especially if you're a fan of ghosts, legends, and urban fantasies. If it wasn't apparent by this point – the Ghost Roads series is one of my favorites.
Rose Marshall – the woman with a hundred names. The Girl in the Green Silk Gown. The Phantom Prom Date. The Ghost of Sparrow Hill Road. It's been fifty years since she died, and her story has had plenty of time to change.
Rose herself has changed since that time. She may be a ghost, but that doesn't mean she's a static being. Granted, she has been on the run from Bobby Cross this whole time. He's the one who killed her, and even now, he's still hunting her. Yet now, he's lost his protection, and that evens the score.
A quick note before I begin my review: The events in Angel of the Overpass are heavily impacted by another series of Seanan McGuire. InCryptid and Ghost Roads share the same world, and the events of That Ain't Witchcraft, in particular, are going to change things up. You can read Angel of the Overpass without having read it, of course. But it will add a lot to the story. Take it from somebody who only this year binged all ten of the InCryptid novels.
"I'm tired of letting Bobby scare me. I'm tired of letting Bobby chase me. Really, I'm tired of Bobby, full stop."
Angel of the Overpass is the perfect third novel in this series. It's poetic, dark, and beautiful in equal measure. More than that, it's once again giving readers a chance to see the Ghost Roads. These roads are infinitely complex and will always be fascinating to learn about.
You see, they are an amalgam of all of our lore, plus a bit (read: a lot) of imagination from Seanan McGuire's side of things. The end result is an expansive world that I, for one, will never grow tired of.
This world feels more precarious and open to change than ever before (see my note above). It's added a new source of tension, but it's also added some hope. All of which is kicking off change left and right, not just in the world – but for many of the characters that we've come to know as well.
One of the dominant themes in Angel of the Overpass seems to be change. The world itself is changing, so it only makes sense that everyone and everything in it is changing as well. We already know that ghosts don't automatically stay the same from the moment they come into existence.
Now McGuire is simply driving that point home. Rose's quests have taken her to all different realms for the dead, yet there hasn't been a quest quite like this one. Not for Rose, and I highly doubt for any other ghost either.
There was something so fascinating and empowering about what Rose went through in this novel. More than that, it felt so...well, I was going to say human, but perhaps that isn't the right word in this instance.
Angel of the Overpass is a compelling read, one that will keep you on the edge of your seat right up until you finish the book. So plan ahead, and leave yourself plenty of room to read. Trust me on this one.
Angel of the Overpass is a novel that I have happily been waiting for, ever since the last novel (The Girl in the Green Silk Gown) dropped. It was well worth the wait, bringing about change and understanding in equal measure. It's a novel that does justice to the characters and to the fans who have been looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Thanks to DAW and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Rose Marshall – the woman with a hundred names. The Girl in the Green Silk Gown. The Phantom Prom Date. The Ghost of Sparrow Hill Road. It's been fifty years since she died, and her story has had plenty of time to change.
Rose herself has changed since that time. She may be a ghost, but that doesn't mean she's a static being. Granted, she has been on the run from Bobby Cross this whole time. He's the one who killed her, and even now, he's still hunting her. Yet now, he's lost his protection, and that evens the score.
A quick note before I begin my review: The events in Angel of the Overpass are heavily impacted by another series of Seanan McGuire. InCryptid and Ghost Roads share the same world, and the events of That Ain't Witchcraft, in particular, are going to change things up. You can read Angel of the Overpass without having read it, of course. But it will add a lot to the story. Take it from somebody who only this year binged all ten of the InCryptid novels.
"I'm tired of letting Bobby scare me. I'm tired of letting Bobby chase me. Really, I'm tired of Bobby, full stop."
Angel of the Overpass is the perfect third novel in this series. It's poetic, dark, and beautiful in equal measure. More than that, it's once again giving readers a chance to see the Ghost Roads. These roads are infinitely complex and will always be fascinating to learn about.
You see, they are an amalgam of all of our lore, plus a bit (read: a lot) of imagination from Seanan McGuire's side of things. The end result is an expansive world that I, for one, will never grow tired of.
This world feels more precarious and open to change than ever before (see my note above). It's added a new source of tension, but it's also added some hope. All of which is kicking off change left and right, not just in the world – but for many of the characters that we've come to know as well.
One of the dominant themes in Angel of the Overpass seems to be change. The world itself is changing, so it only makes sense that everyone and everything in it is changing as well. We already know that ghosts don't automatically stay the same from the moment they come into existence.
Now McGuire is simply driving that point home. Rose's quests have taken her to all different realms for the dead, yet there hasn't been a quest quite like this one. Not for Rose, and I highly doubt for any other ghost either.
There was something so fascinating and empowering about what Rose went through in this novel. More than that, it felt so...well, I was going to say human, but perhaps that isn't the right word in this instance.
Angel of the Overpass is a compelling read, one that will keep you on the edge of your seat right up until you finish the book. So plan ahead, and leave yourself plenty of room to read. Trust me on this one.
Angel of the Overpass is a novel that I have happily been waiting for, ever since the last novel (The Girl in the Green Silk Gown) dropped. It was well worth the wait, bringing about change and understanding in equal measure. It's a novel that does justice to the characters and to the fans who have been looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Thanks to DAW and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
March 16, 2022
While I did really enjoy listening to this and loved certain aspects about it, overall it is still a 3 star book. Rose too often acts like the whiny teenager she was instead of the 80 something year old teenager she is. It was a little too repetitive so while there was a great story in there, it was bogged down with unnecessary rehashing of too many details.
I loved the connection to everything that happened in the Incryptid book That Aint Witchcraft. Definitely made this book so much more entertaining. The narration was also fantastic. Still enjoyed this trilogy of books a lot and do recommend them. This just wasn't my favourite of McGuire's works.
I loved the connection to everything that happened in the Incryptid book That Aint Witchcraft. Definitely made this book so much more entertaining. The narration was also fantastic. Still enjoyed this trilogy of books a lot and do recommend them. This just wasn't my favourite of McGuire's works.
June 26, 2022
I normally love Seanan McGuire books but this one was disappointing for me. It really dragged and it was really just a lot of talking. I will definitely continue reading her books though. She is a fantastic author.
May 27, 2021
Loved this. I'm seeing reviews that say it felt meandering? It kind of did, except when you reach the end you can see how those so called side quests laid the foundation for Rose's transformation. Example: These 'meanderings' were the chrysalis that helped form who she became.
I will be sad if we no longer have any stories of Rose and her ghost world, but I do think this is a good end for her. And hey, there's always Bethany's stories. Or Mary's.
I will be sad if we no longer have any stories of Rose and her ghost world, but I do think this is a good end for her. And hey, there's always Bethany's stories. Or Mary's.
May 11, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley, DAW, and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.
Frankly this book was a 2 star book for me all the way until about 75%. A good solid 4-star end could not completely lift a book that I felt ambivalent about for so long, though, and frankly I'm glad the story is turning in a new direction because otherwise I think it would be curtains on Rose for me.
Seanan McGuire has an incredible imagination and I am continuously impressed by the breadth of imagination in her fantasy worlds. And as previously stated I was very interested in the upcoming change of direction for Rose. That's a creative decision that I think will pay off big-time. We all knew that the Bobby situation couldn't go on forever, so, this seems appropriate. It's a good place to leave Rose if Ms. McGuire chooses to move on from the character. I'm also proud of Rose for doing the difficult but right thing and parting ways with an old friend. Making hard choices and following through is something I can respect. And, let me just say, oh my heart, the dinosaur, <3 <3 <3 Freaking adorable!!!!!!
But for all the good parts there were... a lot... of bad parts. Unfortunately I felt that during the majority of the book, nothing really happened. Rose did a *lot* of inner-monologue-ing, mostly about same stuff she always talks/thinks about: her life/death, her role in the world, Bobby is an a-hole, she really wants a burger/coat/ride/malt/etc. Rose also did a lot of posturing vis a vis other ghosts/undead characters, which, question: was she this unsufferable/sanctimonious before? Or does this sort of attitude come with "age"? Rose seems to be... ALWAYS RIGHT, and everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, from newbie ghosts to sort-of ghost friends to her very own patron goddess, is WRONG and NOT LISTENING to her which is reeeeeal unfortunate because, Rose is ALWAYS RIGHT. Wow, Rose, I guess you're taking the "teenager" part of "Phantom prom date" real seriously. Frankly she got on my nerves several times.
I'd really like to see where Ms. McGuire takes the series from here, but I hope the books have a little more action and a little less conversation, next time.
Frankly this book was a 2 star book for me all the way until about 75%. A good solid 4-star end could not completely lift a book that I felt ambivalent about for so long, though, and frankly I'm glad the story is turning in a new direction because otherwise I think it would be curtains on Rose for me.
Seanan McGuire has an incredible imagination and I am continuously impressed by the breadth of imagination in her fantasy worlds. And as previously stated I was very interested in the upcoming change of direction for Rose. That's a creative decision that I think will pay off big-time. We all knew that the Bobby situation couldn't go on forever, so, this seems appropriate. It's a good place to leave Rose if Ms. McGuire chooses to move on from the character. I'm also proud of Rose for doing the difficult but right thing and parting ways with an old friend. Making hard choices and following through is something I can respect. And, let me just say, oh my heart, the dinosaur, <3 <3 <3 Freaking adorable!!!!!!
But for all the good parts there were... a lot... of bad parts. Unfortunately I felt that during the majority of the book, nothing really happened. Rose did a *lot* of inner-monologue-ing, mostly about same stuff she always talks/thinks about: her life/death, her role in the world, Bobby is an a-hole, she really wants a burger/coat/ride/malt/etc. Rose also did a lot of posturing vis a vis other ghosts/undead characters, which, question: was she this unsufferable/sanctimonious before? Or does this sort of attitude come with "age"? Rose seems to be... ALWAYS RIGHT, and everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, from newbie ghosts to sort-of ghost friends to her very own patron goddess, is WRONG and NOT LISTENING to her which is reeeeeal unfortunate because, Rose is ALWAYS RIGHT. Wow, Rose, I guess you're taking the "teenager" part of "Phantom prom date" real seriously. Frankly she got on my nerves several times.
I'd really like to see where Ms. McGuire takes the series from here, but I hope the books have a little more action and a little less conversation, next time.
June 22, 2021
Reading this was painful. Rose has never been the most relatable narrator and that doesn't change here. It's never been clear to me if the author is attempting to capture the rebelliousness of being an eternal teen or if Rose just never found the irreverent charm that some of Seanan's other protagonists possess. Antimony's books humanized her as something more than a bratty sister and that never happens here.
I have two major complaints about this book. The first is the degree to which it reminds me of Calculated Risks. A large portion of each book is devoted to the lead's internal monologue, world building, and philosophizing and the plot occurs at the end almost as an afterthought. They both also have large deus ex animal-machina who never get any sort of free will. And then a major change happens to a cast member at the end of the novel who gets little say in the matter and little followup on the repercussions. They both feel formulaic and slow moving and then haphazard and rushed.
Second, much like Calculated Risk this book gets political. I assume Seanan and I agree on almost of our politics; One thing that initially drew me to her books was how well her novels embodied diversity and inclusion without making things feel forced. Characters felt like living, breathing people and not Teachable Moments. The cringiest moment in this book comes when
This is just one example. There are several. They took me out of the story in a way these discussions haven't before and I think the same messages could have been conveyed through the plot in a way that would have made the same political points in a more subtle and effective way.
This is apparently the last book of the series. It's definitely the last book of this series for me.
I have two major complaints about this book. The first is the degree to which it reminds me of Calculated Risks. A large portion of each book is devoted to the lead's internal monologue, world building, and philosophizing and the plot occurs at the end almost as an afterthought. They both also have large deus ex animal-machina who never get any sort of free will. And then a major change happens to a cast member at the end of the novel who gets little say in the matter and little followup on the repercussions. They both feel formulaic and slow moving and then haphazard and rushed.
Second, much like Calculated Risk this book gets political. I assume Seanan and I agree on almost of our politics; One thing that initially drew me to her books was how well her novels embodied diversity and inclusion without making things feel forced. Characters felt like living, breathing people and not Teachable Moments. The cringiest moment in this book comes when
This is just one example. There are several. They took me out of the story in a way these discussions haven't before and I think the same messages could have been conveyed through the plot in a way that would have made the same political points in a more subtle and effective way.
This is apparently the last book of the series. It's definitely the last book of this series for me.
May 17, 2021
Review originally posted at https://smexybooks.com/2021/05/angela...
Angel of the Overpass is the third book in the Ghost Roads series and continues the tale of Rose Marshall, also known as the Girl in the Green Silk Gown, the Phantom Prom Date, or the Angel of the Overpass. Rose died in 1952 at the age of 16 when she was run off the road by Bobby Cross while on her way to meet her boyfriend at prom. Now she’s a road ghost who hitches rides around the country in order to fulfill her duty to the twilight.
The crossroads are dead and that means Bobby Cross’s time is almost up. When several goddesses ask that she be the one to end his life she can’t say no. After all, Bobby Cross is the one man who she’s been running from since she awoke in her afterlife.
This was a slow, meandering book. I will confess to being a little excited to finally get the chance to see Bobby Cross get his due, but I wasn’t prepared for how long it would take for the deed to finally get done. I guess I should have expected it, Rose is a road ghost, after all, she has to get her rides and visit her diners and drink her malts. But all of the meetings and ghost rescues and explanations of the different layers of this world made the pacing drag. I just wanted Rose to get to the good stuff and triumph over her nemesis.
The ending was satisfying and I liked how everything wrapped up. I’m not sure what the end of this series arc means for Rose. I’m hoping for another release in this world and to see her again soon.
Final grade- B-
Angel of the Overpass is the third book in the Ghost Roads series and continues the tale of Rose Marshall, also known as the Girl in the Green Silk Gown, the Phantom Prom Date, or the Angel of the Overpass. Rose died in 1952 at the age of 16 when she was run off the road by Bobby Cross while on her way to meet her boyfriend at prom. Now she’s a road ghost who hitches rides around the country in order to fulfill her duty to the twilight.
The crossroads are dead and that means Bobby Cross’s time is almost up. When several goddesses ask that she be the one to end his life she can’t say no. After all, Bobby Cross is the one man who she’s been running from since she awoke in her afterlife.
This was a slow, meandering book. I will confess to being a little excited to finally get the chance to see Bobby Cross get his due, but I wasn’t prepared for how long it would take for the deed to finally get done. I guess I should have expected it, Rose is a road ghost, after all, she has to get her rides and visit her diners and drink her malts. But all of the meetings and ghost rescues and explanations of the different layers of this world made the pacing drag. I just wanted Rose to get to the good stuff and triumph over her nemesis.
The ending was satisfying and I liked how everything wrapped up. I’m not sure what the end of this series arc means for Rose. I’m hoping for another release in this world and to see her again soon.
Final grade- B-
January 21, 2022
Third book in the Rose Marshall hitchhiking ghost series.
This specific book is probably better read after having completed the Annie Price POV books in the InCryptid series. For reasons.
Right, so. Another of those situations wherein it is hard to write much without using spoiler tags.
Despite dying at the age of 16, and continuing to look 16 for the next 60 odd years, Rose didn't actually remain the same person, and/or get "stuck" in time, at least not mentally. She "grew up", aged mentally, grew as a person, etc. etc. Both before and during this series here. Heck, the Rose in book 3 is not the same Rose from book 1 because she's grown/aged/"lived".
IN this specific book, Rose is tasked with a mission from three female Goddesses (well, one is nonbinary, and it is less "tasked with" and more "allowed" depending on the people involved, but let's roll with this, eh?). The mission is to investigate the death/disappearance of a particularly important element of the afterlife that has apparently died or gone (as seen, in detail, in InCrypted series). That "thing"? Well, that'd be spoilerly to mention. Also, kill Bobby Cross, the dude who killed her 60 odd years ago.
Good enjoyable solid series. Didn't dip into meh/hate it range (2 stars) or rose to love it range (5 star).
I had two main "issues" with this particular series: there were certain "facts" that occasionally were "forgotten" as the series progressed; and Rose has been going to "take care" of the Bobby Cross issue since the first book. Vaguely felt like one big long tease to get that particular task crossed off the task list.
Rating: 4.4
January 21 2022
This specific book is probably better read after having completed the Annie Price POV books in the InCryptid series. For reasons.
Right, so. Another of those situations wherein it is hard to write much without using spoiler tags.
Despite dying at the age of 16, and continuing to look 16 for the next 60 odd years, Rose didn't actually remain the same person, and/or get "stuck" in time, at least not mentally. She "grew up", aged mentally, grew as a person, etc. etc. Both before and during this series here. Heck, the Rose in book 3 is not the same Rose from book 1 because she's grown/aged/"lived".
IN this specific book, Rose is tasked with a mission from three female Goddesses (well, one is nonbinary, and it is less "tasked with" and more "allowed" depending on the people involved, but let's roll with this, eh?). The mission is to investigate the death/disappearance of a particularly important element of the afterlife that has apparently died or gone (as seen, in detail, in InCrypted series). That "thing"? Well, that'd be spoilerly to mention. Also, kill Bobby Cross, the dude who killed her 60 odd years ago.
Good enjoyable solid series. Didn't dip into meh/hate it range (2 stars) or rose to love it range (5 star).
I had two main "issues" with this particular series: there were certain "facts" that occasionally were "forgotten" as the series progressed; and Rose has been going to "take care" of the Bobby Cross issue since the first book. Vaguely felt like one big long tease to get that particular task crossed off the task list.
Rating: 4.4
January 21 2022
December 7, 2022
This got really good about halfway through, but until then it was very explain-y and felt kinda dry and repetitive. But I really love where we ended up!
May 10, 2021
Content warnings:
This is the third book in this urban legend-inspired ode to the road, and this book shouldn’t be read without reading the previous books. If you’re like me and are behind on the InCryptid series, this also contains major spoilers for the eighth book (That Ain’t Witchcraft).
The Crossroads is dead, and so is Rose. One of those is more surprising than the other, as Rose finds when a tantalizing prospect is hung in front of her. Without his benefactor’s protection, there’s a good chance she can finally put an end to Bobby Cross, the man who made a deal to live forever in exchange for filling up his car’s tank with souls. He killed Rose, but failed to catch her soul, and she’s been running from him ever since. Ending Bobby – if it’s even possible – is something that’s attracted the interest of more than one power, but undertaking it could risk the afterlife of Rose and all her allies.
One of the things I’ve loved about Rose’s story is how it deals with fate versus choice. Rose reminds us multiple times that she’s a hitcher, and she has a set job to do, just like all of the other residents of the twilight (or below). How you died determines your afterlife, much like where and to whom you’re born determines your living life. Rose has always defined herself as a poor girl from the wrong side of town, someone who hitched herself (heh) to her boyfriend in hopes of getting out, but that’s not all she is. A regular hitcher would never have worked so hard to save the niece that betrayed her, nor would she have managed to gain Persephone’s blessing. And while Bobby may have taken her life and so many other choices from her, it’s Rose’s choice whether or not to continue to let him define her afterlife. A large part of the story is her realizing exactly how much she’s changed in the time she’s been dead, including a few flashbacks of stories from her early days as a hitcher that highlight just exactly that. It’s a meandering and slow-paced book, where even in the midst of action, Rose’ll take a handful of pages to go off on a tangent. After all, as she reminds the reader, she is dead and has all the time in the world!
As with everything the author writes, the world building is excellent, and hauntingly atmospheric. It’s poetry to an era that doesn’t really exist any longer, except for long haul truckers perhaps, and it left me hungry for a malt and a burger. There’s check-ins with familiar characters, from homesteads to goddesses, and everything is wrapped up nicely. I’m not sure if this is the last book in the series, but it’s definitely the end of this particular arc for Rose.
Overall, despite the slow pace and multiple detours, this is a fitting end to this part of the story, and I will very much be hoping to see more Ghost Roads books in the future!
I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This is the third book in this urban legend-inspired ode to the road, and this book shouldn’t be read without reading the previous books. If you’re like me and are behind on the InCryptid series, this also contains major spoilers for the eighth book (That Ain’t Witchcraft).
“Rose Marshall, called the Phantom Prom Date, called the Angel of the Overpass, called so many, many things by so many, many voices. You’re a broken mirror of a girl, aren’t you? Reflecting what others want to see. When’s the last time the face in your mirror was your own?”
The Crossroads is dead, and so is Rose. One of those is more surprising than the other, as Rose finds when a tantalizing prospect is hung in front of her. Without his benefactor’s protection, there’s a good chance she can finally put an end to Bobby Cross, the man who made a deal to live forever in exchange for filling up his car’s tank with souls. He killed Rose, but failed to catch her soul, and she’s been running from him ever since. Ending Bobby – if it’s even possible – is something that’s attracted the interest of more than one power, but undertaking it could risk the afterlife of Rose and all her allies.
“Life is determined by the way you enter it. So is death.”
One of the things I’ve loved about Rose’s story is how it deals with fate versus choice. Rose reminds us multiple times that she’s a hitcher, and she has a set job to do, just like all of the other residents of the twilight (or below). How you died determines your afterlife, much like where and to whom you’re born determines your living life. Rose has always defined herself as a poor girl from the wrong side of town, someone who hitched herself (heh) to her boyfriend in hopes of getting out, but that’s not all she is. A regular hitcher would never have worked so hard to save the niece that betrayed her, nor would she have managed to gain Persephone’s blessing. And while Bobby may have taken her life and so many other choices from her, it’s Rose’s choice whether or not to continue to let him define her afterlife. A large part of the story is her realizing exactly how much she’s changed in the time she’s been dead, including a few flashbacks of stories from her early days as a hitcher that highlight just exactly that. It’s a meandering and slow-paced book, where even in the midst of action, Rose’ll take a handful of pages to go off on a tangent. After all, as she reminds the reader, she is dead and has all the time in the world!
“I’ve walked these roads too often to be anything other than what I was always intended to be.”
As with everything the author writes, the world building is excellent, and hauntingly atmospheric. It’s poetry to an era that doesn’t really exist any longer, except for long haul truckers perhaps, and it left me hungry for a malt and a burger. There’s check-ins with familiar characters, from homesteads to goddesses, and everything is wrapped up nicely. I’m not sure if this is the last book in the series, but it’s definitely the end of this particular arc for Rose.
“I can tell you’re trying like hell to be reassuring, and I hope you realize that you’re fucking it up every time you open your mouth.”
“Hey, I’m a psychopomp in service to the Goddess of the Dead,” I say. “Reassuring isn’t in my tool kit.”
Overall, despite the slow pace and multiple detours, this is a fitting end to this part of the story, and I will very much be hoping to see more Ghost Roads books in the future!
I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
December 31, 2021
2-1/2 stars, rounded up because I really liked the first two books in this series; but really, this was more of a 2-star experience for me
This, most likely final, story? Put me off almost the whole way through.
The biggest problem for me was that a huge plot point had happened in a different series (InCryptid) prior to the start of this story, with the result that I never felt quite up to speed, even though a decent overview of what went down was provided.
My second problem was that the first half of this book was a weird combination of a very extended chase scene plus a re-visitation of afterlife denizens and mythology from the previous two books. It didn't add anything to the story or world, and left me chafing very impatiently for something that mattered to happen. It was boring and felt like a retread.
Third, what I previously viewed as wisdom in the first two books started to feel instead like preachiness (a problem I've had with many of this author's Wayward Children books, as well). A number of scenes were interrupted by a PSA/lecture. And even though I agreed with what was said, I found it incredibly annoying, because it didn't usually feel organic to the story, and it threw me right out of the story every time it happened.
Fourth, the atmosphere surrounding this story is just kind of sad, with Rose having relationship issues.
The ending of the book, when it finally dragged itself around to sticking to a plot, was absolutely ingenious and earned it the roundup to 3 stars. But sadly, my reading experience with this book was just not good.
Someday I'll read the InCryptid series, find out what exactly happened with Antimony Price and the crossroads/crossover, and then reread this and see if I like it any better. But for now, my opinion is that was a pretty weak ending for Rose, literarily speaking (since her actual ending is pretty awesome), and this was a dreary 2-star read for me.
Rose Marshall is continuing in her afterlife as hitchhiking ghost, accompanied by Gary, her boyfriend-the-car. Things are in a bit of a rut, but they'd be a darned sight better if Rose wasn't still constantly on the run from her nemesis. Then a directive comes from Apple, queen of the route witches: Get rid of Bobby Cross.I loved the first two installments in Ghost Roads. They were sad, dark, poignant, and wise.
This, most likely final, story? Put me off almost the whole way through.
The biggest problem for me was that a huge plot point had happened in a different series (InCryptid) prior to the start of this story, with the result that I never felt quite up to speed, even though a decent overview of what went down was provided.
My second problem was that the first half of this book was a weird combination of a very extended chase scene plus a re-visitation of afterlife denizens and mythology from the previous two books. It didn't add anything to the story or world, and left me chafing very impatiently for something that mattered to happen. It was boring and felt like a retread.
Third, what I previously viewed as wisdom in the first two books started to feel instead like preachiness (a problem I've had with many of this author's Wayward Children books, as well). A number of scenes were interrupted by a PSA/lecture. And even though I agreed with what was said, I found it incredibly annoying, because it didn't usually feel organic to the story, and it threw me right out of the story every time it happened.
Fourth, the atmosphere surrounding this story is just kind of sad, with Rose having relationship issues.
The ending of the book, when it finally dragged itself around to sticking to a plot, was absolutely ingenious and earned it the roundup to 3 stars. But sadly, my reading experience with this book was just not good.
Someday I'll read the InCryptid series, find out what exactly happened with Antimony Price and the crossroads/crossover, and then reread this and see if I like it any better. But for now, my opinion is that was a pretty weak ending for Rose, literarily speaking (since her actual ending is pretty awesome), and this was a dreary 2-star read for me.
January 3, 2022
I’m an enthusiastic fan of Seanan McGuire’s “Ghost Roads” series. I love the inventiveness of the world, the plot twists, and the ghostly-but-eminently-human narrator, Rose Marshall. A half-century ago, Rose was on her way to her high school prom when she was run down and killed. The driver was teenage heart-throb movie star, Bobby Cross, desperate to ensure his immortality through a crossroads bargain that requires him to keep driving a car that runs on the fuel of human souls. Bobby’s been on Rose’s trail ever since, determined to feed her soul to his car. Meanwhile, Rose’s prom date, having lived a long life regretting her loss, has become a ghostly car that communicates with her through his choice of tunes on his radio. Got all that? Now the crossroads themselves have been destroyed, and the realms of the ghosts have become increasingly unstable. And Bobby’s getting closer.
Rose may be dead, a “hitch-hiking ghost,” but she still retains her compassion and her gift for deep friendships. She’s capable of both growth and self-sacrifice, and her personality shines through the pages.
Absorbing and highly satisfying, Angel of the Overpass lifted my own spirits. I’ll come back to this series again and again.
Rose may be dead, a “hitch-hiking ghost,” but she still retains her compassion and her gift for deep friendships. She’s capable of both growth and self-sacrifice, and her personality shines through the pages.
Absorbing and highly satisfying, Angel of the Overpass lifted my own spirits. I’ll come back to this series again and again.
December 16, 2024
Die Crossroads sind ausgestorben und somit bietet sich endlich die Gelegenheit, Bobby Cross endgültig zu vernichten. Dazu wird ausgerechnet Rose von Apple, der Königin der Routewitches, auserkoren. Als Gegenleistung verlangt Rose, dass Gary, ihr Freund das Auto, seine menschliche Gestalt zurückerhält. Außerdem gibts da noch das Problem, das zwei weitere wichtige Damen vom Straßentod beeinflusst wurden...
Doch Rose wäre nicht Rose, wenn sie nicht unterwegs noch zahlreichen anderen Geistern bei ihren Problemen helfen würde. Wir bekommen also 200 Seiten Mini-Missionen und 100 Seiten epische Abschlussschlacht - inklusive Dinosaurier. Jup.
Also normalerweise lese ich so 60 Seiten pro Stunde. Doch dieser Band ist so klein gedruckt, dass ich in einer Stunde nur 30 Seiten geschafft habe. Das war sehr frustrierend, so ewig für ein nur "300 Seiten" Buch zu brauchen.
Immerhin ist der Abschlusskampf witzig und spannend genug, einen Großteil wieder rauszureißen.
"Anyone who's ever met me is used to me being weird."
~ 16.12.2024
Doch Rose wäre nicht Rose, wenn sie nicht unterwegs noch zahlreichen anderen Geistern bei ihren Problemen helfen würde. Wir bekommen also 200 Seiten Mini-Missionen und 100 Seiten epische Abschlussschlacht - inklusive Dinosaurier. Jup.
Also normalerweise lese ich so 60 Seiten pro Stunde. Doch dieser Band ist so klein gedruckt, dass ich in einer Stunde nur 30 Seiten geschafft habe. Das war sehr frustrierend, so ewig für ein nur "300 Seiten" Buch zu brauchen.
Immerhin ist der Abschlusskampf witzig und spannend genug, einen Großteil wieder rauszureißen.
"Anyone who's ever met me is used to me being weird."
~ 16.12.2024
June 12, 2025
I am giving this book a rating of 3.5 stars
I had a few issues with the finale:
1. Rose remained whiny until the very end, even after her success. She seems to have weakened from the first book to the last, becoming less sympathetic as the series progresses.
2. The confrontation we had all been looking forward to turned out to be painfully anticlimactic. I share Rose's disappointment—events unfolded more through accident and guesswork than by design, which felt quite unsatisfying.
3. We leave the story right after Rose gains new responsibilities. Unfortunately, the series ends just as her afterlife seems on the verge of becoming much more interesting!
On a positive note, we discover the fates of those closest to her, and it seems they will all be happy, especially Mary.
I had a few issues with the finale:
1. Rose remained whiny until the very end, even after her success. She seems to have weakened from the first book to the last, becoming less sympathetic as the series progresses.
2. The confrontation we had all been looking forward to turned out to be painfully anticlimactic. I share Rose's disappointment—events unfolded more through accident and guesswork than by design, which felt quite unsatisfying.
3. We leave the story right after Rose gains new responsibilities. Unfortunately, the series ends just as her afterlife seems on the verge of becoming much more interesting!
On a positive note, we discover the fates of those closest to her, and it seems they will all be happy, especially Mary.
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