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The Ghosts of Rose Hill
A brilliantly original tale for fans of The Bear and the Nightingale and The Hazel Wood about embracing your power, facing your monsters, and loving deeply enough to transcend a century.
Inspired by the author's experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe.
"A must-read for lost souls everywhere." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
Magic will burn you up.
Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez—a biracial Jewish girl—finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents’ desire for her to pursue a more stable career.
When she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt’s cottage, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin’s grave, he introduces her to the enchanted side of Prague, where ghosts walk the streets and their kisses have warmth.
But Benjamin isn't the only one interested in Ilana. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays. He offers to share his magic, so Ilana can be with Benjamin and pursue her passion for violin. But after Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city, she resolves to save the boy she loves, even if it means losing him—forever.
A love letter to Latin American and Jewish diasporas, based on the author's experiences working to maintain Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe. The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a tender and empowering read that you will devour in one sitting. Steeped in history and the experiences of immigrant families, especially Jewish families, each carefully-chosen word of this magical verse novel casts a spell.
A Sydney Taylor Notable Book
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Best YA Book of the Year
A BuzzFeed Best YA Book of the Year
An Indie Next Pick!
Inspired by the author's experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe.
"A must-read for lost souls everywhere." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
Magic will burn you up.
Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez—a biracial Jewish girl—finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents’ desire for her to pursue a more stable career.
When she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt’s cottage, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin’s grave, he introduces her to the enchanted side of Prague, where ghosts walk the streets and their kisses have warmth.
But Benjamin isn't the only one interested in Ilana. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays. He offers to share his magic, so Ilana can be with Benjamin and pursue her passion for violin. But after Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city, she resolves to save the boy she loves, even if it means losing him—forever.
A love letter to Latin American and Jewish diasporas, based on the author's experiences working to maintain Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe. The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a tender and empowering read that you will devour in one sitting. Steeped in history and the experiences of immigrant families, especially Jewish families, each carefully-chosen word of this magical verse novel casts a spell.
A Sydney Taylor Notable Book
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Kirkus Best YA Book of the Year
A BuzzFeed Best YA Book of the Year
An Indie Next Pick!
380 pages, Hardcover
First published May 10, 2022
144 people are currently reading
13101 people want to read
About the author
R.M. Romero
8 books438 followersR. M. Romero is a Jewish Latina and author of fairy tales for children and adults. She lives in Miami Beach with her cat Henry VIII and spends her summers helping to maintain Jewish cemeteries in Poland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 864 reviews
January 13, 2025
Based on my experiences working to maintain Jewish cemeteries in Eastern and Central Europe and the magical realism woven into my Latinx heritage, THE GHOSTS OF ROSE HILL is a love story and modern fairy tale about a living girl and a dead boy who fight for each other and themselves against a monster.
(Content warnings: Antisemitism, child abuse, mentions of child death, kidnapping)
(Content warnings: Antisemitism, child abuse, mentions of child death, kidnapping)
February 20, 2022
Wow, what a gorgeously written and symbolic story. The author's writing is already beautiful, but they really took advantage of the form of the book (poetry). This story has a lovely and fascinating premise, but the highlight is absolutely the author's writing style. I can't recommend this enough.
Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2023
“The Ghosts of Rose Hill”…. Appropriate for Middle Age kids . . .
written in verse,
it’s uniquely brilliantly crafted,
it’s haunting,
atmospheric,
passionate,
mysterious,
there is a little romance,
magical realism,
and folklore . . .
I THOUGHT IT WAS FABULOUS!!!
ANY ADULT interested in reading the "best-book-in-verse" - and or finding a book to read with a middle school child about the affects the Holocaust has left on a family
-- should consider reading this book...its soooo worth the time!!!
Page-turning 'awe'....
Ilana is biracial Jewish/ Latina girl sent away for high school to live with her aunt in Prague and is torn between her dream to be a violinist or her immigrant parents’ dream to have a more stable career.
The stories themselves resolves around a ghost….
(that she meets in a forgotten Jewish cemetery)….
“The bargain is this :
in the fall
I must earn 1300
(or above)
on the SAT
Mom and Dad
see that score as a silver key;
it will grant me access
to the best colleges
the largest scholarships,
the greatest future”.
“But if my score is any lower,
there will be
no more music lessons
or we can outings
until it improves”.
Ilana wanted nothing more than to study music,
play violin,
and be with her friends.
Sarah and Martina, (Ilana’s best friends) were going to the New World School of the Arts —she begged her parents to let her go to the same high school.
“But they refused”.
“Music,
my parents said,
won’t put food on the table.
Music,
they said,
won’t give me the kind of life
they so desperately want
for me”.
“I want to be a violinist, I say
I want to compose.
I want to be surrounded by music
every hour, every day.
But that’s as impossible
as my old wish,
When I was little.
I wanted to be a mermaid”.
“Everyone else my age
sneaks cigarettes,
gulps of wine,
kisses with the wrong person.
My rebellion is different:
I’ve started sneaking songs”.
“Inside the Pinkas Synagogue
(built in 1535)
there are names
in red and black ink”.
“They’re chapter
in the history of my People,
but I can’t read them all.
There are too many—
78,000
victims of the Nazis,
Czechs and Slovaks
murdered, all because
they were Jews”.
“This is what it’s like to be Jewish
in Europe
Every beautiful thing
has horrors buried under it”.
“I’m always walking on bones”.
“You can divide
the whole of the world
into two types of girls:
girls who say yes
and girls who say no.
I am only interested
in girls
who say yes”.
“Girls who say yes
become queens
ruling distant lands.
Songs
about their bravery
and beauty
will fall from the lips
of troubadours
for centuries.
Girls who say no
remain where they are,
stranded in the mud
and in the smallest of their villages.
They marry the baker’s boy,
grow old and coarse.
And when
they finally crumble
beneath the weight of decades,
no one remembers them
for long”.
“I am
the wizard,
the fairy godfather,
the call to adventure
begging the children
to leave home behind
I am
the keeper of enchantment;
I snap my fingers
(fiat lux)
and the light gathers around me
like so many fireflies
Or so it use to be”.
I’ve try to find
more dead children,
their souls stuffed full
of bright wonders
and dreams of tomorrows
they’ll never see.
They fill the hole in me,
as the souls of adults
(their hopes gone stale
with age)
never quite do”.
“But the twenty-first century,
children are more likely
to grow up.
Vaccines,
peace,
simple human kindness
steal
countless
meals from me”.
“Benjamin and I
(the ghost, and the girl)
pause
taking in the full expanse of sky
a dark sea
we try to navigate”.
“I haven’t seen the stars
in so long, Benjamin breathes
(Or as close to it as he can)
I’ve felt so different
since you’ve come to Prague.
I feel like I am more than I was,
more than I’ve been
since ayse was alive”.
“You were always more, I say.
You just had to remember it”.
The themes of family, loyalty, duty, memories, desires and dreams — and the Holocaust —
reflect the flaws of society and humanity!
(antisemitism, etc.)
It can be read in one sitting —
which I did — (a library ebook) — but it would make a wonderful book to read (again) with one’s child.
written in verse,
it’s uniquely brilliantly crafted,
it’s haunting,
atmospheric,
passionate,
mysterious,
there is a little romance,
magical realism,
and folklore . . .
I THOUGHT IT WAS FABULOUS!!!
ANY ADULT interested in reading the "best-book-in-verse" - and or finding a book to read with a middle school child about the affects the Holocaust has left on a family
-- should consider reading this book...its soooo worth the time!!!
Page-turning 'awe'....
Ilana is biracial Jewish/ Latina girl sent away for high school to live with her aunt in Prague and is torn between her dream to be a violinist or her immigrant parents’ dream to have a more stable career.
The stories themselves resolves around a ghost….
(that she meets in a forgotten Jewish cemetery)….
“The bargain is this :
in the fall
I must earn 1300
(or above)
on the SAT
Mom and Dad
see that score as a silver key;
it will grant me access
to the best colleges
the largest scholarships,
the greatest future”.
“But if my score is any lower,
there will be
no more music lessons
or we can outings
until it improves”.
Ilana wanted nothing more than to study music,
play violin,
and be with her friends.
Sarah and Martina, (Ilana’s best friends) were going to the New World School of the Arts —she begged her parents to let her go to the same high school.
“But they refused”.
“Music,
my parents said,
won’t put food on the table.
Music,
they said,
won’t give me the kind of life
they so desperately want
for me”.
“I want to be a violinist, I say
I want to compose.
I want to be surrounded by music
every hour, every day.
But that’s as impossible
as my old wish,
When I was little.
I wanted to be a mermaid”.
“Everyone else my age
sneaks cigarettes,
gulps of wine,
kisses with the wrong person.
My rebellion is different:
I’ve started sneaking songs”.
“Inside the Pinkas Synagogue
(built in 1535)
there are names
in red and black ink”.
“They’re chapter
in the history of my People,
but I can’t read them all.
There are too many—
78,000
victims of the Nazis,
Czechs and Slovaks
murdered, all because
they were Jews”.
“This is what it’s like to be Jewish
in Europe
Every beautiful thing
has horrors buried under it”.
“I’m always walking on bones”.
“You can divide
the whole of the world
into two types of girls:
girls who say yes
and girls who say no.
I am only interested
in girls
who say yes”.
“Girls who say yes
become queens
ruling distant lands.
Songs
about their bravery
and beauty
will fall from the lips
of troubadours
for centuries.
Girls who say no
remain where they are,
stranded in the mud
and in the smallest of their villages.
They marry the baker’s boy,
grow old and coarse.
And when
they finally crumble
beneath the weight of decades,
no one remembers them
for long”.
“I am
the wizard,
the fairy godfather,
the call to adventure
begging the children
to leave home behind
I am
the keeper of enchantment;
I snap my fingers
(fiat lux)
and the light gathers around me
like so many fireflies
Or so it use to be”.
I’ve try to find
more dead children,
their souls stuffed full
of bright wonders
and dreams of tomorrows
they’ll never see.
They fill the hole in me,
as the souls of adults
(their hopes gone stale
with age)
never quite do”.
“But the twenty-first century,
children are more likely
to grow up.
Vaccines,
peace,
simple human kindness
steal
countless
meals from me”.
“Benjamin and I
(the ghost, and the girl)
pause
taking in the full expanse of sky
a dark sea
we try to navigate”.
“I haven’t seen the stars
in so long, Benjamin breathes
(Or as close to it as he can)
I’ve felt so different
since you’ve come to Prague.
I feel like I am more than I was,
more than I’ve been
since ayse was alive”.
“You were always more, I say.
You just had to remember it”.
The themes of family, loyalty, duty, memories, desires and dreams — and the Holocaust —
reflect the flaws of society and humanity!
(antisemitism, etc.)
It can be read in one sitting —
which I did — (a library ebook) — but it would make a wonderful book to read (again) with one’s child.
December 23, 2023
Happy Pub Day! 🌟Top 2022 favourite
Thank you, Peacetree, for the advance reading copy.
You have no idea how precious this book is to me starting now!
The book definitely made its way to my top favourite of the year even before it's officially out for the world. I feel really glad and grateful to have read this book at the beginning of the year.
The verse and the choice of words have cast a perfect spell on me. I was rooting for our character the moment I started reading the first verse and I felt so deeply connected to her thoughts ever since.
I could relate to the character so much!
Parents looking forward for you to become someone respectable in the society by becoming someone within the limited spectrum of work/service; you believing yourself to be someone solitary and insecure as you are being shielded from the outside world most of your life; you blossom into someone much more than anyone could ever expect of you when you learn to explore the world outside of your comfort zone; you owning up to your emotions and feelings seeing it's the best way possible even when it hurts you and makes you afraid.
The book is powerful. You will know when you are lost in it. The way it's been written and told; the plot and the characters; each has the right to make you feel it's just the perfect book you have been looking for the entire time.
The story will make you believe. It will make you believe in making things happen which you never thought possible.
I love the concept. I love the presentation. I love the ending.
So worth it.
Thank you, Peacetree, for the advance reading copy.
You have no idea how precious this book is to me starting now!
The book definitely made its way to my top favourite of the year even before it's officially out for the world. I feel really glad and grateful to have read this book at the beginning of the year.
The verse and the choice of words have cast a perfect spell on me. I was rooting for our character the moment I started reading the first verse and I felt so deeply connected to her thoughts ever since.
I could relate to the character so much!
Parents looking forward for you to become someone respectable in the society by becoming someone within the limited spectrum of work/service; you believing yourself to be someone solitary and insecure as you are being shielded from the outside world most of your life; you blossom into someone much more than anyone could ever expect of you when you learn to explore the world outside of your comfort zone; you owning up to your emotions and feelings seeing it's the best way possible even when it hurts you and makes you afraid.
The book is powerful. You will know when you are lost in it. The way it's been written and told; the plot and the characters; each has the right to make you feel it's just the perfect book you have been looking for the entire time.
The story will make you believe. It will make you believe in making things happen which you never thought possible.
I love the concept. I love the presentation. I love the ending.
So worth it.
February 16, 2022
It's a pretty good read. Written in prose which was a first for me and I'm not disappointed. The pace of the story is quite fast and entertaining. Am not into ghost reads so that was a first as well.
I really admired how the author brought out the struggles of immigrant families, especially Jewish families and the dark history of Nazi occupied Prague. It's heavy stuff but it's the reality. There were so many emotions behind each and every word it just pulls you into the story right away. It's just beautifully written. Kudos to the author.
The only thing I had a problem dealing with was romancing a ghost. It honestly weirded me out, especially during the make out scenes. I could not visualise it without feeling icky. But at the same time, I understand why it was vital to the story. I'm not saying I liked it, I'm saying I understand.
Overall, it's a pretty good read. Would recommend it.
eARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
I really admired how the author brought out the struggles of immigrant families, especially Jewish families and the dark history of Nazi occupied Prague. It's heavy stuff but it's the reality. There were so many emotions behind each and every word it just pulls you into the story right away. It's just beautifully written. Kudos to the author.
The only thing I had a problem dealing with was romancing a ghost. It honestly weirded me out, especially during the make out scenes. I could not visualise it without feeling icky. But at the same time, I understand why it was vital to the story. I'm not saying I liked it, I'm saying I understand.
Overall, it's a pretty good read. Would recommend it.
eARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
May 16, 2022
i’ve not read many books where it’s done in verse style, so that was really refreshing to see. the writing was also beautiful, and it spoke to me in ways i can’t even describe using the words in any of my spoken languages. it was steadily paced throughout, but i feel like the last few chapters were a bit rushed. however, the ending itself tied off any loose bits of thread and it really shaped it into getting a 5 stars out of me. overall, if you’re after something that makes you feel like you’re floating on a river, dreaming of what your life could be, then this is definitely a book that you should at least consider checking out. big thanks to netgalley and peachtree teen for the arc!
playlist for this book ;
• see you later - jenna raine
• dancing with your ghost - sasha alex sloan
• favourite crime - olivia rodrigo
• idk you yet - alexander 23
• nothing - bruno major
• back to december - taylor swift
• enough - lucy
• mean - taylor swift
• can’t control myself - taeyeon
• empathy will be the death of me - emlyn
• memoria - gfriend
• betty - taylor swift
• sticky - the maine
• ivy - taylor swift
• still sane - lorde
• angel baby - troye sivan
• numb without you - the maine
• hate me - blue october
• bury a friend - billie eilish
• you don’t own me - lesley gore
triggers for this book ;
antisemitism
the holocaust (mentioned)
verbal abuse
sexual harassment
death (mentioned)
child death
child abuse
kidnapping
representation in this book ;
biracial jewish mc
jewish side characters
tropes ;
inst-love
stockholm love
paranormal romance
playlist for this book ;
• see you later - jenna raine
• dancing with your ghost - sasha alex sloan
• favourite crime - olivia rodrigo
• idk you yet - alexander 23
• nothing - bruno major
• back to december - taylor swift
• enough - lucy
• mean - taylor swift
• can’t control myself - taeyeon
• empathy will be the death of me - emlyn
• memoria - gfriend
• betty - taylor swift
• sticky - the maine
• ivy - taylor swift
• still sane - lorde
• angel baby - troye sivan
• numb without you - the maine
• hate me - blue october
• bury a friend - billie eilish
• you don’t own me - lesley gore
triggers for this book ;
antisemitism
the holocaust (mentioned)
verbal abuse
sexual harassment
death (mentioned)
child death
child abuse
kidnapping
representation in this book ;
biracial jewish mc
jewish side characters
tropes ;
inst-love
stockholm love
paranormal romance
Read
July 25, 2022This great novel, written in verse, explores the theme of finding one's place in the world, a situation with which Ilana Lopez, a bi-racial Jewish teen is more than familiar, as she tries to explain her love of music and her wish to make this her career. Her parents send her to Prague for the summer, hoping that the change of venue will help her concentrate on preparing for the SAT and convince her that going to college is the right path for her future. Instead, Ilana encounters a forgotten Jewish cemetery and the ghost of a young man, leading her on a magical and dangerous adventure.
--Louisa A.
--Louisa A.
January 23, 2023
The best verse novel I've read to date. Generally I'm disappointed by verse novels, at least in YA, because they mostly read to me like truncated prose, and not very lyrical prose at that. Romero, however, excels in the format and brings to life Prague, both historical and contemporary, steeped in magical realism, ghosts, folktales (Jewish and Slavic), and myths. I loved her highlighting the plight of neglected or desecrated Jewish graves. In fact, the main character, a young biracial Jewish girl named Ilana, decides to restore one the summer she spends with her artist aunt. Romero also manages to weave in music and art and the power of knowing one's self worth and using art to conquer darkness. Simply gorgeous verse/poetry/prose, whatever you want to call it. Adults will enjoy this as well.
May 23, 2022
4/5 stars, a powerful poetry collection
Thank you Peach Tree Teen for the arc through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
It is always such a wonderful feeling to know that you hold a poetry book in your hand, that the author may be more honest than they ever could with just a novel. Knowing that the author will write between the lines with nuanced phrases, reveal pieces of themselves so delicately you cannot help but feel connected to them. That was definitely the case with this book, I do not think that the feelings this book kindled in me would have been in the same way had this been a regular written novel.
The most important piece of this story to me was how the main character, and narrator, Illana was a child of immigrant parents and every piece of her story made that very apparent. She continuously talked about how her parents were people from across the sea, and her family was from all the world. Her family is both latin-american and jewish, something that affects her in many ways as she goes throughout the story. I loved seeing this representation as it was critical to both the plot and the growth seen in the main character.
Other themes that I felt were important include innocent and childhood as well as the ability to know yourself, and know what is best for you even when others don't. There is such an innocence that is often centered around childhood in literature, and this book did a nice job of peeling that back. I also enjoyed how Illana knew what she wanted to do, even when others told her it wasn't good enough. She was confident in her abilities and that never changed, even when she did.
In the beginning, the story was a bit hard to get into and likewise a tad bit slow. It wasn't until Illana met Benjmin, a mysterious boy who appears in the cemetery she is trying to clean, that the story really began to pick up. From there the reader is introduced to a handful of other characters that are very important in the story. After that the story had an interesting plotline, and it went somewhere that I was not expecting which was a pleasant surprise.
While the romance in this was sweet, the love between Illana and Benjamin sometimes felt superficial, like it was there just for the story to take place. I think if Benjamin had been introduced earlier the romance would have felt better built-up. I still think the connection they had was important. Overall it was a fun story and I really enjoyed the poetry and how it was used, and I will definitely be looking into other books by the author.
[TW: war themes, murder (mentioned), immigration, manipulation, genocide (mentioned), kidnapping, death of loved ones and self, child abuse]
Thank you Peach Tree Teen for the arc through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
It is always such a wonderful feeling to know that you hold a poetry book in your hand, that the author may be more honest than they ever could with just a novel. Knowing that the author will write between the lines with nuanced phrases, reveal pieces of themselves so delicately you cannot help but feel connected to them. That was definitely the case with this book, I do not think that the feelings this book kindled in me would have been in the same way had this been a regular written novel.
The most important piece of this story to me was how the main character, and narrator, Illana was a child of immigrant parents and every piece of her story made that very apparent. She continuously talked about how her parents were people from across the sea, and her family was from all the world. Her family is both latin-american and jewish, something that affects her in many ways as she goes throughout the story. I loved seeing this representation as it was critical to both the plot and the growth seen in the main character.
Other themes that I felt were important include innocent and childhood as well as the ability to know yourself, and know what is best for you even when others don't. There is such an innocence that is often centered around childhood in literature, and this book did a nice job of peeling that back. I also enjoyed how Illana knew what she wanted to do, even when others told her it wasn't good enough. She was confident in her abilities and that never changed, even when she did.
In the beginning, the story was a bit hard to get into and likewise a tad bit slow. It wasn't until Illana met Benjmin, a mysterious boy who appears in the cemetery she is trying to clean, that the story really began to pick up. From there the reader is introduced to a handful of other characters that are very important in the story. After that the story had an interesting plotline, and it went somewhere that I was not expecting which was a pleasant surprise.
While the romance in this was sweet, the love between Illana and Benjamin sometimes felt superficial, like it was there just for the story to take place. I think if Benjamin had been introduced earlier the romance would have felt better built-up. I still think the connection they had was important. Overall it was a fun story and I really enjoyed the poetry and how it was used, and I will definitely be looking into other books by the author.
[TW: war themes, murder (mentioned), immigration, manipulation, genocide (mentioned), kidnapping, death of loved ones and self, child abuse]
September 20, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! Written in verse, this story follows a teenage girl sent to stay with her aunt in Prague. This book features a biracial Jewish MC as she navigates her desire to pursue a career in music vs the career path envisioned for her by her parents. In this coming of age story, she meets the ghost of a young man in a forgotten Jewish cemetery and encounters some dark magic as she works to save him.
I read this book in one sitting! Not only was it a quick read (especially with it written in verse), but I also just couldn't put it down. While this book is considered YA, I think it would appeal to adults as well.
I read this book in one sitting! Not only was it a quick read (especially with it written in verse), but I also just couldn't put it down. While this book is considered YA, I think it would appeal to adults as well.
May 20, 2024
This is what it’s like to be Jewish
in Europe.
Every beautiful thing
has horror buried under it.
I’m always walking on bones.
a melancholic but moving story about a young latina jewish girl who spends her summer in a ghost story. i was impressed by how even through verse prose, r.m. romero was able to cover a variety of themes, from the frustrations of adolescence, the fears and tribulations of immigrant families, the despair of post-wwii europe for european jews, and horrors of legends.
This is a cemetery,
I realize.
And I don’t think anyone remembers
it’s here.
Anyone
except
for
me.
romero moves seamlessly between moments of discovery, sorrow, isolation, and even joy. her writing paints a vivid scene and imbues much personality into our protagonist, ilana.
Having a ghost
is like having a cat.
They wander where they like
and won’t come
when you call.
Prague believes in magic.
Prague believes in itself.
(I wish
I could be more like Prague.)
this was my first book from romero and i was quite impressed. there is a whimsical is eerie feel to her stories that i enjoyed and look forward to reading more of.
Because that’s the other part
of being a Jew in Europe—
each step I take
is in defiance of everyone
who didn’t want me here.
The final girl survives
because she can be
just as ruthless
as the monster
who wants
to destroy her.
in Europe.
Every beautiful thing
has horror buried under it.
I’m always walking on bones.
a melancholic but moving story about a young latina jewish girl who spends her summer in a ghost story. i was impressed by how even through verse prose, r.m. romero was able to cover a variety of themes, from the frustrations of adolescence, the fears and tribulations of immigrant families, the despair of post-wwii europe for european jews, and horrors of legends.
This is a cemetery,
I realize.
And I don’t think anyone remembers
it’s here.
Anyone
except
for
me.
romero moves seamlessly between moments of discovery, sorrow, isolation, and even joy. her writing paints a vivid scene and imbues much personality into our protagonist, ilana.
Having a ghost
is like having a cat.
They wander where they like
and won’t come
when you call.
Prague believes in magic.
Prague believes in itself.
(I wish
I could be more like Prague.)
this was my first book from romero and i was quite impressed. there is a whimsical is eerie feel to her stories that i enjoyed and look forward to reading more of.
Because that’s the other part
of being a Jew in Europe—
each step I take
is in defiance of everyone
who didn’t want me here.
The final girl survives
because she can be
just as ruthless
as the monster
who wants
to destroy her.
February 24, 2022
"And the most impressive monsters,
are always the least impressive men."
I don't even know where to start with this review. There is always something so hard about writing reviews on books you absolutely loved. And I am in such a predicament right now.
This book follows Ilana, a biracial Jewish girl, who goes to Prague for the summer. She goes to visit her aunt, the city where her father was born, and the city he doesn't want to return to. Both of her parents moved to the US to escape the oppressive regimes of their countries, her dad left Prague, her mom left Cuba. Ilana wants to pursue music, she plays the violin and that's what she sees in her future. Her parents, however, want her to choose something different, something practical. She travels to Prague, to stay with her aunt Žofie, to study without distractions. Her parents are right, Prague gives Ilana a new outlook on life, but perhaps not the one they hoped for.
The book is written in verse, and while I don't often read in this format I immensely enjoyed it. This book feels magical and lyrical and this way of writing brought so much more emotion to this story. Throughout the whole book, I was astonished by how the author managed to pack emotion into every single line. This book breathes with history and balances the understanding of the utmost sorrow of history preceding you and the fire of wanting to be alive.
I loved Ilana as the main character, she seemed so real to me reading this novel. This book deals quite a lot with her trying to balance quite a lot of difficult stuff. She is trying to figure out who she is, and find her own identity amidst her very complex family history. She is stuck between wanting to please her parents and wanting to be true to herself. Wanting for once not to be careful, but to be selfish. When she comes to Prague she seems somewhat lost, and by the end of the novel she has grown so much, she is more sure of who she is.
While cleaning the cemetery, Ilana meets the ghost of a kind-hearted boy Benjamin. Careful at first, the two of them strike a friendship and wish they were two regular teenagers at the same stage of life. Benjamin tells Ilana about Prague's history but is hesitant to talk about himself and why he is still here. Ilana also becomes acquainted with Rudolph Wasserman, a seemingly normal man - but without a shadow. He encourages her love of music, but she realizes there is something sinister surrounding him and the other ghost-children she meets through him and Benjamin.
While Prague holds her personal family history, it also holds a more sinister history (and present) that Ilana uncovers accidentally. Behind her aunt's house, she finds an abandoned Jewish cemetery, it's been forgotten by everyone and Ilana comes back every day to clean it and restore it. I loved this aspect of the book - because the way she goes about it is with so much love and so much genuine sorrow for the people buried and essentially forgotten by the world. The book deals quite a bit with the topics of atrocities dealt upon Jewish people in Prague (and Europe in general) during the second world war, but also after. Such as the horrifying fact of using headstones from a Jewish cemetery as cobblestones after the war ended.
I loved how this book incorporated different aspects of Ilana's heritage, how it mixed her Jewish identity with the Slavic mythology ingrained in Prague. I also loved the relationship Ilana develops with her aunt, Žofie. Žofie gives her some much-needed space, but still provides advice and is a trusted parental figure. She is also an artist, so she understands Ilana's urge to create. I loved the mutual respect they have for each other - her aunt realizing how important the cemetery is to her and giving her the space to take care of it.
This book deals with the topic of men who are monsters, and of personal strength needed to confront them. When Ilana uncovers the monstrous nature of Wasserman, and his mistreatment (and that is saying it very lightly) of the ghost-children under his "protection", she puts all of her purpose, all of her force into doing the right thing and helping them. I was in awe by how strong she was, how full of passion, and how unyielding.
Just like Ilana, this book is passion, it tells the story of endurance. I loved reading about Ilana's journey of discovering herself, her history, her strength, and most importantly, what she finds important and worth fighting for even against all odds. I cried several times while reading this book, it got me feeling very emotional. I would highly recommend this book, but be aware that it is dealing with difficult topics which I discussed in this review.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
are always the least impressive men."
I don't even know where to start with this review. There is always something so hard about writing reviews on books you absolutely loved. And I am in such a predicament right now.
This book follows Ilana, a biracial Jewish girl, who goes to Prague for the summer. She goes to visit her aunt, the city where her father was born, and the city he doesn't want to return to. Both of her parents moved to the US to escape the oppressive regimes of their countries, her dad left Prague, her mom left Cuba. Ilana wants to pursue music, she plays the violin and that's what she sees in her future. Her parents, however, want her to choose something different, something practical. She travels to Prague, to stay with her aunt Žofie, to study without distractions. Her parents are right, Prague gives Ilana a new outlook on life, but perhaps not the one they hoped for.
The book is written in verse, and while I don't often read in this format I immensely enjoyed it. This book feels magical and lyrical and this way of writing brought so much more emotion to this story. Throughout the whole book, I was astonished by how the author managed to pack emotion into every single line. This book breathes with history and balances the understanding of the utmost sorrow of history preceding you and the fire of wanting to be alive.
I loved Ilana as the main character, she seemed so real to me reading this novel. This book deals quite a lot with her trying to balance quite a lot of difficult stuff. She is trying to figure out who she is, and find her own identity amidst her very complex family history. She is stuck between wanting to please her parents and wanting to be true to herself. Wanting for once not to be careful, but to be selfish. When she comes to Prague she seems somewhat lost, and by the end of the novel she has grown so much, she is more sure of who she is.
While cleaning the cemetery, Ilana meets the ghost of a kind-hearted boy Benjamin. Careful at first, the two of them strike a friendship and wish they were two regular teenagers at the same stage of life. Benjamin tells Ilana about Prague's history but is hesitant to talk about himself and why he is still here. Ilana also becomes acquainted with Rudolph Wasserman, a seemingly normal man - but without a shadow. He encourages her love of music, but she realizes there is something sinister surrounding him and the other ghost-children she meets through him and Benjamin.
While Prague holds her personal family history, it also holds a more sinister history (and present) that Ilana uncovers accidentally. Behind her aunt's house, she finds an abandoned Jewish cemetery, it's been forgotten by everyone and Ilana comes back every day to clean it and restore it. I loved this aspect of the book - because the way she goes about it is with so much love and so much genuine sorrow for the people buried and essentially forgotten by the world. The book deals quite a bit with the topics of atrocities dealt upon Jewish people in Prague (and Europe in general) during the second world war, but also after. Such as the horrifying fact of using headstones from a Jewish cemetery as cobblestones after the war ended.
I loved how this book incorporated different aspects of Ilana's heritage, how it mixed her Jewish identity with the Slavic mythology ingrained in Prague. I also loved the relationship Ilana develops with her aunt, Žofie. Žofie gives her some much-needed space, but still provides advice and is a trusted parental figure. She is also an artist, so she understands Ilana's urge to create. I loved the mutual respect they have for each other - her aunt realizing how important the cemetery is to her and giving her the space to take care of it.
This book deals with the topic of men who are monsters, and of personal strength needed to confront them. When Ilana uncovers the monstrous nature of Wasserman, and his mistreatment (and that is saying it very lightly) of the ghost-children under his "protection", she puts all of her purpose, all of her force into doing the right thing and helping them. I was in awe by how strong she was, how full of passion, and how unyielding.
Just like Ilana, this book is passion, it tells the story of endurance. I loved reading about Ilana's journey of discovering herself, her history, her strength, and most importantly, what she finds important and worth fighting for even against all odds. I cried several times while reading this book, it got me feeling very emotional. I would highly recommend this book, but be aware that it is dealing with difficult topics which I discussed in this review.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley & Peachtree Teen for an eARC of this book. The following review is my honest reflection on the text provided.
Beautifully written and incredibly touching, The Ghosts of Rose Hill urges us to remember our history while we fight for our future.
"This is what it's like to be Jewish
in Europe.
Every beautiful thing
has horror buried under it.
"It must be hard
to recall how to be alive
when you've been mist and memory
for years."
I was hesitant going into an entire novel written in verse prose, but it only added to the beauty of this story. Ilana is a thoughtful and intelligent teenager, respectful of her history and her parent's expectations. However, she's torn between fulfilling these expectations and pursuing a future in music and being in Prague - a magical city between worlds - makes this decision even more difficult. Falling in love with a ghost is never a great idea, but in Prague, anything is possible.
"Maybe sixteen is a curse,
a time when everyone is stuck
between being a child
and being something else."
It is so much easier to write reviews about books with issues, but trying to find the words to convey what you love about an absolute masterpiece is difficult. The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a powerful story of good versus evil, of remembering and respecting our collective history, and of fighting for what you believe in. Filled with folklore and magic, I could not recommend this book more highly.
"And the most impressive monsters
are always the least impressive men."
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
Beautifully written and incredibly touching, The Ghosts of Rose Hill urges us to remember our history while we fight for our future.
"This is what it's like to be Jewish
in Europe.
Every beautiful thing
has horror buried under it.
I'm always walking on bones"The daughter of refugees, Ilana returns to her father's homeland to find herself. Her parents want her to study, to prepare for university and her future. Ilana knows she will have to abandon her love of music to be the dutiful daughter they expect and deserve. Surrounded by her history in Prague, the boundary between worlds is thin, and magic is everywhere. Ilana spends her time clearing an abandoned Jewish cemetery and getting to know Benjamin, the friendly neighbourhood ghost.
"It must be hard
to recall how to be alive
when you've been mist and memory
for years."
I was hesitant going into an entire novel written in verse prose, but it only added to the beauty of this story. Ilana is a thoughtful and intelligent teenager, respectful of her history and her parent's expectations. However, she's torn between fulfilling these expectations and pursuing a future in music and being in Prague - a magical city between worlds - makes this decision even more difficult. Falling in love with a ghost is never a great idea, but in Prague, anything is possible.
"Maybe sixteen is a curse,
a time when everyone is stuck
between being a child
and being something else."
It is so much easier to write reviews about books with issues, but trying to find the words to convey what you love about an absolute masterpiece is difficult. The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a powerful story of good versus evil, of remembering and respecting our collective history, and of fighting for what you believe in. Filled with folklore and magic, I could not recommend this book more highly.
"And the most impressive monsters
are always the least impressive men."
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
Amazon | Blog | Bookstagram | Reddit
August 1, 2023
4.5*
The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a strange, dark and magical tale with a captivating luminosity, about a teenaged American girl who spends the summer with a relative in Prague. At first, Ilana feels resentful at being uprooted from all the fun her friends are having back home, but then she makes the acquaintance of a troubled ghost - a boy her own age from the city's past. With Benjamin by her side, she discovers an enchanted story, and in the process comes to terms with her own biracial identity and learns the importance of following her own passions, despite parental pressure to the contrary.
R.M. Romero's verse prose is beautiful and engrossing, and this story had me hooked from the start. The historical and cultural content of the novel is fascinating, and the book will prove an inspiring read for both YA and adult readers with its themes of cultural identity, self-fulfilment and discovery.
Thanks to the author, R.M. Romero, publisher Peachtree / Peachtree Teen and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this magical title.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a strange, dark and magical tale with a captivating luminosity, about a teenaged American girl who spends the summer with a relative in Prague. At first, Ilana feels resentful at being uprooted from all the fun her friends are having back home, but then she makes the acquaintance of a troubled ghost - a boy her own age from the city's past. With Benjamin by her side, she discovers an enchanted story, and in the process comes to terms with her own biracial identity and learns the importance of following her own passions, despite parental pressure to the contrary.
R.M. Romero's verse prose is beautiful and engrossing, and this story had me hooked from the start. The historical and cultural content of the novel is fascinating, and the book will prove an inspiring read for both YA and adult readers with its themes of cultural identity, self-fulfilment and discovery.
Thanks to the author, R.M. Romero, publisher Peachtree / Peachtree Teen and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review this magical title.
Read
April 7, 2023I’m made up of even/older tales then [he] can imagine./My People/left Egypt,/traveled to the land/of milk and honey,/were banished/to the wilds/of Babylon,/Germany,/Poland/a thousand years/before the Grimms/set their stories/down on paper.
My peoples tale/is as old as time./And it is strong.
…We will always/outlive/you.
Told in verse, this Jewish fairytale meets ghostly love story paints a startlingly familiar picture of a girl tangled in the roots of her family’s expectations while longing for a life of her own making, one full of music and magic.
When Ilana–a Jewish, Latina teen–is sent away to Prague for a summer by her parents under the command to study and prepare for a steady future ahead, she stumbles upon a Jewish cemetery at the top of a hill overgrown with weeds and time. But as Ilana spends more of her summer and devotes more of her heart to restoring the memories of the dead, something else, far more ancient and far more hungry, comes calling.
So many of us who have grown up with the generational trauma of ancestors who have had to run and hide and stick to the straight and narrow to survive are currently going through a revolution of our own. A revolution that demands a breaking of cycles. Asking us to trace back the paths our families took, asking us to bear witness, asking us to heal, and asking us to fight. This book is not just about fulfilling the past, but releasing it, in order to move onward without strings.
The interwoven nature of fairytales to fear and to cling to the past is properly saturated throughout the narrative. Romero turns Prague into a mystical realm of ghosts and monsters and magical instruments, reminding the audience that places are like stories themselves, and that nothing can be owned, only experienced and loved.
Throughout the story, our main character takes on the role of a fairytale heroine, at times narratively transforming into Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Wendy Darling, and even Orpheus, showing how her footsteps follow not only her family’s personal past, but the shadows of all the girls, dreamers, and musicians that find themselves at the center of a fable, confronting a monster of many faces.
Though at times, the style of verse felt rhythmically repetitive (I still wish the meter was longer in certain increments), I do feel it overall aided the story, adding a timeless and elegant quality to it. And especially since the language of the story’s parts reference Ilana’s musical passions, the lyrical aspect helped to steep the whole work with a musicality.
Definitely a beautiful and dreamy work, and one that has put R.M. Romero on my list of authors to watch.
CW: death, child death, grief, generational trauma, grooming, kidnapping, physical abuse, nonconsensual kiss, genocide/war (past), drowning, illness, starvation (mention)
My peoples tale/is as old as time./And it is strong.
…We will always/outlive/you.
Told in verse, this Jewish fairytale meets ghostly love story paints a startlingly familiar picture of a girl tangled in the roots of her family’s expectations while longing for a life of her own making, one full of music and magic.
When Ilana–a Jewish, Latina teen–is sent away to Prague for a summer by her parents under the command to study and prepare for a steady future ahead, she stumbles upon a Jewish cemetery at the top of a hill overgrown with weeds and time. But as Ilana spends more of her summer and devotes more of her heart to restoring the memories of the dead, something else, far more ancient and far more hungry, comes calling.
So many of us who have grown up with the generational trauma of ancestors who have had to run and hide and stick to the straight and narrow to survive are currently going through a revolution of our own. A revolution that demands a breaking of cycles. Asking us to trace back the paths our families took, asking us to bear witness, asking us to heal, and asking us to fight. This book is not just about fulfilling the past, but releasing it, in order to move onward without strings.
The interwoven nature of fairytales to fear and to cling to the past is properly saturated throughout the narrative. Romero turns Prague into a mystical realm of ghosts and monsters and magical instruments, reminding the audience that places are like stories themselves, and that nothing can be owned, only experienced and loved.
Throughout the story, our main character takes on the role of a fairytale heroine, at times narratively transforming into Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Wendy Darling, and even Orpheus, showing how her footsteps follow not only her family’s personal past, but the shadows of all the girls, dreamers, and musicians that find themselves at the center of a fable, confronting a monster of many faces.
Though at times, the style of verse felt rhythmically repetitive (I still wish the meter was longer in certain increments), I do feel it overall aided the story, adding a timeless and elegant quality to it. And especially since the language of the story’s parts reference Ilana’s musical passions, the lyrical aspect helped to steep the whole work with a musicality.
Definitely a beautiful and dreamy work, and one that has put R.M. Romero on my list of authors to watch.
CW: death, child death, grief, generational trauma, grooming, kidnapping, physical abuse, nonconsensual kiss, genocide/war (past), drowning, illness, starvation (mention)
June 26, 2022
Another one
Of those vese novels
Where the only thing
that makes it a verse novel
Is that they split up the words
Down the pages
Not terrible but not particularly stunning either. The story itself was cool and the writing was nice to read just not good as a verse novel.
Of those vese novels
Where the only thing
that makes it a verse novel
Is that they split up the words
Down the pages
Not terrible but not particularly stunning either. The story itself was cool and the writing was nice to read just not good as a verse novel.
June 7, 2022
Wow, what a beautiful, melancholic story. The author achieves a lot in a short book and I want to hear more about old Jewish cemeteries and religious practices.
May 12, 2022
POETIC. MAGICAL. HEARTFELT.
The Ghost of Rose Hill is one of the books I picked up because of the cover art and no regrets cause I'm telling you, the storyline, the writing style, the character development, the cultural representation, and everything else about this book is truly captivating as the cover!
The lines are also breathtaking. As the editor said, "Crack the book open and you will see how seemingly every line hits like a punch to your feelings."
Here are some of my faves:
🌸 "They say the final girl is the last one standing because she's pure. But they're wrong. The final girl survives because she can be just as ruthless as the monster who wants to destroy her."
🌸 "And the most impressive monsters are always the least impressive men.
That's all, not gonna spoil much cause you have to experience it yourself.
Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Ghost of Rose Hill is one of the books I picked up because of the cover art and no regrets cause I'm telling you, the storyline, the writing style, the character development, the cultural representation, and everything else about this book is truly captivating as the cover!
The lines are also breathtaking. As the editor said, "Crack the book open and you will see how seemingly every line hits like a punch to your feelings."
Here are some of my faves:
🌸 "They say the final girl is the last one standing because she's pure. But they're wrong. The final girl survives because she can be just as ruthless as the monster who wants to destroy her."
🌸 "And the most impressive monsters are always the least impressive men.
That's all, not gonna spoil much cause you have to experience it yourself.
Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 29, 2022
I DNF’d this book twice before I ended up finishing it.
I had high hopes for this one. It’s a novel-in-verse which promised magic, folklore, and atmosphere, but it didn’t end up doing anything special for me. I found the main character to be annoying and I couldn’t really connect with her.
I don’t really understand why this was written as a novel-in-verse because to me, it lacked the rhythm and imagery that makes the style pop. It didn’t do anything special in terms of description and that left me wanting.
The only reason I gave this two stars instead of one was because I liked the exploration of Jewish folklore and culture, and I liked Benjamin a little. Other than that, the villain felt cartoonish, all the other side characters were one-dimensional, and so was the main character herself.
I had high hopes for this one. It’s a novel-in-verse which promised magic, folklore, and atmosphere, but it didn’t end up doing anything special for me. I found the main character to be annoying and I couldn’t really connect with her.
I don’t really understand why this was written as a novel-in-verse because to me, it lacked the rhythm and imagery that makes the style pop. It didn’t do anything special in terms of description and that left me wanting.
The only reason I gave this two stars instead of one was because I liked the exploration of Jewish folklore and culture, and I liked Benjamin a little. Other than that, the villain felt cartoonish, all the other side characters were one-dimensional, and so was the main character herself.
May 8, 2024
CW: child death, kidnapping, (references) war, (references) genocide, (references) the Shoah
I loved the plot, but I'm still not sure novels in verse are quite my thing.
I loved the plot, but I'm still not sure novels in verse are quite my thing.
February 8, 2024
It's not a light read, because of the discussion of generational trauma related to both being Jewish and immigrants, as well as for having a monster that preys on kids. But it was beautifully written and also poetic in a way that makes you feel exactly all the magic of the city and the story itself.
I promise I’m not one of those adults that complain when books for teens read as books for teens— I knew this was a young adult book, but it felt younger than I thought it would be. I think it’s probably because the main character is very naive and trusting (she's in a city she doesn't know, in a country she doesn't know, walking around alone, she meets a creepy man and just trusts him with no question asked?), and because even though the story takes place over a lot of days, it’s written in a fast paced way that makes the romantic storyline feel more insta love or superficial than it’s supposed to be.
Content Warnings: death, antisemitism, genocide, war, violence, child abuse, sexual assault, kidnapping/man tricking kids into going home with him, confinement.
I promise I’m not one of those adults that complain when books for teens read as books for teens— I knew this was a young adult book, but it felt younger than I thought it would be. I think it’s probably because the main character is very naive and trusting (
Content Warnings: death, antisemitism, genocide, war, violence, child abuse, sexual assault, kidnapping/man tricking kids into going home with him, confinement.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2021
Filled with lush descriptions and soulful emotion, THE GHOSTS OF ROSE HILL doesn't shy away from delving into the darker side of Prague's history under the Nazi occupation and the Soviet regime. Readers will find themselves captivated by Romero's lyrical prose as they venture with Ilana through Prague's cobblestone streets, confronting both humankind's capacity for cruelty and the voracious appetite of a creature far stranger. With its atmospheric blend of Jewish history and Czech folklore, THE GHOSTS OF ROSE HILL lingered with me long after reaching the final page.
March 22, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I'm not going to lie, I was initially drawn in by The Ghosts of Rose Hill because of its pretty cover art and the premise of the story- 16-year-old Ilana gets sent away from her friends and home in Miami to stay with her aunt in Prague for the summer by her strict parents in an attempt by them to help her get her life together before her senior year of high school. They don't believe that her future should have her one true passion in it-music and the violin-and believes she should focus on studying for the SATs so she can have a stable career in medicine, law, or engineering.
When she arrives in Prague, she notices an unkept graveyard by her aunt's house and with hesitation, her aunt allows her to repair and restore it during the summer. Ilana also meets Wassermann, a mysterious man who understands her passion for the violin, and Benjamin, a ghost of a 16-year-old boy who died in 1918, who frequents the graveyard.
I was initially hesitant to start reading because the book was in prose. It's something that's definitely out of my comfort zone and I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading. However, I was surprised how quickly I read it once I had the time to- I read about 85% of the book in about an hour or two which has got to be some sort of personal record. I will admit that the book was slow to start at first but started to pick up when she met Benjamin and they got to know each other more. It was easy to get sucked into the story and the prose and not think about how many pages left in the story you had to go to finish it.
As the daughter of immigrant parents as well, I could also relate to Ilana's struggle about wanting to pursue something you love over something your parents want you to do for the sake of your future. I suppose it's something that a lot of children of immigrant parents experience because they don't want their children to struggle like they did growing up so they're harder on their children in terms of wanting them to succeed and do well (although I'm not saying kids who don't have immigrant parents don't go through the same thing either; I'm just speaking from my own experiences!).
The only thing I would change about the book (other than the slow start) is that that we didn't hear much about what it meant to Ilana to be both Latina and Jewish. Her mom's side of the family is Cuban and the only thing we know about that is that her mom left Cuba to escape the dictatorship there. We hear a lot more about her father's side of the family because the story takes place in Prague, where his side of the family is from, and Ilana talks about Jewish traditions, prayers, and the Hebrew language a lot. I wouldn't have even known that Ilana was Latina if the synopsis of the book didn't say so and since her mom was mentioned a few times throughout the story.
Also another weird thing I kept thinking about (and it's such a small, miniscule thing that didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the story but I chuckle a little when I think about it) is
Overall, it was a very lovely story and I'm glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave this book a chance!
--
4 stars
Trigger warnings/content warnings:
I'm not going to lie, I was initially drawn in by The Ghosts of Rose Hill because of its pretty cover art and the premise of the story- 16-year-old Ilana gets sent away from her friends and home in Miami to stay with her aunt in Prague for the summer by her strict parents in an attempt by them to help her get her life together before her senior year of high school. They don't believe that her future should have her one true passion in it-music and the violin-and believes she should focus on studying for the SATs so she can have a stable career in medicine, law, or engineering.
When she arrives in Prague, she notices an unkept graveyard by her aunt's house and with hesitation, her aunt allows her to repair and restore it during the summer. Ilana also meets Wassermann, a mysterious man who understands her passion for the violin, and Benjamin, a ghost of a 16-year-old boy who died in 1918, who frequents the graveyard.
I was initially hesitant to start reading because the book was in prose. It's something that's definitely out of my comfort zone and I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading. However, I was surprised how quickly I read it once I had the time to- I read about 85% of the book in about an hour or two which has got to be some sort of personal record. I will admit that the book was slow to start at first but started to pick up when she met Benjamin and they got to know each other more. It was easy to get sucked into the story and the prose and not think about how many pages left in the story you had to go to finish it.
As the daughter of immigrant parents as well, I could also relate to Ilana's struggle about wanting to pursue something you love over something your parents want you to do for the sake of your future. I suppose it's something that a lot of children of immigrant parents experience because they don't want their children to struggle like they did growing up so they're harder on their children in terms of wanting them to succeed and do well (although I'm not saying kids who don't have immigrant parents don't go through the same thing either; I'm just speaking from my own experiences!).
The only thing I would change about the book (other than the slow start) is that that we didn't hear much about what it meant to Ilana to be both Latina and Jewish. Her mom's side of the family is Cuban and the only thing we know about that is that her mom left Cuba to escape the dictatorship there. We hear a lot more about her father's side of the family because the story takes place in Prague, where his side of the family is from, and Ilana talks about Jewish traditions, prayers, and the Hebrew language a lot. I wouldn't have even known that Ilana was Latina if the synopsis of the book didn't say so and since her mom was mentioned a few times throughout the story.
Also another weird thing I kept thinking about (and it's such a small, miniscule thing that didn't affect my overall enjoyment of the story but I chuckle a little when I think about it) is
Overall, it was a very lovely story and I'm glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave this book a chance!
--
4 stars
Trigger warnings/content warnings:
May 14, 2022
Nothing will ever hit the way a romance subplot between a ghost and a human does... Add in the fact that this is a novel in verse with beautiful writing and you can imagine that I was a MESS.
This was a quick read all by all, but it's just so powerful and emotional. I don't read a lot of novels in verse because I feel like with many of them, getting attached to characters is a lot harder, and while this was still kinda the case with THE GHOSTS OF ROSE HILL, it still left a mark on me.
R. M. Romero's book really is a haunting one, but in the most beautiful way of that word possible. Thinking about it makes me wanna cry though, lol.
This was a quick read all by all, but it's just so powerful and emotional. I don't read a lot of novels in verse because I feel like with many of them, getting attached to characters is a lot harder, and while this was still kinda the case with THE GHOSTS OF ROSE HILL, it still left a mark on me.
R. M. Romero's book really is a haunting one, but in the most beautiful way of that word possible. Thinking about it makes me wanna cry though, lol.
April 3, 2022
I absolutely loved The Dollmaker of Krakow by this author, so I was very curious about this one as well! And it's a verse novel!
This was beautifully written and a beautiful story, and I absolutely loved the setting - Prague has such a magical feel to it. I also loved how, while this is a contemporary novel, it felt almost historical because it's so deeply rooted in history. And while there's a magical element, it feels entirely realistic.
This was beautifully written and a beautiful story, and I absolutely loved the setting - Prague has such a magical feel to it. I also loved how, while this is a contemporary novel, it felt almost historical because it's so deeply rooted in history. And while there's a magical element, it feels entirely realistic.
February 19, 2022
This is a lovely YA novel-in-verse about a Jewish & Latina aspiring violinist who spends a summer in Prague with her aunt. She discovers an abandoned Jewish cemetery while there and decides to clean it. Then she meets the ghost that haunts the cemetery, as well a man with a violin no one else sees.
It's a beautiful, lyrical novella with fairytale elements.
It's a beautiful, lyrical novella with fairytale elements.
April 19, 2022
4.5 i think but i v much enjoyed this even if it took me like a month..
This story being written in verse made it so much more profound. I'm not a huge fan of verse, but I really think it worked for this story. The pacing felt a little slow at times, which is why it took me so long to get through, but overall it was a great read.
This story being written in verse made it so much more profound. I'm not a huge fan of verse, but I really think it worked for this story. The pacing felt a little slow at times, which is why it took me so long to get through, but overall it was a great read.
December 11, 2022
Not your typical summer romance story. When Ilana goes to Prague for the summer to stay with her aunt, she finds herself falling in love with Benjamin a ghost. What hope is there for this young love?
March 8, 2022
thank you to netgalley and peachtree teen for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a novel told entirely in verse following a young sixteen year old Cuban-Jewish girl named Ilana. Ilana is in love with music and with playing her violin, but her parents disapprove and decide to send her to Prague for the summer to live with her aunt in order to get her priorities straight.
While in Prague, Ilana finds an abandoned Jewish cemetery and decides to spend time cleaning it up, honoring the dead buried there. While cleaning up the cemetery, she meets the ghost of a Jewish boy named Benjamin, and as they become friends she develops feelings for him and these feelings turn into love.
Benjamin and Ilana won’t get their happily ever after, however. Not when Benjamin’s soul is being kept here against his will and the man doing so wants Ilana to help him trap the souls of more dead Jewish children for him to feed on. Ilana must choose between this boy she loves and has been promised a future with, and doing the right thing.
I wanted to love this book, the prose was beautiful and the way the author wove Jewish culture, history, and folklore into the story was so intricate and seamless. But unfortunately, I can’t say I liked it very much.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when YA authors add in unnecessary romance to a plot that is initially very interesting and doesn’t take the time to develop it or even make it feel like the characters have any chemistry with each other. I also didn’t like the main character very much, she wasn’t developed very extensively and from the personality traits she did exhibit she felt very naive and not in a way that would make her endearing or realistic.
My favorite part of this book as a whole, despite the lyrical prose, was Wassermann’s storyline and his interludes. I was a little skeptical when I saw the author liked her book to Coraline, but around the 42% mark I really started to understand. Wassermann reminds me so much of the Other Mother, a monster that looks like a person that looks like a monster. The magic and the ghosts interwoven with the genuine horror that was Wassermann really made this book.
It isn’t scary or horror by any means necessary, but Wassermann is a character that feeds on the lost souls of dead Jewish children, cursed Nazis for taking away so much of his food source, and imprisons four dead Jewish children for around a century. He attempts to groom the main character, Ilana, to help him commit all of these heinous acts. He’s the kind of monster that Jewish and Romani children are warned about when we’re young, and he made my skin crawl.
Overall, the writing was stunning and the love and care that the author took with this story and portraying so much of her own culture and her people’s history was wonderful. I just wish the romance wasn’t so under-developed and that the main character was given more room to shine.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill is a novel told entirely in verse following a young sixteen year old Cuban-Jewish girl named Ilana. Ilana is in love with music and with playing her violin, but her parents disapprove and decide to send her to Prague for the summer to live with her aunt in order to get her priorities straight.
While in Prague, Ilana finds an abandoned Jewish cemetery and decides to spend time cleaning it up, honoring the dead buried there. While cleaning up the cemetery, she meets the ghost of a Jewish boy named Benjamin, and as they become friends she develops feelings for him and these feelings turn into love.
Benjamin and Ilana won’t get their happily ever after, however. Not when Benjamin’s soul is being kept here against his will and the man doing so wants Ilana to help him trap the souls of more dead Jewish children for him to feed on. Ilana must choose between this boy she loves and has been promised a future with, and doing the right thing.
I wanted to love this book, the prose was beautiful and the way the author wove Jewish culture, history, and folklore into the story was so intricate and seamless. But unfortunately, I can’t say I liked it very much.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when YA authors add in unnecessary romance to a plot that is initially very interesting and doesn’t take the time to develop it or even make it feel like the characters have any chemistry with each other. I also didn’t like the main character very much, she wasn’t developed very extensively and from the personality traits she did exhibit she felt very naive and not in a way that would make her endearing or realistic.
My favorite part of this book as a whole, despite the lyrical prose, was Wassermann’s storyline and his interludes. I was a little skeptical when I saw the author liked her book to Coraline, but around the 42% mark I really started to understand. Wassermann reminds me so much of the Other Mother, a monster that looks like a person that looks like a monster. The magic and the ghosts interwoven with the genuine horror that was Wassermann really made this book.
It isn’t scary or horror by any means necessary, but Wassermann is a character that feeds on the lost souls of dead Jewish children, cursed Nazis for taking away so much of his food source, and imprisons four dead Jewish children for around a century. He attempts to groom the main character, Ilana, to help him commit all of these heinous acts. He’s the kind of monster that Jewish and Romani children are warned about when we’re young, and he made my skin crawl.
Overall, the writing was stunning and the love and care that the author took with this story and portraying so much of her own culture and her people’s history was wonderful. I just wish the romance wasn’t so under-developed and that the main character was given more room to shine.
December 13, 2024
Thank you to Peachtree Teen for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review! It means a lot to me as a Jewish OwnVoice reader :)
The Ghosts of Rose Hill follows Ilana, a biracial Jewish teenager whose parents don't support her dreams to be a violinist. Her parents, who have faced and fled hardship throughout their lives, decide to send Ilana away to Prague to live with her aunt so she can focus on her studies. When Ilana discovers a Jewish cemetery behind her aunt's cottage, she sets out to restore the cemetery with the respect it deserves. Along the way, she meets a ghost — a boy who died over a century ago. With a kindling friendship between the two, Ilana has to face the sinister powers right under her nose that are preventing her friend, and more ghosts, from moving on from this world.
The writing of this novel is in-verse, which really made the story so much more enjoyable and beautiful. The pacing felt just right; the moments of reflection aren't too drawn-out, the more action-packed parts are fast-paced, but easy to follow.
One thing to keep in mind is that suspension of disbelief is really important to this novel. Everyone around Ilana, including Ilana herself, accepts the magic she discovers without much hesitation. Ilana does express how it is unfamiliar to her, but it kinda just... becomes a part of her life in Prague. Also, I did think the relationship between Ilana and Benjamin, the ghost she meets, was a little odd. It didn't bother me too much, but the relationship started at 25% and then just kept growing stronger until it reached over 100%.
The references to Judaism (Hebrew and Yiddish words, Jewish morals and traditions, references to the Torah) made this book feel special and meaningful. I expect that readers who don't have Jewish backgrounds will not feel that as strongly, but it will still make it so much more valuable. To me, I absolutely love how integrated Judaism is in the book, and I really do believe that more people need to be exposed to literature — and media in general — from a diverse range of perspectives so that they can be familiar with experiences that are unlike their own.
Overall, I really had an overwhelmingly positive experience with The Ghosts of Rose Hill. I finished it with such a warm heart, cried a bit (of course), and really just felt such gratitude for being able to experience a book that aligns with the heart of the culture I grew up with and continue to love.
Trigger Warnings: death, antisemitism, discussion of the Holocaust, mentions of Nazis, fascist governments, drowning and illness, emotional manipulation and abuse
COMING MAY 10TH!
The Ghosts of Rose Hill follows Ilana, a biracial Jewish teenager whose parents don't support her dreams to be a violinist. Her parents, who have faced and fled hardship throughout their lives, decide to send Ilana away to Prague to live with her aunt so she can focus on her studies. When Ilana discovers a Jewish cemetery behind her aunt's cottage, she sets out to restore the cemetery with the respect it deserves. Along the way, she meets a ghost — a boy who died over a century ago. With a kindling friendship between the two, Ilana has to face the sinister powers right under her nose that are preventing her friend, and more ghosts, from moving on from this world.
The writing of this novel is in-verse, which really made the story so much more enjoyable and beautiful. The pacing felt just right; the moments of reflection aren't too drawn-out, the more action-packed parts are fast-paced, but easy to follow.
One thing to keep in mind is that suspension of disbelief is really important to this novel. Everyone around Ilana, including Ilana herself, accepts the magic she discovers without much hesitation. Ilana does express how it is unfamiliar to her, but it kinda just... becomes a part of her life in Prague. Also, I did think the relationship between Ilana and Benjamin, the ghost she meets, was a little odd. It didn't bother me too much, but the relationship started at 25% and then just kept growing stronger until it reached over 100%.
The references to Judaism (Hebrew and Yiddish words, Jewish morals and traditions, references to the Torah) made this book feel special and meaningful. I expect that readers who don't have Jewish backgrounds will not feel that as strongly, but it will still make it so much more valuable. To me, I absolutely love how integrated Judaism is in the book, and I really do believe that more people need to be exposed to literature — and media in general — from a diverse range of perspectives so that they can be familiar with experiences that are unlike their own.
Overall, I really had an overwhelmingly positive experience with The Ghosts of Rose Hill. I finished it with such a warm heart, cried a bit (of course), and really just felt such gratitude for being able to experience a book that aligns with the heart of the culture I grew up with and continue to love.
Trigger Warnings: death, antisemitism, discussion of the Holocaust, mentions of Nazis, fascist governments, drowning and illness, emotional manipulation and abuse
COMING MAY 10TH!
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