Pendred’s review of A Reunion of Ghosts: A Novel by Judith Claire Mitchell (2016-01-26) > Likes and Comments
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Three sisters, all fourth-generation descendants of the Nobel prizewinning inventor of a method for manufacturing nitrogen fertilizer extracted from air, together write a long, witty suicide note that recounts their family history. Their ancestor is based on the real chemist Fritz Haber, who also invented poison gas in WWI and whose descendants did have a tendency toward suicide. This story is surprisingly sprightly in its telling, as it explores themes of family guilt and doom, coincidence vs. fate, and how time really works. A family tree and a list of suicides in the beginning help orient the reader in what can otherwise be a confusing story. The three sisters, who rely on each other more than anything else, are also well-drawn and distinct. The story is not depressing despite its subject matter. I strongly recommend it.
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Pendred
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Mar 15, 2026 07:03AM
Three sisters, all fourth-generation descendants of the Nobel prizewinning inventor of a method for manufacturing nitrogen fertilizer extracted from air, together write a long, witty suicide note that recounts their family history. Their ancestor is based on the real chemist Fritz Haber, who also invented poison gas in WWI and whose descendants did have a tendency toward suicide. This story is surprisingly sprightly in its telling, as it explores themes of family guilt and doom, coincidence vs. fate, and how time really works. A family tree and a list of suicides in the beginning help orient the reader in what can otherwise be a confusing story. The three sisters, who rely on each other more than anything else, are also well-drawn and distinct. The story is not depressing despite its subject matter. I strongly recommend it.
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