by Beth KephartNothing But Ghosts isn’t just about ghosts. It’s about discovering the past, the present, and the future. It’s about appreciating the beauty and variety of the natural world. It’s about understanding and loving the people around you. It’s about exploring, seeing, traveling, and living life to its fullest.
NBG tells the story of Katie D’Amore, who’s lived with her father ever since her mother died. While on a summer job, Katie finds herself wrapped up in a fascinating whirlwind of unsolved mysteries and hidden knowledge. Her quest for the truth takes her to the library, where she patiently sorts through seven boxes of “Local Lore” in order to find answers to the lifelong questions she seeks.
In NBG, I felt that the characters were the most developed I’d ever seen in a book. Everyone had their own distinctive personality, from Old Olson’s secretive and grumpy demeanor to Jimmy D’Amore’s enthusiastic and passionate whims. Unlike some other books, I never got annoyed with the characters nor did I find them mundane; on the contrary, I kept discovering more about each character and their personal qualities.
What I really loved about this book was how Katie, piece by piece, solved the burning questions in her mind. Although I couldn’t see how anything would fit together at the beginning, all the small details I’d overlooked started becoming a part of the mystery. Everything started coming together until I could complete the puzzle.
Beth Kephart, other than being a super-nice person, is one of the most evocative and creative authors I’ve ever met. Her elaborate words conjure up such bright images in my mind (and the descriptions of food in NBG always made me hungry!) Many of her sentences were so poetic and singsong, and definitely added to the overall feel of the book. The unique elements in the story (an annoying finch, colorful bottles, an unidentifiable painting, etc.) also accentuated the mystery of NBG and set up the atmosphere for the whole novel, making it (in my opinion) a masterpiece.
Highly recommended.
Coming out in July 2009.
15 comments:
Oh, gosh. Oh, wait.
You just made me cry.
Okay.
I have dinner in the oven and I'm on the verge of burning the whole darned thing because you, my dear Priya, have stopped me in my tracks.
As soon as dinner is over, I will post a link.
Thank you so much.
You're welcome, Beth! It was a pleasure.
I can. not. wait. to get my hands on this!
And you got it all so right about Beth Kephart's writing.
can't wait to read it, can't wait to read it!!
And you're right...Beth is a fantastic writer. Nice blog you have here. :)
Priya - wow, what a wonderful review! I found you from Beth's blog and I am so glad I did. You're a wonderful writer, one that I look forward to reading often.
I am both looking forward to this and dreading it in a way because my mother died too. But maybe this marvelous mystery will distract me from the raw emotional content? I know it is something I need to read, and Beth is awesome.
Great review, I definitely want to read this book now! (I found your blog via Amy's.)
Prya, this is a terrific review. Yay!
Beth keeps crafting the most wonderful stories. I'm so happy and grateful that we continue to have the privilege to read them.
I'm so impressed - fabulous review.
Thank you so much, everyone!
Very well said.
I tagged you!
Wonderful review! I couldn't agree with you more.
gorgeous cover.
Absolutely! Props for Beth. Her work is AMAZING!
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