The Ghost Road by Charis Cotter Published by Tundra Books (NY) on September 4, 2018
Pages: 368
Goodreads
Ghosts, a family curse, buried secrets -- and two girls who have to figure it all out. A new book from an acclaimed author, for fans of Coraline, Doll Bones and The Night Gardener.
For the first time, Ruth is heading to Newfoundland to stay with family she's never met instead of spending the summer traveling with her dad. When she arrives, she finds Newfoundland is very different from her life in Toronto--people there are much more friendly, but also superstitious, believing in ghosts and The Sight and family curses. Ruth's cousin Ruby is also staying for the summer, and the two discover they have a lot in common: they both lost their moms when they were two years old, they're the same age and they even like the same food. But while Ruby believes in spirits and fairies, Ruth believes in science and cold, hard facts.
When they find ominous information on some tombstones in the local cemetery, Ruth and Ruby start investigating their family's past and discover that twin girls are born in every generation, and every set of twins dies young, leaving their children without mothers. What's more, one of the twins always has The Sight and can see the Ghost Road that leads to the mysterious lost settlement of Slippers Cove. What happened there? What does it have to do with their family? And who is the ghostly presence that keeps visiting Ruth late at night?
The answers lie somewhere along the Ghost Road . . . if they can only find it.
Before I begin my review I quickly have to thank Penguin Random House Canada for sending me a arc of The Ghost Road to read and for allowing me to be a part of this book tour.
Earlier this summer I was asked if I wanted to be a part of this blog tour and after reading the synopsis I knew I wanted to read it because I am attempting to read more Canadian authors (and promote them) plus this takes place in Newfoundland (sadly I have never been and don’t know why since I grew up in New Brunswick) and because this sounds like it will be a fun and exciting read.
The Ghost Road is a middle grade story and I have to say that when I started to read it I don’t know what to expect so let me say that I was pleasantly surprised. This does not read like a middle grade read. I was instantly sucked in. Charis’s writing is beautiful. This is definitely suited for all ages in my opinion.
The more I looked at the cover the more I started to love it and I have to say that this was one of those arc’s I fell in love with. The pages were different from any other arc I have read. The whole arc was smooth. I know that this has nothing to do with the review but I just have to say it. LOL
Ruth is our main character (the story is told in her point of view) and she is spending her first summer (she lives in Toronto) away from her father (who is on his honeymoon with his new wife) since her mother has passed away in Newfoundland with family she didn’t really know anything about until now. Ruth was very young when her mother passed away. There is so much about Ruth’s mother that comes to a surprise to her but she embraces this new found knowledge and is curious about not only this new found family but about the folk lore of Newfoundland as well. My heart broke for poor Ruth because as the story progresses Ruth realizes there is so much about her mother that she had no clue about. Its like her mother was secretive for a reason but why?
I mentioned that there was so much about Ruth’s mother that Ruth didn’t know about so imagine her surprise when she learns that her cousin Ruby looks exactly like her and I wanted to know how that was. Ruby knows so much about the family and history. This is where I began to be instantly sucked into the story. I am sure I was just like Ruth shocked at what I was learning about the whole family and this is what made it interesting. So many questions kept popping up in my mind as I was reading.
This was definitely a fantastic read for me this week and I pretty much devoured it in a two day span. If I could have stayed up all night reading it I definitely would have. The chapters are short and the pacing is perfect just enough action and suspense to keep you reading.
I have never been to Newfoundland so I can’t attest to the climate or what it looks like but Charis described it in what I imagine Newfoundland to be like and from what I heard. She made it sound eerie and beautiful at the same time. This is the perfect book to curl up on the couch with on a damp rainy day.
I know I say I normally don’t reread books but this is definitely one that I will have to reread again.
