Ghosts

- Ghosts. Raina Telgemeier. Cat, short for Catrina, is moving with her family up to chilly, foggy North California —because of Cat’s little sister, Maya, who lives with cystic fibrosis. But Bahía de la Luna is no ordinary coastal town. The dearly departed are never quite so distant here —less so as Día de los Muertos approaches. Maya is fascinated by the ghosts, but Cat less so —after all, aren’t they a reminder of death? Yet in one unforgettable night, the sisters will face their fears and find a strength for hope neither knew she had. 

Telgemeir, who had previously won critical and readership acclaim with autobiographical (Smile; Sisters) and YA slice-of-life (Drama) comics, now tries her hand a more fantasy (or “Magical Realism”, if you prefer) tale. Ghost is, at the heart, a tale about human connections. Be they family, neighbors, friends or even across the barrier between the living and the dead, it is those connections that shape our views on life. Like in ‘Drama’ the story offers a glimpse into a world so fully realized one wishes to remain in it long after the story is concluded. 

A charming all-ages comic overall. 

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