Book Review: Ghost Stories by Whit Taylor

3/5 stars Ghost Stories is a graphic novel collection offering three haunting explorations. Granted the chance to meet three of her dead idols in "Ghost," the author’s cartoon-self embarks on a journey to remote and unanticipated landscapes, in a story of self-discovery and healing. In "Wallpaper," a child tells the story of a household move, remodel, and loss through the lens of flashbulb memory. And in "Makers," two girls with an unorthodox friendship make a rocky transition into adulthood. Throughout each tale, ghosts exist as past selves and remnants of past relationships that are met with inquiry, resolution, and personal rebirth. Discussion: If you are looking for a spooky story to scare the socks off of your's and everyone else's feet, put down this book, get some tissues and cookies, and then sit yourself back down and reopen this book as this is not a book of scary ghost stories. Instead, this is a book full of stories that tell of the ghosts that are part of one person's life. As I wrote before, this was not the book I was expecting as I thought it was going to be literal ghost stories; however, I was wrong. I was so wrong. Instead, this book has three different stories written by Whit Taylor, discussing different points of her life in three different stories. The three different stories each have simple and beautiful illustrations that tell of a deeper story that what seems to be told. There is one that actually does show some ghosts that have influenced Taylor's life, one that tells a little bit about her childhood and her time with depression and anxiety, and one that has to deal with childhood friendships that never survive. I found them to be somewhat entertaining and somewhat enlightening. Some parts of the stories spoke to me and others did not. I also found that these stories are done in a very creative and a new way since this story is told through multiple drawings. Although I may have enjoyed some aspects of this autobiography told through several drawings, which remind me of my days spent in Kindergarten, I found them to "ghost" or never fully develop. (I tried to make a ghosting pun. Get off my back!) They were there one minute and not there the next. I want to know what happens when Taylor meets Charles Darwin when she speaks of evolution or what happens after she breaks off her relationship with her best friend. Lastly, I have enjoyed reading this book; however, some parts were not for me. Even though I could have lived without reading this book, I am glad I did as it opened me up to some new reading experiences and reading new things. Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy! Love, newbookcats Goodreads | Google+ | Instagram | Twitter