The Ghost’s Child, by Sonya Hartnett
Posted by DBRLTeen on Wednesday, January 21st, 2009
Such a lovely little book! Mrs. D. is so grateful that every once in awhile a fine writer will attempt to make us think about important things and give us a chance to learn some wisdom rather than merely entertaining us! This book is written in a style called magical realism, like dear Gabriel García Márquez’ “One Hundred Years of Solitude”, which you’ve surely read, or will some day. Wikipedia defines magical realism as “an artistic genre in which magical elements or illogical scenarios appear in an otherwise realistic or even “normal” setting” (at least, this is how Wikipedia defines it today: tomorrow, who knows?). Who is the boy who unexpectedly comes to visit Matilda in her old age, prompting her to tell him her life’s story? Is he even real, or imaginary? And who, after all, was Feather, the young man Matilda fell in love with after seeing him talking to, of all things, a pelican! These questions are essential to understanding the book, yet they are not answered, as essential questions often remain unanswered in life.
So many celebrities, politicians, and advertisers make a mountain of money and a boatload of fame by telling us what we want to hear, instead of the truth, which we usually don’t want to hear. (You can be the next American Idol! Your dreadful little voice and lack of training and practice will be no obstacle if you only believe in yourself!) The truth is we’re only mortal after all, not gods, we can’t create the perfect world for ourselves. We can’t have everything (or everyone) we want. That’s the wisdom this book is trying to make us think about.
So Mrs. D. recommends “The Ghost’s Child”, by Sonya Hartnett, because we all need to build our lives on a foundation of truth, not delusions.