Ghostwritten by Isabel Wolff
Publisher: Harper (27th Mar 2014)
Received a copy from the author. Thanks, Isabel!
Blurb:
A childhood mistake. A lifetime of regrets.
Jenni is a ‘ghost’:
she writes the lives of other people. It’s a job that suits her well:
still haunted by a childhood tragedy, she finds it easier to take refuge
in the memories of others rather than dwell on her own.
Jenni
has an exciting new commission, and is delighted to start working on the
memoirs of a Dutchwoman, Klara. As a child in the Second World War,
Klara was interned in a camp on Java during the Japanese occupation –
she has an extraordinary story of survival to tell.
But as Jenni
and Klara begin to get to know each other, Jenni begins to do much more
than shed light on a neglected part of history. She is being forced to
examine her own devastating memories, too. But with Klara’s help,
perhaps this is finally the moment where she will be able to lay the
ghosts of her own past to rest?
When Isabel Wolff asked me if I'd like to read her new book, Ghostwritten, I knew I couldn't say no. Despite the gorgeous cover which unequivocally pull you in, the blurb really caught my attention and I was really intrigued to read it.
In Ghostwritten, the story alternates between Jenni and Klara's pasts, where they are haunted by their difficult pasts and cannot seem to forget what happened and unable to forgive themselves for the decisions they made in the past. Jenni is a ghostwriter, she likes to immerse herself into other people's past to escape her own. Klara has a bitter past, she was interned in one of the most dreadful camps in Java during the Japanese occupation and finally decides to tell her story. When fate pulls Jenni and Klara together, will they share their own stories and finally let go?
Ghostwritten is a dual narrative book which is written from Jenni and Klara's perspective. I really enjoyed reading about their personal stories as well as how their lives intertwined. I'll be honest, I enjoyed Klara's story more than Jenni. Maybe it's because of the bitterness and painful memories her past holds, or her suffering in Java during the World War II which feels really close to home (the Malay words, the nuances, etc), but I found that I was more captivated by Klara's story. Of course, both characters were wonderful as both of them really lived a life of regret and horrible mistakes, which made me sympathise with them as well as hope for their best.
The plot really drew me in and left me wondering. I even dreamed of this book and images of the victims during the war managed to creep into my head. It's deeply affecting and I think Isabel Wolff successfully captured the essence of the people's struggles and strives at that time - the book is well-researched and cleverly plotted.The surroundings were described with such beauty, it painted a vivid picture in my head and the emotions - love, happiness, loss, hope, grief - were dealt with wonderfully. My heart fell when the most heartbreaking bombshell was dropped.
I don't think you should give Ghostwritten a pass. It's incredibly moving and uplifting. It's a beautifully written story of survival and hope. This book embraced with its touching tale of two women, who have gone through so much in life and has left me speechless after turning the final page. I implore you to pick this wonderful book up and let it touch you.
Rating: 9/10
When Isabel Wolff asked me if I'd like to read her new book, Ghostwritten, I knew I couldn't say no. Despite the gorgeous cover which unequivocally pull you in, the blurb really caught my attention and I was really intrigued to read it.
In Ghostwritten, the story alternates between Jenni and Klara's pasts, where they are haunted by their difficult pasts and cannot seem to forget what happened and unable to forgive themselves for the decisions they made in the past. Jenni is a ghostwriter, she likes to immerse herself into other people's past to escape her own. Klara has a bitter past, she was interned in one of the most dreadful camps in Java during the Japanese occupation and finally decides to tell her story. When fate pulls Jenni and Klara together, will they share their own stories and finally let go?
Ghostwritten is a dual narrative book which is written from Jenni and Klara's perspective. I really enjoyed reading about their personal stories as well as how their lives intertwined. I'll be honest, I enjoyed Klara's story more than Jenni. Maybe it's because of the bitterness and painful memories her past holds, or her suffering in Java during the World War II which feels really close to home (the Malay words, the nuances, etc), but I found that I was more captivated by Klara's story. Of course, both characters were wonderful as both of them really lived a life of regret and horrible mistakes, which made me sympathise with them as well as hope for their best.
The plot really drew me in and left me wondering. I even dreamed of this book and images of the victims during the war managed to creep into my head. It's deeply affecting and I think Isabel Wolff successfully captured the essence of the people's struggles and strives at that time - the book is well-researched and cleverly plotted.The surroundings were described with such beauty, it painted a vivid picture in my head and the emotions - love, happiness, loss, hope, grief - were dealt with wonderfully. My heart fell when the most heartbreaking bombshell was dropped.
I don't think you should give Ghostwritten a pass. It's incredibly moving and uplifting. It's a beautifully written story of survival and hope. This book embraced with its touching tale of two women, who have gone through so much in life and has left me speechless after turning the final page. I implore you to pick this wonderful book up and let it touch you.
Rating: 9/10
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| Gemma Arterton would make a lovely Jenni and I see the legendary Vanessa Redgrave as Klara |
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