A review by jamieleepilk
BRAT: A Ghost Story by Gabriel Smith

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

'Do you believe in ghosts?' I said.
'Yes,' she said.
'Me, too, I think,' I said.
'I think-' she said, then stopped.
'What?'
'There are lots of universes. There are all the universes, with all the possibilities in them. And humans can imagine all of those universes.'
'Yeah,' I said.
'That's what I think ghosts are,' she said.

I was so excited for this book. The concept was incredible and I felt like I was hooked from page one but the longer it went on the more repetitive certain parts became. 
While the format was interesting and I became invested in wanting to find out what was happening to Gabriel I found the inserts of scripts and the ex's short stories a little jarring. 

Some sentences were gut punching and beautiful -"The stain of something that was briefly perfect."- while some parts seemed childish in nature (which I'm not 100% sure if they were intentional or not with the narrator returning to live in his childhood home) but contrasted with dark and after crude notions. 

I will say the things I liked - concept, idea and tone/vibes - will make be pick up anything Gabriel produces in the future.

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