GHOST OF A MEMORY

In Boglisch’s YA novel, a teen tries to figure out why he’s seeing what appear to be ghosts.

The novel is set in a future in which technology has supposedly advanced enough that there are no more fatal illnesses, and crime of all kinds has been eradicated. However, Kieran still gets terrible headaches, and afterward, he sees strange, silent, all-white figures that no one else seems to notice. His parents are aware of this odd ability, but for some reason, they tell him not to go to the hospital or to tell other people about it. Nevertheless, Kieran’s good friends Felix and Mira know about it, and they find it absolutely fascinating. Mira wants nothing more than to be able to see ghosts, as Kieran apparently does. Kieran, however, only wishes that he were normal—even more so now that the headaches are getting worse. Then he learns that the strange white figures are able to grab him—and hurt him. When he and Mira explore an allegedly haunted house trying to find some answers to their questions about the figures, Kieran sees one of them holding knives, and Mira ends up getting cut. Weirdly enough, another figure recently handed him a piece of paper with a single word scrawled on it: “Danger.” Although Mira and Felix keep calling them ghosts, Kieran isn’t so sure. There’s definitely something odd going on, and the people in authority may know more than they’re letting on. Boglisch provides readers with a slow-burning novel that still features some chills and thrills. The gradual reveal of the figures, their purpose, and even the world in which the characters live requires some patience on readers’ part, but there’s enough intrigue and mystery along the way to keep them engaged. The story takes place after an unspecified global pandemic, but the circumstances surrounding it are rather vague, leaving the book with a somewhat sketchy sense of place and time. However, the friends clearly care about one another and about helping Kieran solve the mystery, and their interactions give the novel focus and a sense of forward momentum.

An intriguing but slow-moving novel of paranormal mystery.