Ghosts of Gastown

Hope Graves, 12, just moved to Vancouver with her mother who is a best-selling writer of horror novels. Ever since her father died in an automobile accident, Hope has been experiencing feelings of abandonment. “But without Dad, leaving Edmonton yesterday felt like wandering into the unknown with nothing to ground us. No roots. No home.” (p. 12) Accompanied by her best friend Jaya, Hope saw the ghost of her father and had a horrible experience. When Jaya did not corroborate Hope’s experience, Hope’s mother is alarmed about her daughter’s mental state and sends her to a psychologist. Hope feels betrayed by her friend and her mother who does not believe that Hope can see ghosts.

When Hope and her mother arrive in Vancouver, they move into an ancient apartment above The Crystal Eye. The two female owners have one child named Oliver who is thrilled to have a new friend. Although Hope is reluctant to make new friends after her betrayal by Jaya, the two unite in their search for an answer to Hope’s ghostly visions. She sees a variety of figures: the VDG – Victorian Dead Girl, a supernatural devorator (who eats other ghosts), a reaper, and her father. Hope and Oliver are reluctant to ask for help from Hope’s mother, the author of horror novels, because she does not believe in ghosts. They also avoid asking Olivier’s two moms, who are involved the paranormal, to help them.

Ghosts of Gastown is a fast-paced and exciting story about ghostly visions, vengeful supernatural beings, and unresolved issues of the dead. Vancouver’s Gastown district is a good location for this ghost-laden story. The history of this area is filled with terrifying events such as the fire of 1886. However, there are several strange twists in the storyline. Hope’s mother is a successful writer of horror novels, but she is adamantly against talking about or believing in any kind of ghostly encounters, a situation that makes Hope very reluctant to talk about her experiences with her only remaining parent.

The ghostly characters seem to multiply exponentially in the latter portion of this novel. Hope is haunted by a Victorian Dead Girl and several more dangerous ghosts, including a devorator who violently attacks other ghosts and threatens Hope’s existence. The presence of her dead father is a recurring event in this novel as well. Very little time is spent developing these ghostly characters.

Jessica Renwick has written a novel full of ghostly adventure. Her novel explores what happens to young people who are experiencing trauma. Her dedication is very telling, “For everyone who has ever felt different or out of place, this story is for you.” Hope, Oliver, and Jaya build their friendship based on their experiences fighting off vicious supernatural beings. They may be living through strange events, but they have each other.

This eerie novel will attract readers who love tales of horror. The short chapters, fast-paced adventure, and likeable male and female characters will make Ghosts of Gastown a good choice for readers. Renwick addresses several topics in this novel: Vancouver’s history, writing, homeschooling, mental illness, grief, psychological trauma, the paranormal, friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, courage, and family. Readers who enjoy a scary story full of monsters will definitely enjoy this novel.