City of Ghosts

Victoria Schwab, who also publishes books under the name V.E. Schwab, has become one of my favorite authors, even though she incorporates paranormal and magical themes I usually eschew. And although this book is directed at a middle grade or tween audience, I found it entertaining and engaging, even at my ripe old age.

Cassidy (“Cass”) Blake, who seems to be around 12, has an unusual BFF: his name is Jacob and he is a ghost.

Cass is a photography buff, and about a year before, on her way by bicycle to take a picture of a favorite spot near their house, Cass was knocked off a bridge by a truck, and dumped into the icy water. She thought she was dying and blacked out. When she came to, she was “on the riverbank, gasping for air as a show more boy crouched beside me, in jeans and a superhero shirt, his blond hair sticking up as if he’d just run his fingers through it.” “What happened?” she asked. “You fell in,” he said. “I pulled you out.” This was her introduction to Jacob.

As she explains, “ . . . something happened that day when Jacob pulled me out of the water. I guess I pulled him out of somewhere, too, and we got tangled up, and now I’m not all alive and he’s not all dead.”

“Near death. That’s what they call it. But I know it wasn’t just near. I was standing right on top of it. Under it. Long enough for my eyes to adjust, the way they would in a dark room. Long enough for me to make out the edges of the space before being dragged back into the bright, cold light.”

Now, she says, she has one foot with the living, and one with the dead.

A week later, she found the Veil, the curtain between the living and the dead. She is drawn to it, but doesn’t understand why. It’s kind of scary, sometimes more so than others:

“When I was younger, I used to be afraid of the monster in the closet. I couldn’t go to sleep until my dad came in, threw open the closet door, and showed me it was empty. Crossing the Veil is like opening the closet door. Of course, the difference is, monsters aren’t real. The closet was always empty. The Veil . . . not so much.”

Most humorously, her parents have no idea about this new aspect of her character, even though they make their living writing books about paranormal activity. And now, they have a contract for a tv a documentary on the paranormal, “The Most Haunted Cities in the World,” with the first installment to take place in Edinburgh. Edinburgh is called “City of Ghosts.” [/caption]

Both Cass and Jacob think this must be an exaggeration, until they find out for themselves how true it is. In Edinburgh, Cass also meets another “in-between” girl, like herself, who is their landlady’s niece, Lara. Lara explains that she sees ghosts also, a skill that came from having cheated death. In addition, Lara claims that people like her and Cass have to repay their “debt” by helping set ghosts free from the Veil.

She teaches Cass that carrying a mirror around at all times is essential for protection for ghosts who mean her harm. Ghosts can’t look at mirrors, she says. Mirrors force them to face the truth that they are dead.

Before long, among the many dead of Edinburgh, Cass finds out just what Lara means, and is in danger of becoming a permanent ghost herself.

Evaluation: This story is absolutely charming. It’s not too scary, but lots of fun, and perfect for the intended audience. Cass and Lara are both admirable heroines, albeit in different ways, and Jacob is an excellent foil, as well as a faithful friend. This is touted as the first in a series (a fact that sort of gives away the ending), but I can’t wait for more. show less

Well, City of Ghosts, the first entry in the Cassidy Blake series by Victoria Schwab, was absolutely delightful. This paranormal adventure is a wonderful middle-grade ghost story. Schwab's command of language is exciting, varied and fun making this a great adventure for all ages.

Twelve-year-old Cassidy Blake is an unusual girl. She is a book nerd and kind of an outsider. She nearly drowned when she was younger, only to be rescued at the last minute by a boy her age named Jacob. Only Jacob isn’t a typical boy: He’s a ghost, and Cassidy’s near-death experience has given her the ability to cross the Veil and enter a world where she can see and speak to the dead. When Cassidy’s parents, a team of historical and supernatural show more researchers (who aren't the best at what they do), take a summer job in Edinburgh, Scotland, Cassidy and Jacob tag along. But Edinburgh is a city full of creepy graveyards, haunted castles and the Raven—a malicious ghost who lures children to their deaths.

Cassidy cannot ignore the pull of the Veil or the Raven, and when she meets another girl, Lara Chowdhury, a British-Indian girl who shares Cass’ ability Cassidy discovers that she’s supposed to send the ghosts away. But what does that mean for Jacob? And when the Raven comes after Cassidy, will she have the strength to fight back, or will she become a spirit herself?

I found this book to be riveting and lots of fun, and just the right amount of spooky for a middle grade read. It might not be the classic that Gaiman's The Graveyard Book was but this book has similar vibes. If you enjoy Gaiman's works, you'll enjoy City of Ghosts. Give it a try.

Plus any book that takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland gets props from me. That city is magical! show less

City of Ghosts is a highly-enjoyable and fast read that brings a new spin to the familiar trope of ghosts. Cass is the daughter of two well-known ghost sleuths, but unlike her parents, she can actually see and hear spirits. Her best friend happens to be a dead boy who saved her life when she drowned a year before. Her parents' new TV show venture takes the entire family to Edinburgh, Scotland, where Cass finds a city teeming with ghosts--some of a very malevolent nature.

Cass is a great character to follow, a Harry Potter geek with an authentic teen vibe. I loved that romance plays no part in the book at all. I recently traveled to Edinburgh and went to most of the places described in the book, and I gotta say, Victoria nailed it. Well, show more I didn't see and hear ghosts everywhere, but the physical feel and zeitgeist of the place is totally right, and that made the book all the more enjoyable for me. show less

When I first got this book, I admit I was mainly attracted to the cover. I had no idea what it was about, had never read anything for V. E. Schwab before and certainly didn't know it was a middle grade book.

As I began to read, I found myself somewhat losing interest. Not necessarily due to the plot or that it's a middle-grade book, but because I found Cassidy to be very dull and obnoxious. The book, and Cassidy's own narration since this is in first person POV, seemed intent on telling us that she is 'not like the other girls' almost repeatedly.

"You can tell because they look like copies—same shiny hair, same perfect teeth, same painted nails—where I’m all elbows and knees, round cheeks, and curly brown hair. I don’t even own show more nail polish."

I think it falls into the same trap of making Cassidy judgmental in an effort to make her relatable which could still alienate young girls reading the book that *may* also like makeup. Arguably this behavior could also be fitting for a girl of Cassidy's age, but it wasn't a great introduction in my opinion.

I can safely say that I like her the least out of all the characters in the book, including Cassidy's parents.

And, yet, I kept on reading because V. E. Schwab paints a wonderful atmosphere with her words. I found myself letting go of any expectations and simply enjoying the ride. And it was all worth it in the end.

I enjoyed the worldbuilding and its symbolism. The writing style is pretty atmospheric, especially for a middle-grade book. And I found myself getting emotional especially towards the end. The descriptions of death, slipping through the veil and emotional turmoil associated with it all were so well-done I found myself holding my breath a couple times.

While I wasn't sure if I was going to continue reading the series after the first chapter or two, I can safely say I am looking forward to them. Even if just for Jacob.

Nitpick: WE NEED MORE GRIM! There's a cat on the cover but we barely saw it in the book! I feel cheated! show less

City of Ghosts
(Cassidy Blake #1)
by Victoria Schwab
Wow, I didn't know this was a middle grade book when I ordered it from the library but I would say it's a book for middle grade and up! I enjoyed it so much! I am a senior and I found it thrilling, entertaining, suspense sprinkled throughout, and bits of humor. It's also about family and friendship.
Cassidy is our gal of the story. She drowns then comes back, saved by Jacob who is a ghost. Since her accident, she can see and hear ghost. She can also go between, a place that shows ghosts in their time as they were about to die. She has to be careful there! Fortunately she has her best friend Jacob who is not just a friend but her protector.
Cassidy is looking forward to a long summer at the show more beach cabin where there isn't any ghosts. But her parents have a surprise, their ghost novels are picked up by a network and they will be travelling to haunted places to film. What happens when she goes to the city of ghosts in Scotland she will remember forever! Very thrilling!
Very enjoyable entertainment and just the right trepidation was added for a great creepy factor. show less

Cass sees ghosts after she had a brush with death herself. The world beyond the Veil calls to her. She finds herself entering it, reliving ghosts' memories of their deaths, and attempting to take pictures of ghosts. Even her best friend is a ghost and stays with her most of the time. His name is Jacob and he saved her from drowning. When her parents whisk her away to Scotland so they can host a haunted places show, Cass learns much more than Jacob revealed to her about the Veil and her own power.

City of Ghosts is the perfect Halloween read. It's spooky, heartwarming, and suspenseful. Everything from the characters to the world building sucked me right in. Cass and Jacob are wonderful characters that have their own flaws and quirks. Cass show more is a lovely girl. I love her embracing being unpopular because being popular has loads of expectations and rules that she simply doesn't want. She has the power to speak to the dead and enter the Veil. She feels a scratching when a ghost is near and watches the memories they are trapped in. Jacob is an anomaly as a ghost who is aware of the world and interacts with the living in Cass. He has a sharp wit and makes funny comments no one else can hear. Together, they have rules like not entering the Veil alone, avoiding certain subjects, and respecting each other's needs and privacy. Their friendship is so lovely that it's rather heartbreaking when they have doubts because Jacob kept things from Cass.

The world building is awesome and detailed. Ghosts have the ability to read minds and be invisible to the living. Jacob doesn't have much power to interact with the living world, but others do. Ghosts who draw power from negative emotions like pain, anger, and regret can be very destructive, moving things and hurting people. The Veil isn't laid out as the real world is, but as a series of time capsules of varying size for each ghost trapped in it. There, Cass becomes less than alive and Jacob becomes more than dead. She thinks she knows what to expect from the Veil in Scotland, but ti's so oppressive with the dead that it sucks her in involuntarily. Almost everything she's learned is called into question especially when a ghost woman in a vibrant red cloak lures children to her. She also meets a ghost hunter whose goal is to release ghosts from the Veil, calling into question Cass's reason for having abilities. The whole thing is so well constructed and interesting that I wish the book was twice as long.

City of Ghosts put me nicely into the Halloween spirit. It has everything: creepy ghosts, lush Scottish landscapes, and beautiful friendships. Victoria Schwab has singular descriptions and metaphors that make her world come alive. This is a middle grade book that would blend in will with Holly Black's Doll Bones and Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book. I hope it's the start of a series since there are things left open and of course a whole word of ghosts to explore. show less

Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars

What a spooky little ghost adventure! I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. We got ghosts, a trip through Edinburgh, some local history, and a heroine who is far braver than I was at her age.

It’s definitely a middle grades novel, but I think teens would probably enjoy the plot and a lot of the action, even if the writing style is on the simpler side.