The Girl and the Ghost

This ghost story left me feeling devastated!

Imagine yourself inheriting a ghost from your grandmother and striking an unlikely friendship with him. You have been together since you were a toddler and he protects you at all costs...until his darker nature rears its ugly head.

What an emotionally wild, sometimes funny, oftentimes haunting story about friendship, loneliness, jealously, bullying, and revenge. It is also about forgiveness, courage, and kindness.

This beautifully written and atmospheric novel unfolds in a quaint village in Malaysia. It begins with a lighthearted tone but gradually grows darker as the plot advances. I found myself utterly absorbed in the narrative!

I do have a couple of issues with the story. For instance, the show more friendship between Suraya and Pink that turned toxic due to him feeling jealous feels a bit dark for middle-grade children. And Jing going out of her way to save Pink after he tried to get her beaten to death? Did she know he was the reason for how she was nearly killed? I hoped this was resolved in a better way.

What I loved most about this book:

- The ghost has his own POV!
- The part where Suraya names him "Pink" had me laughing out loud!
- Jing and Suraya's friendship. So precious!
- Learning about Malaysian culture and folklore.
- The funny ghost banter at the cemetery.
- Suraya choosing to go to her mom for help despite their strained relationship.
- The unexpected reveal toward the end!

Who is this book perfect for?

Those who love a little spooky story! If you enjoy powerful and atmospheric stories about family and friendship and don't mind it going to some dark places, this book is for you. Also recommended to those looking to read stories inspired by Malaysian folklore.

Content Warning
Bullying, toxic friendship, mild fantasy horror, death of a loved one, mild violence.

PS: This is an honest book review from a scaredy-cat who typically avoids horror novels. show less

This was the book I didn’t know I needed last night. I’m not from Malaysia but there are enough similarities between Malaysia and its neighbor Singapore for me to feel at home when I was reading this. I couldn’t sleep last night and while a ghost story wasn’t exactly what I was looking for at that moment, the library ebook was due in a couple of days. So The Girl and the Ghost it would be then

The ghost is a pelesit, a dark spirit who takes the form of a grasshopper to stay hidden. His master, a witch, dies and he has to find a new master. The witch had told him a pelesit needs a master to control his craving for destruction and chaos. As he is bound by blood, the new master has to be of the same blood. And so it is to be Suraya. show more Suraya is a lonely child, her father is dead and her mother withdrawn.

“Maybe that was what she was. The durian of friends. Maybe people would learn to like her one day. Maybe she just had to meet the right ones.”

So quickly she and Pink become inseparable. But Pink’s dedication to her has a dark side as he lashes out relentlessly at those who bully her, then takes an even darker turn when she makes her first real friend.

It was a dark and endearing read, full of the sights and sounds and smells of Malaysia. It was a beautiful and emotional tale of friendship and family. It made me long for home and made me tear up as I thought of my family and wished I could be there for them, especially this week, with the passing of my grandmother show less

Nicely creepy and steeped in Malaysian folklore, which is a whole other level of creep. Loved that the characters reflected Malaysian mix of cultures -- Suraya is Muslim, Jing Wei is Chinese, and Pink is from an even older tradition. Loved Suraya's generous heart, and her refusal to harm others, even when bullied. Loved the compassionate ending and the healing path that is revealed.

When Suraya's grandmother dies, the pelesit she created finds her and binds to her. She dubs him Pink, and he keeps her company throughout a lonely childhood. But when Suraya makes friends with Jing, the new girl at school, Pink becomes furiously jealous, setting off a chain reaction that puts in place his own eventual demise. Jing and Suraya skip school to return Pink to where he came from - all the while avoiding the pawang, who wants to add Pink to his collection of captured demons and ghosts - and Suraya learns more about her family history.

The language, food, and lore reflect the Malaysian setting, while the girls' friendship is universal.

See also: The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, Bob by Rebecca show more Stead and Wendy Mass, Me and Marvin Gardens by Amy Sarig King

Quotes

But big moments don't come with price tags, and Pink would have no idea how much this moment cost him until much later. (67)

It was easy. He just let all his anger and his jealousy and his hurt and his pain lead the way. (106)

...a hole ripped in the canvas of reality. (108)

You will find, child, that there are many monsters in this world who hide their darkness beneath a mask of piety. (Pink to Suraya, 147)

...she did not care about being liked. Some people are like that. (190)

...the most beautiful blooms come from the darkest soil. (Pink to Suraya, 226)

Nobody is ever really ready for goodbye. But sometimes you need to bid farewell to the things holding you back so that you can move forward. (Pink to Suraya, 231)

"But Mama, broken mothers raise broken daughters." (Suraya to Mama, 272)

But nobody is meant to live their whole lives hanging on to ghosts. (Pink to Mama, 273) show less

Suraya is an only child, with a deceased father and a mother, who is protective and reserved. When her estranged grandmother (a witch) dies, she wills her pelesit (a ghost) to protect Suraya. After several years, the pelesit reveals herself to Suraya, who names the pelesit Pink, her favorite color. Pink was treated abominably by the witch, and becomes friends with Suraya, seeking to protect her from bullies at school and other pains associated with growing up. Suraya has a good heart and is horrified by what Pink does. Things come to a head, when Pink's jealously threatens her good friend from school while Pink is threatened by a ruthless collector of magical beings. Together, the three set off on an adventure to make things right. A show more good story, with a healthy dose of Malaysian culture. show less

A chilling ghost story with a warm heart, The Girl and the Ghost intertwines a mysterious tale of Malaysian witchery with a story of family and friendship.

💫Read the full review on my blog: https://newkidonthebookreviews.wordpress.com/2022/09/09/review-the-girl-and-the-...

The moment the book starts you get swept up in the story, eager to read about Suraya’s problems growing up and how Pink, with all his “darkness” and “coldness”, plays an essential role in her life. Suraya confides in Pink and he uses his powers to protect her from harm, filling the space left empty by Suraya’s distant mother and lack of friends at school. As you read the story, you become very attached to both Suraya and Pink and want to find out more show more about their adventures together.

I like how you get to experience the inner lives of both the girl and the ghost in this book. It was especially fascinating to read the story from Pink’s perspective, and the author was great at depicting how a “dark being” who insists he doesn’t have a heart (and yet, seems to have one anyway!) would think and act.
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I recommend this book for readers who would enjoy an eerie and thrilling tale about a girl with a ghostly friend confronting difficulties and dangers in a magical Malaysian setting. show less

This book kind of had a fairy tale vibe as I listened.
Suraya is too young to realize what is happening when her grandmother's pelesit comes to serve her. Pink, as he is named by Suraya, has a wicked streak. Suraya has a strong moral core.
Her life is difficult. Her mom, a teacher, is distant and far from nurturing. When she meets her first friend, Jing, she's happy for the first time. Pink, however, is jealous. When an outside threat comes, the three must work together to solve what seems an impossible problem! Malaysian culture is embedded in the book as are references to Muslim faith.