Ghostgirl

I picked this up because I'd received an advance copy of the sequel, and I thought I should start the series at the beginning. I really, really wish I hadn't found the gilt edged pages and die cut cover so appealing. The book just looked so pretty I wanted to give it a chance, even though I had to force myself to make it through the first chapter.

The best thing I can say about ghostgirl is that it's a gorgeous physical object. But despite the fun little chapter headings and page decorations, the pretty endpapers and attractive cover sizing, this book was almost impossible to finish because Hurley made it so hard for me to like any of her characters.

Charlotte, the ghostgirl of the title, is a classic example of a negative teenage show more stereotype: whiny, self-absorbed, and shallow. Which wouldn't bother me too much, if Hurley did something to subvert the stereotype or add to it in a creative way, maybe even use it to comment on negative teen stereotypes. She does none of those. Charlotte is still an annoying, selfish, cut-out of a character at the end of the novel, despite the plot's climax that's meant to show how she's changed.

Also, I couldn't help thinking that if this were a book about a guy character who followed a girl character around the way Charlotte follows her crush Damen it wouldn't have gotten reviews calling it cute. I thought it was more than a little creepy how stalkerish Charlotte got once she could follow her crush unobserved.

Mostly, this book, from the characters to the plot to the overabundant pop culture references, annoyed me from beginning to end. Totally not worth the time. show less

"We all like to think the world ends when we do. The truth is our acquaintances, our friends, and our loved ones all live on, and through them, so do we. It's not about what you had, but what you gave. It's not about how you looked, but how you lived. And it's not just about being remembered. It's about giving people a good reason to remember you."

No one really remembers much about Charlotte Usher, except that she's the nerdy girl who died choking on a gummy bear in physics. Not exactly the image she was going for. In fact, Charlotte's quest to create a new image for herself, a popular, trendy, better coiffed one is the very thing that ruined (quite permanently) her life and it continues to be the cause of her ruin in death.

Every show more school has the "it" girls. For Hawthorne High the elite are headed by Petula and her doting butt kissers, the Wendys. Petula, blessed not only with money, popularity, and perfect hair, is also the girlfriend of the school's hottest football star, Damen. Charlotte idolizes Petula, but more importantly, she covets her boyfriend. So it has to be fate that caused Charlotte and Damen to become lab partners in physics right?

Wrong.

And now Charlotte's dead and she's really annoyed. She was suppose to come back to school, with her new makeover, become popular and get the guy. Death may have caused a little set back but it's no match for her determination and if she can't get what she wanted in life, well by ghost she's going to get it, and him, in death.

I picked this up on a whim at the library, due mostly to it's awesome packaging and insanely kick-ass cover. It's this slim, thick, hardback book with silver edged paper with a cut-out silhouette on the cover. Couldn't help myself. I'm a sucker for something shiny. The biggest thing the book has going for it came with reading it- it's VERY good. Morbidly funny and full of all the teen stereotypes I fondly remember from high school, I just loved it. It poked a lot of fun at teenagers at that age, and it was admittedly dead (haha) on. It is a rather ridiculous time in life and I enjoyed the trip back in time.

Hurley tells a great story, but her writing really stands out in the little moral lessons she's trying to impart, not only to Charlotte but the reader as well. The character of Charlotte is wholly unlikable, but that's the point. The fact that she ends up tolerable and maybe even having learned a little stays true to the story in that, at that age, we never really got it.

At least that's why I took away from the story. But then again I'm an old person reading this so I'm in on the joke. Totally going to read the next one. show less

I have mixed feelings about this book. I think the concept (girl dies while choking on a gummy bear and has to find her way to happiness in the ghostly world) is funny, and I definitely cackled out loud at a few parts. But it just doesn't work as well as I'd hoped.

The quotes from musicians, bands and authors at the beginning of each chapter were charming, but I don't think the teens of today will relate to them. Also, the numerous pop culture references are going to be outdated within 2 years.

However, if I was a teenager reading this in 1992 (which I was...), I would've loved this book. The main characters, Charlotte and Scarlet, remind me of myself at that age. However, that makes me concerned that the author is writing this from an show more early to mid 30s point of view as her life as a teenager, instead of a 2008/2009 teen...

But, if you're going to judge the book solely by its cover, it's beautiful. Definitely the most unique, gorgeous cover and stunning pages of 2008... show less

There were a lot of problems with Ghostgirl, and one might wonder why I’ve rated it 3 stars.
Problems:
· Hurley seems to be trying to include many, many themes and messages rather than focusing entirely on one or two main points.
· There are almost too many sub-plots to keep up with.
· The main character, Charlotte, is just pathetic. In life she was the ultimate wallflower, and longed to be popular (which is pathetic to begin with, especially given the way the popular crowd is portrayed in the book) but adding her selfishness into the equation makes her doubly pathetic. She learns her lessons in the end, but it takes her a long time to get there.
· The book is written as though high school is the whole universe. Not once in the entire show more book, while she’s alive or after she’s dead does the author or the character mention parents, siblings, or any loved ones. This struck me as off.
· There were occasionally somewhat jarring plot shifts. It felt like after she finished writing, the book was too long, and an editor just yanked out pages here and there, without sufficient rewriting to make the book read smoothly.
· Biggest problem: Logic. When a book involving supernatural things, magic, or fantasy is written, it is vital that the author determine what the rules of their world will be, communicate those rules to the reader, and stick to those rules rigidly. This is why J.K. Rowling’s magical world works so perfectly, it’s why Stephen King’s supernatural tales are so good. They stick to the rules they’ve created. But Hurley seems at times to just make up what can happen in her supernatural world based on where she wants the story to go in the end, without ever establishing the rules. The whole conclusion was a logical jumble. Much of what happens in the last couple of chapters simply makes no sense.
All that said, there were some things I liked, and I tend to be rather forgiving if there are some things I like.
What I liked:
· Scarlet was a great character. Comfortable in her own unpopular skin, even when she wasn’t in her body at all.
· The storyline involving the living Scarlet and the dead Charlotte switching places – Charlotte taking over Scarlett’s body while Scarlet gets to be an ethereal being for a while – created some fun, funny, and interesting episodes.
· Charlotte brings most of her problems on herself, both alive and after death, and indeed that’s one of the book’s themes. But even as I thought what a pathetic girl she was, I couldn’t help but root for her to learn her lessons and move on. I would have liked a more steady growth through the story, instead of a big, single revelation at the end, but I still enjoyed seeing her finally grow up and move along with her life (so to speak.)
· And kudos to the book designers too. Beautiful book. Die-cut cover with poly inlay, silver edges pages, and attractive art-nouveau borders on every page.
Hurley dropped in a lot of pop-culture references, which dates the book. Today’s 13-year-olds are going to react to the band names and websites mentioned far differently than the way the 13-year olds of 2008 did. Still, this would be an appealing book for the right audience, in spite of its many flaws. But if you’re not really into teen social issues and a tongue-in-cheek look at death and afterlife, then this is definitely not the tale for you. show less

Charlotte Usher is a nobody, ignored, overlooked and easily forgotten. She has spent her whole school life being invisible, never popular enough to be cool, never unpopular enough to be ridiculed. But this year is going to be different. Charlotte has spent her holidays hard at work planing, manicuring and making-over her image. This year she is determined to be noticed by all the right people, even if it kills her. Unfortunately for Charlotte that's exactly what happens.

Being dead is not so different from being alive; at least it isn't for Charlotte. However her not being seen ever is putting a dampener on her plans. That is until Charlotte stumbles upon a most unlikely, alive, ally in the most extraordinary of circumstances. What show more Charlotte says she needs is closure, in order to finally move on and accept her death, but what Charlotte wants is a life and more importantly a kiss.

Ghostgirl is a quirky, dark and heartfelt tale that shows that just because you're dead doesn't mean you can't be popular. In Charlotte's desperation to attain her hearts desire she resorts to extreme and forbidden actions, however those actions have consequences affecting not only herself but those around her. With poetry, maggots, cupcakes and musical references the result is a style and tone that is delightfully haunting. Charlotte may be dead but that won't keep her from love. show less

All Charlotte wants is to be popular. So for the new school year she has a new look and she is going to try out for cheerleading. Another thing she wants more than anything is to get the most sought after guy in school, Damen.Right when things start to go the right way with Damen Charlotte ends up choking on a gummy bear. But she isn't going to let a little thing like being dead stop her from getting what she wants.

This book was really different from anything i've read before. It was funny, and weird, and a little cheesy, but the plot kept it going at a fast pace. This book has everything, cheerleaders, gummy bears, love, death, and rotting corpses. I also like the style of the book cover, and the silver on the edges of the pages, and show more there are color and designs in the book, very fancy for a book that's under $20. show less

Puns and allusions and wordplay galore in this one! Charlotte Usher is determined that she is NOT going to be one of the invisible wallflowers at Hawthorne High any more. Unfortunately, her plan derails when she chokes on a gummi bear on her way out of first period physics class on the first day of school... and dies. Charlotte discovers that even though she's dead, she still has to graduate! Arriving at Deadiquette school, which meets in the basement, she discovers a class of students who are all learning to resolve their final issues so they can "graduate" and completely leave the world of the living. Charlotte's issue appears to be her massive crush on Damen (uber-cool boyfriend of Petula, queen of all popularity) and her desperate show more desire to be popular. Charlotte uses Petula's rebel goth sister Scarlet to help her achieve her goals, but Scarlet's got a mind of her own. Besides Scarlet, Charlotte's new Dead classmates are extremely unhappy with her attempts to be part of the living, so Charlotte's got a lot on her hands. Great undead humor for 8th grade and up. show less