Ruined

I am a colossal coward. I don't like to be scared. I don't like otherwordly things in my reading. They are almost never potents of anything good or happy or positive. And yet when I was offered this book with the telling subtitle of A Ghost Story, there was something about it that kept me from turning it down immediately. even more surprisingly, I eventually decided to take a chance on it. To push the boundaries not only of my preferences, but of what my psyche could take. Because when I've pushed myself before, I have woken in the middle of the night with raging nightmares. But somehow, this book didn't trigger the self-preservation thing with me and I took the chance.

Rebecca's father must leave for China so he sends her to New Orleans show more to live with an old family friend and her daughter. Rebecca is not happy about this at all. She is being ripped from all that is comfortable and familiar and thrust into life in post-Katrina New Orleans with an eccentric friend of her father and late mother? She's being sent to a snobbish all-girls' school where she certainly doesn't fit in, finding it difficult, even impossible, to make friends. So despite her aunt Claudia's admonition to stay away from Lafayette Cemetery, when she sees some of the mean girls from school and the sons of the scions of New Orleans society entering the grounds one night, she doesn't stop to consider and obey. She follows them.

Once inside the cemetery, she meets and speaks with a young girl, Lisette. Captivated by this girl, she wants to find her again and to become friends even after she realizes that Lisette is a ghost. Soon Rebecca is juggling an exploration of New Orleans and her growing investment in Lisette with the potential interest of one of the boys she'd followed on her initial foray into Lafayette Cemetery.

Through the ghost character of Lisette, Morris is able to weave a fictional history for a New Orleans family, bringing echoes of real past to life without seeming as if she is determined to get all of her background research into the novel. Setting the book to culminate with Mardi Gras helps to bring to the forefront, some of the more sinister elements of New Orleans' early history and to enhance the growing tension in the novel. Rebecca as a character is completely in the dark about all the machinations that seethe under the surface of polite society and her naivete, compassion, and generousity set her apart from the other major players in the book. She is, in essence, both main character and foil.

The narrative picks up speed towards the end and the impending menace almost comes to quickly for the story to be satisfying. Rebecca's understanding of the events that came to pass seems to be slight and even I, as the reader, re-read the last bits to make certain I didn't misinterpret what I thought had happened. So the ending was more rushed than I would have liked but the pacing change was necessary to ratch up the tension so perhaps there was no other way to end it other than in a flurry. I was surprised that I enjoyed this as much as I did and even more pleased that I didn't suffer even one nightmare. It is a YA title but certainly adults who enjoy ghost stories or stories set in New Orleans will enjoy this as well. show less

I loved this! I'm not one for over-the-top, steamy romance where there's obsession on every page. Nor was I looking for chills and thrills in this book. If you want an intriguing plot with a touch of romance and a surprise ending, this a great book for you! The characters seemed pretty real (although the teen-angsty "My home is so much better than this rotten place I've moved to" always bugs me) and I loved that the romance wasn't the center of the plot, but rather a nice side story. The focus is on the ghost girl, the curse, and the connection between the past and the present.

Rebecca is a typical high school sophomore. She is active in her school and is extremely upset and resentful when her father uproots her from her New York City home to live with a friend and her daughter in New Orleans. She doesn't understand why her father sends her to live with the woman she calls Aunt Claudia because they don't know each other well. New Orleans, especially in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, is small peanuts compared to NYC and Rebecca finds that she doesn't fit in as well amidst the children sent to the Temple Mead Academy by New Orleans society families. About the only thing that interests her about her surroundings is the Lafayette Cemetery. When Aunt Claudia strictly forbids her from going there, she is determined show more to do just that. It is there where she runs into her first friend, Lisette, who just happens to be a ghost.

I really enjoyed Ruined. Despite part of the story being predictable, I grew to care for Rebecca and Lisette. I wanted to know Lisette's story and see what Rebecca would do with it. While I think that young adults may relate better to Rebecca than I did at first, I didn't feel that this novel was directed specifically at younger readers. There was much to enjoy. I found the information about New Orleans' history and race relations, the role and place of the city's grand and established families in modern society, and the background on the city's Mardi Gras parades very interesting. Most importantly, Rebecca and Lisette are interesting characters and strong at heart. I was never scared while reading this book, but I was always entertained. I would strongly suggest Rebecca and Lisette's story to the young and the young at heart alike. show less

Like the main character, Rebecca, I knew very little about New Orleans before Katrina. What I did know came from sources like movies, novels, comic books and random historical facts that stuck in my head from American history classes. Pop culture painted a surrealistic view of the city--populated by a people who have lived and thrived on traditions for centuries and Mardi Gras, was the talk of the world. I was intrigued and terrified by the thought of going to the city.

And then Hurricane Katrina hit and suddenly the world knew about New Orleans and it was all you heard about for weeks, months and even years later. One of America's oldest cities, so much culture and history swept away by nature. But Morris doesn't hide the fact that New show more Orleans has a dark underside--not just in its past, but its present as well--entangled with all the glitz and glamorous parties.

I found myself fascinated by what Lisette, the ghost, told us about New Orleans and what Rebecca learned on through her independent study. An entire culture of people and lifestyles I never imagined was discussed. I enjoyed those parts moreso then the rest of it honestly. The curse and troubles of the present day were slow to really pick up speed. For a good half of the book there's barely any mention of the curse at all and other then some rather suspicious behavior and statements made by Rebecca's 'aunt' Claudia and father, there wasn't much to tie in with Rebecca.

Character motivations were murky at best, shifting and tangling with other secrets revealed a little too late in the game and making many of the characters seem inconsistent and feckless. I liked Anton until Christmas Break, but then he became just as secretive as every other 'old family'. His explanations at the end seemed off center and even a little cowardly. Tradition dictates, but he had spent the better part of the first half of the book proving that he was more than tradition demanded.

The end itself was poetic justice in a way. How the curse ends that is. It made me wonder just how much of the curse was true 'supernatural' intervention and how much of it was really coincidence and self-fulfilling prophecy. The first two 'deaths' of the curse could be mere coincidence and given the time period entirely understandable. It was after those that the family began to actively try and circumvent it, so who's to say that didn't bring it about ten times worse? show less

When Rebecca’s father needs to travel out of the country on business for several months, he has no other choice but to leave her with her aunt Claudia and cousin Aurelia. She is none to happy about this - leaving the comforts of her home in New York City to live in post-Katrina New Orleans, where she is to start a new school for the reminder of the school year.

Upon her arrival, her aunt warns her to stay away from the cemetery across the road from their house. But Lafayette Cemetery doesn’t seem like a dangerous place to Rebecca, instead she can’t wait to make her way through its tombs. When a few of her classmates sneak into the cemetery at night she finds this the appropriate moment not only to spy on the snobby girls from her show more school, but also to venture through the cemetery. She not only gets lost in the cemetery but runs into a friendly girl, Lisette, who helps her find her way out of the cemetery in time without getting locked in or anyone finding out she was there in the first place. Lisette and Rebecca quickly become friends, but it doesn’t take long for Rebecca to realize that there’s something very different about her new friend... Lisette is a ghost.

Lisette is a ghost with a secret and she needs Rebecca’s help. But Rebecca soon find herself drawn into a multi-generation curse where danger lurks around every corner. Rebecca has made a pact to help Lisette - but can she trust Anton, the cute boy who tries to befriend her but is also one of the rich kids in town? What about aunt Claudia? How much does she really know?

Ruined is foremost a ghost story - but there’s also so much more to it. I absolutely loved Rebecca. She was a very refreshing character - brave, strong, not bothered by her lack of popularity and stood her ground when confronted by the “mean girls” of her new school. I liked that she wasn’t worried with how she looked or what anyone thought of her. None of that teen drama/angst about fitting in with the rich girls... I found her to be a very real voice. I also really enjoyed reading about post-Katrina New Orleans. When Lisette and Rebecca take a walk through town, you almost feel as if you are walking with them. All the details and stories along the way... I think this was my favorite part. I loved reading about the older New Orleans families, their homes and their traditions surrounding Mardi Gras.

I was intrigued from the start by Lisette's death - and the curse that ensued. It was a real page-turner for me... I just needed to find out what happened and how it would all end. There were a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming and that made for good reading. You were just never sure where the story was going. Did the rich girls really want to befriend Rebecca or did they have ulterior motives? Was Anton interested in more than a friendship or was he just playing with her? And what about Lisette? How much can you really trust a ghost?

I found this to be a very enjoyable read and would definitely recommend to anyone who likes ghosts, romance, quirky characters, history, all mixed together with the flavor of New Orleans. show less

This book was as much a historic delight as a ghost story delight. I really enjoyed learning so much about New Orleans past and felt I could really picture the setting of the story because the author spent so much time describing New Orlean's past and present. Every time I pass a cemetary now I get disappointed knowing that in New Orleans there are these elaborate tombs and elevated cemeteries.

I could tell that this book was written with a lot of love. The author put care into even the most despicable characters which made the book that much better. It was written so well, too. I felt like I wasn't reading, rather sneaking into the Lafayette Cemetary with Rebecca and watching the parades of Mardi Gras.

Exhilarting. That's what that last show more half of the book was. I never knew what was going to happen and when it did I had to have an inhaler on hand. It was the kind of ghost story I used to hear around my campfire (less paranormal and more human) and I think those are the scariest. The ghost had history and her own character and after I really was connected to her story then something happened that totally threw me off. In a good way. I didn't know what to believe until the end!

I recommend this to anyone who likes history and truly just a well told story. It didn't have any superficial layers. If you like ghosts and curses you'll love the way this story fans out. I think the author did a fabulous job and I can't wait to read her again! show less

I don’t normally read ghost stories but this one is set in one of my favourite cities, New Orleans, so I decided to give it a go. It is meant for the teen audience I believe but it was enjoyable for this much older reader.
Rebecca Brown has grown up in New York City with her father as the sole parent. Her mother was killed in a car accident when Rebecca was very young and she doesn’t remember her. However in the fall of her 16th year she is sent by her father to live in New Orleans with a friend of the family. Ostensibly this is because her father is going to be working in China for 6 months but there is something strange about this excuse. Aunt Claire, the family friend, lives in a small house in the Garden District of New Orleans show more with her daughter Aurelia. Aunt Claire tells fortunes in Jackson Square and claims to be descended from a voodoo priestess. Her house is filled with strange objects and she dresses rather outlandishly. Aurelia is a pretty normal adolescent girl but she is quite a bit younger than Rebecca. Aurelia goes to a private girls’ school in the neighbourhood and arrangements have been made for Rebecca to also attend there. Many of the students are from rich old-line families and Rebecca is really an outsider. Just across the street from Aunt Claire’s house is Lafayette Cemetery and some of the juniors from the school plus boys from the affiliated school go there on weekend nights. Rebecca follows them in one night and then gets disoriented. Trying to find a way out she meets a black girl, Lisette, who seems to be living in the cemetery. It is only later that Rebecca realizes that Lisette is a ghost and no-one else can see her. Lisette has been haunting the cemetery for 155 years and little by little Rebecca learns her story.
Lisette is just about the only friend Rebecca makes although a boy from one of the top families, Anton, does ask her to a Christmas party. Rebecca goes but both she and Anton are shunned by just about everyone. Then Lisette shows up and frightens the daughter of the family throwing the party. Rebecca realizes that she is not the only one who can see Lisette. There is talk of a curse on the family and on their house but Rebecca has difficulty believing this. As Mardi Gras approaches even Rebecca gets caught up in the excitement.
I loved the setting and especially the details about the Mardi Gras parades and the krewes that organize them. We were in New Orleans just before Hallowe’en last year and got to see a taste of what the city would become for Mardi Gras. That’s a city that loves to party! And if any city has ghosts and curses I can believe New Orleans would be a prime contender. If you haven’t been to New Orleans this will make you want to visit; if you have been there it will bring back good memories. show less