Eventual Weldon has finally realized her dream of moving to New York’s Greenwich Village, the only place her mother ever seemed to be happy. But the closest thing to the thriving community of artists her mother talked about so fondly Eve finds is the ghost of a writer that inhabits her apartment. Donald, a Beat-era writer, is convinced that he simply dies too young, and if he can just get Eve to finish his life’s work for him, he’ll finally have the recognition he deserves. But Eve has plans of her own. Alone in the Big City, she is determined to make new friends, excel in her job as a writer for the morning news show, Smell the Coffee, and discover the secrets of her mother’s past.
The Ghost of Greenwich Village was not at all what I expected. It started off a bit slow for me, but once the story really got started, I was hooked. Lorna Graham, who formerly wrote for multiple news stations, sprinkled a lot of fun details throughout Eve’s experience that made the story very realistic. The characters were well developed and by books end, they felt like old friends.
Eve really grows throughout the story, going from a girl desperately chasing her mother’s ghost to a confident young woman, making her own choices. I didn’t really expect to like Donald, but I ended up loving him! He’s self-absorbed, rude, and his writing style is awful. But when his past is finally revealed, he’s the most sympathetic character in the book. The relationships built throughout the book are complex and believable.
I felt like I was part of Eve’s group of friends. There were several fashion references that went over my head, but they weren’t vital to the story line, so don’t worry if you aren’t a fashionista! This was a great debut, I will definitely add Ms. Graham to my “watch list.”
- Author Website: www.Lornagraham.com
- This reviewer also blogs at www.1bookaddict.blogspot.com
- Publisher: Ballantine Books
- Date of Publication: June 28, 2011
