Brief Description: Opening with two black pages and the written words: NO MORE, the depressing and cheerless stage is set as this graphic novel begins; the next illustrations show a girl slitting her wrist. Grace is a tragic figure crippled physically by an unknown disease. When she attempts physical exertion, she grows increasingly more ill and is ultimately bedridden. She begins to hallucinate and she "meets" a cute blond boy who visits with her and claims he is a ghost. He coaxes her from her room on several occasions, but this leads to hospitalization. Grace is surrounded by even more depression; her step father is cruel and heartless, her mother is dead, apparently from the same disease, and only her perky half-sister Ashley brings any light to this morosely dark tale. The ending features a mixed bag of delight and sadness.
Awards: None Found
Personal Opinion: I really disliked the alarming scene of suicide in the beginning, but continued to read in one sitting as I had to find out what would happen to Grace. This story had hints of the Demi Moore/Patrick Swayze “Ghost” to it, but it departed dramatically in that Grace was clearly suffering from major depressive disorder. For a while, her journal writing held her in the realms of reality, but when she began seeing Andy, the charming blond ghost, she literally left her room and ended up even more sick, and she left her sense of reality as well. Her abusive step-father was pretty over the top having a distinct disregard for Grace’s well-being. Her caring doctor attempted to work with the father to observe Grace and determine the cause of her problems, but he wouldn’t budge. Ultimately, Grace opts to “go with grace” in an unsatisfying ending. I sympathized with her sister Ashley who obviously loved and wanted to help her sister. Again, I was drawn into the story out of morbid curiosity, and I can’t say I was very happy about it! Other reviews touted this as a “romantic ghost story.” I just couldn’t get past Grace’s all-encompassing depression to see the romantic piece, although she did have moments of happiness with Andy.
Programming Idea: High school aged kids might discuss this book as part of a health unit on depression and other psychological disorders. I can’t see a direct application to the public library setting, and probably wouldn’t attempt to hand-sell the book except to those kids who enjoy graphic novels and/or tales of angst and hardship.
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