With Megan Crewe's brilliant debut Give up the Ghost, one has to
give up one's preconceived notions about YA ghost stories of the
modern age. Because this one? It blows them straight out of the
water.
The overall vibe and connotation of Give up the Ghost is "[bright]
like a Chinese lantern" (Crewe 2). The concept of ghosts isn't new,
but Crewe sets them up in a way that's entirely her own, and it's
always intriguing to see new spins on old ideas. The main thread
that the story follows makes for a very interesting plot - in
short, a page-turner that grips the audience and does not let go,
charging them to walk the pages of the book like ghosts walk the
places they once inhabited.
Give up the Ghost definitely has very interesting characterization.
For one thing, Cass McKenna's "mission to expose the dirty secrets
of the poseurs in her school" is a trait of someone who's not your
average preppy teenage girl. She's gritty, she's raw, but most
importantly, Cass is real. Crewe isn't afraid to show Cass's flaws,
and that's what endears her the audience. It's also nice to see a
strong protagonist, to see a role reversal on the whole
damsel-in-distress motif.
And as for Tim? Tim's definitely a very interesting male lead, and
for good reason too. Again, his flaws make him more credible. It's
also very refreshing to get a YA lit boy who isn't described as
perfect - physically or otherwise. Crewe has also done a brilliant
job of using her characters and plot as conduits to explore the
theme of appearances vs. reality. Although Give up the Ghost may
seem like just a ghost story on the surface, it's so much more.
It's got elements of paranormal, of contemporary, of edgy YA - and
this is what breathes life into the story. For the most part, the
minor characters as well were nicely done, whether they were ghosts
or "breathers". Personally I found it a little hard to connect with
her parents, but then again, as it is from Cass's POV and she
doesn't have a great relationship with them, it's understandable.
What really impressed me was Crewe's portrayal of high school.
Perhaps it's not entirely what my school is like, or what your
school is like - but it doesn't matter. The evocative connotations
Crewe brought to life, the aura she conjured - basically, it all
added up to make the setting seem credible and real. A few quirks
here and there, but for the most part, the dialogue and teen voice
was relatively well done. The phrase "shoot the breeze" was new
though; I hadn't heard that before. I guess you learn something new
with every book.
A few things would've been nice to get a little more clarification
on, in terms of background information, but it works as is too.
It's a combination of characters, of writing, etc., but the plot is
also part of what keeps the audience hurtling towards the ending,
breathless and anticipating what's to come. Crewe definitely pushed
the envelope with Give up the Ghost, and although it may be
unexpected where the story goes, now it's hard to imagine it going
any other way.
In short, Give up the Ghost is masterfully done. Megan Crewe has
created an engrossing, illuminating, and captivating tale - a very
welcome debut to the YA community.