Nothing but Ghosts [Hardcover]

Beth Kephart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 23, 2009

Ever since her mother passed away, Katie's been alone in her too-big house with her genius dad, who restores old paintings for a living. Katie takes a summer job at a garden estate, where, with the help of two brothers and a glamorous librarian, she soon becomes embroiled in decoding a mystery. There are secrets and shadows at the heart of Nothing but Ghosts: symbols hidden in a time-darkened painting, and surprises behind a locked bedroom door. But most of all, this is a love story—the story of a girl who learns about love while also learning to live with her own ghosts.

This is a heartfelt, lyrical tale from the National Book Award-nominated author of Undercover and House of Dance.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up–When her mother dies of cancer, 16-year-old Katie finds it painful to continue the patterns of her old life, so she makes the unexpected choice of taking a summer job in the gardens of the nearby estate belonging to reclusive Miss Martine. There she works under the caretaker with the other part-timers and stumbles upon a two-pronged mystery: Why are they digging so deeply near the river, and how does that relate to whatever sent the debutante Miss Martine out of society more than 50 years earlier? Katie's father, a brilliant art-restoration expert, contributes to the search for answers as he cleans an elaborate painting that he believes Miss Martine's father, a millionaire industrialist, created near the time of her seclusion. Research into some donated boxes of local lore at the library and assistance from the librarian and an intriguing boy who also works at the estate aid in her investigation. Meanwhile, Katie grieves: memories of a family spur-of-the-moment trip to Barcelona the summer before remind her of how her mother made an event out of everything and made her feel loved. Somehow it's easier for the teen to deal with Miss Martine's ghosts than with the aching absence of her mother. Nice writing and characterization can't quite compensate for a lack of suspense, a romance that never really gets off the ground, and a story that doesn't draw one in.–Suzanne Gordon, Peachtree Ridge High School, Suwanee, GA
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From Booklist

Grief and all its anguish is at the heart of this story. Reeling from her mother’s death, Katie, 16, takes a summer job on a nearby wealthy estate as part of a work crew constructing a gazebo. As she bonds with her fellow teen worker, Danny, she stumbles across secrets about the beautiful, rich recluse who lives in the big house. Why has wacky Miss Martine not been seen for over 50 years? Is the hole that they’re digging really for the gazebo? With the help of the glamorous town librarian (yes, glamorous), Katie and Danny research local lore in newspaper files and microfilm. The connections between solving the mystery and Katie’s bereavement struggle are sometimes overstated. Her first-person present-tense narrative is clear and lyrical, though,especially in her portrayal of her genius dad, an artist who asks, “How do you paint regret?” and in her discovery that “beauty and sadness can both live in one place.” Grades 8-11. --Hazel Rochman

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (June 23, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006166796X
• ISBN-13: 978-0061667961
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,524,073 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Following the publication of five memoirs and FLOW, the autobiography of Philadelphia's Schuylkill River, I've had the great pleasure of turning my attention to young adult fiction. UNDERCOVER and HOUSE OF DANCE were both named a best of the year by Kirkus and Bank Street. NOTHING BUT GHOSTS, A HEART IS NOT A SIZE, and DANGEROUS NEIGHBORS were critically acclaimed. In October YOU ARE MY ONLY will be released by Egmont USA. Next summer, Philomel will release SMALL DAMAGES. I am at work on a prequel to DANGEROUS NEIGHBORS, a novel for adults, and a memoir about teaching. Please visit my blog: http://beth-kephart.blogspot.com/

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gorgeous novel, November 22, 2009

By 

Sara "The Hiding Spot" (Kalamazoo, MI) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Nothing but Ghosts (Hardcover)

Nothing But Ghosts was absolutely beautiful. There was something so calming about this novel - I can't say that it was exciting necessarily; it is better described as engrossing.

The story unfolds so perfectly; I found the story to be compelling and engaging. There are two main plot lines in Ghosts: Katie's and that of the mysterious old woman Katie works for. Beth Kephart wove the two stories together perfectly to create just the right balance of past, present, and future.

I have never lost a parent, thank goodness, but I know many people my age that have. The closest experience that I can relate to losing a parent is losing my grandparents. Still, I could empathize with Katie's grief and confusion over the death of her mother; the disbelief that someone can be vibrant and full of life and then be gone forever. Even though my grandfather passed away a few months ago, I still forget that he is gone sometimes and when I remember and it hits me, I feel the pain of his loss all over again. I can only imagine that Katie, living in the house that she once shared with her mother, surrounded by her things, her room untouched, exactly the same as it was when she was living, and feeling distanced from her father, must feel. Kephart wrote this aspect of the novel particularly well.

I loved the mystery in this novel! Katie's quest to uncover the truth about the old woman who was a socialite in her youth, but has grown to be a recluse, was one of my favorite aspects of Nothing but Ghosts. I was amazed by the Kephart's skill as all the pieces of the puzzle slowly came together. I loved that I didn't figure out the secret until near the end of the novel, it is a bit anticlimatic when it is too easy to figure out the mystery. I love the fact that the mystery brings so many of the minor characters out of the background as well.

There is also a love story within Nothing but Ghosts. This aspect of the novel isn't really a main plot line, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. When I started the novel, I wasn't really sure that there would be a romantic plot line, so I was pleasantly surprised when one developed.

Nothing but Ghosts is an amazing novel and I will definitely be reading Kephart's other novels! Ghosts is a novel that I need to have a copy of on my bookshelf!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An uplifting story about grief, July 9, 2009

By 

lenore531 (Wichita, KS United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nothing but Ghosts (Hardcover)

After the death of her mother, Katie takes a summer gardening job at the estate of town recluse Miss Martine who hasn't been seen outside since she was 16. Katie herself is burdened with grief, but she has to wonder what kind of tragedy would make you voluntarily disappear from life. With the help of two brothers and a glamorous librarian, Katie begins to decode the mystery and gain the strength to go on.

I admit, ever since the death of my own mother when I was 19, I tend to shy away from books where the mother is recently deceased or dying. I'm just always afraid they'll be too depressing, too sad to handle. But Beth has done a beautiful thing here - she takes us to the truth of what it's like to deal with loss (the too-big house that feels empty, the withdrawing from friends, the keeping busy to dull the pain) and then lets her characters (and her readers) find comfort and a renewed sense of purpose.

The story elements, the well-drawn characters (Katie's father, chic Ms. McDermott, and estate caretaker Old Olson were favorites), and spare, lyrical writing all contribute to making this a genuinely affecting reading experience. In fact, as far as books about grief go, I'd rate it up there with Kate DiCamillo's THE TIGER RISING.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Story, August 2, 2009

By 

Julie Peterson "Booking Mama" (Central PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nothing but Ghosts (Hardcover)

There are so many wonderful things to say about NOTHING BUT GHOSTS, but I think Ms. Kephart's writing is truly stellar and it is what makes this book extra-special. I have not read any of Ms. Kephart's other books, but if they are anything like this one, I certainly plan to in the very near future. As much as I appreciated her writing style, I wasn't totally surprised by how beautiful and honest her writing is because I am a regular follower of her blog. Although I must say that reading an entire novel was a different kind of treat for me. I am just so grateful that I could spend an entire afternoon reading this book and appreciating Ms. Kephart's gorgeous prose.

Another thing that I really enjoyed about NOTHING BUT GHOSTS were the characters that Ms. Kephart created in this story, especially Katie. I absolutely loved Katie's voice and found her to be such a very real young woman. My heart absolutely went out to Katie because she lost her mom at a time when she needed her the most -- those difficult teen years. I also found it incredibly painful to see that she isolated herself from her best friends as part of her grieving process. As I read this novel, I desperately wanted Katie to find some happiness in her life. I so wanted her to be able to come to some kind of understanding about her mother's death (and even her mother's life.)

I also really liked how there was an almost mystery aspect to this novel. While Katie's father was trying to unravel the meaning behind a painting that he was working on, Katie was attempting to figure out the mystery behind a reclusive woman. With the help of a very hip librarian (whom I absolutely loved) and Katie's co-worker and potential boyfriend, Katie eventually figures out the secrets behind the mysterious woman. As Katie learns the painful truth about this woman's life, she also discovers valuable things about herself and the ghosts in her life.

I just can't express how terrific NOTHING BUT GHOSTS is. I think if you have ever dealt with loss on any level, then you will appreciate this story. Ms. Kephart's writing is just amazing, and there is also no doubt in my mind that you will fall in love with Katie and the other characters in this story. It truly is one of my favorite books of the year!