Customer Reviews

Spirit Willing: A Savannah Haunting

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My spirit was decidedly unwilling when I picked up this book. I am neither a fan of mysteries nor of ghost stories. However I do love historic settings, and Savannah has always exuded an exotic grace.

With these prejudices in mind, I curled up to read I made the acquaintance of self-centered Charlotte, aspiring artist Alexander and our too blunt heroine. Hibiscus House, in true southern style, was acharacter in itself. It seemed almost natural when a grumpy ghost voiced his concerns for its preservation.

Without my even noticing it, I soon became so enamored with the characters and their story that titles like "mystery" or "ghost story" seemed silly. I did not put the book down until I had finished, no, devoured it.

It was like sitting on one of those wrap around porches you see in the south, sipping sweet tea and visiting with friends. Susan B. Johnson's skill as a writer provided a delightful afternoon.

I was totally swept away by this enchanting little book and its endearing characters. Set in the heart of historic Savannah, it is a ghost story, a love story, a story of family loyalty, with a bit of intrigue thrown in for good measure.

Kind Aunt Olivia has raised her niece and nephew, Charlotte and Alexander, as her own from the time they were young. Conniving and greedy Charlotte has poisonous plans for Aunt Olivia and her beautiful, historic Hibiscus House, which has been the seat of her late husband's family for generations. What lengths will Charlotte go to?

Aunt Olivia receives assistance from a most unexpected source. Great-great grandfather Cyrus appears one night and tells Olivia she can help him by assisting him in keeping a promise made to his beloved wife on her deathbed. They become allies and friends as they set out to foil Charlotte. But did Aunt Olivia imagine him?

Strange things begin to happen. Charlotte has more than a bad hair day when she begins looking for out-of-state rest homes for Aunt Olivia. Aunt Olivia's dearest friend's home is saved after news of the friend's "haint" makes the six o'clock news. The builders remodeling a historic house into condos are beset with problems. Meanwhile, a subplot in Ireland which revolves around Alexander and his dearest friends may eventually come to put Cyrus to rest. But is he real?

Author Susan B. Johnson has created a memorable cast of characters, and I was sad to leave them behind at the end of the book. Her love of and affection for Savannah and its inhabitants is obvious throughout, and she does a very impressive job of bringing us right into the middle of it. The tiniest of complaints might be that it was sometimes a bit predictable, but overall, this was a very enjoyable read, and I am looking forward to reading Ms. Johnson's non-fiction book, Savannah's Little Crooked Houses: If These Walls Could Talk.

When I first discovered this book I was sure that I had found a real gem because I am a great fan of mysteries and I also delight in reading ghost books and taking the ever-popular ghost tours. Combine that with the fact that I deeply love Savannah and in fact read part of this book while visiting that most beautiful of Southern cities and it comes as no surprise that I absolutely loved this book. With no pun intended this author has completely captured the spirit of Savannah and its quirky but lovable citizens.

The story revolves around a very old Savannah family There is the elderly Aunt Olivia who lives in the stately old family home across the street from the lovely Forsyth Park and her niece and nephew Charlotte and Alexander whom she raised as her own after the death of their mother. Alexander is an artist and was a delightful child while his sister Charlotte was a very troubled child and is now a troubled adult. As the author details Charlotte's childhood it becomes readily apparent just how troubled that Charlotte is and by that point the reader will have become very attached to Aunt Olivia and will as a consequence become very fearful for her safety. Charlotte you see has decided to try and gain control of the family house so that she can make it into a B&B and will stop at nothing to accomplish her mission.

Fortunately the ghost of the builder of the family home comes to the rescue because he promised his dying wife that their family would always live in Hibiscus House. In order to keep his promise the ghost will go to almost any length himself and the strange mishaps that suddenly start to befall Charlotte add just the right comic relief to counter the dark presence that is Charlotte.

This is a wonderfully well written book that would be a gripping tale in any setting but the Savannah setting makes it all the more enjoyable. Not only does this author capture Savannah but she also captures the feel of the entire South with our determined attachment to our land and our homes. Poignant in places, funny in others and endearing from cover to cover this book isn't really a mystery or a ghost story for both terms are just too limiting. This is a story about family and loyalty and it will touch the heart of anyone who reads it. Susan Johnson, you have done my favorite city proud!

I loved this charming Savannah story. The characters were believable and lively -- even the ghost, and the plot twists surprised me. The main storyline focuses on Aunt Olivia's efforts to keep her historic Savannah home despite the schemes of her nasty niece Charlotte. A subplot in Ireland adds depth to the story and vividly describes how a painter, Olivia's nephew Alexander, approaches the artistic process. The family tree at the front of the book is a thoughtful addition. As a resident of the Historic District I can attest to Spirit Willing's skillful evocation of Savannah. If you are tired of formulaic tales peopled by cardboard cut-outs, you'll enjoy this refreshing, engaging "ghost story for non-believers."

Susan Johnson is my heroine. She is able to paint, both with brush and pen, wondrous pictures with watercolors and words. In Spirit Willing Susan captures your mind with her metaphors, frees your spirit to soar to new heights of imagination and presents a tale told by a master story teller. Susan has created a book you will be unwilling to put down.
Peggy Varnedoe
Fellow Student of Zona Rosa

I was interested in this book because I love ghost stories and especially Savannah but when I started reading the story I could pretty much figure out the ending after a few pages. This book would be great for pre-teens except for the bad language which I found offensive. The story is about a elderly lady in distress because her niece Charlotte is trying to send her a to a retirement home to make the old womans house into a bed and breakfast.The ghost of Cyrus her husbands great,great,great grandfather shows up to try to right things which in the end all is well. That is another thing if you are getting this book to read about ghosts forget it Cyrus is a voice that clearly makes himself known thru all the book and there's nothing ghostly about him. I leave it up to the reader but I'm glad I got my copy at the library.