Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still my favorite paranormal romance, May 10, 2000
I've read plenty of recent paranormal romances, but none come close to The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. I read a so-so ghost romance last year, and it made me yearn to read this book again.Maybe this book rises above those others because it sets its ghostly element in a realistic setting populated with believable people. Sure, the captain is a crusy sailor, but there's a real person there, even if he is a ghost. Mrs. Muir holds her own, too -- none but the strong could endure that household. The book surpasses both the movie and the TV show. If you saw the movie, set aside your memories of it and read the book. (For one thing, the movie ruined the ending!) Anne M. Marble Reviewer, All About Romance
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40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
ROMANCE BETWEEN TWO WORLDS, July 7, 1999
We may never know what happened in Marseilles, (you have to read BLOOD AND SWASH), since Captain Gregg is too much of a gentleman beneath his barnacled exterior to kiss and tell. We feel that the highlights of the novel are definitely his private conversations (verbal and emotional sparring) with Lucia, as he fondly calls her. Demure and petite Lucy Muir seeks refuge from her domineering sisters-in-law after she becomes a respectable widow with two young children. Formerly under the thumb of her lacklustre husband or her pushy in-laws, gentle Lucy has never been allowed to enjoy a lifestyle of her own choosing. Amazingly she finds the inner strength to break free of the restrictive Muir cage with all its gilt-edged obligations. She flees to a modest seaside village where she is immediately charmed by Gull Cottage. Ridiculously low rent and a reputation for being haunted she considers attractions! She surprises everyone (including the nervous realtor) by taking up permanent residence with her chiildren and a faithful cook. But the local ghost legend is well-founded; in fact she meets the crusty sea captain whose portrait fascinates her that first night when she attempts to light the stove. Fighting to retain her newfound independence, she refuses to be frightened off. Why does she keep that old telescope in her (His) bedroom? How can a quiet, unassuming young widow tame a gruff and crusty old tar? Keeping the secret from her children, Lucy enters a unique relationship with this earthbound spirit, which becomes the focal point of their private existence. They help each other over the decades, proving that astral planes need not prevent maturing romance. Quite different from the movie, with more commentary on Life Beyond, but the story charms us still. I tenderly recommend this book for romantics of all ages!
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29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I thoroughly enjoyed the originality of this novel., July 29, 1999
By A Customer
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is a wonderfully sentimental and imaginative portrait of what originality can accomplish. R.A. Dick did a fantastic job of composing a story with levity and hope in what could have been a very depressing tale. The reader is also given multiple opportunities to sympathize with some characters, while abhorring the natures of others. The most brilliant aspect of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is the way in which the story of Mrs. Muir, a lonely, passive widow who simply wants much deserved independence, is a truly universal tale. All of us, at some point in our lives, have yearned for freedom from our oppressions, no matter how great or small they may be. Personally, I found myself supporting Mrs. Muir as she "grew a back bone" and began to lash out at those things which bothered her. Throughout this novel, we see something which seemingly many characters of today's novels lack: growth. As for the lovable Captain Gregg, we see him evolve, also. In the beginning of the story, the seaman is not well received by Mrs. Muir nor the reader. However, as time progresses, Captain Gregg becomes compatible to Mrs. Muir and readers find themselves hoping that by some twist of fate, Mrs. Muir and Captain Gregg will find a way to be together for eternity. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is a novel to be enjoyed by hopeless romantics and cynics alike. This novel, through humor, sadness, originality, a universal theme(though steeped in an unconventional story) and well-crafted characters with depth, gives everyone hope that our problems will be solved with some degree of success in due time.
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