Book Review | Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
Dolly Aldteron strikes again with her eagerly awaited novel, Ghosts.
Ghosts tells the story of Nina Dean, a successful young food writer two published books under her belt so far. She is always on time with a few minutes to spare, and she can poach an egg to perfection.
After recently celebrating her 32nd birthday, she finishes the night on a high, leaping back into the dating world after a few years of singledom. After signing up to Linx, she finds herself relentlessly swiping left and right through London's eligible bachelors, eventually to land on Max. Devilishly rugged and handsome, Max declares his love for Nina after only a few dates and professes that they will one day marry. So, no surprise that Nina is utterly perplexed when she falls victim to the millennial phenomenon that is ghosting.
This theme of ghosts doesn't stop there; we see the pattern of withdrawal in other tropes, like Nina's retired father battling a slow descent into Dementia, despite her best efforts to bring him back to earth. Meanwhile, long time friend Katherine has baby number 2 on the way, and the two find themselves with less in common.
I loved Alderton's memoir Everything I Know About Love, especially the random but welcome mac and cheese recipe that pops up half-way through. Making the rookie error of expecting more of the same, I prepared myself for something uplifting and easy. But this tale of loss and ghosts hits a different tone.
Alderton created an admirable heroine and served her with a platter of real and relatable qualms which will feel all too familiar to many in their 20's and 30's. At times, I felt Ghosts quite hard and heavy to digest, especially the scenes in which Nina is slowly losing her father to a horrible but all too common disease.
And of course, there is the ghosting – where someone you are seeing abruptly ceases all contact, vanishing without a trace. Nina’s experience of ghosting in a literal sense paves the way seamlessly into the sublot as the theme of disappearance occurs in Nina's fading friendships. Likewise, in her mother's continuous attempt in withdrawing herself from the looming reality that sees her transition from her husband's wife to carer.
It's not all doom and gloom, though. As Nina's and Katherine grow apart, she and her single friend Lola form an unspoken alliance, the two share the same 'unmarried-no kids-but-you're-doing-great’ wavelength and a whole host of hilarious dialogue. Lola is that type of friend who is never short of sound advice, delivered in the form of sexual innuendo or an elaborate metaphor. Their friendship - saturated in banter and genuine care - bring a familiar comfort, reminding me of my very own dear – and amazing - girlfriends.