Haunting

The Ghosts of Heaven by Marcus Sedgwick

The cover of the U.S. edition doesn’t do this book justice. The cover of the British edition has beautiful spirals all over it. They are the theme of the story and play a hugely important part in understanding it. The double helix spiral stair on the US edition is not nearly as beautiful.

Anyway, I loved this book.  It’s a compelling story, so compelling I had a tough time putting it down – even at work.

The book consists of four sections, each with a different protagonist but a similar plot line.  They are tightly written and at times uncomfortably compelling. Hence, the “I couldn’t put it down” part of my day. Author Marcus Sedgwick says you can read the four sections in any order. I read them as they were printed, in chronological order.  When I got to the “end”, I could see what he meant, but you do have to read the whole book first to understand that reading them in any order works.

In the largest sense, this book explains the meaning of life. It examines what motivates us and our emotions and what binds us all together. I found it masterful and I highly commend the student who was so excited after he finished that he barged into the library and said to me, “I just finished this book, and I have to talk to somebody about it. I think it’s changed my life.”  I immediately took the book and started reading so he and I could have a conversation, but also because I love a book that changes anybody’s life.

Thank you, Marcus Sedgwick.