Not yet. There is an art to holding her in the place she is entering now, on the edge of the water-earth, in the time and space between life and death, too late to return to the living and not time, not yet, not for a while, to be quite dead.
Silvie and her parents are spending their summer holiday taking part in an archeological experiment, trying to replicate the Iron Age living conditions. Silvie’s father, who is a bus driver, is obsessed with British pre-history. This holiday is his chance of living out the dream.
Right, said Pete, you mean he likes the idea that there’s some original Britishness somewhere, that if he goes back far enough he’ll find someone who wasn’t a foreigner.
The archaeological experiment is run by professor Slade. Three of his students, Dan, Pete and Molly, are participating as well.
The novella takes place over a short period. Via the dialogue and a few flashbacks, the author draws a thorough picture of Silvie’s life with her restrictive and violent father. Placing her side by side with the students serves as a powerful contrast. They have the life, Silvie ought to have, but she is too afraid to even aspire to such a life.
Silvie’s story is told in an understated, matter-of-fact language, which nevertheless hurts deeply. I just wanted to reach out to her, save her, do something.
The portrait of her father is superbly done as well. Yes, he is extreme, but he feels authentic and his longing for a period, when everything was British (historians will dispute if such a time ever existed) does not appear far-fetched at a time, where Britain and other parts of the world become increasingly more closed to foreign people and foreign goods. The book does not offer any explanations for the father’s views. I should have liked to understand, what really goes through his mind.
Sarah Moss has explained, she did get inspiration from the ongoing Brexit discussions, but please don’t let Brexit fatigue stop you from reading this book. The Brexit angle is not that obvious, and Silvie’s story is strong in its own right.
Ghost Wall is utterly atmospheric. You can feel the air vibrating with the history of the place as well as the present days atrocities. Whilst reading, I was instantly transported to this beautiful, rural place in Northumberland.
I loved the descriptions of the nature and the daily life in the primitive camp. Gathering, hunting, living as one with nature. It made me long to grab my tent and backpack and get out there myself. I wonder if this longing back to an era, where life was more simple and we were closer to nature, is inherent in all of us? Or perhaps only in those of us living in a metropolis?
Moss’ writing style did occasionally bother me. She is clearly averse to quotation marks, and the fluent transitions between quotation and narration were sometimes confusing. Still, Ghost Wall is a powerful story, which I highly recommend. It may not be a substantial heavyweight, but I am in awe, how much Moss managed to convey over 152 pages.
Ghost Wall was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019.
Title: Ghost Wall [2018]
Author: Sarah Moss
Format: e-Book
Genre: Contemporary, Literary Fiction
Great review! I’m glad this one was able to live up to the hype for you. It’s one that has really stayed with me since I read it last year.
Thanks, I think the story will stay with me as well! I have continued to think about it, after finishing the book.
Always a good sign! 😊
Excellent review and I love your connections to current day situations.
Thanks! Yes, some of the themes certainly seem to be relevant in our present day environment.
I am saving this book until I’ve read the earlier books that I already have. In Signs for Lost Children I was stunned by her writing: dense and lyrical yet very grounded. I think The Ghost Wall may see a variation in style. I shall certainly read it eventually.
I think ‘lyrical, yet very grounded’ applies to the writing in Ghost Wall as well. It was just the punctuation which sometimes felt a bit odd, but perhaps that is just me. I hope you get to read it, it was such a strong story and I am sure I will look into Moss’ other books at some point.
This is such a lovely review! It’s amazing to see this is a novella and it accomplishes so much! You’ve definitely inspired me to look into this author!
Thanks. I don’t always find novellas or short stories ideal, because there isn’t much time to get to know the characters or build an interesting plot. But here the novella length was perfect!
A powerful novella. I really appreciated this one. I love Sarah Moss. Have you read any of her other books?
Yes, I thought it was powerful. It was my first Sarah Moss, but I will definitely look into more of her books. Let me know, if there is one you would recommend. 🙂
Bodies of Light and its sequel Signs for Lost Children. Both excellent!
Just checked out Bodies of Light, it does sound compelling. And very different from Ghost Wall. Thanks for the recommendation, it could very well be my next Sarah Moss novel!
Very different! But equally as compelling.
Oh nice review Stargazer! My first thought was oh no not a book about ghosts 🙂 but I started reading it and I immediately liked the set up of going back to basics. You come to the best insights when you strip the unnecessary. Sounds like a solid novel!
Haha, yes after our discussion on your blog, I would understand your surprise if you thought it was a ghost story. But I guarantee it is 100% ghost free. Except from the atmospheric sense of the history of the place, which in some sense is ‘ghostly’. And yes, it was a great read!
I do hanker after simpler times until I remember they didn’t have all the labour-saving devices we take for granted now – not to mention no bookshops! 😉 I’ve never read any Sarah Moss – sounds like I probably should…
Haha, I am aware that I am romanticising the simple life, I wouldn’t have lasted for 5 minutes in the iron age, and after a few days of rough camping I start to dream about showers and other facilities. But I like the idea of going back to basics and living close to nature. 🙂
I’ve got to be honest, Brexit fatigue does put me off- it does sound interesting, but if I do ever pick it up, I’ll wait till I haven’t had to sit through a gazillion news cycles talking about the same thing 😉 It’s good this was atmospheric and the descriptions were well done though. Great review!
Yup, I hear you. I doubt if there is anyone in the UK, who doesn’t suffer from Brexit fatigue at the moment. It was still a great read though 😉
I absolutely loved this book! It wasn’t what I was expecting at all. I listened to it on audiobook, and the narrator was fantastic. Accents are meaningful in this book and it helped to hear them.
Ah, that is great to hear. I normally listen to audiobooks, but decided to read Ghost Wall, since it was so short. I am glad the audiobook was a great experience and now I kind of regret that I didn’t choose that format.
This book has been on my wishlist for so long. Thanks for the review! I am always up for an atmospheric novel.
I hope you get to read it. It really is atmospheric, the tension is building throughout the story and the atrocities in the past as well as in the present add an eerie tone to this beautiful nature spot.
Great review. I think I will give this book a go, it sounds intriguing. On the other hand, you say that the story features an “an archaeological experiment”, which tries to “to replicate the Iron Age living conditions.” It is a laugh that the author drew her inspiration from Brexit (when was the time when everything was “British” in the Iron Age? – it is ludicrous) – she probably just read “Running Out of Time” (1996), a YA novella by Margaret Peterson Haddix or other historical re-enactment book to have her inspiration. In this novella there is also the idea of a closed village that recreates rural conditions of the past and where spooky things happen. People also cannot escape that village.
Thanks! I hope you will enjoy it, if you decide to go ahead. Agreed, it is of course a falsehood, that there was such a thing as ‘pure Britishness’ back then. But I am sure the author is aware of that, she just let the father in the story have that impression. The father is not keen on anything foreign and in a case of wishful thinking, he chooses to believe that there was time where ‘foreign’ influences were less significant.
This sounds really interesting! I love atmospheric books. I recently finished At Dusk by Hwang Sok Yong, and though it’s obviously completely different, I think it had a similar way of creeping beneath my skin and staying with me…
I love atmospheric books as well! I am not familiar with Hwang Sok Yong – actually I haven’t read any Korean literature, but I definitely mean to. At Dusk might be a good place to start. Recently, I finished ‘The Travelling Cat Chronichles’ by Hiro Arikawa and I also hope to read more Japanese literature in the future.
Oh I haven’t heard of that one! Thank you for the suggestion… I actually haven’t read any Japanese literature now that I think about it. I’ll have to do so!