The Boy who Lived with Ghosts

John Mitchell

2013

ISBN 0615793207

This is not a book I would choose without a prompt to do so, but I’m glad I gave it a go.

The settings - housing estates and pubs - paint a vivid picture right from the beginning, and the interactions of the family members bring to life an interesting and volatile childhood that, although it’s revealed in a touching and amusing way, is quite shocking at the same time.

I liked the way John parroted the phrases of the adults around him, casually pointing out that he’d break his bloody neck one day, and the way he started each chapter with a complete deconstruction of any earlier optimism made it hard to remember that this isn’t fiction - this was a real childhood, shocking in places and difficult by any standards.

Margueretta takes centre stage, claiming any and all attention, healthy or not, and in the early days of mental illness diagnoses, created every kind of tension in an already tough situation.  I felt sympathetic to the entire family, but perhaps for John’s mother most of all, and her breakdown was more expected than surprising. 

This was a fascinating glimpse into a different time, and a different way of life.  

Finished 28/10/13
Read as monthly read for OnlineBookclub.org