Book Review: ‘A Reunion of Ghosts’, The Portrait of a Complicated Family by Judith Claire Mitchell

Can the “Sins of our Fathers” really dictate our own future, or do those who truly follow in such footsteps allow themselves such a belief?

In A Reunion of Ghosts by Judith Claire Mitchell we are given a remarkable story of three interesting and odd sisters, with an extraordinary legacy of family suicide. As they grow and emerge into distinct individuals, we garner an interest and wonder at the thought process that is engendered due to their past and their own belief of how they themselves with die.

The Alter sisters, Lady, Vee, and Delph, are truly an eclectic mix of strange, interesting, and absurd. They live together now in their family’s apartment. Bad luck seems to follow them the same as those of their lineage, and yet they know that no matter what happens they have each other. Their sense of humor is intact and they use it to keep themselves and each other entertained.

Lady is riddled with cancer and is thinking quite wildly of how she can make her own destiny, to choose her own death before the pain and destruction of the disease claims her. Vee and Delph, who love her and really have no other plans, decide that when the decision is made they will go with her. Making a pact they set a time, and as it draws near many things begin to happen. Can they hold to their decision or will life happen and change the course of what they feel is their true destiny?

Mitchell has given us a family and a history that is interesting and strange. Her sister characters are brave and bold with a strangely wicked sense of humor. While some of the reading was slow and I found a bit of difficulty moving forward, I was glad that I did because there is a point where a voyeuristic fascination with the oddity seems to set in, propelling you headlong in a course to find out more.

If you enjoy life and mystery littered with bits of history, you will find this a book to look for. If you enjoy humor and fascinating people and ideas, this will give you some interesting case study.

A reading and discussion group would find this a great work to discuss, full of strange ideas and intriguing dialogue, this would create a remarkable bit of debate.
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