Book: Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol
File Under: Graphic Novel/Comic/Fiction/Young Adult/Fantasy
Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn’t kidding about the “Forever” part…
Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century.
Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs.
Or so she thinks
Comic books are one of those mediums that exists on two separate plains: adult comics, and children’s comics. Sometimes they overlap, but there’s almost no real middle ground, no equivalent to the YA/teen fiction section of a bookstore. “Anya’s Ghoost” is one of those few comics that aims itself directly at teens.
Anya, a Russian immigrant in America, is struggling to fit in: she’s dark-haired and curvy when all the popular girls are skinny and blonde, she’s only got one real friend, and she’s had to spend years getting rid of her accent.
When Anya meets Emily, a ghost who’s spent decades at the bottom of a well, a whole world of new possibilities open up. Emily can float around the classroom getting her the right answers for tests, she’s someone to talk to at home other than Anya’s annoying little brother, and she might even be able to help Anya get together with the cute boy in the class above. With Emily’s help, Anya might actually be able to be one of the popular girls — but at what cost?
“Anya’s Ghost” is drawn in greyscale/blue and greyscale with a clear, simple style with smooth lines — slightly reminiscent of “Scott Pilgrim”. It also comes recommended by Neil Gaiman. It’s a great, quick read with a lot of positive messages. I wish I had this comic while I was growing up.
Here’s a preview of the first pages. I think it might be the US edition only that uses blue shading, my edition uses grey.
