gifted by the publisher

In this deeply moving graphic memoir, Hulls tells the story of 3 generations of women in her family, her Chinese grandma, Sun Yi, her mom, Rose, and herself. GHOSTS is an intimate and evocative exploration of intergenerational trauma and grief, blending modern Chinese history and the complex mother-daughter relationships across generations.

I held my breath reading GHOSTS because of the heavy topic of inexplicable loss, mental illness, and codependent relationships. Hulls acknowledges her inclination to use facts to help her process difficult emotions, evident in the history-heavy sections & her analysis of her grandma's memoir.

Nonetheless, I appreciate Hulls' showing the readers her vulnerability, especially the 3 women's tendencies to use external masks to cover their inner psyches. GHOSTS beautifully traces the lines of 3 generations and their search for freedom & love.