Ghost Wall is a great example of a short book almost perfectly executed. At only 150 pages and spanning maybe a week, Sarah Moss creates insurmountable tension, nails her atmosphere and scenes, and makes you fall for the characters in so few pages - a remarkable feat!
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As it’s so short I won’t go into any plot details (not that I ever really do, all you get are my rambling thoughts!) but it involves a dysfunctional family of three, a group of archaeology students, and an Iron Age re-enactment trip in Northumberland. It took a while to get into Moss’ style, which uses no speech marks and often has different people speaking in one sentence, separated only by commas. But once you do get into it, you sail along and can easily inhale it in one sitting!
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Ghost Wall has also joined the group of now three books that have physically made me gasp/drop my dried mango/stare at a wall in shock (the other two being The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, the mango incident, and Desperation). I love it when a story is coming along at a good pace but then all of a sudden BAM. So good.
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I also enjoyed the little hints at romance throughout the story, as 17 year old Silvie discovers her sexuality, but I also appreciate that it didn’t dominate the narrative, nor is anything ever stated outright. The subtlety is strong with Sarah Moss. Overall a very tightly controlled and well executed atmospheric little novel!