Sparrow Hill Road (Ghost Roads, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Jul 27, 2014 Christina T rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2014-challenge, 14-000-in-2014-book-count-challenge

Rating:2.5 stars (rounded down)

Review: When I picked this up I really thought it would be seriously awesome. I love a good ghost story and really liked Seanan McGuire's first book in her October Daye series. Unfortunately what I found with this book was that it was a serial series made into a full novel. The problem with this is that when read as a full novel it becomes irritating to see the continual repitition that would not normally be found in a novel but as a serial would be necessary. You ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Dec 16, 2013 Jesslyn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: z2014-kindle-reads, auto-buy-author, audio-book, cat-new-series

If you would have asked me prior to reading this how I felt about a ghost story, I would have responded with a shudder and a pained look. Luckily, I trust Ms. McGuire and read this one anyway.

Who freakin' knew?! As always in her books, she found a unique angle with stellar world building (on top of ours) and a twist that you wouldn't expect. Even the love angle has a twist so twisty that I'm sure there's another word for it.

This book is straight UF, not horror. But whatever the case it is a grea ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 21, 2013 Christal rated it really liked it

Shelves: ghosts, female-lead, witches-warlocks-and-mages, urban-fantasy, lesser-known-creatures, death-as-a-character, reapers-and-ghost-whispers, new-series-trusted-author, murder, other-worlds

See this review and others like it at Badass Book Reviews!

I love Seanan McGuire's October Daye series and her three InCryptid books (of which this story is very tangentially connected), but wasn't sure what to expect with this new Ghost Stories series. Going into this book, I didn't realize that it was originally written as a serial and I think that affected my enjoyment somewhat. I still liked the book though and Sparrow Hill Road was a really good showcase for Seanan's strong narrative voice.

S See this review and others like it at Badass Book Reviews!

I love Seanan McGuire's October Daye series and her three InCryptid books (of which this story is very tangentially connected), but wasn't sure what to expect with this new Ghost Stories series. Going into this book, I didn't realize that it was originally written as a serial and I think that affected my enjoyment somewhat. I still liked the book though and Sparrow Hill Road was a really good showcase for Seanan's strong narrative voice.

Since Sparrow Hill Road was first written as a serial, reading it in its entirety felt a little redundant at times. The chapters were more like separate stories and the time period could span anywhere from the 1950's to today. I'm sure this plot device worked well for a serial novel, but it made the compiled version feel a bit disjointed. The stories on their own were wonderful but the overall book was missing some cohesion.

Aside from my difficulties with the serial format, I thought this book was very well done. Sparrow Hill Road created an amazing mythology surrounding the American roads and the people who make their lives on them. I loved the diners and truck stops, the different types of road ghosts, and the transitions between the above roads and the ghost roads. Seanan created an entire new society and populated it with intriguing characters. I want to know more about everyone, from the hitchers to the routewitches.

Rose was a unique character as well. I didn't connect with her right off the bat, but she definitely grew on me with time. I loved the ghost mythology Seanan created as well. Because Rose died on the roads, she feels a pull whenever a fellow traveler is going to die. She can only manifest fully if they offer her a warm coat and the only food she can taste is a meal freely given. Rose functions as a psychopomp and helps the newly dead find their way into the next life. Rose herself can't move on until she faces the man who killed her -- Bobby Cross.

Sparrow Hill Road is a fairly dark and somber book with most of the tales on the sad side, but Rose herself keeps the book from going too dark. She's sad that she lost her life and continues to pine for the boyfriend she lost, but she also has a sense of joy about her when she's on the road and meeting someone new. There's just nothing like a warm coat and a free meal when you're stuck on the ghost roads and Rose takes her pleasures where she can. I'm interested to see how Rose's story develops and eventually to see her final confrontation with Bobby Cross. This story is one that will stick with you and I found the end, especially, to be hauntingly beautiful. Definitely recommended! ...more

Like · see review