Anya’s Ghost

Anya’s Ghost
By Vera Brosgol
First Second, 2011. 221 pgs. Young Adult

Anya is a Russian immigrant who has worked hard to fit in in America. However, she still feels like an outsider and is pretty unhappy with her life. When she falls into a well one day, she doesn’t expect to find a friend there—but she does. Only problem is: the friend is a ghost who follows her home. Anya isn’t sure about this at first, but it comes in handy having a friend who can spy on people (like Anya’s crush) without being seen. However, Anya soon comes to realize that maybe there’s something more wrong with her friend than just being dead and that the popularity she’s dreamed of might not be all that it’s cracked up to be.

This graphic novel was decent but didn’t really blow me away. Anya’s struggle to fit in is realistic for a teenage girl, and the drawings were all right. For those who are looking for a stand-alone graphic novel rather than a series, this might be a good choice.

AE