The Ghost Road

When Ruth leaves her Toronto home to spend the summer with Aunt Doll, who lives in a remote Newfoundland village, she’s both excited and annoyed.  Excited because she’ll be meeting her cousin Ruby for the first time, and annoyed because her widowed father has gone on a botanical expedition with his girlfriend.  Nevertheless, Ruth and Ruby, who look so much alike they could be sisters, hit it off immediately and are soon delving into long-buried family secrets and exploring the ruggedly beautiful island.

 

As with any good mystery, the girls initially uncover more questions than answers.  Why can Ruth sometimes see things Ruby can’t?  What’s the deal with Ruby’s relentlessly angry grandmother?   Why are there so many sets of twins in the family line, and why have most of them died young?  And why is there an eerie hidden room tucked under the eaves of Aunt Doll’s house?

 

Ruth has some scary experiences, and we meet one nasty apparition, but for the most part the ghosts are helpful and friendly, so the supernatural elements are not overwhelming.  What stands out, however, is a sweet story of wounded families and individuals inching their way to reconciliation within a well-rendered natural landscape of unforgiving loveliness.