by: Holly W.
If you’re a fan of mystery, whimsy, verse books, and just a pinch of suspense and romance, The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero could be your next favorite read!
Every couple months I seem to find myself back in the wonderfully immersive world of verse books— whether they be fiction, nonfiction, classics or sometimes just regular poetry; they never cease to amaze me with how closely they can touch my heart and make me feel all the big feelings bound up in their lines and stanzas.
The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero was a book I randomly picked up from the library several years ago, which I ended up really enjoying but unfortunately not remembering very well as the years passed.
Having long forgotten the plot and characters, I actually never planned on writing this review until a few weeks ago when I saw the book at the very same library where I first got it. Thus, I bring to you, dear readers, my review of this wonderful piece of literature: The Ghosts of Rose Hill.
Proceed with caution— minor spoilers ahead!
The story follows aspiring musician Ilana Lopez— a biracial Jewish girl split between her desire to study music and become a violinist, and her immigrant parents’ dream for her to follow a more stable career.
After her parents send her to Prague to live with her aunt for the summer in hopes of reorienting her priorities, Ilana begins to discover the secrets of the old city; including an abandoned cemetery behind her aunt’s cottage on Rose Hill.
There, she meets the ghost of a century-dead boy named Benjamin, who shows her the enchanting faces of Prague while she works to restore the sacred cemetery. (And ignores her studies.)
As she explores, Ilana meets Rudolph Wasserman, a man with no shadow who is captivated by her music and Ilana herself. He offers to share his magic and gifts with her, promising that Ilana can follow her dreams for the violin and be with Benjamin…though unspoken consequences and costs lie underneath his words.
But as truths about Wasserman rise to the surface and Ilana discovers how Benjamin ended up bound to the city, Ilana must find out how to save the boy she yearns for, even if succeeding means losing him forever.
I found myself lost in the mystery and whimsy of this book a lot while I read— the narrator’s descriptions of everything from Ilana’s aunt’s paintings to the streets of Prague were all incredibly immersive and captured the magic of such a history-filled city very well.
”Our minds
are alight
with beauty—
the blue diamond skyline,
the stained glass windows
with fairy tales
fitted into the panels.”
(page 165)
Speaking of history, the author does a great job of acknowledging the historical significance and events of Prague and how they tie into Ilana’s story and heritage. This book is an adventure as much as it is an opportunity to learn about a significant piece of the past, and I think that’s really awesome.
”This is what it’s like to be Jewish
in Europe.
Every beautiful thing
has horror buried under it.”
(page 141)
Another thing I really liked about this book was how well the characters were developed, especially Ilana. Her dreams and main conflict were the driving force of the plot, but they changed and adapted along with her personality the more time she spent in Prague.
”I was the sum of my parents’ dreams
and I rarely managed
to make any of them
come true.”
(page 195)
Similarly, Benjamin’s character fits very well with Ilana, and their romance doesn’t overtake the plot, but rather adds to it. He is a natural source of background information, stories, and truths for Ilana the more comfortable he gets around her as the story progresses.
Lastly, the ending was what I can only describe as bittersweet. (I cried.) But just because it was bittersweet doesn’t mean it wasn’t a satisfying conclusion to the story; the author ties up all the loose ends and gives answers to any last questions I may have had about the aftermath of the climax— which is good since I feel like most people don’t appreciate unnecessary plot holes.
In the end, I’m really glad I re-read this book! Even though I’d already seen its pages once, it felt like stepping into a story I’d never seen before.
So, if you happen to be looking for a relatively quick read that will whisk you away to enchanting streets and submerge you in a captivating mystery, go take a look at The Ghosts of Rose Hill.
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