We Are Only Ghosts is a thought-provoking novel of a Holocaust survivor. Charles/Karel in some ways seems to be a picture of Stockholm Syndrome. He maintains an attraction/affection(?) with respect to the Nazi who, in a way, saved his life. He remains loyal (for lack of a better word) even in the face of Bertoldt's absolute cruelty and inhumanity. I had never read anything by Jeffrey L. Richards before this book, but I intend to read more. He writes compellingly and carefully about damaged souls while not leaning on stereotypes as characters. I would point out that there are some fairly graphic depictions of sexual situations and those scenes may be more than some readers can tolerate, but there was nothing gratuitous about it. The story was about a survivor of the Holocaust and the power structure that made the horrific abuse he suffered possible. And while it was terribly dark to read at times, it was also a novel of hope, of personal triumph, and of finding the good in awful places.

Despite being set during the Holocaust, this is not your typical Holocaust book. It does at times, go into the harrowing details of life in the concentration camp, but that is not the focus of the story. It is the journey of the main character that gives this book its backbone. Charles navigates a brutal relationship that echoes those of Lolita and My Dark Vanessa. I can understand how this book has been compared to A Little Life due to its heart wrenching moments where the reader can feel the sorrow, melancholy, and pain of the main character. Each step in the journey had me pausing to ask, "What would I have done?" as I'm sure the narrator intended. Things are not black or white in any world, so it was hard to guess what would happen at the conclusion. I found myself sitting in silence after the last page.

#WeAreOnlyGhosts #NetGalley

This book!

This is one of those books that I have to sit with for a bit before writing an in depth, thoughtful review....But wow. I would definitely recommend. 5/5 stars.

I will update my review across all platforms once I have gathered my thoughts.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read the early!

5/5- highly recommend, holy grail books

I immensely enjoyed the journey of Karel from 1968 New York, to 1941 Czechoslovakia and back again. This novel is reminiscent of John Boyne- The Boy in the Striped Pajamas and The Hearts Invisible Furies- in the portrait of a young queer man grappling with the trauma of his past. I enjoyed the exploration of identity, and reclaiming what has been stolen from you. On a lighter note, I appreciate when the title of a book is intentional and referenced within, rather than a marketing afterthought. The concept of victims being ghosts of their former selves, and invisible to their abusers is stunning and thought provoking.

-Thank you to the author, Jeffery L Richards, Kensington Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

This does a great job in conveying the horrors of the death camps. The characters themselves felt like real people and worked overall with the story being told. I was invested in what was happening with the characters and their story. Jeffrey L. Richards wrote this perfectly and I’m glad I got to read this.