Member Reviews

This was unique story selling in my opinion. I like the art and the colors. The colors match the time setting , atmosphere, tone and feel of the graphic novel. Everything was cohesive and flowed nicely. Like the time in the novel 1990s the style of story telling through notes and drawn. You get a glimpse of whst it was like to be a teen in the 90s for some nostalgia. Through out the story you learn about the parents and other family members but you don't see them on page. Lack of parents interest reflects on our MC performance in school. I thought this has soo many things into this anyone can read this and get a different experience. I enjoyed my time reading this.

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Thank you Netgalley & Fantagraphics for an eARC ♥️

My. Gosh.❤️‍🩹

The story follows Briana, a teenager in the 90s, as she navigates the ups and downs of middle school and high school. But here's the thing: Briana's parents are divorced, and they're basically absent from her life. So, she's left to figure everything out on her own.
I'm not even kidding when I say that this book is like reading someone's private diary. Loewinsohn's writing is so raw, so honest, and so vulnerable that it feels like you're experiencing everything right alongside Briana.
And the artwork? FORGET ABOUT IT. It's like Loewinsohn took all of Briana's emotions and turned them into these beautiful, haunting illustrations. I swear, i felt all the fellings that she did♥️
I don't even know how to put into words just how much this book affected me. It's like Loewinsohn took all of my own teenage anxieties and fears, and put them into this beautiful, poignant story.
If you haven't read Raised By Ghosts yet, WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING WITH YOUR LIFE? Trust me, you need to read this book. It's a game-changer.

_Rating: 5/5 stars (but honestly, it deserves so many more)_

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I’m not an avid graphic-novel reader, but there’s something about themes of mental-health and revisiting childhood memories that this medium lends itself incredibly well to. This was no exception. A beautifully illustrated tale of a young girls coming of age in a family, shaped by the mothers mental health problems.
The illustrations hit the exact vibe I wanted from it; a melancholic mix of sweet nostalgia and the deep isolation and loneliness that many of us have experienced in adolescence. I loved the way the mother’s character was portrayed in our protagonist story: she’s never in the frame, always just outside the panel. Like the titular ghost, lingering just out of sight, we only meet her through her influence on the character around her. I think that was a brilliant way to approach it.
I also loved the way Briana’s inner-world and emotions were made visual through the illustrations, in addition to the text in the form of journal entries. Both complement each other, making for a total that is more than the sum of its parts.
Thank you to the author for sharing this partly autobiographical tale in such a unique way. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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The art and colors especially effectively create a "present nostalgia" for the reader that lingers even after the book is finished. I normally prefer word bubbles but in this case, the notes on scraps of paper communicates what I think the author is trying to communicate perfectly. Briana's adolescence was clearly difficult and she obviously didn't get what she needed from her parents, but I appreciate the attempt to balance that with positive memories from that time in her life. While not everyone will be able to relate to the poverty she clearly grew up in, most will be able to relate to the struggle to fit in during adolescence. It's not a book I think teens would think to grab off the shelf, but would respond positively to if it was handed to them.

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A moving graphic novel about the loneliness and uncertainty of growing up. About having friends you love and worrying that you’re drifting apart, and a coming home to absentee parents. I love the artwork in this book- it's really beautiful, and evokes a sense of melancholy and nostalgia.

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Thankyou to Netgalley, the publishers and Briana Loewinsohn for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Raised By Ghosts is a beautifully melancholic, nostalgic look at being a teenager and all that comes with it, I loved the writing and found it very easy to consume in one sitting and the stunning art work really is just that, it's so beautifully illustrated.

Would definetly recommend to others.

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The color tone of this book is so perfectly matched to the story. You can truly feel the mood of the main character. I love the use of the notes on all different materials. As someone who has personally experienced a lot of what this main character is going through I feel it is definitely a true interpretation.

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3.5 ⭐ (rounded to 4 ⭐)

I'm always a sucker for autobiographical graphic novels! The melancholy tone of the story fit the gorgeously despondent style of the illustrations so well. Although the tone wasn't entirely for me, I could still appreciate the representation of the everyday life of a teen, the angst, the emotions... all of it. Briana is a wonderful illustrator and storyteller and I can't wait to see more of her work!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

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This was good! I enjoyed the art style, the relatability and nostalgia. It was a bittersweet story about a girl with a tough home life being saved by writing notes to her friends and drawing. As a creative person, I really enjoyed that aspect. I was having a hard time with the pacing until the half way point. It stretched out for a little too long, and I really wish that the last bit (where the art style gets more whimsical and story gets more uplifting) lasted a little longer. I still enjoyed this and think it’s very cool of the author to share such a sensitive time in their life with us.

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My heart ached for a stranger today.

"May be years later all these hours will blend together into one eternal day. Long days on a bus that goes nowhere and will never end."

Don't be fooled by the beautiful illustrations and imagery, between the beauty and nostalgic feel of this graphic novel lays the truth told through the letter of a heavily emotional neglected teen, that's how the title describes, being raised by ghosts, not dead ones, just the absence of care and thoughtfulness that should come from a parent to a child. It portrays what the authors life was like being raised not only in a split household but one where the parents were either caught up on their own heads, leaving Briana to fend for herself. It goes from middle to high school, her struggle through classes, finding friendship, and finding herself in between.

Read it in one sitting.

It was beautiful, nostalgic, tragic, and uplifting all in one.

Will absolutely be looking forward to reading and seeing more from this artist writing and art.

Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read and review this e-book ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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This graphic novel resonated with me as a proud GenXer. I related to Briana's feeling of being lost in junior high school, still living in imaginary worlds instead of "growing up" as the world expected. The note-passing, the mixed tapes... all brought on so much nostalgia.
Briana had very absentee parents, which wasn't my experience, but I understood her feelings of isolation nonetheless. There was a section about 1/2 way through, that, although beautifully illustrated, felt out of place as Briana disappeared INTO her art. Perhaps this was to show the character's growth or how she coped/escaped, but it didn't land quite that way. Ultimately, this graphic novel felt like a slice of time, giving insight into who the author was as a child but not really going beyond to see who she became because of how she was raised. With just a bit more of that represented, this might have 4 stars from me.

I received this ARC from @netgalley and publisher @fantagraphics. The opinions are my own.

Raised by Ghost will be released on February 4, 2025.

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Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

This was such a beautiful little memoir in graphic novel format with art that felt extremely nostalgic and perfect for its time. I loved the style and the aesthetic, it felt like a perfect time capsule showcasing the timeless experience of fragmented memories from high school days.

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Thanks to NetGalley for the copy.

I really liked the artwork and the artist’s style, but that’s pretty much where it ends for me. The story was unclear—I honestly couldn’t tell what it was even about. If the whole point was just "being a teenager is hard," well, we already know that. I think it would’ve been way better with a more focused story and some deeper reflections from the author.

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As essentially a coming of age story we get to see the true pull of trying to "fit in" as Briana Loewinsohn shares some of her pivotal memories. Although Loewinsohn never puts it into words she is forced into the role of the black sheep of her family due to it's complex dynamics. She's pulled and pushed into playing roles to appease her parents and 'Raised By Ghosts' delves into what it's really like to feel alone in a place you're meant to call "home". As she fights to find peace and a sense of belonging she gravitates towards finding it in isolation. The world around her however, had other ideas though and through friends which clearly became found family she shows the audience just how love and acceptance can help us start living. We get to follow along as we watch a young Loewinsohn go from survival mode at home to fully herself when out in the world.

The illustration style throughout is effortless and at times so impactful that the cells need no speech or explanation. The story itself is told through chunks of text hand written in the form of notes to friends or a representation of Loewinsohn's inner monologue. This introduces a lovely yet very personal element and a refreshing twist on the traditional graphic novel style of feeding the audience the story entirely through conversation.

My only 'complaint' were I to be forced to give one is I felt at times things seemed a little rushed. I really enjoyed getting to know our main character and felt maybe as a memoir it was a little too humble. Essentially, I would have enjoyed things more were the story itself double in length, What I'm basically trying to say is Briana Loewinsohn has a brilliant story to tell, with an amazing approach to narrating it, I just hope she sees that her audience is very ready to hear every last part of it.

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I’ve never gobbled up a book so fast. There was everything in this book that I love. Ephemera type notes where we get into the characters head and haunting scenes that utterly break your heart. I’ve been walking around with this book sitting in my chest.

Briana grew up exactly in the years I did. So not only did I feel the nostalgia, I also felt the pain. I went from my mom and dad’s house and I knew how it was radically different both places. My heart feels a little broken.

Thank you to NetGalley, Fantagraphics Books and Briana Loewinsohn for granting my wish and letting me read the ARC for an honest review.

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Hauntingly beautiful illustrations that complement a sad yet hopeful tale. My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books for the advance reader's copy of this beautiful book.

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This book is beautiful and intensely lonely. The story of a girl whose home life is filled with guilt and neglect, whose academics are plagued with executive distinction, and whose social life is tinged with social anxiety.

Music, art, and notes passed between friends keep her going from day to day. The notes fill and narrate the story, making it nearly epistolary. The art is very grounding, while still reminiscent of picture books. The art is very grounding, while still reminiscent of picture books.

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“This is not a love story; it is a love letter”
Adolescence is no joke. The friendships, the expectations, the struggle to find your place and people, hormones, and so much more. This semi-autobiographical memoir reflected all those thoughts and feelings into this graphic novel. Take a journey into the author’s youth and remember your own. Or allow someone younger to connect to the experiences held within these pages and realize they are not alone. For me, it was a bittersweet nostalgia and was worth the read.

#ThxNetGalley and #ThxBrianaLoewinsohn

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Raised by Ghosts explores growing up lonely, especially with absent parents. My favourite part about this work was the art style. The grim colour scheme fits well with the dark theme and the little notes with text are a great parallel to the notes that the characters sent to each other. The only thing that I didn't like is that it lacked an overarching plot. The vibes were strong, but I do like some story elements to make the book memorable.

Thank you NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books for giving me access to an e-arc for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

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This is one of those cases where, the concept and execution is great and there's nothing inherently wrong with it but it just plainly wasn't for me. So I give it a 2.5.

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