Highly recommend, especially if you are still grieving the loss of a close family member. What a genuinely touching graphic novel about the confusion, pain, and grief surrounding the death of a parent. It’s the type of writing that makes you smile through the tears. I will be seeking out more of the author’s work in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"Talking to My Father's Ghost" is a tender and earnest memoir following the author through the loss of their father. Alex Krokus skillfully weaves charming illustrations and heartfelt, often humorous dialogue into this graphic novel.

Having lost my own father while I was a child, I was immediately drawn in by the title, and this book did not disappoint. I wish I could have read something like this around the time my dad died, but I'm grateful to have read it now. The honest and open conversations surrounding grief and the loss of a parent resonated deeply, and will stay with me moving forward.

Thank you to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for providing this advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

"Talking to my father's ghost" presents an interesting blend of slice-of-life elements and the difficult process of dealing with grief. While the concept is strong, I found some of the extended passages focusing on everyday life didn't quite connect with me emotionally.

Perhaps with a stronger sense of investment in those moments, they could have enhanced the overall narrative. That being said, the scenes involving the father's ghost offered touching moments of wisdom and a comforting portrayal of farewell. Ultimately, my feelings are somewhat divided.

This is a short book that could very well resonate deeply with readers on an emotional level, even if it didn't fully achieve that for me.

Talking to My Father's Ghost is a graphic memoir by Alex Krokus. It follows Alex in a series of vignettes that are told out of order throughout his life but all centering on his father's death. At first I thought the characters as animals was a different choice, but as it went on I realized it actually did help me tell the characters apart. That being said, there is a family tree to start off the book if readers need help. The drawings are simple, but they do not take away from the deeper topics in the book. An especially poignant part is where the author asks several family members how to deal with grief and loss as well as his trip with his brother to see land owned by their father. The book also really highlights just how many people are important players in each others' lives over a lifetime. Overall it is a lighthearted way to deal with a difficult topic. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for the ARC.

Nobody is truly ready when a loved one passes. Whatever the circumstances, we all cope the best we can. As expected from the title, the main character/author’s father passed. Alex’s father, Jeff, had been dealing with an arduous bout with cancer, finally succumbing to the illness. Alex and his brother, Gerard, help their mother with all the funeral arrangements. As Alex muddles through the stages of grief, his father’s ghost follows him, providing commentary on various subjects and conversing with his son. This was very sweet and humorous. It was worth the read.

#ThxNetGalley #AlexKrokus #TalkingtoMyFathersGhost

3.75 rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this graphic novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An adult graphic novel following the first year after the passing of the main character's father. I had a difficult time adjusting to the art style and storytelling at first and didn't feel connected with it until about half way. The second half of this novel was extremely touching!

The overall theme and messages behind the topic of losing a parent (and family member) is so heavy and personal to each person, and the use of the graphic novel format made it palatable while not losing the intended message.

The story is relatable even if someone hasn't lost a parent or close relative. There are beautiful prose in the characters conversations and daily reminders for the living.

And a reminder to those who need a virtual huge - grief is not linear and you are doing amazing.

Talking to My Father’s Ghost is a heartfelt, darkly funny exploration of grief, memory, and the messy, awkward ways we try to heal. Alex Krokus’s relatable illustrations capture not just sorrow, but the strange, sometimes absurd moments that come with loss. I was pleasantly surprised by how much this emotional read resonated with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the privilege of receiving this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This graphic novel was a really brilliant depiction of grief during loss of a parent, and while it felt with a very serious and sad topic, the illustrations made it feel a bit more lighthearted and it could easily be a good graphic novel for a teen if they experience a parent passing at an early age. I liked how the brothers had two different ways of grieving, and how their mother processed the death of their father/her husband. I really liked this a lot, and I’ll definitely read more from the author in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

A charming and poignant graphic novel about the loss of the narrator’s father and the things he learns about him after his death. Really enjoyed the interactions between the narrator and his dad’s ghost and how it was told in short vignettes.

This moving sort of memoir is the story of the author dealing with the grief after the death of his father. His father haunts him throughout the story, as he tries to find out why he seems to be taking the death harder than those around him.

His mother seeks out a spiritualist to tell her what to do, though, as the ghost says, I didn’t go to that woman.

It is both funny and sad at the same time. The story takes place over a whole year, as he tries to find what the whole meaning is. They go to some land out in Arizona that has been passed down to them, but has no direct access road. He talks to friends and relatives, to see how they have dealt with death, and of course he talks to his dead dad.

For those who follow the author's webcomic “Loud & Smart” this is very much in that vein, the personal take on life in general.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 5th of August 2025.

Talking to My Father’s Ghost is a heartfelt, witty exploration of grief told through whimsical watercolor illustrations and animal avatars that lend levity without diluting emotion. Alex Krokus captures the messy, nonlinear path of mourning with humor, vulnerability, and striking visual charm. This “almost true” memoir is both laugh-out-loud funny and quietly devastating—a tender reminder that even in loss, connection endures.

Thank you to Chronicle Books and Alex Krokus for the eARC!

Even though the subject matter is heavy, this story was very adorable and chock full of personality. The book clearly comes from a very sincere and vulnerable place that felt very intimate to me. Which is something I deeply appreciate.

I also really loved the portrayal of the author’s father as a portly owl. It really fit the father’s characterization in a way I can’t really place.

Overall the book is a reminder of how the people you love in life help shape who you are. Which serves as a strong reminder that even though those who die physically leave us, they still remain with us in our hearts.

Talking to My Father’s Ghost is a graphic novel as someone loses their dad and is coming to terms with it. The ghost of their dad is now following them around as they navigate post death feelings and wants and cycling through the 5 stages. Krokus fully shows how it isn’t always linear and oftentimes you end up going back and forth between the stages themselves.

I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did! The author did an amazing job with this heartfelt book. I really enjoyed the illustrations, the family photos at the end and how this entire book was presented! This is in the biographies and memoirs, comics, graphic novels, manga genres! The illustrations really brought me back to my childhood. I loved reading Garfield comics, those were my favorite! I really enjoyed how the author twists this book into a humor one, even though it is dealing with such a heavy and depressing topic.

This is a short story about a guy named Alex who talks to his father’s ghost, after his father’s passing. This is almost a true story that takes us on a journey about love, loss grief and happiness at the end of the tunnel. The book is set over a year and explains everything that Alex had experienced. Alex wonders about telling his ghostly father things, like is this the right time to tell him that he is really a bisexual. It is full of wit and laughter, as Alex processes the passing of his father. Be sure to read the content warnings. I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Alex Krokus and Chronicle Books for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I think people that like reading illustrations on a dark topic would enjoy this book. It brings light to something that is very emotional and heartbreaking.

This book is expected to be published on August 5, 2025!

I adored this piece. Sweet, sentimental, and humorous.
People deal with tragic things differently... sometimes you deal with it with humor cause you are still filled with the laughter that person gave you.
We learn new things about our loved ones everyday, it feels like. But to continue to get to know them after, feels like they're still floating by.
I laughed & got emotional. Thank you Alex, for sharing this almost true story!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really liked this book. It was hilarious for a book about death but also heartwarming. I definitely recommend everyone check it out. It’s a short read that is really sweet. I thought the artwork was imaginative and I loved seeing the family pictures at the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc