Nina Dean is a 32 year old successful food writer. Following her break up with her ex, whom she is still on good terms with, it is just her and her consistently single friend Lola, who seem to have not settled down. With a little encouragement from Lola, Nina starts using a dating app called ‘Lynx’, where she meets Max. Things seem to spark between Nina and Max and he even tells her on date one that he will marry her.
Whilst it appears Nina’s love life is blossoming, everything else feels like it is falling apart around her. Having moved into her new flat she discovers her downstairs neighbour is extremely inconsiderate playing music at all hours and trying to make everyone in the blocks life a living hell, her Dad is slowly vanishing to dementia which has spurred on her mum’s mid-life crisis as she is in denial, and all her friends are either getting married, having children or moving to the suburbs – or all three!
Ghosts is a contemporary novel which taps into the world of modern dating as it delves into what relationships have become and how quickly we dispose of other humans in this tech fueled world. In the story it is referred to how in the past, before technology if you told someone you would be somewhere; you would stick to that arrangement. Whereas in today’s world people just delete conversations, like it never happened, like you never existed. And whilst ghosting in the traditional dating form occurs in the book, Alderton’s narrative tackles a vast range of other ways Nina is ghosted- ghosted by her old friendships which appear to be hanging on by a silver thread, ghosted by the person her father once was as he becomes more and more distanced from the person he used to be, and ghosted by her childhood memories as she holds on to them for comfort.
Throughout this novel I feel like Alderton really shows growing up for what it is. So many people fear that they are not at the same stage as friends and inevitably friendships do stop serving the purpose they may have served in the past. Aside from growing up, other themes in the book included memory, identity, relationships, change and hope. I particularly enjoyed the avenue Alderton explores of memory and food as Nina serves her Dad foods he enjoyed from his childhood to help bring back memories to him. I found this really interesting and was determined to read up on this more upon completing the book.
The only reason I would give it four instead of five stars is because of something which happens near the end. Without giving away any spoilers, the thing which happens just seemed unrealistic and a bit misplaced. Aside from that I loved it!
Overall a brilliant first novel; relatable, moving and full of humour.
Reads Must 