One gang embraces the change, the other does not, and there’s enough backstabbing and wicked plots to keep things interesting. Instead, the novel expands its scope, turning towards the politics of two rival gangs in Chinatown and their views on a fast-changing world towards more Western ideals. I expected her to stay there for most of the novel akin to Richard’s trip through London Below in Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, but The Girl with Ghost Eyes surprised me by keeping that section relatively short. She’s certainly well-rounded enough, yet I just couldn’t connect with her.Įarly on, she’s asked to deliver a passport to a ghost in the spirit realm, and she does this willingly however, she’s betrayed and trapped in this spirit world. She’s a bit headstrong, knows some kung-fu, and honestly, has little wrong with her as far as characters go. She’s a widower, the daughter of a powerful Daoshi exorcist who keeps Chinatown safe from demons, and cursed with “yin eyes,” or the ability to see the spirit world and the terrors that thrive there. Li-lin is a Chinese immigrant living in the late 1800s. Boroson, I couldn’t do that.Īnd the worst part is, I don’t really know why.

In the case of The Girl with Ghost Eyes by M. That isn’t to say a character needs to be “good,” for evil characters can be compelling too you just have to care. Characters, above all else, drive a story forward, and if you don’t like them, well, you aren’t apt to like their story.

Hating the main character or characters in a novel is perhaps the worst thing that can happen between a reader and a book. The Girl with Ghost Eyes releases on November 3, 2015 Note: An advanced copy of this novel was provided by Edelweiss.

The Girl with No Face by M.H. Boroson