Graphic Novel Review: Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol

Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn't kidding about the "Forever" part.Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century.Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya's normal life might actually be worse. She's embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she's pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend—even a ghost—is just what she needs.Or so she thinks. Spooky, sardonic, and secretly sincere, Anya's Ghost is a wonderfully entertaining debut from author/artist Vera Brosgol.

Anya’s Ghost is a wonderful young adult graphic novel that both entertains and contains some important life lessons. There’s also some wonderful humor were it pokes fun at some stereotypical YA story lines.

Anya, like so many people, feels like she just doesn’t fit in. She has one close friend at her private school, and there’s some fun angsty type humor between the two of them. Anya is very self conscious. She’s embarrassed by her family, her name, her Russian heritage. She’s just not happy and honestly, that makes her like most kids out there. And then, just to make things worse for her, she falls down a well and is stuck there for two days. This could be horrific for any one, but turns out she was not completely alone down that well. She picks up a new companion, the ghost of a girl that died down that very well a long time ago. When she is rescued, the ghost comes with her.

Anya quickly learns both the advantages and disadvantages of having a ghostly companion. They work together to figure out how to make their situation work and Anya starts delving into the mystery of her ghost’s death. It is sweet and funny. But the what makes me enjoy this book the most is the how it shows that she is unhappy because she’s placing importance on the wrong things. Definitely recommend for anyone looking for a quick and entertaining YA graphic novel that speaks a bit about what is important for real happiness.