Ghost Girl, Banana
worldwide buzz and rave reviews for this moving and unforgettable story of family secrets
By Wiz Wharton
Harry Hartog's review
Told from two perspectives, a mother and the daughter who only new her through stories, her own memories warped but what she was told happened by the only family she has ever known. Initially, the story unfolds at a slow pace reflecting Lily’s caution about investigating her past and the fear of losing more than she might gain, as though pulling on the thread will unravel too much too quickly. Soon, the desperation to know the truth has her racing to unpick the story of how her mum died and why no one wants to talk about it. Wiz is a wonderful new literary voice writing with heart about loss, the fragility of memory, family tension, the intricacies of belonging, and the diaspora of the Chinese Windrush generation. - Em, Head Office
Description
*** SHORTLISTED FOR THE DIVERSE BOOK AWARDS 2024 ***
*** LONGLISTED FOR THE AUTHORS' CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD ***
A GRAZIA BOOK CLUB PICK, Ghost Girl, Banana is a powerful debut novel about the family secrets unearthed by a surprise inheritance. Set between Hong Kong in the 1960s and London in the 1990s, and revealing the hidden life of a mother to her daughter, it asks questions of identity, race and belonging.
'A real nail-biter ... so winningly chronicled by Wharton' NEW YORK TIMES
'Ambitious ... readers won't be disappointed as Wharton ultimately resolves many mysteries in the book' GUARDIAN
'An astounding debut ... written with emotion and astuteness, this deserves to be on book prize lists' PRIMA
1966: Sook-Yin is exiled from Kowloon to London with orders to restore honour to her family. As she strives to fit into a world that does not understand her, she realizes that survival will mean carving out a destiny of her own.
1997: Sook-Yin's daughter Lily can barely remember the mother she lost as a small child. But when she is unexpectedly named in the will of a powerful Chinese stranger, she embarks on a secret pilgrimage to Hong Kong to discover the lost side of her identity and claim the reward. But she soon learns that the secrecy around her heritage has deep roots, and good fortune comes at a price.
'Genuine and joyously written' Platinum
'Brilliant' Hello!
'A gripping and evocative tale of family secrets, courage, adversity and love. Sook-Yin and Lily's stories are beautifully told and truly unforgettable . . . such accomplished storytelling and gorgeous prose. Brilliant' Emma Stonex
'An absolute wrecking ball of a novel. Ghost Girl, Banana is an enchanting, suspenseful journey through family, distance, money and betrayal. I loved it so much' Erin Kelly
'A story of family, love, redemption and belonging, told with such heart and empathy. Essential and utterly unforgettable' Fiona Scarlett
'Ghost Girl, Banana is an epic yet deeply intimate novel. I could feel the vibration of these women existing in the wider world; their stories are so skilfully shot through with the hum of change' Kate Sawyer, author of Costa prize-shortlisted The Stranding
'An intriguing, beautifully written study of the stories we inherit. I loved being in Lily and Sook-Yin's heads, my heart breaking for them . . . I loved it!' Nikki May
'Sparkling prose and a page-turning plot combined with wonderful storytelling . . . An absolutely dazzling debut' Julie Owen Moylan
'From the first pages, I was drawn into the worlds of Lily and S
- ISBN:
- 9781399700344
- Format:
- Paperback / softback
- Pages:
- 416
- Published:
- Publisher:
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Imprint:
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Weight:
- 500 g