A Girl, a Ghost, and the Hollywood Hills by Lizabeth Zindel

Viking Juvenile, 2010

ISBN-13: 978-0670011599

Available: Hardcover, Kindle edition

    In the introduction to A Girl, a Ghost, and the Hollywood Hills, the author explains that her intent is to portray a “Hamlet-inspired ghost story unlike any other”, and there are obvious similarities. Holly has gone off to the East Coast at the start of her freshman year of high school, just a few months after her mother’s death. Not long after her departure for high school, her father drops the bomb that he has begun seeing her aunt; Holly’s late mother’s sister, Claudia. Naturally, Holly is extremely upset with her father and puts off returning home for breaks or holidays to cope with the situation until Christmas break. Shortly after her arrival home for Christmas break, Holly begins seeing her dead mother’s ghost, who asks Holly to seek revenge on Claudia. All of this is very much reminiscent of Hamlet, including the idea that Prince Hamlet may be mad in his visions of the ghost of King Hamlet. In A Girl, a Ghost, and the Hollywood Hills, however, Holly finally agrees toward the end that she is creating these visions, thus ending the idea of a ghostly element.   

   I had high hopes for this novel given the excerpt on the back, but very quickly, I discovered dialogue that seems contrived accompanied by an easily determinable conclusion. No thrills and chills are to be found within the pages. Instead, the reader will likely find themselves feeling a bit slimy from the content as it includes interjections of sexual content, including a scene in which Holly overhears her father and Claudia having sex.

    As there is no real paranormal/ghostly presence, but instead a distraught teenager who struggles to cope with her mother’s death and her father’s indiscretions, this wouldn’t really fall into the horror category.

     The publisher’s information says the book is for ages 12 and up; grades 7 and higher, but I would be more apt to say ages 14 and up and grades 9 and higher given the sexual content. If added, I would suggest this be included in a YA public library collection.

Contains: Sexual content

Reviewed by Kelly Fann