A Head Full of Ghosts (Review)

If you’re looking for a book that mixes all of the best horror/ghost/paranormal movies into one, A Head Full of Ghosts is definitely the book for you. The Exorcist and The Conjuring converge in this spooky read.

Ghosts follows Merry through two timelines; the present as she dictates her biography to its author, and as a child during the time that her family was the subject of a documentary series focusing on her sister Marjorie’s apparent possession. 

“Actually, I’m possessed, only I’m possessed by something so much older and cooler than Satan.”

After reading The Cabin at the End of the World, I expected a lot from this book. But, although I enjoyed this creepfest from start to finish, it’s in a whole other world from Tremblay’s apocalyptic thriller. 

The tension in this story is built up extremely well, despite the fact that it follows a more or less tried-and-true structure that we’ve seen so many times in horror movies. But just like the camera angles and cinematic experience of those films, the writing is what keeps you hooked and uneasy. The way that the story is set up makes you always question what is true and what is not, and when you think you’ve figured it out, it makes you doubt again. 

 “…the story that has been told and retold so often it has lost its meaning, even to those of us who lived through it.”

Even with what some may call an overused story arc, the tale of possession seemed new and fresh in this format and still provided plenty of surprises and twists. The multiple perspectives, from Merry in the past and present, as well as blog posts, create an interesting dynamic in which the story can unfold. 

Unfortunately, in the end, the conclusion was not particularly interesting in contrast to the many exciting plot twists that happen in the story, but after all that the characters have gone through, it would be difficult to find a resolution that would suit it and yet not be too cliche. 

Although this story didn’t wow me with its allusions and intellect the way that The Cabin at the End of the World did, I still really enjoyed it. I rated A Head Full of Ghosts 4.5 out of 5 stars. Horror movie fanatics will like this one.