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Marlowe's Ghost
Former Marine Will Marlowe dreams of being a great classics scholar, but his subversive street art, Bad Toys, is what he does best. When he’s sent to London to retrieve Tommy Jones, what he’s really interested in is a chance to take Bad Toys global. He doesn’t expect cancer survivor Tommy to captivate him or to become the pet project of a real live—dead—author.
Meanwhile, Tommy is struggling to write a dissertation about Christopher Marlowe while conveniently ignoring the fact that he knows Marlowe didn’t die in 1593. And Marlowe’s ghost? He has an agenda all his own that seems to involve two parts mystery, one part romance.
Meanwhile, Tommy is struggling to write a dissertation about Christopher Marlowe while conveniently ignoring the fact that he knows Marlowe didn’t die in 1593. And Marlowe’s ghost? He has an agenda all his own that seems to involve two parts mystery, one part romance.
132 pages, ebook
First published January 24, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
January 26, 2024
As this beautifully-written little oddity unfolds, it develops more and more of a dreamlike quality. Which I guess is a way of saying it becomes less and less believable... although I'm not sure believability was ever the point.
First Tom, then Will, are visited during their dreams by the "ghost" of Christopher Marlowe, who died in 1593 — or did he? But as those visits increasingly bleed into waking life, the line between inner and outer, real and fantasy, wavers, until I doubted everything. Which is fine, and has its own appeal, but is so far removed from standard m/m romance conventions that I'm not sure who I'd recommend this to. It's a strange but beautiful creature that reads perhaps more like a fable than a romance.
But I loved its mood of awakening hope and joy. I loved the quirky 3rd-person POV of former Marine and current history scholar Will ("no relation") Marlowe. I loved how random bits and pieces of the story intersected with some of my own special interests, like top-bar hives for beekeeping and 5th-6th century B.C. Greek sculpture. Those things gave it a personal resonance for me.
It was my first time reading this author, but I'm intrigued and will definitely be back for more.
First Tom, then Will, are visited during their dreams by the "ghost" of Christopher Marlowe, who died in 1593 — or did he? But as those visits increasingly bleed into waking life, the line between inner and outer, real and fantasy, wavers, until I doubted everything. Which is fine, and has its own appeal, but is so far removed from standard m/m romance conventions that I'm not sure who I'd recommend this to. It's a strange but beautiful creature that reads perhaps more like a fable than a romance.
But I loved its mood of awakening hope and joy. I loved the quirky 3rd-person POV of former Marine and current history scholar Will ("no relation") Marlowe. I loved how random bits and pieces of the story intersected with some of my own special interests, like top-bar hives for beekeeping and 5th-6th century B.C. Greek sculpture. Those things gave it a personal resonance for me.
It was my first time reading this author, but I'm intrigued and will definitely be back for more.
February 27, 2012
What an absolute delight of a book!
There really isn't much to say other than the giant smile this book put on my face. It may not be for everyone, but it has naughty toys and starry-eyed love stories, romantic adventures and unapologetic eccentricities!
Sarah Black's books always make me so happy and her writing is some of the most disarmingly romantic prose out there. Her books read like they took no effort to write and are so organic.. That makes no sense but it is as if they have a personality all on their own, that care fuck-all about what anybody thinks. They're just who they are.
There really isn't much to say other than the giant smile this book put on my face. It may not be for everyone, but it has naughty toys and starry-eyed love stories, romantic adventures and unapologetic eccentricities!
Sarah Black's books always make me so happy and her writing is some of the most disarmingly romantic prose out there. Her books read like they took no effort to write and are so organic.. That makes no sense but it is as if they have a personality all on their own, that care fuck-all about what anybody thinks. They're just who they are.
January 25, 2012
Will is an ex-Marine and creator of Internet sensation Bad Toys (display of dolls in naughty positions), with love towards history. While Tommy Jones, who is just being in remission from leukimia, is working on his dissertation about Christopher Marlowe, and has been seeing Marlowe's ghost, which makes his uncle worried. Will is sent to Oxford by Tommy's uncle, to fetch Tommy but instead, he finds Tommy and the whole idea of Christopher Marlowe alive as intriguing ... and he finds himself in love with the younger man.
Marlowe's Ghost is a combination of paranormal (there's well, Christopher "Kit" Marlowe's Ghost), literary mystery (Will and Tommy searching for the truth about Kit Marlowe -- was he really killed in Deptford in 1593 or did he escape to Germany or even Italy), romance (between Will and Tommy), and a little bit of action. It is all tied up very nicely, in Sarah Black's typical writing: melancholy, tender, and lyrical.
The story might start a little flat ... no big revelation or angsty drama; if you read many Sarah Black's stories, I think you know how she writes. But you feel that tenderness when Will starts to fall in love with Tommy. It's soft like whispers of the wind, the way Will thinks of his feeling ...
"It was too soon, probably they were rushing things, but he had been alone a long time, lonely for a longer time."
There is an increase of pace, when Will's attempt to display his Bad Toys at the British Museum results in the officers thinking of it as terrorist attack, and Will and Tom must quickly leave England, and they escape to Paris -- and in that city of love, their love is just getting stronger.
"This may be my only chance. And I want to go with you, because I love you more than I love the air I breathe"
I love the whole 'mystery' about Kit Marlowe, and there is a smart 'twist' in the end that Will and Tommy discover. I feel that this is one of the most romantic stories from the pen of Sarah Black, with backdrop of Oxford, Paris, and Padua (Italy). Just gorgeous.
Marlowe's Ghost is a combination of paranormal (there's well, Christopher "Kit" Marlowe's Ghost), literary mystery (Will and Tommy searching for the truth about Kit Marlowe -- was he really killed in Deptford in 1593 or did he escape to Germany or even Italy), romance (between Will and Tommy), and a little bit of action. It is all tied up very nicely, in Sarah Black's typical writing: melancholy, tender, and lyrical.
The story might start a little flat ... no big revelation or angsty drama; if you read many Sarah Black's stories, I think you know how she writes. But you feel that tenderness when Will starts to fall in love with Tommy. It's soft like whispers of the wind, the way Will thinks of his feeling ...
"It was too soon, probably they were rushing things, but he had been alone a long time, lonely for a longer time."
There is an increase of pace, when Will's attempt to display his Bad Toys at the British Museum results in the officers thinking of it as terrorist attack, and Will and Tom must quickly leave England, and they escape to Paris -- and in that city of love, their love is just getting stronger.
"This may be my only chance. And I want to go with you, because I love you more than I love the air I breathe"
I love the whole 'mystery' about Kit Marlowe, and there is a smart 'twist' in the end that Will and Tommy discover. I feel that this is one of the most romantic stories from the pen of Sarah Black, with backdrop of Oxford, Paris, and Padua (Italy). Just gorgeous.
April 17, 2013
Former Marine Will Marlowe came out of the service with burn-scars and a restless resentment for the people and events that necessitated his enlistment, triggered his injuries, and then demanded he return to the fighting that caused them. He expresses this with his mildly-subversive website, Bad Toys, a series of posed pictures of iconic toys where Ken and GI Joe are a couple, and Barbie is more interested in Pokey the pony. He's had fun with it, but he's adrift, unsure of what his future should be. When his favorite professor, asks him as a favor, to fly to London and bring home his slightly-off-his-rocker nephew, Will decides to at least make the trip. Maybe Skipper and Barbie can have a scene on London Bridge.
Tommy turns out to be both less and more than Will expected. He's kind, soft-spoken and attractive, still recovering from chemotherapy and not half as crazy as he sounded. In fact, the ghost of Christopher Marlowe is hanging around, and seems intent on bringing them together. Unfortunately for two academics, he refuses to reveal the secrets of the famous playwright. But the clues he scatters will direct their interest. With a little unearthly assistance, Will and Tommy come together in a sweet loving relationship that is unexpectedly thrown off the rails.
A story about a cancer survivor who isn't yet certain he's cured, and an ex-serviceman with emotional issues and scars, could have been very dark and emotional. Instead, Sarah Black has given us a funny, sweetly romantic story, with a famous ghost whose history informs but doesn't drag down the story. Proponents of the "Marlowe definitely didn't write Shakespeare's plays" camp, may be irked by this one. The rest of us, who don't hold life-and-death opinions on that, can enjoy a lovely little lighthearted romance with a paranormal touch.
Tommy turns out to be both less and more than Will expected. He's kind, soft-spoken and attractive, still recovering from chemotherapy and not half as crazy as he sounded. In fact, the ghost of Christopher Marlowe is hanging around, and seems intent on bringing them together. Unfortunately for two academics, he refuses to reveal the secrets of the famous playwright. But the clues he scatters will direct their interest. With a little unearthly assistance, Will and Tommy come together in a sweet loving relationship that is unexpectedly thrown off the rails.
A story about a cancer survivor who isn't yet certain he's cured, and an ex-serviceman with emotional issues and scars, could have been very dark and emotional. Instead, Sarah Black has given us a funny, sweetly romantic story, with a famous ghost whose history informs but doesn't drag down the story. Proponents of the "Marlowe definitely didn't write Shakespeare's plays" camp, may be irked by this one. The rest of us, who don't hold life-and-death opinions on that, can enjoy a lovely little lighthearted romance with a paranormal touch.
February 1, 2012
If I could rate this story 10 stars, I would. It is such a beautifully written romance with one of the most interesting plots I've read in a while. Tommy and Will are on a quest to find the answer to the much debated question of whether Christopher Marlowe, the playwright, actually died an early death or faked his demise so he could start a new life and continue his writing under the pen name William Shakespeare. The author obviously put a lot of research into this legend, and the story is so much richer for it.
Both Tommy and Will were wonderfully drawn and will live in my memory for a long time. Tommy is in remission from Leukemia, while Will is recovering from serving as a Marine in the Middle East. I was so happy for them as I finished the book that I nearly cried happy tears. Published in January 2012, I have no doubt this book will be nominated for numerous awards by year end, if not before. Sarah Black is brilliant, and certainly flexes her abundant literary muscles in this story. Highly recommend.
Both Tommy and Will were wonderfully drawn and will live in my memory for a long time. Tommy is in remission from Leukemia, while Will is recovering from serving as a Marine in the Middle East. I was so happy for them as I finished the book that I nearly cried happy tears. Published in January 2012, I have no doubt this book will be nominated for numerous awards by year end, if not before. Sarah Black is brilliant, and certainly flexes her abundant literary muscles in this story. Highly recommend.
November 2, 2013
Main Characters: Tom Jones & Will Marlowe
Key Themes: Illness, H/C
Location: Virginia, UK, & Western Europe
Wonderfully written MM romance featuring two scholars….and a ghost!
Stupidly, I was not looking forward to reading this book, and would probably have continued to avoid it, if it hadn't been chosen for me as part of a challenge.
Well, to my surprise I really enjoyed this book!
Tom is working on a controversial PhD thesis about Kit Marlowe (a gay Elizabethan playwright and poet, and William Shakespeare's contemporary). He is American, living in London, and studying at Oxford.
Will is an ex-Marine, now studying classical history at a university in Virginia. Will also secretly runs a website called Bad Toys, where he posts photos of toys (Barbie, GI Joe, etc) doing naughty things to each other in public places.
One summer, Will's professor (Tom's uncle) persuades Will to take a trip to London, with the goal of rescuing Tom from career suicide.
Needless to say, Will and Tom fall in love, but it’s HOW they fall in love - traveling through Western Europe, guided by Kit Marlowe’s ghost - that makes this story so captivating.
My only complaint is that it ended way too soon!
Key Themes: Illness, H/C
Location: Virginia, UK, & Western Europe
Wonderfully written MM romance featuring two scholars….and a ghost!
Stupidly, I was not looking forward to reading this book, and would probably have continued to avoid it, if it hadn't been chosen for me as part of a challenge.
Well, to my surprise I really enjoyed this book!
Tom is working on a controversial PhD thesis about Kit Marlowe (a gay Elizabethan playwright and poet, and William Shakespeare's contemporary). He is American, living in London, and studying at Oxford.
Will is an ex-Marine, now studying classical history at a university in Virginia. Will also secretly runs a website called Bad Toys, where he posts photos of toys (Barbie, GI Joe, etc) doing naughty things to each other in public places.
One summer, Will's professor (Tom's uncle) persuades Will to take a trip to London, with the goal of rescuing Tom from career suicide.
Needless to say, Will and Tom fall in love, but it’s HOW they fall in love - traveling through Western Europe, guided by Kit Marlowe’s ghost - that makes this story so captivating.
My only complaint is that it ended way too soon!
May 7, 2012
A friend was commenting on a thread recently that m/m romance is flooded by so much material, it's difficult to rate objectively. After reading so much mediocre stuff in the genre, you read an original story or remarkable characters and it's an automatic 5-star wake-up call. Yet, none of it favorably compares with quality, mainstream books. We've lowered our expectations and fail to recognize that it's not a matter of plot originality, good characters, or even genre. Regardless of quality of editing, or lack thereof, no matter who the publisher is, or if it's self-published. It's simply a matter of talent.
That is what I found in this story, my first by this author, by the bucketfuls. Talent. A marvelous combination of lyrical writing, original plot, achingly alive charcters, romantic settings lovingly described, historical fact and fiction mixed up so you don't very well know which is which. All in one neat package. It's not edge-of-your-seat reading, it's not a tear jerker, it's not fast paced or mysterious, though one of the characters is a ghost. Still, this story snaps you up and takes you away on a trip you'll be reluctant to come back from.
Highly recommended.
That is what I found in this story, my first by this author, by the bucketfuls. Talent. A marvelous combination of lyrical writing, original plot, achingly alive charcters, romantic settings lovingly described, historical fact and fiction mixed up so you don't very well know which is which. All in one neat package. It's not edge-of-your-seat reading, it's not a tear jerker, it's not fast paced or mysterious, though one of the characters is a ghost. Still, this story snaps you up and takes you away on a trip you'll be reluctant to come back from.
Highly recommended.
February 13, 2023
2020 Re-read:
For me, with any Sarah Black book, it's about the writing more than the plot. Her characters could sit around discussing the merits of beige vs. eggshell paint, and the varying drying times of matte vs. semi-gloss, and I'd still eat it up. There's an economy of words, each one carefully chosen to transmit as much information as possible in the smallest amount of space, a wealth of feeling in every sentence. In some ways it of reminds me of Aaron Sorkin, too, with smart people trading clever conversation about things they feel strongly about.
I always feel more philosophical after reading a Sarah Black book, more introspective. And this time I spent an interesting hour reading up on the "Christopher Marlowe is William Shakespeare" theories.
For me, with any Sarah Black book, it's about the writing more than the plot. Her characters could sit around discussing the merits of beige vs. eggshell paint, and the varying drying times of matte vs. semi-gloss, and I'd still eat it up. There's an economy of words, each one carefully chosen to transmit as much information as possible in the smallest amount of space, a wealth of feeling in every sentence. In some ways it of reminds me of Aaron Sorkin, too, with smart people trading clever conversation about things they feel strongly about.
I always feel more philosophical after reading a Sarah Black book, more introspective. And this time I spent an interesting hour reading up on the "Christopher Marlowe is William Shakespeare" theories.
February 13, 2012
Like my other absolute favourite Sarah Black novel,Marathon Cowboys , there is so much to think about in this story. Themes of war and art and finding one's own personal truth after facing death.
Marlowe's Ghost sparkles...so rich in prose and imagery and ideas that this unique story (and sweet, sweet Tommy and Will)will linger for a long while.
Cinematic and poetic and funny and intelligent.
Highly, highly recommended.
Marlowe's Ghost sparkles...so rich in prose and imagery and ideas that this unique story (and sweet, sweet Tommy and Will)will linger for a long while.
Cinematic and poetic and funny and intelligent.
Highly, highly recommended.
June 24, 2012
Pure and simple...absolutely beautiful. This is a story that I feel deep within my heart because Tommy and Will just exude love. The literary references, the humor, the adventure, the mystery all work so well together and bring such depth to the story.
I fell in love with Will and Tommy each with their own scars from life and betrayals that they must heal from. Their relationship development was so seamless and right. I loved this story and am so happy to be a reader of wonderful stories like this.
I fell in love with Will and Tommy each with their own scars from life and betrayals that they must heal from. Their relationship development was so seamless and right. I loved this story and am so happy to be a reader of wonderful stories like this.
July 21, 2012
4.5 stars. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a former Marine turned history scholar who goes to England at the request of a professor to check up on the professor's sickly, scholarly nephew and perhaps shepherd him back to the US. The lyrical writing was vaguely scholarly and packed with info about Christopher Marlowe, yet didn't have the brain dump quality that some of Black's other works have had.
November 15, 2024
kind harmless fluff.
July 29, 2016
Guilty Pleasures
3.5 STARS
Sarah Black is a new author for me, and to be honest I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. However, after I saw a few friends on Goodreads give “Marlowe’s Ghost” a good review I decided to see what all the buzz was about and I was NOT disappointed.
I really like the main characters Will and Tommy. Will is an ex-marine who enlisted so he could use the GI Bill after combat to study classics. Tommy has lived a fairly privileged life and has a sky-high IQ. Tommy has also just entered remission from Leukemia.
Ms. Black does a fantastic job of allowing the reader to fall in love with the characters on their own and together as a couple. There are some fun and quirky scenes that include Gumby, GI Joe, the BM, yellow Chelsea boots and other various toys. This book will make you laugh and have you do a little research as well.
Will and Tommy are on a journey to figure out why Kit Marlowe appears in this century and what truly happened to him in 1593. I’ll be honest, my English Literature skills and memory were not up to snuff in order to follow some of the leads in the book. I had to eventually succumb to the black hole of Wikipedia in order to sort things out.
All in all I really enjoyed this book and wish it would have been longer because I think I could read an entire series based on these fellows. I recommend this book for those who like intellectual pursuits of the highest realm and silly little games with children’s toys. I promise that sentence will make sense after you read the book!! :)
3.5 STARS
Sarah Black is a new author for me, and to be honest I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. However, after I saw a few friends on Goodreads give “Marlowe’s Ghost” a good review I decided to see what all the buzz was about and I was NOT disappointed.
I really like the main characters Will and Tommy. Will is an ex-marine who enlisted so he could use the GI Bill after combat to study classics. Tommy has lived a fairly privileged life and has a sky-high IQ. Tommy has also just entered remission from Leukemia.
Ms. Black does a fantastic job of allowing the reader to fall in love with the characters on their own and together as a couple. There are some fun and quirky scenes that include Gumby, GI Joe, the BM, yellow Chelsea boots and other various toys. This book will make you laugh and have you do a little research as well.
Will and Tommy are on a journey to figure out why Kit Marlowe appears in this century and what truly happened to him in 1593. I’ll be honest, my English Literature skills and memory were not up to snuff in order to follow some of the leads in the book. I had to eventually succumb to the black hole of Wikipedia in order to sort things out.
All in all I really enjoyed this book and wish it would have been longer because I think I could read an entire series based on these fellows. I recommend this book for those who like intellectual pursuits of the highest realm and silly little games with children’s toys. I promise that sentence will make sense after you read the book!! :)
March 5, 2012
Sarah Black is a new author for me, and to be honest I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. However, after I saw a few friends on Goodreads give “Marlowe’s Ghost” a good review I decided to see what all the buzz was about and I was NOT disappointed.
I really like the main characters Will and Tommy. Will is an ex-marine who enlisted so he could use the GI Bill after combat to study classics. Tommy has lived a fairly privileged life and has a sky-high IQ. Tommy has also just entered remission from Leukemia.
Ms. Black does a fantastic job of allowing the reader to fall in love with the characters on their own and together as a couple. There are some fun and quirky scenes that include Gumby, GI Joe, the BM, yellow Chelsea boots and other various toys. This book will make you laugh and have you do a little research as well.
Will and Tommy are on a journey to figure out why Kit Marlowe appears in this century and what truly happened to him in 1593. I’ll be honest, my English Literature skills and memory were not up to snuff in order to follow some of the leads in the book. I had to eventually succumb to the black hole of Wikipedia in order to sort things out.
All in all I really enjoyed this book and wish it would have been longer because I think I could read an entire series based on these fellows. I recommend this book for those who like intellectual pursuits of the highest realm and silly little games with children’s toys. I promise that sentence will make sense after you read the book!! :)
I really like the main characters Will and Tommy. Will is an ex-marine who enlisted so he could use the GI Bill after combat to study classics. Tommy has lived a fairly privileged life and has a sky-high IQ. Tommy has also just entered remission from Leukemia.
Ms. Black does a fantastic job of allowing the reader to fall in love with the characters on their own and together as a couple. There are some fun and quirky scenes that include Gumby, GI Joe, the BM, yellow Chelsea boots and other various toys. This book will make you laugh and have you do a little research as well.
Will and Tommy are on a journey to figure out why Kit Marlowe appears in this century and what truly happened to him in 1593. I’ll be honest, my English Literature skills and memory were not up to snuff in order to follow some of the leads in the book. I had to eventually succumb to the black hole of Wikipedia in order to sort things out.
All in all I really enjoyed this book and wish it would have been longer because I think I could read an entire series based on these fellows. I recommend this book for those who like intellectual pursuits of the highest realm and silly little games with children’s toys. I promise that sentence will make sense after you read the book!! :)
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March 11, 2012Sarah Black is obviously very intelligent and well read. This book was written extremely well. I love the two main characters, Tommy especially. But... I never really felt that I was getting into the relationship between Tommy and Will. Everything between them seemed to happen quite suddenly without my getting the actual feel for the two characters. I knew what the book was about before I started reading it so I obviously was not surprised to read Shakespeare. But throughout the entire story I felt like I was reliving those dreaded days in high school where I was forced to read page after page of his work.
As I said, this was an extremely well written book. The story was good. The characters were good. Even Will's silly antics with the toys were amusing. I did, however, feel that there was quite a bit left unsaid at the end.... things that were left unresolved. This is one of the reasons that I am choosing to not rate this book at all. I refuse to place a low rating on something simply because it was not my style of book. There is nothing wrong with it other than the fact that it's not my thing. After reading the other reviews, I see that I am in the minority.
This is my first by this author. I am sure it will not be my last. Maybe I just chose the wrong one to start with.
As I said, this was an extremely well written book. The story was good. The characters were good. Even Will's silly antics with the toys were amusing. I did, however, feel that there was quite a bit left unsaid at the end.... things that were left unresolved. This is one of the reasons that I am choosing to not rate this book at all. I refuse to place a low rating on something simply because it was not my style of book. There is nothing wrong with it other than the fact that it's not my thing. After reading the other reviews, I see that I am in the minority.
This is my first by this author. I am sure it will not be my last. Maybe I just chose the wrong one to start with.
February 2, 2014
A rather staid romance with academic overtones.
I feel I must be missing something with all the great reviews about this story. I was not charmed by this book.
Will was quite interesting. His method of dealing with his own issues was refreshing. As I used to have an interest in taking pictures using toys as a subject, I found him appealing. I don't really get why he was interested in Tom though.
Maybe the fact that I have absolutely no interest in history contributed to my lack of enthusiasm with the subject of this book. History and a lecture in literature overshadowed the romance for me. As such, I didn't really feel any connection with the romance developing between the two characters. I felt their story was overpowered by the Marlowe research.
This book just wasn't for me.
I feel I must be missing something with all the great reviews about this story. I was not charmed by this book.
Will was quite interesting. His method of dealing with his own issues was refreshing. As I used to have an interest in taking pictures using toys as a subject, I found him appealing. I don't really get why he was interested in Tom though.
Maybe the fact that I have absolutely no interest in history contributed to my lack of enthusiasm with the subject of this book. History and a lecture in literature overshadowed the romance for me. As such, I didn't really feel any connection with the romance developing between the two characters. I felt their story was overpowered by the Marlowe research.
This book just wasn't for me.
March 10, 2012
This story was fresh. A bit weirder on higher level, too. Both Tommy and Will were so unique, in their own characteristic, that it was a pleasure to fallow their thoughts. The storyline was really unique. I liked Kit, he was a funny and smart Ghost. A Ghost with his own agenda an his own plan. To join two unique character into a perfect union. This was a warm created story.
April 24, 2015
I absolutely loved this book. So freaking whimsical. Review to come.
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January 27, 2018Did not finish.. I got to 48% and couldn't keep going.. the start was good but after William arrived in England i lost the interest in the story-line. This book is for any historic literature buffs. References completely lost me.. The ghost is named Christopher but also known as Kitt.. I wanted to continue reading to see what happened to Tommy but i just couldn't do it.. disappointed as there was a lot of recommendations for this book. sigh..
William was a ex-military suffering from PTSD and playing with his "Bad Toys" for his online website .. having studying for his degree in classical history. A professor asked for his help with his nephew.
Tom had cancer and is in the clear but he sees a ghost of Christopher Marlowe. Christopher died or suppose to in 1593.. William was to bring Tom home to his uncle....
William was a ex-military suffering from PTSD and playing with his "Bad Toys" for his online website .. having studying for his degree in classical history. A professor asked for his help with his nephew.
Tom had cancer and is in the clear but he sees a ghost of Christopher Marlowe. Christopher died or suppose to in 1593.. William was to bring Tom home to his uncle....
March 5, 2021
3.5 stars.
Fun book! By page 3 (on my ereader), I was smiling over Will's Bad Toys, and knew I was going to like this book. The paranormal angle with Kit Marlowe didn't quite work as well for me. Will seemed a bit too matter-of-fact about it. Overall, a sweet story. I liked it.
Fun book! By page 3 (on my ereader), I was smiling over Will's Bad Toys, and knew I was going to like this book. The paranormal angle with Kit Marlowe didn't quite work as well for me. Will seemed a bit too matter-of-fact about it. Overall, a sweet story. I liked it.
February 1, 2012
This is a story of Will, a classics major, and Tom, a phd candidate writing a dissertation on something about Shakespeare and Kit/Christopher Marlowe. Will was sent by Tom's uncle to bring him home from Europe because Tom was sick and is seeing and speaking to Kit/Christopher's ghost. Will arrives and has no intention of dragging Tom home but rather living off the uncle's dime while he takes pictures of toys doing lewd things around Europe for his website. Will and Tom fall in love (a match made in heaven because they are both incredibly boring and intellectual).
So, if you didn't notice, I have very little enthusiasm for this book. I found it tedious and confusing and far above my pay grade! There are references to the classsics that I simply don't get. Lines of poetry and plays that have to be dissected to figure out what they are trying to say. There are strange leaps from reality to dreams/ghost interactions. I found myself going back over pages just trying to figure out what the heck was being said. Tom's illness played a big role yet wasn't really dealt with and was in fact blamed on his mind poisoning his body because he wasn't writing a truthful dissertation??? The ghost was confusing me constantly. In the end I'm not really sure what happened and why and I really did not enjoy feeling unsmart!
So, if you didn't notice, I have very little enthusiasm for this book. I found it tedious and confusing and far above my pay grade! There are references to the classsics that I simply don't get. Lines of poetry and plays that have to be dissected to figure out what they are trying to say. There are strange leaps from reality to dreams/ghost interactions. I found myself going back over pages just trying to figure out what the heck was being said. Tom's illness played a big role yet wasn't really dealt with and was in fact blamed on his mind poisoning his body because he wasn't writing a truthful dissertation??? The ghost was confusing me constantly. In the end I'm not really sure what happened and why and I really did not enjoy feeling unsmart!
April 10, 2012
It's really hard for me to get behind a book that wants to assert that Christopher Marlowe wrote Shakespeare's plays and sonnets, but I tried quite hard to read Marlowe'd Ghost with an open mind. I still couldn't get into it; the writing was uneven for me, with not enough substance to support the emotions and actions of the main characters. There wasn't enough emotion, either, for my tastes, anyway. And I really did not like that Marlowe was supposedly sleeping with both main characters. It felt flip and artificial.
So the book gets only three stars from me for substantive reasons, but of course my evaluation could still have been influenced by my disbelief in the main argument about Marlowe, though I tried not to let it be. I will say that I liked the writing, as a whole, much more than in the other Sarah Black book I've read, which I think was called Idaho Pride.
So the book gets only three stars from me for substantive reasons, but of course my evaluation could still have been influenced by my disbelief in the main argument about Marlowe, though I tried not to let it be. I will say that I liked the writing, as a whole, much more than in the other Sarah Black book I've read, which I think was called Idaho Pride.
February 25, 2012
Cute story about a two scholars and a ghost. The part about Will's street are was a bit far fetched though. As someone who has taken pictures of toys in various poses in 10 states and 3 countries, the idea that someone might arrest you for taking pictures of toys in a public place was a little unbelievable. Otherwise, great!
I am always so happy to read a story that is well edited. It is a term that is thrown around a lot in indie publishing these days, but so often does not follow through, so I make a point of mentioning it when I find it.
I am always so happy to read a story that is well edited. It is a term that is thrown around a lot in indie publishing these days, but so often does not follow through, so I make a point of mentioning it when I find it.
August 6, 2016
I greatly enjoyed everything about this book. I'll admit to being a bit of an anglophile, so I loved the setting of this story, especially the descriptions of the flat, its garden and the British Museum.
Will and Tom make an interesting couple and the ghost of Christopher Marlow makes an interesting third. Sarah takes one of the great controversies of English literature and skillfully weaves it into her story in a fun and engaging manner. Add in the rebellion of ex-marine Will's "Bad Toys" and prepare to enjoy a touching yet funny love story.
Will and Tom make an interesting couple and the ghost of Christopher Marlow makes an interesting third. Sarah takes one of the great controversies of English literature and skillfully weaves it into her story in a fun and engaging manner. Add in the rebellion of ex-marine Will's "Bad Toys" and prepare to enjoy a touching yet funny love story.
March 23, 2012
This is the first book I've read that really made me wish for half stars.
I loved most of this book so much, I really thought it would be a five star review, but there were a few things that I just couldn't overlook. Unfortunately, loved it, but not enough to give it five stars means it gets four stars - and I liked it more than that.
This book is beautifully written, unique, lovely, funny, timely, intimate, smart and satisfying.
Oh, so good.
I loved most of this book so much, I really thought it would be a five star review, but there were a few things that I just couldn't overlook. Unfortunately, loved it, but not enough to give it five stars means it gets four stars - and I liked it more than that.
This book is beautifully written, unique, lovely, funny, timely, intimate, smart and satisfying.
Oh, so good.
August 8, 2014
This one was more of a 2.5 read for me.
The book and the writing were very good. Even though I didn't fall in love with this one I will check out more of this authors works.
I had an awfully hard time connecting to the book though. In return made this one a pretty rough read for me.
I have no idea who in the world Kip Marlow was and that did not help me at all.
Never mind all the academic stuff thrown at me.
The book and the writing were very good. Even though I didn't fall in love with this one I will check out more of this authors works.
I had an awfully hard time connecting to the book though. In return made this one a pretty rough read for me.
I have no idea who in the world Kip Marlow was and that did not help me at all.
Never mind all the academic stuff thrown at me.
September 11, 2012
Really really liked this story. So unusual and so well done. This is why Sarah Black is on my auto list. She doesn't recycle plots or characters and give us a tried and true formula. She creates unusual situations and then makes us want to absorb the story. I hope she is writing for a long time to come because I never get tired of reading her work.
February 4, 2012
I loved this book so much! If you're a literature buff you will adore this. It was light, romantic with some fun thrown in. This is a must read. It's a great adventure while falling in love and learning to accept people as they are.Oh and the lesson of not to piss of the British at least the stuffy ones with no sense of humor..LOL
November 3, 2012
Very interesting story. Tommy and Will were really meant for each other and I enjoyed their instant and deepening connection, because it was based on something, not just because the author decided. However, the story travelled a weird course and the ending felt abrupt, forced, very forced and then forced some more.
October 19, 2015
I do like how Kit Marlowe was an equal opportunity ghost, which made it easier for Will to relax and get to know Tommy, and to help him as well. The misunderstanding with the Bad Toys was kind of scary and I think folks totally over reacted. But all's well, as they say.
Recommended
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1st read - Feb 5, 2015
2nd read - Oct 18, 2015
Recommended
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1st read - Feb 5, 2015
2nd read - Oct 18, 2015
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews