Ghosts in the Family

by Marilyn Sachs

Alone in the world after the death of her mother, Gabriella Russell seeks out her father's family, who had disinherited him after he had married a Mexican woman, and learns to face the ghosts of her family.

176 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1995

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gabriella adores her journalist father, who comes from a
wealthy family, although there are some nagging questions: Why is
he gone so much? Why doesn't he invite her and her mother along for
his business meetings (as well as have his business associates
over)? How come Gabriella and her mother have never visited the
home where her father grew up? As sort of a "security blanket,"
she keeps an old boyhood portrait of her 5th great grandfather, who
grew up to be a Spanish commandante, in her room; she also says
she gets visits from his ghost at night.

Things change abruptly when Gabriella's mother is struck by a
car and killed, while her father is away in Tibet. Her aunt
Isabel, whom she had never met, takes her in. It is apparent
Isabel wants to change her, by buying her new new clothes and
enrolling her in an exclusive private girls school. Gabriella also
learns that her father is not as well liked by the family and maid,
and, by the time her father returns, she is disillusioned not only
by him, but also with the fact her 5th great grandfather grew up to
be a murderer.

When I first picked up this book, I did not like Gabriella as
she is self-centered, rude, and prone to temper tantrums. As I
progressed, however, I gained an understanding as to why she was
that way, due to her many insecurities. Besides the excellent
characterization, the reader gets a feel of how prejudice is real,
and that people should take pride in who they are, regardless of
skin color (Gabriella decided she like her old public school
better). An excellent choice for discussion.