Joplin's Ghost

by Tananarive Due

The life of Phoenix Smalls spins horrifically out of control as a long-dead music legend chooses her to continue his legacy, in this historical novel—part love story, part ghost story—from acclaimed horror novelist Tananarive Due.When Phoenix Smalls was ten, she nearly died at her parents' jazz club when she was crushed by a turn-of-the-century piano. Now twenty-four, Phoenix is launching a career as an R&B singer. She's living out her dreams and seems destined for fame and fortune. But a chance visit to a historical site in St. Louis ignites a series of bizarre, erotic encounters with a spirit who may be the King of Ragtime, Scott Joplin.The sound of Scott Joplin is strange enough to the ears of the hip-hop generation. But the idea that these antique sounds are being channeled through Phoenix? Her life is suddenly hanging in the balance. How will she find her true voice and calling? Can the power of her own inner song give Phoenix the strength to fight to live out her own future? Or will she be forever trapped in Scott Joplin's doomed, tragic past? Stunningly original, Joplin's Ghost is a novel filled with art and intrigue—and is sure to bring music to readers' ears.

Genres: Horror, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Music, African American, Mystery

496 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2005

About the author

TANANARIVE DUE (tah-nah-nah-REEVE doo) is the award-winning author of The Wishing Pool & Other Stories and the upcoming The Reformatory ("A masterpiece"--Library Journal). She and her husband, Steven Barnes, co-wrote the Black Horror graphic novel The Keeper, illustrated by Marco Finnegan. Due and Barnes co-host a podcast, "Lifewriting: Write for Your Life!"

A leading voice in Black speculative fiction for more than 20 years, Due has won an American Book Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a British Fantasy Award, and her writing has been included in best-of-the-year anthologies. Her books include Ghost Summer: Stories, My Soul to Keep, and The Good House. She and her late mother, civil rights activist Patricia Stephens Due, co-authored Freedom in the Family: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights. She and her husband live with their son, Jason.

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up at a wonderful used bookstore - The Book Bank- in Alexandria, VA.

Seriously, how someone could let this book go, I don't know.

So awhile back, I read a Due short story on my kindle. I enjoyed it, and she got added to my list (the ever growing one) of "authors to try in novel form". When I saw this book, I figured, why not. Who doesn't love Scott Joplin?

(Yeah, okay, you're the one person. And I don't like you, so we're good. Seriously, go listen to Ragtime or Maple Leaf Rag. You are most likely one those people who thinks Shakespeare writes in Old English).

In part, the book deals with the question of sex and consent, in particular in terms of gender and age. There is much about music (and the definition of music) as well as being true to one's art. There are true friendships between women. In particular, I love Gloria and Phoenix's relationship with her, in particular in regards to what happens early in the book. I love that Gloria stood her ground and Phee realized something.

(Additional shout out to the lovely woman, perhaps the owner, at the counter. She loved this book and we had a nice talk).

[Tracy Darity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joplin’s Ghost is an eclectic mixture of historical fiction and borderline urban prose. For the historical lesson on Scott Joplin, I give the book five stars; and for the lean towards urban, I give it four stars. My final rating falls somewhere in between. Do I dare mention again how much I love the writing of Tananarive Due? Well, if you don’t know by now, she is one of my all-time favorite authors, but I promise this review is unbiased.

What I enjoyed most about Joplin’s Ghost is that it took Ms. Due a little out of her usual style of writing and I respect her even more for challenging herself to show that she is a versatile writer willing to take a chance on drawing in a new group of readers. Where she may have disappointed some of her long-time, faithful followers, I believe she may have picked up some new, younger ones along the way who are huge fans of the urban genre but are ready to grow in their literary journey.

Joplin’s Ghost is a love story of sorts involving famed Ragtime composer Scott Joplin, who departed from this life like many gifted artists, way before their time. It is evident in the writing that the author spent a considerable amount of time researching Joplin’s life, as well as music in general, to create this work of fiction. I will admit that I am still a little unsure if the ghost was Joplin himself, his piano, or Joplin’s second wife Freddie, whose spirit may have been trapped in the piano when Joplin attempted to make his transition into the afterlife. However, not knowing for sure doesn’t detract from the story.

The story moves back and forth between Joplin’s era (early 1900s) and modern day as we discover new singer Phoenix, who is a trained classical musician trying to make it in today’s music scene (a la Alicia Keys). The two stories meld as Joplin dies and Phoenix is injured by a mysterious piano when she is 10. Fast forward 14 years, Phoenix is now signed with a popular Hip Hop label and journeys to Joplin’s hometown. There, her father/manager encourages her to visit the Scott Joplin Museum, where she has her first (well, second) encounter with the ghost.

We get to know Joplin, the man and composer, as Due’s story follows a fictitious account of his life beginning in 1900. Through her storytelling, we meet his second wife, Freddie, who is his soul-mate even into death. In the present day, we have Phoenix, who accepts that his ghost is very real and very present in her life. At times, it seems that Joplin is using her as an instrument to share with the world music he composed for two operas that he never received proper recognition for—eventually destroying the sheet music before his death. Then at other times, it felt as if his goal was to free Freddie’s spirit from the haunted piano so he could finally crossover into the afterlife, and she could make her return there ( she died before him but came back as a ghost when he claimed the mysterious piano that had been abandoned in an ally…yes, the same one that injured Phoenix at age 10).

Remember, Joplin’s Ghost really is a love story. It’s being told from several angles, which makes it that much more fascinating. If you have read Tina McElroy Ansa’s The Hand I Fan With, you can get a better picture as to how someone can fall in love with a ghost. As Phoenix becomes more consumed by Joplin’s ghost, her world begins to unravel, and she faces losing not only her career but also the support of her family and friends. Just when she didn’t think her life could get any crazier, tragedy strikes.

Where I think Due loses some of her die-hard fans is in the urban aspects of the book, which, at times (only a few), seemed forced and out of place within the full scheme of the story. Some of the scenes did not flow as fluently as when she was telling Joplin’s story. The only part of the book I simply could not enjoy was the knowledge that Joplin died from the sexually transmitted disease Syphilis. Yet, there was a love scene between Phoenix and Joplin’s ghost, under the guise that physically, she was making love to her boyfriend, but subconsciously, it was the ghost. That just wasn’t sexy and was a bit much to digest, even though we had learned earlier in the book that the disease is no longer contagious after a certain amount of time (as long as there is no re-infection).

If you are a follower of Due’s “Living Blood” series, I recommend you give Joplin’s Ghost a try. As I anxiously await the next installment due out this fall, I have been catching up on some of her other books, and so far I have not been disappointed.

Much Love,


Tracy

Tracy L. Darity is the author of He Loves Me He Loves Me Not! and Love…Like Snow In Florida on a Hot Summer Day. For more information, visit: www.TracyLDarity.com

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm jealous of Tananarive Due. We both worked at the Miami Herald before she left to become a really good writer of "speculative fiction" -- there's always fantasy elements to her work, but they're also very much tied to the real world. So, she shows us ghosts and spirits, but in a world where people who see ghosts and spirits are considered crazy. I also appreciate that race and ethnicity play a role in her works: too often, fantasy and science-fiction authors just erase these differences, like a world free of cultural difference is something we should be striving for. Sorry, but I think those issues are part of what makes us human.

This book weaves the story of a young up-and-coming singer (who seems modeled after Alicia Keys or Lauryn Hill or Esperanza Spalding) whose fate is tied to the restless spirit of Scott Joplin, a black ragtime composer who had an operatically tragic life before dying of syphilis in 1917.

It took a while for the book to find full momentum, and I wasn't as interested in some of the many, many side characters, despite the fact that they were well-drawn. But the last 100-150 pages or so were compelling.

[jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

there are brilliant writers who, for some reason, don't quite get all the readership that seems appropriate for their brilliance. tananarive due is only one of them, meaning i can think of others, but HOLY SMOKES does it sadden me that this book is not read and assigned in classes all over the great US of A, where the narratives of african american life that are typically favored are those of slavery and brutality.

this is not an unbrutal book, because part of it, the scott joplin part, is set during a time in which african americans suffered endless discrimination and humiliation (and worse of course). the book doesn't dwell on the material segregation much (there is a bit about a painful train ride but not much more) but rather on the fact that joplin's music was roundly rejected because Black musicians were confined to really narrow genres. his rags were fine, everything else, not so much. joplin, a massively talented composer with a sweeping vision, spent his life being thwarted at every step of the way.

so this is partly about racism and partly about the creative personal damage of being unable to be heard because you don’t fit pre-existing narratives about what your art should be like (another book that is painfully about this is Siri Hustvedt's The Blazing World, though one must say that the real-life suppression of a genius of the quality of scott joplin because of worldwide racism kinda hurts in a singular way in this here miserable 2020 year of the lord).

joplin’s work is presented in this novel as a visionary precursor to jazz and later forms of african american music. since i didn’t know anything about joplin i appreciated being introduced to him by tananarive due, an author whose dedication to historical accuracy (with obvious exceptions cuz after all this is a ghost story) i trust.

on the other side of the temporal continuum is phoenix, a young musician who is also being pushed by various (well meaning, in her case) forces into tried and true modes of Black music.

due does storytelling magic with the story of how these two people mesh into each other’s lives. it’s really amazing. every time i thought i had it down there was a new twist and a new deepening and more complexity and richness and i was like damn.

ghosts are a bit of a recurring presence in the african american literature i have read (i don’t dare say african american literature in general cuz i am not an expert). i am thinking now of the incredible use of ghosts Jesmyn Ward does in Sing, Unburied, Sing. ghosts show up to tell of their pain and pass the baton of history. ghosts tell those who live in the present not to forget. ghosts comfort and encourage. ghosts are history and also history’s urgent push into the present.

in the afternote to the book due says that she painstakingly researched ghosts by talking to serious psychics who work with them regularly. i am sure there is some storytelling license here but the delicacy of dealing with the souls of people who have died, the expertise required to do it right and to honor our ancestors kept me rather enthralled. (here’s a spoiler: ghosts don’t hurt us).

due is a heck of a storyteller. her novels are blessedly long and when you finish them you wish there were more. there is a ton of depth here, but it’s hidden in a enthralling package and i don’t know how she does it. here are some of the themes: what do people owe their past when that past clamors to be honored; what do they owe themselves; how can they honor their history while also not being dragged down by it; how can groups that have been historically brutalized do right by their ancestors and how can they continue their struggle for liberation and voice.

there is a ton here about music. if you love music, you will love this.

lastly, the audio version is performed by lizan mitchell and she is great!

[Sarah Weathersby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know why it took me so long to get around to reading this book. I was probably pouting about having to wait for another one of the Blood Brothers series, and nearly missed a national treasure.

I loved this book!! The "Ghost" thing may have kept me away for a while. And maybe it did take me a few dozen pages to stop checking under the bed for the ghost.

I love the way Ms. Due intertwines the historical life of Scott Joplin with the fictional life of an up-and-coming R&B singer who finds herself possessed by Joplin's Ghost. She easily makes the transition back and forth between the life of a black musician 100 years ago, and the R&B/pop/hip-hop scene of today, with the dangers of syphilis years ago and gang violence today.

By the time I finished the book, I felt like I knew the real Scott Joplin, and I wondered if it isn't also Ms. Due who is possessed by his ghost. Joplin lives on through this book.

This is a must-read. I give it five stars.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this ghost story. Gothic, haunting, part ghost story, historal fiction and love story.
Well done!

[Amy Biggart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh god do I give it 2 stars? That’s so harsh — nothing really to fault Tananarive Due’s writing, it’s sort of how it always is. But the plot was not for me, I don’t really believe in ghosts, and the weird and confusing consent and possession elements of this book made me uncomfy and a little sick to my stomach

[SheriC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a wildly uneven experience with this book. It has some of the same problems that I have with most novels that try to tell two interconnected stories, one historical, one contemporary. The historical story was easy to fall into, but I kept losing interest during the contemporary timeline. That might be all me, rather than the book, as I have very little interest in 1990's pop music or the lives of fictional 90's pop stars. I was also a little uncomfortable with (the mercifully few) explicit sex scenes and some dubious consent issues. The payoff toward the end was worth persevering for, though, and the prose lifted the story a little.

I think it was the audio performance by Lizan Mitchell that really made this book for me - her pace, her voices, her emotion, even the way she changed the whole persona of the narrator based on who's POV is being revealed - were all outstanding.

[Lily Java · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tore me up. That is not only hard to do it’s a wonderful thing. Ms. Due has written two stories with great pathos and then she interweaved them in a way that was dramatic, exceptional, and spellbinding. The first is a story about Scott Joplin the famous and tragic ragtime composer and musician from the early 1900’s. The second is the story of Phoenix Smalls, the fictionalized young contemporary singer and composer on the brink of becoming an established global success as a musician.

The way these two characters meet, come together, and relate to each other is unique. This is a ghost story and a love story but most of all I think this is also a story about music. I have always believe that music is the great leveler among people and this book appealed to me because many of the characters reveled in the same eclectic yet classical tastes I have. This book covers a lot of ground musically from whom it talks about and reflects on even briefly, to how it rationalizes and/or educates us about the political, cultural, and societal ramifications of what we hear when we listen to music and what we don’t know about the people who make the music.

The protagonists of this book were stunning but all the secondary characters really blew me away too, particularly Marcus Smalls a.k.a. Sarge. If you’re familiar with the term book boyfriend I’d like to coin one about Sarge and say he’s an awesome book Dad. Smart, fierce, and loving as a character, Sarge is a force of nature. Great story, great book.

[Book.Wormette · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been years since I read a novel by Tananarive Due. However, I distinctly remember enjoying her writing style especially as she usually write historical fiction, a union of two of my great loves. As well, she mixes in a bit of mysticism which is fine with me. Joplin's Ghost started off very well. I enjoyed learning more about him while getting peek into the life of a modern day rising star. She usually includes a strong dose of family in the characters which I also enjoy. Who can't relate to having the "black sheep" of the family? As well, there's a romance built in but not with the predictability of Harlequin. Unfortunately, the story went down hill. I felt the novel was much longer than necessary. Likewise, the interaction between the unseen and real world got very confusing. I'm disappointed but I didn't give the story a '1' so it might be worth reading...perhaps you'll enjoy it until the end!

[Thistle & Verse · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever had to learn The Entertainer during piano lessons, this book's for you. Scott Joplin was a historical figure I knew of but didn't know much about, and this novel provides an engaging look at parts of his life. This is a slow-paced, atmospheric book. The horror and tension comes from fear of the unknown rather than gory supernaturals, and there isn't a tidy explanation for the paranormal encounters Phoenix experiences. Contemporary musician Phoenix Smalls makes up the other half of the book. Her relationship with her father Sarge gave me a lot of feelings.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a mix of historical fiction and a ghost story. The dual timelines covered Scott Joplin's life in the early 1900's and in the present day where his ghost inhabited a young performer's life. It was perhaps one of the more intense ghost stories I've read in a long time.

[Minnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In “Joplin’s Ghost,” Phoenix Smalls is hilarious at the age of 10; she calls her father Sarge because “he turns practicing the piano into a military exercise, with a timer.” Sarge convinces his daughter to go into singing; she’s already a prodigy at the piano. She feels cursed having been born into a family of musicians, but takes her father’s advice. At 10, Phee, as she’s sometimes called, as well as Peanut by her father, has her first encounter with a ghost piano that falls on her, sending her into a coma.

At age 24, her career as an R&B singer is in full motion. But an unexpected meeting with the ghost of Scott Joplin changes her direction, against her will. Scott channels his Ragtime music through Phoenix and she must fight to live out her true life. Here the story takes many bizarre turns with the past and present playing out side-by-side.

Ms. Due is a talented writer, I already knew that, but I wasn’t aware of her musical talents. “Joplin’s Ghost” kept me fascinated, and the closer I got to the end, the harder it was to put the book down. I give this book 5 stars.

Minnie Estelle Miller

[Jordaline Reads]

DNF @ 50%

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I have to admit I don't know Scott Joplin was but I enjoyed the story anyway. It was a decent ghost story with a romance

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Ms. Due's writing style. I always enjoy third person writing. Personally, it seems that I get a lot more details when it's written in this style. Ms.Due had tons of historical information written in an entertaining way. There must have been tons of research that went into this book.

The story was a pretty even mix of historical fiction and a urban ghost story all rolled up into one. I'd almost say this could even be considered speculative fiction. The story splits it time in the early 1900's and the present. The story was both detailed and entertaining. This book is a little longer than what I'm used to. It's been a long while since I've read a book over 450 pages, and it was worth every page. I picked up this book on a close out sale $4! Score! It's been sitting on my shelf for the last 3-4 years, I'm not sure why it took me so long to finally read it, but I'm glad that I finally did. I ended up suggesting it for one of the book clubs that I'm in, and go figure, they wanted to read it!

There was a lot going on in this book, so I won't be able to address everything. I'll try to keep it short and sweet. Basically, be warned, if you have any aversion to ghost stories or ghost in general, this book may creep you out just a bit. This book also had psychics, paranormal activity, and other odd things going on.

I hadn't heard of Scott Joplin before, but maybe that's because I'm not really into music. When I mentioned this book to my sister (whose in music education), she knew immediatly who he was. Joplin was very talented and was a famous in rag time composer. He died a horrible, slow death thanks to syphilis in 1917. I learned alot about him and his two wives and one common law wife. I thought it was interesting that I look up his most popular piece, Maple Leaf Ragon YouTube. In case you're curious too, I've posted one of the videos below of a a musician playing the song. Joplin was clearly a talented composer.

Phoenix, young, smart, talented musician and totally held hostage by Scott Joplins ghost. It's like Scott terrorized this poor girl almost to death! Along with the history on Joplin, it was interesting to get a peak into the music industry of the past and present. There were tons of secondary characters and they all for the most part, they all had their purpose. I liked reading about Phoenix and her family and how they all had gotten to where they were. It was a little strange that several of her family members and her boyfriend, Carlos, all had past interactions with ghosts. There were some interesting subplots going on as well. Between Phoenix's father/manager, Sarge, hating her boyfriend and her ex-boyfriend Ronn's hip hop label that has questionable and dangerous interactions with another hip hop artist, she had tons to deal with on top of the ghost. There was even reference of Biggie and Tupac, and the east coast/west coast friction that was going on back in the day relieving itself with her new label.

When all was said and done and Phoenix made it to the other side of this haunting, and suffered great tragedy getting there. I didn't really care for how the story ended with Phoenix explaining to Carlos that she believed that she was Freddie and he was Scott reincarnated. I was just hoping that she would take that experience as it was and move on. I didn't expect her to suggest that it was reincarnation that led Joplin to haunt her...that was odd. While I did question the shift at the very end, I did like that there was resolution.

If you're up for something a little out of the box, check this one out for sure.

[Josh Hedgepeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this. Tananarive Due is excellent at creating the atmosphere of a great horror novel. It is creepy and unsettling. I felt the same way as I did reading her other novel the Good House. However, this wasn't as good a horror novel. It is a great book that I really enjoyed, and luckily I didn't read this in a strong mood for horror. However, if I had been looking for a good horror novel I would have been severely disappointed.

It isn't bad, but it isn't my type of preferred horror. What's more, it is as much a historical fiction book as it is horror. I don't think it is hurt as a book for being a mashup. If anything, Due introduced a unique way of telling an historical fiction novel in a way that is more conducive to me (and to her area of writing, i.e. horror).

That is the other point worth mentioning. This is a fascinating exploration of the musician and artist Scott Joplin, who was a real person (perhaps that is more widely known than I realize). As always, Due integrates Black culture throughout the book, and Joplin is the centerpiece of that.

I really enjoyed this book! 4/5 Stars

[Deborah Replogle · Rating 4 out of 5]

An historical novel, slightly on the side of the paranormal, about Scott Joplin of whom, Due states: "a story about a turn-of-the-century artist whose genius went largely unrecognized in an era of intense racism." She interweaves his story with that of a contemporary artist who is afraid of her own creativity. The ghost in the story is that of Joplin, and the physical link between the two is his piano. Imaginative and well-written story. This was the first novel I've read by Due, and plan on reading her other works, also.

[Cheryl Branch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read only because I love Love LOVE Ms. Due's novels. However, the historical portions began to bore me after a while. Not that it was not interesting, just that it is not something I am interested in - Jazz, music. Because of who I am, I did cross-reference information from Joplin's Ghost with non-fiction books about the Ragtime Era and Scott Joplin just to be in the know. Again there's a "however" - it felt more like a "required reading" instead of a joyful experience of escaping into the world of fiction.

Still love me some Tananarive Due though.

[Bri Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging, thrilling, and surreal. Ms. Due once again takes readers on a ride with her delightful prose in this blast from the past. I usually don't enjoy historical fiction, but I was intrigued by Scott Joplin's adventures and how they mingled with Phoenix's present. Would definitely recommend to people who enjoy speculative fiction and are looking to diversify their reading list.

[Jerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best thing about this book was learning about Scott Joplin, of course I am assuming that much of this is based upon actual research. I thought it was a slow read. I was a little disappointed but I love Tananarive Due.

[Vincent Chambati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant!!! Tananarive knows how to tell a story!! Its spun through a century with rad soundtrack that spans the same time frame. She pulls you back and forth through time yet you feel as though this is one tapestry. A might bit long but given the years that this story spans it is necessary

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. I listened to the audio of the book.

[Safa Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Joplin's Ghost' by Tananarive Due is an modern ghost story that is 200 pages too long. The ending and beginning were interesting but the middle was too long.

[K2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too many long flashback scene slowed the telling down, otherwise very interesting and well written.....You matter Scott

[Ye'Vell Hopkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took forever for this book to really catch my attention. I was plugging along, chapter after chapter, and finally at the last few chapters I was vested. I wish that I could have liked the storyline more, because I like the author’s other works. This one was too slow, the main character was flat, the back and forth between Joplin’s story and Phoenix’s was tiring and distracting. I will say that because of this book I will be taking a closer look at Joplin’s music.

[Debbie Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty long. I fell in love with the music of Scott Joplin when I was a kid after seeing The Sting. This has a lot about Joplin I never knew and now I need to read a biography on him for more. There is a haunted piano, loved that! This is the second book by this author I’ve read and I really enjoyed both.

[Meagan Cahuasqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing itself was compelling and that's what kept me reading. But the story overall ran on a little too long. It was a bit convoluted with themes of reincarnation and spirits but that didn't bother me as much as the issues of consent that came with it. An interesting read but not one I'll be recommending widely

[Crystal Yi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ✨ rounded up

[Clarence Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

ReedIII Quick Review: Very good ghost story strongly tied to real world musicians. Also a good love story and historical fiction. Bonus that some characters continue their story in the book My Soul to Take.