The Great Ghost Rescue (Paperback)

Humphrey the Horrible is a ghost -- a cute, light, pinkish ghost, son of a Hag and a legless Scottish ghost. He and his family live in a ruined castle... but all that changes when headless Aunt Hortensia arrives, having been forced out of her old home. Soon all the ghosts are homeless, and looking for a ghastly new place to dwell. They end up spending the night at a boy's dormitory, and enlisting the help of one of the boys there, Rick.

A plan is formed: Rick can go ask the Prime Minister to help find a "ghost sanctuary." When they arrive in London (with a water spirit, family of vampire bats and mad monk they picked up), Rick manages to argue the ghosts' case, and get them a hideous old castle. But their new home may be even more dangerous than the old one -- and could destroy all the spooks of England.

Don't expect anything too deep from Eva Ibbotson, and you'll be satisfied. Few people can actually write light fantasy, and her flair for the grotesque (the Shuk, a one-eyed disfigured dog, or playing games with Aunt Hortensia's head) adds to the goofiness of it all.

Ibbotson's writing is quirky and full of entertaining puns and poignant moments. Not to mention that over-the-top British style, with an almost conversational feel and plenty of icky moments. The book sags about halfway through, with some rather preachy stretches about vegetarianism and pollution. But when the exorcists show up and the witches are enlisted, things kick back into high gear.

Humphrey is reminiscent of the white witch from "Which Witch?" -- he's supposed to be grotesque, but ends up being cuddly. Rick comes across as a much more solid character, especially when he saves the life of a baby vampire bat. And the other ghosts are a motley bunch, with their own unique complaints and quirks (Humphrey's brother utters bloodcurdling shrieks).

"The Great Ghost Rescue" is a fun light fantasy, dripping with humor and ectoplasm. An entertaining if somewhat brief read, for the ghost-lovers out there.

One day Aunt Hortensia came to live with the family. She has been forced out of the place she was haunting, and decided to come live in the old castle that Humphrey's family haunts. She brought with her stories of lots of ghosts being forced out of their old haunts or of being forced to haunt places like butcher shops (oh horror!). The family was staunch in their belief that whatever happened out in the rest of the world, they would be safe here.

However the unthinkable happened. Developers came to their castle and started to turn it into an amusement place. The family leaves, seeking a new place. They spend the night in a boardinghouse. At the boardinghouse they meet a boy named Rick. Rick is already mad at the injustices people are doing to animals, and is shocked to see that ghosts share the threat of extinction. He wants to help the ghosts and decides that they need to create a Ghost Sanctuary.

This is the story of Rick going to the Prime Minister and asking for a ghost sanctuary. It is also, more importantly, about how Humphrey realizes that he doesn't have to be Horrible, he is fine the way he is.

The story is written in that creative style that always characterizes Ibbotson's work. It is a wonderful book and I really enjoyed it.

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