8 Great Novels Narrated by Ghosts

It's difficult to write with originality and power from the point of view of a ghost but these 8 excellent novels all handle this perspective in a meaningful way. Click ‘Show More’ for info.

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Books discussed and purchase links:

Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin

Hotel World by Ali Smith

Human Acts by Han Kang

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree by Shokoofeh Azar

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka

My full reviews of some of these novels:

Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin

Companion Piece by Ali Smith

Human Acts by Han Kang

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders

The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree by Shokoofeh Azar

Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka

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[judybrown]

Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold comes to mind.

[farhampton]

you should read the posthumous memoirs of bras cubas, by machado de assis - one of the biggest classics of brazilian literature. the narrator is not exactly a ghost, but he is dead, so it definitely came to mind while watching the video.

[laurakuhlmann]

I recommend "Briefly, a Delicious Life" as well. I'm in the middle of it and really enthralled

[RubenDario-hriq]

Pedro Paramo by the great Mexican writer Juan Rulfo is a superb ghosts narrated novel.

[ΛΕΜΟΝΙΑΤΑΣΟΥΛΑ]

I was also struck with sing, unburried, sing. You are right. It was masterfully and poetically written. Another book that is narrated, partly, by a ghost is Devotion by Hannah Kent. The central heroine dies during her long journey from Germany to Australia, so technically she is a ghost in the second half of the book but I think that the writer does a wonderful job of describing the somewhat fragmented existence of a ghost. I think you would enjoy this book.

[sarahwallace]

I've just finished reading 'Wandering Souls'. I thought it was well done, informative, but didn’t really get me emotionally invested as I'd thought it would.
I always rated 'Beloved' as one of my favourite novels, but 'Sing, Unburied, Sing' was an incredibly powerful story and one I will never forget.
There's a couple on your list here that I don't know, so I'm off to add even more titles to my vast wishlish 😂
Thanks Eric, I love your videos so much ❤

[KierTheScrivener]

I cannot express my utter joy when you begin the video with Wandering Souls. I didn't make the connection before clicking and I just love the book so much.

How did I not know that Ali Smith had a book about a nineteen year old ghost? I need to read this.

One of my favourite of recent times is The Ghost in The House by Sara O'Leary. It's a book I found through Ariel Bissett. It's a small Canadian novel but looks at this woman whose died seven years ago but only really comes into consciousness seven years later when her husband has remarried and his pre-teen stepdaughter is the only one who can see her. And she's grieving and letting go of her husband and also trying to mother this girl who would be the age of her children if she hadn't miscarried. And she originally thinks the girl is the manifestation of her lost dreams but comes to terms with the passage of the world after her. It's quiet and very character/relational driven but so well done.

[erinh]

My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk is also narrated by a ghost trying to solve his own murder. I really liked it! I know I've read more but I'm blanking for the moment...

[Phillybookfairy]

I’m so intrigued by this concept. Can’t wait to read Seven Moons! Wasn’t Frankenstein in Baghdad also told my spirits?

[bookish-bedlam]

When I saw the title of this video I immediately thought of "The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida." I loved that book as I did "Lincoln in the Bardo." Thank you Eric for an interesting topic and reading list.

[hollyb]

LOVED Lincoln in the Bardo and The Seven Moons . . . Have you heard of The Regrets or The Ghost Clause?

[Loueveplaylistone]

I want to read each of these books !! Thank you for all of these recommendations !!

[gailhewitt]

For my bank balance, this is the worst video I've watched in ages! I can see me buying every book mentioned as they all sound amazing, without exception. I have Wandering Souls on my shelf to read so will get to that next. I've recently read Briefly a Delicious Life that's told from the view of a ghost, and loved it. Thank you for such an interesting collection of books.

[BookwormAdventureGirl]

Love this topic. I am currently reading Seven Moons… and Beloved is coming up on my TBR soon. A few others are on my TBR shelf and now I’m intrigued by Wandering Souls. 😊💙

[ariannelg]

I’m finally going to read Beloved in May!

[iamtherealjulia]

You may like Briefly A Delicious Life by Nell Stevens.

[CharlieBrookReads]

Pleased you loved Wandering Souls too. 😊

I never really think I like ghosts in books much but there are so many you have listed that I know I do. Funny really 😅

I completely had forgotten about The Enlightenment Of The Greengage Tree must try and get to that soon ☺️

[miaarndt]

I loved Beloved and Sing, Unburied, Sing (and I want to read every other book in this video)! I would also add Creatures of Passage to this list - although it isn’t really narrated by a ghost it’s very much guided by one.

[andyiswonderful]

So, I read Lincoln in the Bardo on your recommendation. So wonderful and poignant, and Dantesque. I wonder if you have read "The Master and Margarita", another novel where the dead are characters. This is a classic Russian novel, in every sense of the word. It has a sweeping scope, a huge dramatic punch, and there are ghosts.

[debrahills]

So many great book books on this list. Beloved is unparalleled. I’d follow Ali Smith anywhere. The ghost narrator in Briefly, A Delicious Life works really well… I had a couple of issues with that novel but the narrative voice of a 14 year old girl that had died 300 years in the past makes me recommend it! And I was very touched by Dao’s voice in Wandering Souls, especially in a poignant scene in which the living siblings make an altar for their deceased family members…