The Ghosts of Rose Hill
$11.99 USD
paperback
modern folktale for fans of The Bear and the Nightingale and The Hazel Wood about embracing your power, facing your monsters, and loving deeply enough to transcend a century.
The final girl survives because she can be just as ruthless as the monster who wants to destroy her.
Sent to stay with her aunt in Prague and witness the humble life of an artist, Ilana Lopez—a biracial Jewish girl—finds herself torn between her dream of becoming a violinist and her immigrant parents’ desire for her to pursue a more stable career.
When she discovers a forgotten Jewish cemetery behind her aunt’s cottage, she meets the ghost of a kindhearted boy named Benjamin, who died over a century ago. As Ilana restores Benjamin’s grave, he introduces her to the enchanted side of Prague, where ghosts walk the streets and their kisses have warmth.
Benjamin isn't the only one interested in Ilana, though. Rudolph Wassermann, a man with no shadow, has become fascinated with her and the music she plays. He offers to share his magic, so Ilana can be with Benjamin and pursue her passion for violin. But after Ilana discovers the truth about Wassermann and how Benjamin became bound to the city, she resolves to save the boy she loves, even if success means losing him—forever.
With spellbinding verse, R.M. Romero channels the spirit of myth into a brilliantly original tale, inspired by her experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe.
R. M. Romero is a Jewish Latina and author of fairy tales for children and adults. She lives in Miami Beach with her cat, Henry VIII, and spends her summers helping to maintain Jewish cemeteries in Poland. The Ghosts of Rose Hill was inspired by these experiences.
"A story of deep hurts delivered with a very gentle, kindly touch."—NPR
★ "A magical realist romance told in verse explores the many transitions of life: from homelands to new homes, from childhood to adulthood, from life to death and back again. . . . combines modern adolescent concerns, magical realism, and religious themes in pristine verse. An ode to the Diaspora and to the many folktales and myths populating Ilana’s mixed heritage, Romero’s luscious work dives into dark, painful caverns and emerges in sprays of enthralling hope. A must-read for lost souls everywhere."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
★ "An intoxicating blend of the contemporary and otherworldly, Romero’s (The Dollmaker of Krakow) layered novel in verse interlaces romance and ghost story with an exploration of cultural identity, folklore, and history. . . . In lyrical, immersive language that’s both contemporary and ageless, Romero brings vivid life to the teenagers’ powerful romance."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
★ Romero’s novel is beautifully written in heartbreaking verse. The blending themes of Jewish heritage, fairy tales, romance, monsters, and ghosts results in a rewarding read. Romero’s writing seeps into the deepest part of the reader, providing much to think about in regards to love and death, passion and heartbreak. . . . A modern folktale, a love letter to the diaspora, and a unique novel-in-verse, this work is recommended for all teen collections."—School Library Journal, Starred Review
★ "A lush and fantastical modern folktale in verse. . . . Romero delivers an original and anguished blend of music, magic and Judaic traditions. . . . While the setting is richly descriptive of Prague's history, Ilana's own heritage as a child of refugees and the diaspora beautifully informs the story. . . . [A] wistful and deeply symbolic tale of feeling seen and finding powerful connections to the past."—Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
"Romero's novel in verse combines Judaic tradition with fantasy and is divided into movements like a classical musical piece." —Booklist
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