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Ghosts Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Ghosts


The story begins with a character named ‘White' hiring the main character ‘Blue' to spy on someone named ‘Black.' Blue is a great private detective and has been doing this job for many years. White explains to Blue that he wants him to spy on Black for an indefinite period of time, and is willing to offer him a vast sum of money for doing so. White even pays for Blue to live in an apartment overlooking Black's apartment.
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Blue at first seems to do this job with relative ease as he establishes Black's daily routine which consists of reading, writing, and rarely going out for a meal. He makes reports of his activities and sends them back to White. However, Blue who is usually a man of action begins to become frustrated and board with this case. He instead starts dreaming up scenario's involving murder plots, and ransom notes. Struggling to keep himself together Blue even begins to name his furniture in an attempt to stay tethered to the real World. In the midst of this he starts to pay little attention to Black's activities, who still maintains his exact routine. Blue grows ever more frustrated with Black and this assignment and decides to confront Black once and for all.
In the final scenes Blue marches into Black's apartment where Black sits with a gun pointing at Blue. It is revealed that Black is actually White, who has hired Blue to watch him. Blue angered moves towards Black telling him to shoot him, Black does not. Soon Blue grabs White and beats him unconscious. He continues to assault him even after this for several minutes. Blue then grabs all the papers of Black and begins to read his story. It is not revealed to the reader what the story was about but this act takes Blue until dawn to read. Blue then leaves the apartment where the reader is left to make up his mind where Blue went next.
Best scene in story: My favorite scene was the final scene wherein Blue confronts Black and finds out he is actually White, the man who hired him to watch Black. This scene is very suspenseful.

Opinion about the main character: Blue's frustration and anger does make him more human and character to which the reader can relate to, rather than the generic smart detective.

The review of this Book prepared by Khurram Jowiya a Level 1 Blue Jay scholar

Chapter Analysis of Ghosts

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Plot & Themes

Composition of Book descript. of violence and chases 10%Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives 60%Feelings, relationships, character bio/development 30% Tone of story    -   suspenseful (sophisticated fear) Time/era of story:    -   1980's-1999 Spying/Terrorism Thriller    -   Yes Cloak & Dagger Plotlets:    -   main char. spying/sabotage Kid or adult book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book Crime Thriller    -   Yes

Main Character

Gender    -   Male Profession/status:    -   private investigator Age:    -   20's-30's Ethnicity/Race    -   White/American

Setting

United States    -   Yes Misc setting    -   resort/hotel

Writing Style

Accounts of torture and death?    -   no torture/death Amount of dialog    -   little dialog

Books with storylines, themes & endings like Ghosts

Paul Auster Books Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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