Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 06/01/2024 *Starred Review* A near-death experience in childhood left Dorian with the ability to see and communicate with ghosts, including the ghost of his beloved (though occasionally demanding) grandmother, with whom he strikes out to begin his own business. The practice of exorcism by hexocrine, a kind of fumigation, is too cruel to accept, Dorian believes, and so he offers gentle ghost removal through therapy as an alternative. As Dorian explains to the ghosts, they must travel down a river and pass through a portal known as Death’s Door; all seems to be going well until the very upset ghost of a little girl steals the key to Death’s Door, and the backlog of suffering ghosts and upset townspeople quickly gets out of control. As Dorian feverishly tries to save ghosts from exorcisms, his inability to set boundaries for himself comes back to haunt him. Thankfully, his warm, caring flatmate turned sweetheart Brody is looking out for him, and others in his life step up to accept their share of the load. Variations in blocking, a delicate yet lively color palette, and expressive emotions bring diversely drawn characters to life, and both a real cat and a ghost cat provide emotional support and moments of lighthearted comedy. This heartwarming, emotionally intelligent tale inspired by Oscar Wilde and his Canterville Ghost novella contains many seamlessly executed examples of healthy communication and relationship dynamics without sacrificing the compelling story line. An absolute must-read. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.