Dorian Leith is a ghost therapist, helping people’s spirits move on to the afterlife by talking through the problems that are causing them to linger. In this graphic novel, Dorian arrives in the town of Rookwood (accompanied by his grandmother’s ghost), ready to help the town’s ghosts confront what disturbs them so that they may pass through Death’s Door and into the afterlife where they belong.
Some residents, however, view Dorian’s gift of seeing ghosts as a curse. They treat him with suspicion, and would rather just summon a plague-mask-clad exorcist to repel and destroy the ghosts with a special toxic gas. The only one who seems to understand Dorian is Brody, the owner of the local bookshop, where Dorian is renting a room.
A crisis ensues when the ghost of a young girl steals the key to Death’s Door, so that no ghosts may pass through. This generates not only an excess of ghosts in town, scaring the residents, but a case of the “rot” among the spirits—a painful condition that can ultimately consume them. Dorian is working himself ragged to try and counsel the ghosts and convince the girl to return the key. As he selflessly tries to help others, he’s risking his own mental health and endangering the sweet romantic relationship growing between him and Brody. Can he find a balance that offers healing for everyone, including himself?
While the theme of death might seem dark, this is actually one of the most hopeful novels I’ve read in a long time, showing us that taking care of ourselves is just as important as taking care of others and that a middle way can be found between selfishness and sacrificial altruism. It looks thoughtfully at issues of regret, forgiveness, and grief, while spinning a suspenseful tale around flawed, intriguing characters and a likeable protagonist. (The grandmother’s ghost cat provides an additional lively touch.) Dorian and Brody’s relationship is seamlessly accepted, despite the 19th-century setting. Author/illustrator Johanna Taylor’s images tell much of the narrative, and are heavy on browns and ghostly blues, with the toxic green of the exorcists’ gas splashing acridly across some pages.
This is a ghost story, yes, but as with the best such tales, it’s really about us humans. Highly recommended.
Dorian is White; Brody has light tan skin and Black hair.
