By Borja González. Published by Abrams. Hardcover, 128 pages, Colour, 2020. An untalented punk band and a parallel dimension—what could go wrong? In Borja González’s stunning graphic novel, two parallel stories reflect and intertwine in a tale of youthful dreams and desires. In 1856, Teresa, a young aristocrat, is more interested in writing avantgarde horror poetry than making a suitable marriage. In 2016, three teenage girls, Gloria, Laura, and Cristina, want to start a punk band called the Black Holes. They have everything they need: attitude, looks, instinct . . . and an alarming lack of musical talent. They’ve barely started rehearsing when strange things begin to happen. As their world and Teresa’s intersect, they’re haunted by the echo of something that happened 160 years ago. PRAISE “Gonza´lez’s first full-length work delivers a quietly emotional evocation of the universal hopes and desires linking characters across centuries.” Library Journal— “This thoughtful, graceful look into young women trying to find their place in the world may appeal to other adolescent, frustrated artists.” Booklist— “A Gift for a Ghost is an uncommon fantasy that speaks to the perennial, difficult-to-verbalize issues that teenagers face.” BookPage— “The story unfolds slowly and endearingly, and you find yourself drawn in to its air of mystery and magic.” BookPage— “A Gift For A Ghost is the exact opposite of the way so many stories are told today… It’s about collaboration between the reader and the work and creating a personal experience from it, something that all the best creative works aspire to.” The Comics Beat— ABOUT THE AUTHOR Borja González is a self-taught illustrator and comic strip artist. His first published title was La Reina Orquídea, a precious and haunting short piece that placed the author at the center of national attention in Spain. A Gift for a Ghost is his first long-form work. He lives in Badajoz, Spain.
