Story review - The Ghost and Raymond Doyle

[macklingirl.livejournal.com]

A few weeks ago I read The Ghost and Raymond Doyle by Barbara Thomas, which sadly isn't online. I must admit, I was a little curious because it seems it is a story which is either loved and not loved by the readers. I don't want to say hated by some readers, because I think it is only not loved by them. I for myself love it.

It is an AU in which Doyle buys a small haunted cottage and fell in love with the former owner, captain Bodie. The only problem is, that captain Bodie is dead and Doyle fell in love with his ghost.

They live togehter with Doyles daughter and the housekeeper Martha and all is well for a long time. When there are some problems with the money, captain Bodie and Doyle write a book about captain Bodies adventures at sea.



After they finished the book Bodie decides, that he had to leave Doyle because he fears that Doyle would commit suicide because of his love for Bodie. He tells Doyle in his sleep that all their time together was a dream.

Twenty years later Doyle discovered that even his daughter Lucy knows about the ghost of captain Bodie and he remembers everything. The end is in a way a sad ending, but in another way a happy ending, because now they are forever together.



The story inspired me to make this picture.

Comments

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

I love this story as well. And I just read it again - twice! :-)
The author has done a great job to catch the atmosphere of the movie "The Ghost and Mrs.Muir".
And your picture fits perfectly to the moment at the end - which is in fact their beginning...
*sighs happily with tears in the eyes* ;-)

Thank you for the reminder!

[macklingirl.livejournal.com]

Nice to hear you love the story too. I don't know the film, but I love the atmosphere in this story. And I could see it in my mind, so I had to make the picture. And yes, the end ist the beginning of a wonderful love. :-)

And you're very welcome. :-)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love this story too! And your picture captures its spirit nicely. *g*

One thing though - you did rather spoiler it for anyone who hasn't read it, with the bit after they finish writing the book! Could you put that bit under a cut? We've always tried to avoid spoilering people for stories here at ci5hq

So nice to see a story review at the comm again - you inspire me to do better!

[macklingirl.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'm glad you love it and that you like the picture. :-)

And I've put the part after they finish the book and the picture under the cut. I didn't think about it, sorry. I think I'll make a ebook-cover out of the picture, I think it would look nice.

I'll try to do some more reviews, but often I'm at the end of my knowlede of the English language and then it is very difficult to write reviews, you know? *g*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh, but please do leave the picture outside the cut - it was so lovely to see in my flist! (Sorry, I'm so demanding, aren't I...)

An e-book cover would definitely be nice - will you post it here again, and I can add it to our e-book cover gallery (https://ci5hq.livejournal.com/299371.html)! (I should remind people that it's there, shouldn't I - maybe we could have some more submissions!)

And I can't even imagine writing a review in another language, so I admire anyone who can do it! I can only imagine how frustrating it might be if you can't quite say exactly what you mean...

Hmmn... You know, maybe we could try some kind of language-cross-over review posts? You could post a review in German, and we could use something basic to translate it in a comment (like google translate!) but people who see better meanings/translations could add them in comments, and we could eventually have a German version that says everything you want it to say, and an English translation that is as close as we could get? Do you think it might work?

[macklingirl.livejournal.com]

No problem at all. I've put the picture outside the cut. :-)

And of course I'll post the cover here, it would be nice to see it in the e-book cover gallery. Maybe it works and people will make more covers. :-)

Well, the main problem with the translation could be, that the most internet translators aren't that good. But the idea sounds good. Maybe it could be a reason for some people to join again, because they know both languages. I'll think about it. :-)

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

My flist is pretty again - thank you!

The internet translators aren't good, but I think there are people out there who are good translators - I thought maybe that if we posted the internet translation with it, then people might correct it until there's a good translation there... But maybe I'm optimistic, considering how quiet lj is...

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

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[macklingirl.livejournal.com]

I never thought that that might happen. Great! :-)

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

I've always wondered about this story, so thanks for the synopsis. It does seem to follow the movie rather than the TV series, so it would have to be rather bittersweet. And your picture perfectly brings the story to mind.

[macklingirl.livejournal.com]

I didn't know the movie or the TV series, but I like this story. And if the movie is like the story I'll have to try to watch it. And yes, the story is bittersweet, but more sweet than bitter. Nice to read that you like the picture. Thank you.

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

I'm another fan of this story! (And your e-book covers are great!). And it was kind of a bittersweet ending. Thanks for reminding me of this one. I may re-read this weekend.

[macklingirl.livejournal.com]

Oh, how wonderful to see that there are more fans than I thought. Thank you for liking the covers. Yes, it was a kind of bittersweet ending, but I think it is a perfect ending. Have fun re-reading! :-)

[sunray45.livejournal.com]

I'm sure I've read another story on this theme. Bodie inherits a pub, I think in Scotland, which is haunted by Doyle's ghost. Have you read it? Of course I cannot remember the Author nor the Title. *bg*

Love your artwork.

[macklingirl.livejournal.com]

No, sadly I don't know the story you mentioned. But I would like to read it. Maybe I should ask at prosfinder, maybe someone knows title and/or author.

And thank you for loving my artwork. :-)

Edit: Thanks to sagittas we found it. It is Highland Comfort (http://thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/13/highlandcomfort.html) by Elsbeth Leigh