Bingo 18: Border
Angel of the Overpass is perfect for “borders” because it’s a book about the borders between the living and the dead, as well as different types or realms of being dead. It’s also a ghost story, and it’s spooky season. I’d sort of been saving this one since it’s the probably final installment of Seanan McGuire’s Ghost Roads series, which I think is my favorite of her series’ though probably not the best known. The premise is firmly rooted in American road lore as well as afterlife folklore of various sorts, and I have to admit I appreciate the mix. There’s a little ancient Greek (the Erinyes come up, as do Persephone and Hades), a Dullahan and bean sidhe (Celtic), and a handful of others, but thankfully there’s a little index of afterlife beings to keep track of everyone.
Anyways, the reason I’m guessing this is the conclusion is that the main plot thread of the whole series, namely Rose on the run from the evil Bobby Cross, is finally the at the center. Rose is a hitchhiking ghost, so she wanders the roads, and if someone gives here a ride and also a jacket or coat, she can physically manifest for a while. She dies almost a century ago, on her way to prom, run off the road by Bobby Cross who made a bargain with the Crossroads to live forever so long as he keeps feeding souls to his muscle car. Because he didn’t catch Rose’s soul, he’s been after her for her entire afterlife. The Crossroads though are now dead, killed in the previous book (I don’t remember how that happened; it’s been a while), so Bobby’s protection is gone, though the bargain still kind of stands. Rose makes some deals with the three goddesses of the road underworld (Persephone, the Ocean Lady, and the Anima) and goes off to confront Bobby. There’s some side-quests on the way but eventually there’s a final showdown. What actually happens was actually a little bit of a let down, if it hadn’t been for the ghost of the gasoline and oil making an appearance (guess what that looked like?). The ending is typically Seanan McGuire in a lot of ways, but no spoilers.
I like the attention to folklore, and the mix works out. Rose is an interesting character, as a are a lot of the secondary folks, including her car/boyfriend (long story) Gary. It’s a good ghosts story that doesn’t go horror (not my thing) but does have some suspense; plenty of character even though no one’s growing up/older in the general sense, and the setting is both vague and specific at the same time. It’s a good series, and I’m kind of sorry it’s done, but also, it’s probably the right ending.