Synopsis:
Beneath the fog of San Francisco lies a hidden world of ghosts frozen in time. Bound to the limits of the city by the bay, and unable to move on to the hereafter, are the souls of Jack and Lilith, two siblings who lost their earthly lives in the Great Earthquake of 1906. Now, after a century in the shadows, Jack and Lilith’s world is rocked again as barrier between the spirit world and the living world begins to unravel. With the help of Charlie, the one living child who can see them, they must fight to save their city and their souls from a force so dark it can only be seen at night.
Favorite Lines:
“Time marched forward and Lilith had long learned of her inability to stop it.”
“Paths may cross but no journey will be the same.”
“And now, I know that the end can also be the beginning. An opportunity to experience the world in a different way.”
My Opinion:
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Nighttimes is set against the backdrop of San Francisco and takes readers through decades of history while exploring grief, family, and what it really means to move on after death.
The story follows Lilith and Jack, two siblings who lose their lives during the devastating San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Rather than moving on to whatever comes next, the two find themselves stuck in the spirit world, wandering the city as the years pass and the world around them changes. Lilith, forever sixteen, takes on the responsibility of protecting her younger brother, while Jack, eternally eleven, maintains much of his childhood curiosity and mischievous personality. Their relationship is really the heart of this story, and I enjoyed how their personalities balanced one another.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the way Wren incorporated San Francisco’s history into the narrative. The city almost becomes a character itself as we watch it evolve through the eyes of two spirits who have witnessed generations come and go. From the aftermath of the earthquake to the changing neighborhoods, buildings, and culture, there is a real sense of time passing, even though Lilith and Jack themselves remain unchanged. I also appreciated the smaller details, like Jack’s fascination with modern food and movies, which brought some humor to an otherwise rather melancholy situation.
Of course, their existence isn’t entirely peaceful. When mysterious dark spirits begin hunting ghosts throughout the city, Lilith and Jack find themselves caught up in something much more dangerous than either anticipated. What starts as a fairly quiet story about two siblings navigating the afterlife gradually develops into a supernatural mystery with some genuinely unsettling moments. I particularly liked the concept of the Night Maras and the rules governing the spirit world, including the significance of sacred spaces and the strange limitations placed on certain ghosts.
I also thought the emotional side of the story was interesting, particularly Lilith’s struggle with the responsibility she feels toward Jack. She has spent decades trying to keep him safe, but in doing so has also put aside much of her own desire for adventure and independence. Jack, meanwhile, wants to experience everything the world has to offer, even if he can no longer participate in it the way the living do. Their disagreements feel believable, and beneath them is a shared fear of losing the only family they have left.
The pacing does take some time to build, especially with the movement between different periods of the siblings’ existence. There are also moments when the descriptions and explanations of the spirit world feel a little drawn out. Still, I think the historical setting and the emotional connection between the characters help give the story something more substantial than a typical ghostly adventure.
What I appreciated most about The Nighttimes was that it doesn’t treat ghosts simply as frightening figures lurking in the shadows. Instead, they’re individuals with memories, regrets, relationships, and unfinished stories. There is something both sad and comforting about that idea, and it gives the novel an emotional weight beneath all the supernatural danger.
Summary:
Overall, The Nighttimes is an imaginative blend of historical fiction, paranormal fantasy, and mystery. While there are certainly darker moments, the story is ultimately just as interested in family, love, and the passage of time as it is in the things that go bump in the night. Readers who enjoy ghost stories with a little more heart, historical fiction supernatural mysteries, and character-driven fantasy may enjoy this one. Happy reading!
Check out The Nighttimes here!