Ghost Girl, Banana: The unforgettable debut novel of 2023 - a story of family, belonging and home

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A stunning, powerful debut novel about the choices we make and what it costs to belong, for fans of Brit Bennett and Clare Chambers.

'A gripping and evocative tale of family secrets, courage, adversity and love. Sook-Yin and Lily's stories are beautifully told and truly unforgettable . . . such accomplished storytelling and gorgeous prose. Brilliant' Emma Stonex

'A story of family, love, redemption and belonging, told with such heart and empathy. Essential and utterly unforgettable' Fiona Scarlett

'An absolute wrecking ball of a novel. Ghost Girl, Banana is an enchanting, suspenseful journey through family, distance, money and betrayal. I loved it so much' Erin Kelly

1966: Sook-Yin is exiled from Kowloon to London with orders to restore honour to her family. As she strives to fit into a world that does not understand her, she realizes that survival will mean carving out a destiny of her own.

1997: Sook-Yin's daughter Lily can barely remember the mother she lost as a small child. But when she is unexpectedly named in the will of a powerful Chinese stranger, she embarks on a secret pilgrimage to Hong Kong to discover the lost side of her identity and claim the reward. But she soon learns that the secrecy around her heritage has deep roots, and good fortune comes at a price.

'Ghost Girl, Banana is an epic yet deeply intimate novel. I was rapt throughout, propelled by Wiz Wharton's taut, immersive prose. She swept me up in Sook-Yin and Lily's mirrored journeys of discovery, spanning decades and continents, but always I could feel the vibration of these women existing in the wider world; their stories are so skilfully shot through with the hum of change' Kate Sawyer, author of Costa prize-shortlisted The Stranding

'An intriguing, beautifully written study of the stories we inherit. I loved being in Lily and Sook-Yin's heads, my heart breaking for them . . . I loved it!' Nikki May

'Sparkling prose and a page-turning plot combined with wonderful storytelling . . . An absolutely dazzling debut' Julie Owen Moylan

'From the first pages, I was drawn into the worlds of Lily and Sook-Yin and the stories that bind them together across the years. Wiz is a master storyteller, weaving Lily and Sook-Yin's stories of belonging together with elegance and wit' Ronali Collings

'Fresh, funny, infuriating, heartbreaking - Ghost Girl, Banana is sure to be a massive hit. I adored it' Emily Koch

'Captivating characters and lucid prose' Melissa Fu

Reviews

Ghost Girl, Banana is an epic yet deeply intimate novel. I was rapt throughout, propelled by Wiz Wharton's taut, immersive prose. She swept me up in Sook-Yin and Lily's mirrored journeys of discovery, spanning decades and continents, but always I could feel the vibration of these women existing in the wider world; their stories are so skilfully shot through with the hum of change -- Kate Sawyer, author of The Stranding
A story of family, love, redemption and belonging, told with such heart and empathy. Wiz Wharton is a phenomenal talent, original, fresh, and with a pinpoint clarity to her prose that cuts right to the bone. She has created such a special book, with a story that needs to be told. Essential and utterly unforgettable -- Fona Scarlett, author of Boys Don't Cry
An intriguing, beautifully written study of the stories we inherit. I loved being in Lily and Sook-Yin's heads, my heart breaking for them . . . I loved it! -- Nikki May, author of Wahala
Sparkling prose and a page-turning plot combined with wonderful storytelling . . . An absolutely dazzling debut -- Julie Owen Moylan, author of That Green Eyed Girl

Author Bio

Wiz Wharton was born in London of Chinese-European heritage. She is a prize-winning graduate from the National Film and Television School where she studied screenwriting on a full scholarship under the tutelage of Stephen Frears, Mike Leigh and Ken Trodd. She currently divides her time between London and the Scottish Highlands.

Ghost Girl, Banana is her debut novel.