Summary
Danielle Steel's The Ghost follows Charles Waterston, an architect dealing with a failed marriage and career changes in the late 20th century. He travels through New England, seeking escape. During his journey, he discovers a remote chateau with the diaries of Sarah Ferguson, a woman from the 18th century. Her story parallels Waterston's own path toward recovery. The dual narrative explores themes of resilience and change.
Plot
Danielle Steel's novel The Ghost features a dual narrative linking two centuries. In the late 20th-century timeline, the story follows Charles Waterston, an architect experiencing personal turmoil. The other timeline focuses on Sarah Ferguson, who flees her abusive marriage in England to make a life for herself in post-revolutionary America.
Charles Waterston is an architect facing a sudden divorce and an unexpected career shift from London to New York. In search of solace, he travels through New England. During a storm, he finds shelter in a Massachusetts town where an elderly widow offers him a stay in a lakeside chateau. Here, he discovers Sarah Ferguson’s diaries, sparking a connection and a path toward personal recovery.
Through the diaries, Charles learns about Sarah Ferguson, who fled an unhappy marriage in England to settle in 18th-century America. In Massachusetts, she becomes entangled in the conflicts of the time, engaging with François de Pellerin, a French nobleman. Their relationship challenges the norms of their era. Sarah's tale of perseverance offers Charles insights into resilience and mirrors his own struggles.
Sarah's diaries offer Charles the courage to face his challenges and consider new possibilities for love. Their stories examine themes of love, personal growth, and redemption, showing how historical events impact current lives. Together, these narratives illustrate the timeless pursuit of renewal and transformation.
Characters
Charles Waterston: An architect from London facing personal and professional upheaval. He travels through New England, discovering a historical narrative that impacts his life.
Sarah Ferguson: An 18th-century figure whose diaries detail her journey from England to America in search of independence. Her story influences Charles during his struggles.
François de Pellerin: A French nobleman who becomes part of Native American life. His relationship with Sarah affects her life and connects their stories across time.
Gladys Palmer: A widow who rents her lakeside estate to Charles. This location serves as the backdrop for his discovery of Sarah's diaries.
Historical context
The Ghost by Danielle Steel places its narrative against the late 18th-century backdrop of New England. Sarah Ferguson, a main character, leaves her abusive aristocratic husband in England and reaches America in 1789. During this period, Massachusetts experienced change and uncertainty, marked by conflicts between Native Americans and European settlers.
Sarah's story occurs in a nation where settlers face the challenges of homesteading amid social and political shifts. The narrative depicts the effort needed to adapt to difficult environments and pursue opportunities in a land rife with potential danger. Sarah's path represents the struggle to overcome difficulties, set within the historical context of New England during this time. The Ghost also covers the socio-political dynamics of the era, focusing on the fragile coexistence and frequent disputes between Native Americans and settlers.
Themes
Love
Love, and its challenges, plays a significant role in the lives of both Charles Waterston and Sarah Ferguson in The Ghost. Charles is reeling from a divorce when he discovers Sarah's diaries, which detail her escape from an abusive marriage in England and her relationship with French nobleman François de Pellerin in New England. Her historical struggles and victories resonate with Charles, connecting their experiences across time.
Personal growth and healing
Personal growth and healing are important themes. After his marriage falls apart and his career changes, Charles undergoes a transformation. Reading Sarah's writings prompts him to reflect and renew himself. Her escape from an abusive relationship and new beginning in America inspires Charles to pursue his own fresh start.
Courage
Courage is evident in Sarah's journey from England to America and her determination to rebuild her life. Her experiences encourage Charles to confront his past, leading to healing and optimism for the future.
Setting
In The Ghost by Danielle Steel, New England's chateau and Vermont serve as central settings. The chateau, located in Massachusetts, links protagonist Charlie Waterston to the past through Sarah Ferguson's diaries, dating back two centuries. Vermont's snowy landscapes also play a significant role. A winter storm leads Charlie to the chateau, where the environment reflects his personal struggles and journey toward healing. These locations are essential to the novel's exploration of themes and character development.
Quick facts
The Ghost is Danielle Steel's 41st novel.
The Ghost interweaves contemporary and historical narratives set centuries apart.
The story takes place during Christmas, adding a festive atmosphere.
Charles Waterston, a 42-year-old architect, experiences life changes inspired by encountering Sarah Ferguson's ghost and her diary entries.
The historical narrative follows Sarah Ferguson's escape from an abusive aristocratic marriage in England to freedom in post-revolutionary America.
Sarah Ferguson's journey begins in 1789, highlighting historical elements like the aftermath of the American Revolution and Indian wars.
The Ghost addresses the issue of domestic abuse through Sarah’s journals.
François de Pellerin, a French nobleman adopted by Indians, significantly influences Sarah Ferguson's new life.
The chateau in New England is a pivotal setting, connecting characters from past and present timelines.
Themes include timeless love, overcoming personal despair, resilience, and independence.
Columbia Pictures purchased the movie rights to The Ghost upon its publication in 1998.
Film adaptation
Columbia Pictures acquired the film rights to The Ghost in 1998. Since then, however, there has been no news of a planned movie or television adaptation.
About the author
Danielle Steel (1947-) is a prolific and popular American author of contemporary fiction, historical fiction, and romance. Her novels have been translated into 43 languages, selling more than 800 million copies worldwide. To date, 22 of her novels have been adapted for the screen, most often as movies or limited series for television.
