Society of Dead Parents

A ghost story, a big surprise—and a groundbreaking reimagining of Hamlet. Written by Matt Haig, author of the bestselling Midnight Library, Dead Fathers Society brilliantly retells the classic story, set in the present day.

Matt Haig ingeniously reinvents a classic over 400 years old, transforming it into a modern-day fable inhabited by children, waitresses, and mechanics.

Funny, sad, and somber, Dead Fathers Society confirms Haig as one of the most talented writers of his generation. Here, he organizes thoughts and words with a wealth of detail, creating a narrator who is the novel's highlight: a child version of Hamlet. The adult world seen through the eyes of this preteen retains a somber quality.

It's still the story of the tormented prince of Denmark, perhaps most disturbing from a teenage perspective. The novel's honesty and innocence shines poignantly in every dialogue. As our hero navigates the turbulent waters of retribution, revenge, death, and guilt—torn between a selfish ghost and his foolish mother—toward a surprising, Shakespearean ending.

When 11-year-old Philip Noble receives a visit from his recently deceased father, he finds himself faced with a thorny dilemma: isn't the ghost asking his son to avenge him? But revenge, after all, is a complicated business—especially since Philip already has his hands full with his first girlfriend, difficulties at school, low self-esteem, and the many, many other problems of early adolescence.

To make matters worse, Philip's father's ghost insists he was murdered by his own brother, Uncle Alan—the same Uncle Alan who, oh dear, is always so dedicated to helping Philip's mother cope with the loss of her husband... Could he have malicious intent toward his brother's widow? And isn't his excessive interest in the family pub a bit suspicious?

Showing the adult world through the eyes of a young boy, Dead Dads Society is an original, fun, and even a little dark retelling of a classic.