Gray Zone Wanderers: The Haunted Places of Norway

Gray Zone Wanderers: The Haunted Places of Norway
Cherri Dohlen
Zumaya Publications
ISBN: 1-55410-260-X
Paranormal, Ghosts
Reviewed by Dr. Tami Brady

Gray Zone Wanderers: The Haunted Places of Norway is a compilation of ghost and haunting stories that take place in Norway. This book is unique among other books on ghost stories and haunting in a number of ways. Each story is written by recounting the accounts of those who have seen or heard the ghost as well as those who refuse to admit that such things exist. The author states in several instances when she felt that the stories were likely the result of hysteria or where the individual had something to gain/lose by his or her version of the story. This aspect allows the reader to decide for him or herself if the haunting was real or part of someone’s overactive imagination.
Another aspect that impressed me about this book was the lack of overblown violence and drama. Many books about hauntings choose ghost stories that involve ghosts that terrorize or try to harm the living creating unrealistic fear and terror. Though the author does point out some cases where the ghosts were definitely dangerous and terrifying, she also suggests that most ghosts, like most living people, don’t want to harm anyone. Many of the ghosts written about in this book are simply people who left unfinished business or felt guilt about a certain situation and couldn’t allow themselves to cross over. One example of this situation was a priest who having been extremely strict in life had been the indirect cause of a young man’s suicide. He simply couldn’t forgive himself for his actions so he refused to cross over. Another man had made a promise to donate his money to charity and had died before he fulfilled the promise. This man couldn’t rest until the promise was fulfilled. I feel these stories are more than interesting and chilling enough without all of the outrageous drama found in other books.
Yet another interesting aspect of this book is a section at the back of the book called What are Ghosts? In this section, the author suggests that the stories contained in this book can be categorized into seven general descriptions: the visual ghost without contact; the visual ghost with contact; the audible ghost; the emotional ghost; the poltergeist; Vardoger (astral projection); and odours and fragrances. Some of these categorizations are extremely intriguing deserving further study.