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The Graveyard Book
In this Newbery Medal-winning novel, Bod is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place鈥攈e's the only living resident of a graveyard. Raised from infancy by the ghosts, werewolves, and other cemetery denizens, Bod has learned the antiquated customs of his guardians' time as well as their ghostly teachings鈥攕uch as the ability to Fade so mere mortals cannot see him.
Can a boy raised by ghosts face the wonders and terrors of the worlds of both the living and the dead? And then there are beings such as ghouls that aren't really one thing or the other.
The Graveyard Book won the Newbery Medal and the Carnegie Medal and is a Hugo Award Winner for Best Novel.
Can a boy raised by ghosts face the wonders and terrors of the worlds of both the living and the dead? And then there are beings such as ghouls that aren't really one thing or the other.
The Graveyard Book won the Newbery Medal and the Carnegie Medal and is a Hugo Award Winner for Best Novel.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41,642 reviews
September 28, 2013
Recently, on a car trip with my little boy, I decided to try listening to an audiobook.
In the past this hasn't been a success. He loves to be read to in person, both picture books and chapter books. But he not a fan of listening to books in the car. At best he's indifferent, but usually he just asks me to turn them off.
Generally speaking, he'd prefer to listen to Macklemore's Thrift Shop, which he calls "The Sway Music."
But he's four now, with a vocabulary that's diverse to the point of being a little creepy. (I taught him "cruft" yesterday.)
So I plugged in the Audio of Gaiman's Graveyard book. For those of you who don't know, Gaiman reads his own audiobooks more often than not. Lovely accent aside, he's fucking amazing at it. Really irritatingly good.
We listened to it for about 10 minutes or so, then I heard him saying, "Dad? Dad!" from the back seat.
I sighed and turned it off, I expected him to tell me that this was boring and we should stop. Or that he wanted to listen to the Sway Music or one of his, as he puts it "Kid CD's."
But it wasn't anything of the sort, instead he said. "Dad! I'm listening to the story and I can see the pictures in my head!"
"Really?" I asked.
"Yeah," he says. "It's like a movie!"
I couldn't be happier. Neil Gaiman as his first audio. My boy has good taste. "What does it look like in your head?" I ask.
"There's a hill, and on the top of it there is a fence and a graveyard!"
We talk about the story for a little bit. He's slightly confused on some points: he thinks the boy's name is Jack, and he thought that the man who was coming to hurt the boy was invisible except for his hand. (Which is understandable, given the way Gaiman describes things, focusing on the hand and the knife.)
But generally he was getting it. More importantly, he was enjoying it.
I know this because for the next couple days, whenever we got into the car, he asked if we could listen to "the story of the boy that lived in the graveyard."
Yes, yes we can.
October 11, 2024
I read this to Celyn but the 5* are from both of us. I think I probably enjoyed it more than she did in fact.
It's a fine book. I can see why it's done so well. The story is well structured, the brutal opening providing an orphan, a mystery, and an ongoing threat. Thereafter the book slowly cycles back around to its beginning and in the mean time raises our young Bod, equipping him with the skills to deal with his problem.
Bod's life in the graveyard is very interesting, with him learning various bits of magic and magical lore from the dead. With hundreds of ghosts spanning several thousand years there's all manner of opportunity for interest and I enjoyed Bod's interactions with them.
We watch Bod grow up, be educated, and make ventures into the living world. The whole thing crept up on me. I was gently entertained throughout but by the end I found myself really caring about the story.
The end was really quite emotional in that Toy Story III sort of 'leaving the nest' way that punches parents in the gut. I think Celyn got a bit irritated as I kept pausing to gather myself to read the next line.
Anyway. A curious and highly entertaining book thick with inventiveness and written with deceptive skill.
...
It's a fine book. I can see why it's done so well. The story is well structured, the brutal opening providing an orphan, a mystery, and an ongoing threat. Thereafter the book slowly cycles back around to its beginning and in the mean time raises our young Bod, equipping him with the skills to deal with his problem.
Bod's life in the graveyard is very interesting, with him learning various bits of magic and magical lore from the dead. With hundreds of ghosts spanning several thousand years there's all manner of opportunity for interest and I enjoyed Bod's interactions with them.
We watch Bod grow up, be educated, and make ventures into the living world. The whole thing crept up on me. I was gently entertained throughout but by the end I found myself really caring about the story.
The end was really quite emotional in that Toy Story III sort of 'leaving the nest' way that punches parents in the gut. I think Celyn got a bit irritated as I kept pausing to gather myself to read the next line.
Anyway. A curious and highly entertaining book thick with inventiveness and written with deceptive skill.
...
October 14, 2021
(A-) 83% | Very Good
Notes: A bit too short, and the illustrations don't really work. Still, it's a fun, light and whimsical take on its macabre milieu.
Notes: A bit too short, and the illustrations don't really work. Still, it's a fun, light and whimsical take on its macabre milieu.
December 10, 2020
It takes a graveyard to raise a child
Nobody Owens (yes, that's his name) becomes orphaned at an early age when an unknown "Jack" murders his entire family.
What's surprising is that Nobody doesn't even notice - the kid is too excited that the house door is open and toddles off for adventure.
He ends up at the local graveyard. The local ghosts see Jack's intentions and decide to grant Nobody the Protection of the Graveyard.
A childless ghost couple adopts the toddler and a vampire becomes his guardian.
Together, the graveyard and its inhabitants, seek to raise the living boy - through love, moral guidance and, of course, the finest education the dead could offer.
One year he's meeting new human friends, the next going on adventures with a hanged witch or running from very, very hungry ghouls.
Since there is only a snippet of each year's adventure, I became frustrated when the adventure was over but not wrapped-up. (i.e. the Macabray: the dance of the living and the dead, was not ever touched on again but it was by-far one of the most curious happenings in that little graveyard)
Some of the more interesting graveyard happenings (i.e. Silas (the vampire) and Miss Lupesco's adventures) were only spoken of in the vaguest of terms.
Nobody Owens is a child for most of the book and this is told from his perspective...so it makes sense that he would not know about the full adventure. Yet as the reader, I still wanted to know what happened!
Overall, this is definitely one my favorite Gaiman novels! Definitely check it out.
Audiobook Comments
--Narrated by the author: CHECK! Neil Gaiman has an absolutely wonderful reading voice
--This audiobook has a some musical accompaniment (Notably during the Macabray dance) which made listening to it extremely memorable!
| | | | | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Nobody Owens (yes, that's his name) becomes orphaned at an early age when an unknown "Jack" murders his entire family.
What's surprising is that Nobody doesn't even notice - the kid is too excited that the house door is open and toddles off for adventure.
He ends up at the local graveyard. The local ghosts see Jack's intentions and decide to grant Nobody the Protection of the Graveyard.
A childless ghost couple adopts the toddler and a vampire becomes his guardian.
Together, the graveyard and its inhabitants, seek to raise the living boy - through love, moral guidance and, of course, the finest education the dead could offer.
"Name the different kinds of people," said Miss Lupescu. "Now."This book spans Nobody's entire childhood with each chapter as a vignette, covering the biggest adventure that happened that year.
Bod thought for a moment. "The living," he said. "Er. The dead." He stopped. Then, "... Cats?"
One year he's meeting new human friends, the next going on adventures with a hanged witch or running from very, very hungry ghouls.
Since there is only a snippet of each year's adventure, I became frustrated when the adventure was over but not wrapped-up. (i.e. the Macabray: the dance of the living and the dead, was not ever touched on again but it was by-far one of the most curious happenings in that little graveyard)
Some of the more interesting graveyard happenings (i.e. Silas (the vampire) and Miss Lupesco's adventures) were only spoken of in the vaguest of terms.
Nobody Owens is a child for most of the book and this is told from his perspective...so it makes sense that he would not know about the full adventure. Yet as the reader, I still wanted to know what happened!
Overall, this is definitely one my favorite Gaiman novels! Definitely check it out.
Audiobook Comments
--Narrated by the author: CHECK! Neil Gaiman has an absolutely wonderful reading voice
--This audiobook has a some musical accompaniment (Notably during the Macabray dance) which made listening to it extremely memorable!
| | | | | Snapchat @miranda_reads
April 25, 2023
It takes a graveyard to raise a child.
This is a summary of this magical, sweet and imaginative story for children, which (in a good tradition of the Brothers Grimm) started with a triple homicide.
Nobody Owens (named so because "he looks like nobody but himself"), or simply Bod, is the sole survivor of the aforementioned triple homicide, who is, in The Jungle Book style, promptly adopted by a sweet ghost couple in the graveyard inhabited by an afterlife community. He even gets a vampire as his guardian and mentor - 鈥淭here were people you could hug, and then there was Silas.鈥�
Given the Privilege of the Graveyard and taught how to Fade into the background, Bod spends his entire childhood playing among graves, learning his letters from the gravestones, running into trouble with some ghouls, being tutored by a werewolf with a taste for Eastern European food, dancing with Death, and making friends with the ghost of a young witch burned at stake. He does crave human company though, and in addition to becoming an "imaginary friend" of a little girl also does a brief stint as a non-so-ordinary student at a school. All this while the evil that tried to murder him in the first place is still searching for him.
Neil Gaiman has a real knack for the imaginative combination of sweet and creepy elements together with the bittersweet ending, creating a unique and unforgettable story which appeals both to children and adults. Told via a succession of interludes from Bod's unusual life, the story could have been overly sugary or overly morbid, but Gaiman easily avoids either extreme. This story has just the right mix of sweetness, whimsy, sadness, suspense, and adventures to keep the reader captivated throughout.
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5 stars and a well-earned spot on my "for my future (hypothetical) daughter" reading shelf.
鈥淭here was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.鈥�Neil Gaiman does not waste time with unicorns and princesses and butterflies which are often considered acceptable for children. He kicks off his book with the brutal murders of a child's entire family, written in a chilling tone that made me quickly turn all the lights on in my bedroom.
Nobody Owens (named so because "he looks like nobody but himself"), or simply Bod, is the sole survivor of the aforementioned triple homicide, who is, in The Jungle Book style, promptly adopted by a sweet ghost couple in the graveyard inhabited by an afterlife community. He even gets a vampire as his guardian and mentor - 鈥淭here were people you could hug, and then there was Silas.鈥�
Given the Privilege of the Graveyard and taught how to Fade into the background, Bod spends his entire childhood playing among graves, learning his letters from the gravestones, running into trouble with some ghouls, being tutored by a werewolf with a taste for Eastern European food, dancing with Death, and making friends with the ghost of a young witch burned at stake. He does crave human company though, and in addition to becoming an "imaginary friend" of a little girl also does a brief stint as a non-so-ordinary student at a school. All this while the evil that tried to murder him in the first place is still searching for him.
Neil Gaiman has a real knack for the imaginative combination of sweet and creepy elements together with the bittersweet ending, creating a unique and unforgettable story which appeals both to children and adults. Told via a succession of interludes from Bod's unusual life, the story could have been overly sugary or overly morbid, but Gaiman easily avoids either extreme. This story has just the right mix of sweetness, whimsy, sadness, suspense, and adventures to keep the reader captivated throughout.
Bod said, 'I want to see life. I want to hold it in my hands. I want to leave a footprint on the sand of a desert island. I want to play football with people. I want,' he said, and then he paused and he thought. 'I want everything.'Seeing the world depicted through the eyes of a quiet graveyard-raised but very human boy colors the story with almost Bradbury-esque feeling of nostalgia for the fleeting magic of childhood. We see the inevitable process of growing up, finding one's self, and letting go of the comforts of childhood home written poignantly and sweetly, and yet without overkill.
鈥淵ou're alive, Bod. That means you have infinite potential. You can do anything, make anything, dream anything. If you can change the world, the world will change. Potential. Once you're dead, it's gone. Over. You've made what you've made, dreamed your dream, written your name. You may be buried here, you may even walk. But that potential is finished.鈥�Bod is a great character for a children's story. He is smart and resourceful, quiet and observant, loyal and brave, somewhat mischievous, and ultimately very life-like. His demeanor reminds me of my awesome younger brother, actually. Watching him grow up from a sweet child into what seems to be an actual good adult is a pleasure.
鈥淵ou're brave. You are the bravest person I know, and you are my friend. I don't care if you are imaginary.鈥�This story, even though wonderfully complete, still reads almost like a tease at times. Gaiman gives us a delightful and lyrical glimpse into the world which I would love to get to know better. He creates such rich captivating characters that even after the book is over I am left longing for more. I would love to read a whole another book dedicated to Silas or Miss Lupescu or Lizzy the witch. (Mr. Gaiman, if you ever run out of other book ideas... just sayin'!)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 stars and a well-earned spot on my "for my future (hypothetical) daughter" reading shelf.
"There was a smile dancing on his lips, although it was a wary smile, for the world is a bigger place than a little graveyard on a hill; and there would be dangers in it and mysteries, new friends to make, old friends to rediscover, mistakes to be made and many paths to be walked before he would, finally, return to the graveyard or ride with the Lady on the broad back of her great grey stallion.
But between now and then, there was Life; and Bod walked into it with his eyes and his heart wide open."
January 15, 2024
this has been another installment of project 5 star, an ill-advised undertaking in which i reread books i at one time loved in order to test a) my affections and b) presumably my will to live.
this was a particularly nerve-wracking one, seeing as i do not remember anything about this book, least of all why i five starred it.
life does contain its pleasant surprises. allegedly. so i was ready. in a way. and this was fun! very fun.
but not a five star read.
it was fun (how many times can i say that), and cool and eerie, but it wasn't as fun or as cool or as eerie as coraline. this won't stay with me as long, sadly, and i think the lack of memorableness of character and story (although not setting) is what took this down from 5 to 3.5.
it must have hit me at quite a particular moment, back in 2017!
or maybe i just used to have a soul.
hard to imagine.
bottom line: a good time, but not a perfect world-changing memorable beloved 5 star time.
------------------
original review
this was a particularly nerve-wracking one, seeing as i do not remember anything about this book, least of all why i five starred it.
life does contain its pleasant surprises. allegedly. so i was ready. in a way. and this was fun! very fun.
but not a five star read.
it was fun (how many times can i say that), and cool and eerie, but it wasn't as fun or as cool or as eerie as coraline. this won't stay with me as long, sadly, and i think the lack of memorableness of character and story (although not setting) is what took this down from 5 to 3.5.
it must have hit me at quite a particular moment, back in 2017!
or maybe i just used to have a soul.
hard to imagine.
bottom line: a good time, but not a perfect world-changing memorable beloved 5 star time.
------------------
original review
August 1, 2008
I鈥檝e noticed that there鈥檚 been an increased interest in the macabre in children鈥檚 literature lately. Sometimes when I鈥檝e had a glass or two of wine and I鈥檓 in a contemplative mood I try weaving together a postulation that ties the current love of violent movies into this rise in children鈥檚 literary darkness. Is the violence of the world today trickling down into our entertainment? Hogwash and poppycock and other words of scoff and denial, says sober I. But I鈥檝e certainly seen a distinct rise in the Gothic and otherworldly over the last few years, and one wonders if it鈥檚 because kids want more of that kind of stuff or publishers are merely getting less squeamish. All that aside, generally I鈥檒l read a book or an title and they鈥檒l be fun examinations of the hereafter, but not the kind of things that touch my heart. Great writing doesn鈥檛 have to transcend its genre. It just has to be emotionally honest with the reader. And The Graveyard Book is one of the most emotionally honest books I鈥檝e yet to have read this year. Smart and focused, touching and wry, it takes the story of a boy raised by ghosts and extends it beyond the restrictive borders of the setting. Great stuff.
It starts with three murders. There were supposed to be four. The man Jack was one of the best, maybe THE best, and how hard is it to kill a toddler anyway? But on that particular night the little boy went for a midnight toddle out the front door while the murderer was busy and straight into the nearby graveyard. Saved and protected by the denizens of that particular abode (the ghosts and the far more corporeal if mysterious Silas), the little boy is called Bod, short for Nobody because no one knows his name. As he grows older, Bod learns the secrets of the graveyard, though he has to be careful. The man (or is it 鈥渕en鈥�?) who killed his family could come back for him. Best to stay quiet and out of sight. Yet as Bod grows older it becomes clear that hiding may not be the best way to confront his enemies. And what鈥檚 more, Bod must come to grips with what it means to grow up.
Can I level with you? You know ? Mr. Gaiman鈥檚 previous foray into middle grade children鈥檚 literature. Come close now, I don鈥檛 want to speak too loudly. Uh... I didn鈥檛 much care for it. WAIT! Come back, come back, I didn鈥檛 mean it! Well, maybe I did a tad. It was a nice book. A sufficient story. But it was very much (new category alert) an adult-author-to-children鈥檚-author-first-timer-title. Gaiman appeared to be finding his sealegs with Coraline. He took the old Alice in Wonderland trope which adult authors naturally gravitate to on their first tries (see: , , , etc.). Throw in some rats, bees, and buttons, and voila! Instant success. But Coraline for all its readability and charm didn鈥檛 get me here [thumps chest:]. I didn鈥檛 feel emotionally close to the material. Now why it should be that I鈥檇 feel closer emotionally to a book filled with a plethora of ghosts, ghouls, night-gaunts, and Hounds of God, I can only chalk up to The Graveyard Book's strong vision.
My husband likes to say that the whole reason Buffy the Vampire Slayer worked as a television show was that it was a natural metaphor for the high school (and eventually college) experience. Likewise, The Graveyard Book has this strong,strange, wonderful metaphor about kids growing up, learning about the wider world, and exploring beyond the safe boundaries of their homes. There's so much you can read into this book. I mean, aren鈥檛 all adults just ghosts to kids anyway? Those funny talking people whose time has passed but that may provide some shelter and wisdom against the wider, crueler world. Plus Mr. Gaiman also includes characters in Bod's world that kids will wish they had in their own. Silas, a man who may be a vampire (though the word is never said) is every child's fantasy; A mysterious/magical guardian/friend who will tell you the truth when your parents will not.
One thing I particularly liked about the book was the fact that Bod makes quite a few careless or thoughtless mistakes and yet you don鈥檛 feel particularly inclined to throttle him because of them. Too often in a work of fiction a person isn鈥檛 properly put into the head of their protagonist. So when that character walks off and does something stupid there鈥檚 the sense (sometimes faint, sometimes not) that they deserved it and you鈥檙e not going to stick around and read about somebody that dumb, are you? But even when Bod is at his most intolerable, his most childishly selfish and single-minded, you can understand and sympathize with him. Bod is no brat, a fact that implies right there that he is someone worth rooting for. We see our own young selves in Bod, and we root for him as a result. And as Bod reaches each stage in his growth, he encounters experiences and personalities that help him to reach maturity. That鈥檚 a lot to put on the plate of a l鈥檌l ole fantasy novel, particularly one that鈥檚 appropriate for younger kids.
And it is appropriate too. Don鈥檛 let the fact that the first sentence in the book (鈥淭here was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife鈥�) put you off. The murder of Bod鈥檚 family is swift, immediate, and off-screen. What remains is just a great fantasy novel that has the potential to appeal to both boy and girl readers. Kid wants a ghost story? Check. Kid wants a fantasy novel set in another world appropriate for Harry Potter fans? Check. Kid wants a 鈥済ood book鈥�. That鈥檚 my favorite request. When the eleven-year-old comes up to my desk and begs for 鈥渁 good book鈥� I can just show them the cover and the title of this puppy and feel zero guilt when their little eyes light up. A good book it is.
I guess that if I have any objections at all to the title it has something to do with the villains. They鈥檙e a bit sketchy, which I suppose is the point, but we live in an era where children鈥檚 fantasy novels spend oodles of time defining their antagonists鈥� motivations and histories. Gaiman鈥檚 more interested in his hero, which is natural, but the villains鈥� raison d鈥櫭猼re is just a bit too vague for the average reader. Honestly, if it weren鈥檛 for the fact that Bod鈥檚 family is slaughtered at the start of this tale you wouldn鈥檛 necessarily know whether or not to believe that these people are as nasty as we've been told.
That said the book鈥檚 a peach. I once heard someone postulate that maybe Neil Gaiman wrote it just so that he could play with the sentence 鈥淚t takes a graveyard to raise a child.鈥� Unlikely. Fun, but unlikely. I mean, he does make a casual allusion that isn鈥檛 far off from that phrase, but he never goes whole hog. This book doesn鈥檛 feel like it was written to back up a joke. It feels like a book written by a parent with children growing up and moving out. It鈥檚 a title that tips its hat to kids making their way in the world, their pasts behind them, their futures unknown. This is not yet another silly little fantasy novel, but something with weight and depth. The fact that it just happens to be loads of fun to boot is simply a nice bonus. Highly recommended.
Ages 10 and up.
It starts with three murders. There were supposed to be four. The man Jack was one of the best, maybe THE best, and how hard is it to kill a toddler anyway? But on that particular night the little boy went for a midnight toddle out the front door while the murderer was busy and straight into the nearby graveyard. Saved and protected by the denizens of that particular abode (the ghosts and the far more corporeal if mysterious Silas), the little boy is called Bod, short for Nobody because no one knows his name. As he grows older, Bod learns the secrets of the graveyard, though he has to be careful. The man (or is it 鈥渕en鈥�?) who killed his family could come back for him. Best to stay quiet and out of sight. Yet as Bod grows older it becomes clear that hiding may not be the best way to confront his enemies. And what鈥檚 more, Bod must come to grips with what it means to grow up.
Can I level with you? You know ? Mr. Gaiman鈥檚 previous foray into middle grade children鈥檚 literature. Come close now, I don鈥檛 want to speak too loudly. Uh... I didn鈥檛 much care for it. WAIT! Come back, come back, I didn鈥檛 mean it! Well, maybe I did a tad. It was a nice book. A sufficient story. But it was very much (new category alert) an adult-author-to-children鈥檚-author-first-timer-title. Gaiman appeared to be finding his sealegs with Coraline. He took the old Alice in Wonderland trope which adult authors naturally gravitate to on their first tries (see: , , , etc.). Throw in some rats, bees, and buttons, and voila! Instant success. But Coraline for all its readability and charm didn鈥檛 get me here [thumps chest:]. I didn鈥檛 feel emotionally close to the material. Now why it should be that I鈥檇 feel closer emotionally to a book filled with a plethora of ghosts, ghouls, night-gaunts, and Hounds of God, I can only chalk up to The Graveyard Book's strong vision.
My husband likes to say that the whole reason Buffy the Vampire Slayer worked as a television show was that it was a natural metaphor for the high school (and eventually college) experience. Likewise, The Graveyard Book has this strong,strange, wonderful metaphor about kids growing up, learning about the wider world, and exploring beyond the safe boundaries of their homes. There's so much you can read into this book. I mean, aren鈥檛 all adults just ghosts to kids anyway? Those funny talking people whose time has passed but that may provide some shelter and wisdom against the wider, crueler world. Plus Mr. Gaiman also includes characters in Bod's world that kids will wish they had in their own. Silas, a man who may be a vampire (though the word is never said) is every child's fantasy; A mysterious/magical guardian/friend who will tell you the truth when your parents will not.
One thing I particularly liked about the book was the fact that Bod makes quite a few careless or thoughtless mistakes and yet you don鈥檛 feel particularly inclined to throttle him because of them. Too often in a work of fiction a person isn鈥檛 properly put into the head of their protagonist. So when that character walks off and does something stupid there鈥檚 the sense (sometimes faint, sometimes not) that they deserved it and you鈥檙e not going to stick around and read about somebody that dumb, are you? But even when Bod is at his most intolerable, his most childishly selfish and single-minded, you can understand and sympathize with him. Bod is no brat, a fact that implies right there that he is someone worth rooting for. We see our own young selves in Bod, and we root for him as a result. And as Bod reaches each stage in his growth, he encounters experiences and personalities that help him to reach maturity. That鈥檚 a lot to put on the plate of a l鈥檌l ole fantasy novel, particularly one that鈥檚 appropriate for younger kids.
And it is appropriate too. Don鈥檛 let the fact that the first sentence in the book (鈥淭here was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife鈥�) put you off. The murder of Bod鈥檚 family is swift, immediate, and off-screen. What remains is just a great fantasy novel that has the potential to appeal to both boy and girl readers. Kid wants a ghost story? Check. Kid wants a fantasy novel set in another world appropriate for Harry Potter fans? Check. Kid wants a 鈥済ood book鈥�. That鈥檚 my favorite request. When the eleven-year-old comes up to my desk and begs for 鈥渁 good book鈥� I can just show them the cover and the title of this puppy and feel zero guilt when their little eyes light up. A good book it is.
I guess that if I have any objections at all to the title it has something to do with the villains. They鈥檙e a bit sketchy, which I suppose is the point, but we live in an era where children鈥檚 fantasy novels spend oodles of time defining their antagonists鈥� motivations and histories. Gaiman鈥檚 more interested in his hero, which is natural, but the villains鈥� raison d鈥櫭猼re is just a bit too vague for the average reader. Honestly, if it weren鈥檛 for the fact that Bod鈥檚 family is slaughtered at the start of this tale you wouldn鈥檛 necessarily know whether or not to believe that these people are as nasty as we've been told.
That said the book鈥檚 a peach. I once heard someone postulate that maybe Neil Gaiman wrote it just so that he could play with the sentence 鈥淚t takes a graveyard to raise a child.鈥� Unlikely. Fun, but unlikely. I mean, he does make a casual allusion that isn鈥檛 far off from that phrase, but he never goes whole hog. This book doesn鈥檛 feel like it was written to back up a joke. It feels like a book written by a parent with children growing up and moving out. It鈥檚 a title that tips its hat to kids making their way in the world, their pasts behind them, their futures unknown. This is not yet another silly little fantasy novel, but something with weight and depth. The fact that it just happens to be loads of fun to boot is simply a nice bonus. Highly recommended.
Ages 10 and up.
October 7, 2021
When a family is murdered by a mysterious killer, one of the intended victims is missing, a young, diapered boy, who had wandered off just before the crime took place. But the killer needed to complete the job. Fortunately for the boy, he was taken in by the late residents of a nearby graveyard. And when the spirit of his newly deceased mother asks for their help, the residents agree to raise her son. He is given to the care of the Owens couple and named 鈥淣obody,鈥� Bod for short, as he looks like 鈥渘obody but himself.鈥�
Neil Gaiman - from The Verge
In this Newbery Medal, Carnegie Medal and Hugo Award winning novel, it takes a graveyard to raise an actual corporate being, and there are many who chip in. Perhaps most important is Silas, resident of the worlds of the dead and the living. As Bod grows there are many interesting sorts who cross his path, a young witch lacking a gravestone, an unscrupulous dealer in antiques, a snake-like protector of a long-dead master, and an array of teachers. And there must, of course, be a girl, Scarlett by name, a living girl. Bod does venture out into the unprotected world beyond the graveyard gates, not always with permission. He wants to go to school like other kids, and does, with mixed results. He wants to buy a headstone for a friend who lacks one. He wants to spend time with Scarlett. As he enters his teen years, he determines to find the person who had killed his family.
This is not your usual coming-of-age story. Bod is indeed a likeable kid, good-hearted, innocent, easy to care about. One of Gaiman鈥檚 inspirations for this story was Kipling鈥檚 The Jungle Book, with Bod as Mowgli and the graveyard residents substituting, sometimes generically, for their animal counterparts in the earlier work. There is a section equivalent to Mowgli having been kidnapped by monkeys, a werewolf might be Akela. Bod鈥檚 nemesis is the killer Jack, the Shere-Khan of this tale. Each chapter jumps in time, and we see Bod take on new challenges as he ages. Of course, his home being a graveyard, the challenges he faces are not pedestrian. And finally, he faces an adult, mortal test that will define whether he actually gets to come of age or not.
There is so much in The Graveyard Book that is just flat-out charming that you will find, as I did, that your lips keep curling up at the corners. From Bod trying to find properly fitting clothing, to struggling to learn some of the unusual skills the locals have mastered, to coping with some of the lesser baddies who make life difficult for those around them, Bod will gain your allegiance and your affection.
The baddie, Jack, is a purely dark sort. No gray areas there. And that makes the central conflict one of pretty much pure good, against completely pure evil. There are plenty of moments of real danger for Bod and that keeps tension high. But there are nuances to other characters that add color and texture to what might otherwise have become a flat gray panel. These additions add heft to the story, and make one wonder larger thoughts about the limits of change, of redemption. This one is easy to recommend, to kids of all ages, but don鈥檛 wait too long. You never know when it might be鈥ou know鈥�too late.
PS 鈥� Disney has acquired the film rights for this and it is likely that it will emerge, someday, with a look similar to that of Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author鈥檚 , , and Tumblr
The for the book
Neil Gaiman the entire book
This seems rather slight
I also reviewed Gaiman's
-----, briefly, a few back
----- in August 2013
----- in March 2015
----- in June 2016
Neil Gaiman - from The Verge
In this Newbery Medal, Carnegie Medal and Hugo Award winning novel, it takes a graveyard to raise an actual corporate being, and there are many who chip in. Perhaps most important is Silas, resident of the worlds of the dead and the living. As Bod grows there are many interesting sorts who cross his path, a young witch lacking a gravestone, an unscrupulous dealer in antiques, a snake-like protector of a long-dead master, and an array of teachers. And there must, of course, be a girl, Scarlett by name, a living girl. Bod does venture out into the unprotected world beyond the graveyard gates, not always with permission. He wants to go to school like other kids, and does, with mixed results. He wants to buy a headstone for a friend who lacks one. He wants to spend time with Scarlett. As he enters his teen years, he determines to find the person who had killed his family.
This is not your usual coming-of-age story. Bod is indeed a likeable kid, good-hearted, innocent, easy to care about. One of Gaiman鈥檚 inspirations for this story was Kipling鈥檚 The Jungle Book, with Bod as Mowgli and the graveyard residents substituting, sometimes generically, for their animal counterparts in the earlier work. There is a section equivalent to Mowgli having been kidnapped by monkeys, a werewolf might be Akela. Bod鈥檚 nemesis is the killer Jack, the Shere-Khan of this tale. Each chapter jumps in time, and we see Bod take on new challenges as he ages. Of course, his home being a graveyard, the challenges he faces are not pedestrian. And finally, he faces an adult, mortal test that will define whether he actually gets to come of age or not.
There is so much in The Graveyard Book that is just flat-out charming that you will find, as I did, that your lips keep curling up at the corners. From Bod trying to find properly fitting clothing, to struggling to learn some of the unusual skills the locals have mastered, to coping with some of the lesser baddies who make life difficult for those around them, Bod will gain your allegiance and your affection.
The baddie, Jack, is a purely dark sort. No gray areas there. And that makes the central conflict one of pretty much pure good, against completely pure evil. There are plenty of moments of real danger for Bod and that keeps tension high. But there are nuances to other characters that add color and texture to what might otherwise have become a flat gray panel. These additions add heft to the story, and make one wonder larger thoughts about the limits of change, of redemption. This one is easy to recommend, to kids of all ages, but don鈥檛 wait too long. You never know when it might be鈥ou know鈥�too late.
PS 鈥� Disney has acquired the film rights for this and it is likely that it will emerge, someday, with a look similar to that of Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author鈥檚 , , and Tumblr
The for the book
Neil Gaiman the entire book
This seems rather slight
I also reviewed Gaiman's
-----, briefly, a few back
----- in August 2013
----- in March 2015
----- in June 2016
September 14, 2022
鈥淔ear is contagious. You can catch it. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to say that they're scared for the fear to become real.鈥�
Nobody Owens, known as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a graveyard, being raised by ghosts, with a guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor the dead. There are many adventures in the graveyard for a young boy, but if Bod leaves the graveyard, he will be in terrible danger, for the man Jack is looking for him鈥�
Wonderfully creepy, mesmerizing and melancholic, with prose to die for. Each chapter is almost like a short story telling of some adventure that Bod gets up to while living in the graveyard. We get to watch as Bod learns and grows from the graveyard's inhabitants over the years.
It's a little bit ghostly and ghoulish, but mostly it's a sweet story about friendship and family, about growing up and learning to be brave enough to venture out into the world. This is my favourite kind of children's book, one that brings a bit of magic and mystery to the world and that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter their age.
The final chapter had me in tears.
鈥淭here was a smile dancing on his lips, although it was a wary smile, for the world is a bigger place than a little graveyard on a hill; and there would be dangers in it and mysteries, new friends to make, old friends to rediscover, mistakes to be made and many paths to be walked before he would, finally, return to the graveyard or ride with the Lady on the broad back of her great grey stallion.鈥�
Nobody Owens, known as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a graveyard, being raised by ghosts, with a guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor the dead. There are many adventures in the graveyard for a young boy, but if Bod leaves the graveyard, he will be in terrible danger, for the man Jack is looking for him鈥�
Wonderfully creepy, mesmerizing and melancholic, with prose to die for. Each chapter is almost like a short story telling of some adventure that Bod gets up to while living in the graveyard. We get to watch as Bod learns and grows from the graveyard's inhabitants over the years.
It's a little bit ghostly and ghoulish, but mostly it's a sweet story about friendship and family, about growing up and learning to be brave enough to venture out into the world. This is my favourite kind of children's book, one that brings a bit of magic and mystery to the world and that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter their age.
The final chapter had me in tears.
鈥淭here was a smile dancing on his lips, although it was a wary smile, for the world is a bigger place than a little graveyard on a hill; and there would be dangers in it and mysteries, new friends to make, old friends to rediscover, mistakes to be made and many paths to be walked before he would, finally, return to the graveyard or ride with the Lady on the broad back of her great grey stallion.鈥�
March 5, 2023
Nobody is slowly aging toward adulthood
In a very special kind of patchwork family
As if normal parents weren麓t already strange enough, the protagonist Nobody aka Bod has to deal with the upbringing ideas of paranormal beings. But it seems to somehow work well, and it could be an idyllic time if there weren麓t
Real people making more trouble than ghosts and magic creatures
That麓s an achievement in malice, being worse than evil demons and bloodthirsty fantasy creatures that have to kill to survive, but psycho killer humans just roll that way too. The fact that Nobody could live a, under these circumstances more or less, normal life, without bad reality messing things up, is a cynical comment on how crazy people are.
Jumping between family life, coming of age, fantasy horror, and human world troubles
By mixing 4 levels of different suspense generators, Gaiman creates one of his most dynamic works, making it tricky to impossible to guess where it will go. Anytime a psycho killer, ghoul, or just a friendly Casper style ghost could appear, making it unpredictable until the last minute. It麓s also one of
Gaimans麓darkest works
Hope and love are the only really positive things in this grim setting. But Nobody stays highly motivated, helps with different paranormal graveyard problems just a living body can solve, and pimps his abilities for the end fight. By this, he can integrate even more complex plot and trope options, adding an extra layer of paraphysical mind penetration. Because
Dreamwalking, fading, and haunting are subtle ways to evolve for a character
It麓s also cool that it goes without any physical violence, except for fear and some possible traumatic issues cut into the victims' shattered soul. But that麓s nothing compared to getting burned by magic flames, zombified, vampirized, or bewitched by an incubi or succubi. Mh, sexy naughty adult ed dreamwalking. But this having kids one doesn麓t know about afterward and that are partly demon is something too pricy for the fun. Or is it?
Death is the core of the tale
No other of Gaimans麓novels is so Day of the Dead. It麓s a morbid optimistic celebration of the fact that, even after death, there may lie endless options of what to do with one's soul in eternity. Subjectively I deem this 鈥濪eath is just a new beginning鈥� message the main core of Nobodys麓journey, everyone still lucky enough to be alive should absorb and practice. As long there is still time to.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
In a very special kind of patchwork family
As if normal parents weren麓t already strange enough, the protagonist Nobody aka Bod has to deal with the upbringing ideas of paranormal beings. But it seems to somehow work well, and it could be an idyllic time if there weren麓t
Real people making more trouble than ghosts and magic creatures
That麓s an achievement in malice, being worse than evil demons and bloodthirsty fantasy creatures that have to kill to survive, but psycho killer humans just roll that way too. The fact that Nobody could live a, under these circumstances more or less, normal life, without bad reality messing things up, is a cynical comment on how crazy people are.
Jumping between family life, coming of age, fantasy horror, and human world troubles
By mixing 4 levels of different suspense generators, Gaiman creates one of his most dynamic works, making it tricky to impossible to guess where it will go. Anytime a psycho killer, ghoul, or just a friendly Casper style ghost could appear, making it unpredictable until the last minute. It麓s also one of
Gaimans麓darkest works
Hope and love are the only really positive things in this grim setting. But Nobody stays highly motivated, helps with different paranormal graveyard problems just a living body can solve, and pimps his abilities for the end fight. By this, he can integrate even more complex plot and trope options, adding an extra layer of paraphysical mind penetration. Because
Dreamwalking, fading, and haunting are subtle ways to evolve for a character
It麓s also cool that it goes without any physical violence, except for fear and some possible traumatic issues cut into the victims' shattered soul. But that麓s nothing compared to getting burned by magic flames, zombified, vampirized, or bewitched by an incubi or succubi. Mh, sexy naughty adult ed dreamwalking. But this having kids one doesn麓t know about afterward and that are partly demon is something too pricy for the fun. Or is it?
Death is the core of the tale
No other of Gaimans麓novels is so Day of the Dead. It麓s a morbid optimistic celebration of the fact that, even after death, there may lie endless options of what to do with one's soul in eternity. Subjectively I deem this 鈥濪eath is just a new beginning鈥� message the main core of Nobodys麓journey, everyone still lucky enough to be alive should absorb and practice. As long there is still time to.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
November 18, 2020
5+ Stars
Maybe the Gaiman curse is over for me because I loved this book.
As those who follow my reviews may know, I have been trying Gaiman for years without much luck. I could never really put my finger on it except for two things:
- Sometimes it felt like it was being artsy and weird in order to be cool and trendy
- Often the magic and supernatural happenings felt contrived and convenient. Fantasy is made up, but it should not feel like it is made up.
However, I did not encounter that at all with The Graveyard Book. The fantastical story was unique, flowed organically, and was super fun. While it was a bit dark in places, it was not scary - a light-hearted ghost story most of the time. The characters were excellent and I enjoyed my journey with them - I did not want it to end and I hated saying goodbye.
I highly recommend this one and will more than likely be pointing fellow readers to this one if they want to try Gaiman.
So . . . the curse is broken . . . will I have additional success if I try others or do I end my pursuit on top?
Maybe the Gaiman curse is over for me because I loved this book.
As those who follow my reviews may know, I have been trying Gaiman for years without much luck. I could never really put my finger on it except for two things:
- Sometimes it felt like it was being artsy and weird in order to be cool and trendy
- Often the magic and supernatural happenings felt contrived and convenient. Fantasy is made up, but it should not feel like it is made up.
However, I did not encounter that at all with The Graveyard Book. The fantastical story was unique, flowed organically, and was super fun. While it was a bit dark in places, it was not scary - a light-hearted ghost story most of the time. The characters were excellent and I enjoyed my journey with them - I did not want it to end and I hated saying goodbye.
I highly recommend this one and will more than likely be pointing fellow readers to this one if they want to try Gaiman.
So . . . the curse is broken . . . will I have additional success if I try others or do I end my pursuit on top?
April 24, 2019
For having such a sinister beginning and heavy life-and-death themes (it's the Jungle Book set in a graveyard), this book is a real joy to read. The graveyard magic is fantastic and grows in fun ways throughout the story, and the ghosts and creatures that inhabit this world make for a delightful cast of characters.
I loved a ton of things as I read, but one that especially stuck out to me was how Bod grows older but the ghosts remain their same ages. So with each time jump, he interacts very differently with the same ghosts.
And as always from Gaiman, all the pieces fit perfectly together by the end. It's a masterpiece of storytelling, really.
I loved a ton of things as I read, but one that especially stuck out to me was how Bod grows older but the ghosts remain their same ages. So with each time jump, he interacts very differently with the same ghosts.
And as always from Gaiman, all the pieces fit perfectly together by the end. It's a masterpiece of storytelling, really.
February 28, 2025
A graveyard is a place where the dead are buried. Just hearing the name sends a chill down my spine, let alone going near one. However, there is a little boy who has lived in such a place for fifteen years. He is Nobody, the protagonist of The Graveyard Book.
Potential Spoilers Ahead!
Fated with an extraordinary destiny even before birth, the boy鈥檚 parents and sister were assassinated by a mysterious organization, while he miraculously survived. Perhaps it was destiny that led the toddler to the graveyard on the hill, where he met the ghostly Owens couple, who would become his adoptive parents, along with other ghosts living in the graveyard.
So, the boy grew up under the care and guidance of the ghosts and his mentor, experiencing all kinds of things that one must go through while growing up. He learned various spells and knowledge, always longing to see the outside world someday. However, in the outside world, the assassin organization that wanted him dead was still searching for him.
Eventually, the assassin organization was destroyed, and the boy faced a crucial turning point in his life...
The Graveyard Book, although wrapped in the guise of a fantasy novel, conveys a message that makes every reader ponder: Growing up is a process that involves experiencing various things.
Even though Nobody lost his family at a young age, his growth process was no different from that of an ordinary child. He received the love and care of the entire graveyard's ghosts. Although surrounded by ghosts, they were kind spirits who treated him as family. He had parents, teachers, playmates, and a love for learning. He learned to be kind-hearted and compassionate, understanding the importance of helping others. So, his growth was surrounded by happiness and protection. But, like any growing child, he also went through rebellious phases, struggled with loneliness, and often longed to see the outside world. After causing trouble outside, he would feel homesick and miss the graveyard where he grew up.
The challenges faced during growth must be confronted. Similarly, Nobody had to deal with the ever-active mysterious organization that wanted him dead, while his mentor tracked them down to protect him. What had to come eventually came, and with the help of the ghosts, Nobody managed to destroy the organization.
Of course, the novel has its poignant moments, like when childhood playmates meet again years later and still remember each other, only to part ways again for some reason. Perhaps they will reunite and become friends again on future journeys.
One of the most touching parts of this novel is the dance of the living and the dead.
鈥漈he living and the dead do not intersect. We do not belong to their world, and they do not belong to ours. If we dance the macabre鈥攖he dance of death鈥攚ith them, we will never speak of it again, especially not to the living."
A fence separates the outside world from the graveyard and the living from the dead. The dead leave behind unfinished wishes and concerns, while the living are left with deep longing. The macabre dance is the only chance for the living and the dead to connect and hold hands. Life and death are inevitable for everyone, and no one can escape it. Beyond burying the longing in one's heart, there is little more that can be done.
Cherish life and every step on the path of growth. Failures, setbacks, and pain are just obstacles that must be overcome. Crossing these hurdles with a heart full of hope for a bright future will eventually lead to a smooth journey.
I look forward to Nobody鈥檚 future adventures. What dangers will he face? What miracles will he witness? What friends will he make? His future is full of promise!
And, of course, the mysterious stories of Nobody鈥檚 mentor Silas and the "Honor Guard" are equally intriguing! Where did they come from? How were they born? What untold stories do they have? I believe Gaiman will continue to share their stories with us someday.
5 / 5 stars
Potential Spoilers Ahead!
Fated with an extraordinary destiny even before birth, the boy鈥檚 parents and sister were assassinated by a mysterious organization, while he miraculously survived. Perhaps it was destiny that led the toddler to the graveyard on the hill, where he met the ghostly Owens couple, who would become his adoptive parents, along with other ghosts living in the graveyard.
So, the boy grew up under the care and guidance of the ghosts and his mentor, experiencing all kinds of things that one must go through while growing up. He learned various spells and knowledge, always longing to see the outside world someday. However, in the outside world, the assassin organization that wanted him dead was still searching for him.
Eventually, the assassin organization was destroyed, and the boy faced a crucial turning point in his life...
The Graveyard Book, although wrapped in the guise of a fantasy novel, conveys a message that makes every reader ponder: Growing up is a process that involves experiencing various things.
Even though Nobody lost his family at a young age, his growth process was no different from that of an ordinary child. He received the love and care of the entire graveyard's ghosts. Although surrounded by ghosts, they were kind spirits who treated him as family. He had parents, teachers, playmates, and a love for learning. He learned to be kind-hearted and compassionate, understanding the importance of helping others. So, his growth was surrounded by happiness and protection. But, like any growing child, he also went through rebellious phases, struggled with loneliness, and often longed to see the outside world. After causing trouble outside, he would feel homesick and miss the graveyard where he grew up.
The challenges faced during growth must be confronted. Similarly, Nobody had to deal with the ever-active mysterious organization that wanted him dead, while his mentor tracked them down to protect him. What had to come eventually came, and with the help of the ghosts, Nobody managed to destroy the organization.
Of course, the novel has its poignant moments, like when childhood playmates meet again years later and still remember each other, only to part ways again for some reason. Perhaps they will reunite and become friends again on future journeys.
One of the most touching parts of this novel is the dance of the living and the dead.
鈥漈he living and the dead do not intersect. We do not belong to their world, and they do not belong to ours. If we dance the macabre鈥攖he dance of death鈥攚ith them, we will never speak of it again, especially not to the living."
A fence separates the outside world from the graveyard and the living from the dead. The dead leave behind unfinished wishes and concerns, while the living are left with deep longing. The macabre dance is the only chance for the living and the dead to connect and hold hands. Life and death are inevitable for everyone, and no one can escape it. Beyond burying the longing in one's heart, there is little more that can be done.
Cherish life and every step on the path of growth. Failures, setbacks, and pain are just obstacles that must be overcome. Crossing these hurdles with a heart full of hope for a bright future will eventually lead to a smooth journey.
I look forward to Nobody鈥檚 future adventures. What dangers will he face? What miracles will he witness? What friends will he make? His future is full of promise!
And, of course, the mysterious stories of Nobody鈥檚 mentor Silas and the "Honor Guard" are equally intriguing! Where did they come from? How were they born? What untold stories do they have? I believe Gaiman will continue to share their stories with us someday.
5 / 5 stars
January 23, 2020
The Graveyard Book is my 3rd Gaiman so I can now say I am a fan. I even follow him on Facebook, the only author that has this privilege.
I was a bit skeptical before I started because I wasn鈥檛 sure he can pull of a children鈥檚 novel set in a graveyard without scaring the shit out of the little ones. I shouldn鈥檛 have worried. The book managed to be light and fun despite its beginning. A family is murdered by a strange man named Jack and the only survivor, a 1 year old toddler, runs away in a graveyard where is adopted by ghosts and a vampire? named Silas. Each chapter follows the little boy, baptized Nobody (Bod) as he grows up and is up to mischief. His adventures include being kidnapped by ghouls, meeting a witch, going to school, entering a strange tomb guarded by a Sleer. Slowly, we also find out who the man Jack was and why he murdered Bod鈥檚 family and was searching for the boy to finish the job.
As one might suspect, The Graveyard Book is a tribute to The Jungle Book. The setting is spookier, instead of animals we have ghosts and other magical beings.
I listened to a Full Cast audio performance of this novel and I can say that it is the best way to enjoy this beautiful piece for Gaiman magic. The cast was amazing, it is probably the best audio book I listened to until now.
I was a bit skeptical before I started because I wasn鈥檛 sure he can pull of a children鈥檚 novel set in a graveyard without scaring the shit out of the little ones. I shouldn鈥檛 have worried. The book managed to be light and fun despite its beginning. A family is murdered by a strange man named Jack and the only survivor, a 1 year old toddler, runs away in a graveyard where is adopted by ghosts and a vampire? named Silas. Each chapter follows the little boy, baptized Nobody (Bod) as he grows up and is up to mischief. His adventures include being kidnapped by ghouls, meeting a witch, going to school, entering a strange tomb guarded by a Sleer. Slowly, we also find out who the man Jack was and why he murdered Bod鈥檚 family and was searching for the boy to finish the job.
As one might suspect, The Graveyard Book is a tribute to The Jungle Book. The setting is spookier, instead of animals we have ghosts and other magical beings.
I listened to a Full Cast audio performance of this novel and I can say that it is the best way to enjoy this beautiful piece for Gaiman magic. The cast was amazing, it is probably the best audio book I listened to until now.
April 12, 2019
When first reading Neil Gaiman鈥檚 wonderfully dark but playful fantasy The Graveyard Book, I instantly discovered that I liked it a lot. When I realized that The Graveyard Book was also Rudyard Kipling鈥檚 , but updated to be gothic and macabre, with a boy not raised by wolves but ghosts, I loved it.
Winner of the Hugo Award in 2009, this is a rival to Gaiman鈥檚 masterpiece . This is vintage Gaiman at his masterfully fantastic best, an heir to the Grandmaster throne of Ray Bradbury but a classic in its own right.
Winner of the Hugo Award in 2009, this is a rival to Gaiman鈥檚 masterpiece . This is vintage Gaiman at his masterfully fantastic best, an heir to the Grandmaster throne of Ray Bradbury but a classic in its own right.
October 8, 2021
The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman
The Graveyard Book is a children's fantasy novel by the English author Neil Gaiman, simultaneously published in Britain and America during 2008.
The Graveyard Book traces the story of the boy Nobody "Bod" Owens who is adopted and raised by the supernatural occupants of a graveyard after his family is brutally murdered.
The story begins as Jack (usually referred to in the novel as "the man Jack") murders most of the members of a family (later revealed to be the Dorian family) except for the toddler upstairs. Unknown to him, the toddler has climbed out of his crib to explore. The toddler crawls out of the house and up a hill to a graveyard where the ghosts find him.
They discuss whether to keep him until the Lady on the Grey (implied to be the Angel of Death) appears and suggests that the baby should be kept ("The dead should have charity").
The ghosts accept, and Mrs. Owens (the ghost who first discovered the baby) and her husband, Mr. Owens, become the foster parents.
The baby is named Nobody Owens (since Mrs. Owens declares "He looks like nobody except himself") and is granted the Freedom of the Graveyard, which allows Nobody to pass through solid objects when in the graveyard, including its gates.
The caretaker Silas (subsequently implied to be an ancient and formerly evil vampire, now reformed) accepts the duty of providing for Nobody.
The man Jack is persuaded by Silas that the toddler has crawled down the hill, and he eventually loses the trail.
The bulk of the book is about Nobody's (often called Bod) adventures in and out of the graveyard as he grows up. As a boy, he befriends a girl called Scarlett Perkins, and she is eventually convinced by her mother that he is her imaginary friend.
It is with her that Bod discovers a creature called the Sleer, who has been waiting for thousands of years for his "Master" to come and reclaim him. The Sleer's greatest duty is to protect the Master and his treasure from the world.
Scarlett's parents believe she has gone missing during this adventure and when she returns, consequently decide to move the family to Scotland. Nobody is once captured by the Ghouls and then rescued by his tutor Miss Lupescu, discovering she is a Hound of God (i.e. a werewolf).
Bod befriends Elizabeth Hempstock, the ghost of an unjustly executed witch and through a short adventure that includes being kidnapped by a greedy pawnshop owner, finds a gravestone for her. Once he tries to attend regular primary school with other human children, but it ends in a disaster when two bullies make it impossible for him to maintain a low profile.
Throughout his adventures, Bod learns supernatural abilities such as Fading (allows Bod to turn invisible, but only if no one is paying attention to him), Haunting (which allows Bod to make people feel uneasy, though this ability can be amplified to terrify them), and Dream Walking (going into others' dreams and controlling the dream, though he cannot cause physical harm).
These abilities are taught to Bod by his loving graveyard parents, his ghost teacher Mr. Pennyworth, and Silas. ...
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 爻蹖 丕賲 賲丕賴 跇賵卅賳 爻丕賱 2011賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 讴鬲丕亘 诏賵乇爻鬲丕賳貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 賳蹖賱 诏蹖賲賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賮乇夭丕丿 賮乇亘丿貨 鬲氐賵蹖乇诏乇: 讴乇蹖爻 乇蹖丿賱貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 讴鬲丕亘 倬賳噩乇賴貙 1388貙 丿乇 308氐貙 賲氐賵乇貙 卮丕亘讴9789647822596貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 亘乇蹖鬲丕賳蹖丕 - 爻丿賴 21賲
亘丕 鬲乇噩賲賴: 讴蹖賵丕賳 毓亘蹖丿蹖 丌卮鬲蹖丕賳蹖貨 鬲氐賵蹖乇诏乇: 丿蹖賵 賲讴 讴蹖賳貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丕賮賯貙 1388貙 丿乇 419氐貙 賲氐賵乇貙 卮丕亘讴 9789643696337貨
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鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 25/09/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 15/07/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
The Graveyard Book is a children's fantasy novel by the English author Neil Gaiman, simultaneously published in Britain and America during 2008.
The Graveyard Book traces the story of the boy Nobody "Bod" Owens who is adopted and raised by the supernatural occupants of a graveyard after his family is brutally murdered.
The story begins as Jack (usually referred to in the novel as "the man Jack") murders most of the members of a family (later revealed to be the Dorian family) except for the toddler upstairs. Unknown to him, the toddler has climbed out of his crib to explore. The toddler crawls out of the house and up a hill to a graveyard where the ghosts find him.
They discuss whether to keep him until the Lady on the Grey (implied to be the Angel of Death) appears and suggests that the baby should be kept ("The dead should have charity").
The ghosts accept, and Mrs. Owens (the ghost who first discovered the baby) and her husband, Mr. Owens, become the foster parents.
The baby is named Nobody Owens (since Mrs. Owens declares "He looks like nobody except himself") and is granted the Freedom of the Graveyard, which allows Nobody to pass through solid objects when in the graveyard, including its gates.
The caretaker Silas (subsequently implied to be an ancient and formerly evil vampire, now reformed) accepts the duty of providing for Nobody.
The man Jack is persuaded by Silas that the toddler has crawled down the hill, and he eventually loses the trail.
The bulk of the book is about Nobody's (often called Bod) adventures in and out of the graveyard as he grows up. As a boy, he befriends a girl called Scarlett Perkins, and she is eventually convinced by her mother that he is her imaginary friend.
It is with her that Bod discovers a creature called the Sleer, who has been waiting for thousands of years for his "Master" to come and reclaim him. The Sleer's greatest duty is to protect the Master and his treasure from the world.
Scarlett's parents believe she has gone missing during this adventure and when she returns, consequently decide to move the family to Scotland. Nobody is once captured by the Ghouls and then rescued by his tutor Miss Lupescu, discovering she is a Hound of God (i.e. a werewolf).
Bod befriends Elizabeth Hempstock, the ghost of an unjustly executed witch and through a short adventure that includes being kidnapped by a greedy pawnshop owner, finds a gravestone for her. Once he tries to attend regular primary school with other human children, but it ends in a disaster when two bullies make it impossible for him to maintain a low profile.
Throughout his adventures, Bod learns supernatural abilities such as Fading (allows Bod to turn invisible, but only if no one is paying attention to him), Haunting (which allows Bod to make people feel uneasy, though this ability can be amplified to terrify them), and Dream Walking (going into others' dreams and controlling the dream, though he cannot cause physical harm).
These abilities are taught to Bod by his loving graveyard parents, his ghost teacher Mr. Pennyworth, and Silas. ...
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 爻蹖 丕賲 賲丕賴 跇賵卅賳 爻丕賱 2011賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 讴鬲丕亘 诏賵乇爻鬲丕賳貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 賳蹖賱 诏蹖賲賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賮乇夭丕丿 賮乇亘丿貨 鬲氐賵蹖乇诏乇: 讴乇蹖爻 乇蹖丿賱貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 讴鬲丕亘 倬賳噩乇賴貙 1388貙 丿乇 308氐貙 賲氐賵乇貙 卮丕亘讴9789647822596貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 亘乇蹖鬲丕賳蹖丕 - 爻丿賴 21賲
亘丕 鬲乇噩賲賴: 讴蹖賵丕賳 毓亘蹖丿蹖 丌卮鬲蹖丕賳蹖貨 鬲氐賵蹖乇诏乇: 丿蹖賵 賲讴 讴蹖賳貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丕賮賯貙 1388貙 丿乇 419氐貙 賲氐賵乇貙 卮丕亘讴 9789643696337貨
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鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 25/09/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 15/07/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
June 10, 2014
I've got a doctor's appointment scheduled for Monday. Maybe I'll ask what's wrong with me, I mean, why don't I love Neil Gaiman as much as everyone else?
After all the hype surrounding him, I finally gave in and started reading his books. Aside from his collection of short stories, Fragile Things, I haven't been as impressed as I expected to be.
The Graveyard Book in particular I found to be slow moving and depressing. Maybe that's inevitable being that most of the characters in it are dead. It's not that the writing isn't good.
Gaiman's stories generally aren't to blame, either, in fact there are some flashes of real ingenuity in some of them. Coraline and Stardust have been standouts for me personally in this respect. I have noticed that sometimes the scene description is lacking. There have been moments in the middle of a page where I've stopped and said "wait, where is this happening?" and when I "look around" all I see are a couple characters in a room about as decorative as the inside of this text block I'm writing in right now. But those aren't common occurrences and they're certainly not enough to sour the whole book.
I don't know, if the doctor can't help me maybe I'll seek a second opinion from the librarian.
After all the hype surrounding him, I finally gave in and started reading his books. Aside from his collection of short stories, Fragile Things, I haven't been as impressed as I expected to be.
The Graveyard Book in particular I found to be slow moving and depressing. Maybe that's inevitable being that most of the characters in it are dead. It's not that the writing isn't good.
Gaiman's stories generally aren't to blame, either, in fact there are some flashes of real ingenuity in some of them. Coraline and Stardust have been standouts for me personally in this respect. I have noticed that sometimes the scene description is lacking. There have been moments in the middle of a page where I've stopped and said "wait, where is this happening?" and when I "look around" all I see are a couple characters in a room about as decorative as the inside of this text block I'm writing in right now. But those aren't common occurrences and they're certainly not enough to sour the whole book.
I don't know, if the doctor can't help me maybe I'll seek a second opinion from the librarian.
October 16, 2008
**SPOILER ALERT**
This book was entirely mediocre. The plot was disjointed and very loosely woven throughout the story, and much of it didn't make any sense. Details (what few details there were) seemed to be added at the last minute to make later events in the story make sense. It's almost as if Gaiman wrote the middle first, then the beginning, and then the end. I think he had a million ideas floating around in his head and had no idea how to connect them all, so he made up some stuff on the fly.
Also, I'm willing to accept a large amount of non-sensical information in a fantasy novel, but there has to be some sort of explanation behind it. For example--if a boy lives in a graveyard his entire life, what happens if he needs to go to the dentist or take a shower or get vaccinated? Somehow, everyone reacts completely normally to the protagonist, even though he must be a filthy, smelly toothless wreck. Also, at the end of the book, the ghosts just kind of release the main character into the world--the boy who is only 15 and has had almost no formal schooling in his entire life. What is this kid supposed to do with himself? He's been getting his education from people who've been deceased for at least 150 years and has nothing on him but a little money and a passport. Yeah, I'm sure he'll do REALLY well on his own.
Anyway, I didn't think it was a bad book, but it certainly wasn't a good one, and it was WAY below Neil Gaiman's usual standards.
This book was entirely mediocre. The plot was disjointed and very loosely woven throughout the story, and much of it didn't make any sense. Details (what few details there were) seemed to be added at the last minute to make later events in the story make sense. It's almost as if Gaiman wrote the middle first, then the beginning, and then the end. I think he had a million ideas floating around in his head and had no idea how to connect them all, so he made up some stuff on the fly.
Also, I'm willing to accept a large amount of non-sensical information in a fantasy novel, but there has to be some sort of explanation behind it. For example--if a boy lives in a graveyard his entire life, what happens if he needs to go to the dentist or take a shower or get vaccinated? Somehow, everyone reacts completely normally to the protagonist, even though he must be a filthy, smelly toothless wreck. Also, at the end of the book, the ghosts just kind of release the main character into the world--the boy who is only 15 and has had almost no formal schooling in his entire life. What is this kid supposed to do with himself? He's been getting his education from people who've been deceased for at least 150 years and has nothing on him but a little money and a passport. Yeah, I'm sure he'll do REALLY well on his own.
Anyway, I didn't think it was a bad book, but it certainly wasn't a good one, and it was WAY below Neil Gaiman's usual standards.
October 18, 2008
This is how it usually goes with me and Neil Gaiman books:
Scene: at the library.
Picks up Stardust and reads back flap... thinks, "hey, this looks like a great book. What an interesting idea for a story..." When actually reading Stardust: bored.
A couple months later. At the library.
Picks up Neverwhere... thinks, "hmmm. This looks really interesting, but that's what I thought about Stardust. Well, maybe I'll give him one last chance." When actually reading Neverwhere: stupid last chances!!!
So I was a little hesitant to pick up The Graveyard Book. Again, the idea is interesting - a toddler's family is killed, and he's raised in a graveyard by ghosts - but Gaiman's books have seemed interesting to me before. So it's with gratitude that I say:
Finally. FINALLY! To me, this book (at long last) connected. I loved the characters and the concept, and the actual text seemed to flow and be more engaging than the previous books I'd read. I'm glad I gave Gaiman's books one more last chance after the last last chance. I may even try one more.
Scene: at the library.
Picks up Stardust and reads back flap... thinks, "hey, this looks like a great book. What an interesting idea for a story..." When actually reading Stardust: bored.
A couple months later. At the library.
Picks up Neverwhere... thinks, "hmmm. This looks really interesting, but that's what I thought about Stardust. Well, maybe I'll give him one last chance." When actually reading Neverwhere: stupid last chances!!!
So I was a little hesitant to pick up The Graveyard Book. Again, the idea is interesting - a toddler's family is killed, and he's raised in a graveyard by ghosts - but Gaiman's books have seemed interesting to me before. So it's with gratitude that I say:
Finally. FINALLY! To me, this book (at long last) connected. I loved the characters and the concept, and the actual text seemed to flow and be more engaging than the previous books I'd read. I'm glad I gave Gaiman's books one more last chance after the last last chance. I may even try one more.
March 5, 2020
The riproaring adventures of Huck Finn's wiser half-brother; Harry Potter's long lost second cousin. A Mowgli doppleganger, admittedly so.
When Tim Burton died*, the void was taken up, wholly, by Mr. Gaiman. When will "The Graveyard Book" become a film? Cannot wait to watch singin'/dancin' ghosts, not the usual rerecycled shit from some Disney classic. Hey, it worked like a charm with "Coraline"!
*career-wise & art-wise
When Tim Burton died*, the void was taken up, wholly, by Mr. Gaiman. When will "The Graveyard Book" become a film? Cannot wait to watch singin'/dancin' ghosts, not the usual rerecycled shit from some Disney classic. Hey, it worked like a charm with "Coraline"!
*career-wise & art-wise
April 28, 2022
Award winning children's / fantasy book, and without doubt the best Gaiman I've read, and I'm very far from a fan of his.
Nobody Owens' family are brutally slain in a graveyard; he is the only survivor and ends up being brought up by, and amongst, the supernatural dwellers of the graveyard. A book that gets better and better as it progresses with a charming constructed reality that sits alongside a conventional reality.
On this book alone, I've decided to try more Gaiman after giving up on his work a few years ago. 8 out of 12... although the GIF below states what I think will happen when I read more Gaiman...
2019 read
Nobody Owens' family are brutally slain in a graveyard; he is the only survivor and ends up being brought up by, and amongst, the supernatural dwellers of the graveyard. A book that gets better and better as it progresses with a charming constructed reality that sits alongside a conventional reality.
On this book alone, I've decided to try more Gaiman after giving up on his work a few years ago. 8 out of 12... although the GIF below states what I think will happen when I read more Gaiman...
2019 read
March 25, 2025
(A-) 83% | Very Good
Notes: A murder-bungled, gothic jungle, weave of many threads, it's a cozy, perky, small-town quirky, life among the dead.
*Check out progress updates for detailed commentary:
Notes: A murder-bungled, gothic jungle, weave of many threads, it's a cozy, perky, small-town quirky, life among the dead.
*Check out progress updates for detailed commentary:
August 13, 2017
螆谓伪 渭伪魏维尾蟻喂慰 伪谓维位伪蠁蟻慰 蟺伪蟻伪渭蠉胃喂 纬喂伪 谓蔚魏蟻慰蠉蟼 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺慰蠀蟼 魏伪喂 味蠅谓蟿伪谓苇蟼 蠄蠀蠂苇蟼.
螌位畏 畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蔚魏蟿蠀位委蟽蟽蔚蟿伪喂 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 谓蔚魏蟻慰蟿伪蠁蔚委慰 蟺慰蠀 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺位苇慰谓 魏位蔚喂蟽蟿蠈 魏伪喂 蠁蠀位维蟽蟽蔚蟿伪喂 蠅蟼 蔚胃谓喂魏蠈蟼 未蟻蠀渭蠈蟼.
螆谓伪 渭蠅蟻维魏喂 蟿畏 渭慰喂蟻伪委伪 谓蠉蠂蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 未慰位慰蠁慰谓蔚委蟿伪喂 畏 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 伪蟺慰 渭喂伪 蟺伪蟻维尉蔚谓畏 伪蟻蠂伪委伪 伪未蔚位蠁蠈蟿畏蟿伪 魏伪蟿伪蠁苇蟻谓蔚喂 谓伪 蟽蠅胃蔚委 魏伪喂 谓伪 尾蟻蔚喂 魏伪蟿伪蠁蠉纬喂慰 蟽蟿慰 纬蔚喂蟿慰谓喂魏蠈 谓蔚魏蟻慰蟿伪蠁蔚委慰.
韦伪 蟺谓蔚蠉渭伪蟿伪, 慰喂 魏伪位苇蟼 蠄蠀蠂苇蟼,伪蟺慰蠁伪蟽委味慰蠀谓 谓伪 蟺蟻慰蟽蟿伪蟿苇蠄慰蠀谓 蟿慰 渭蠅蟻维魏喂 渭蔚 蟿畏 尾慰萎胃蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 危委位伪 蟺慰蠀 伪谓萎魏蔚喂 蟽蔚 魏维蟺慰喂慰 蔚委未慰蟼 伪蟺苇胃伪谓蟿蠅谓.
螆蟿蟽喂 蟿慰 渭蠅蟻维魏喂 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰 慰谓慰渭维味慰蠀谓 螝伪谓 (螝伪谓苇谓伪蟼) 渭蔚纬伪位蠋谓蔚喂 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蟿慰 谓蔚魏蟻慰蟿伪蠁蔚委慰,蟽蠀谓伪谓伪蟽蟿蟻苇蠁蔚蟿伪喂 渭蔚 魏维胃蔚 蔚委未慰蠀蟼 蟺谓蔚蠉渭伪蟿伪,伪蟺慰 伪蟻蠂伪委慰蠀蟼 巍蠅渭伪委慰蠀蟼 魏伪喂 蔚蟺喂蟽萎渭慰蠀蟼 尾伪蟻蠋谓慰蠀蟼, 渭蔚蟽伪喂蠅谓喂魏苇蟼 渭维纬喂蟽蟽蔚蟼, 蟿蟻慰渭蔚蟻慰蠉蟼 蠀蟺畏蟻苇蟿蔚蟼 渭蠀蟽蟿喂魏蠋谓 胃畏蟽伪蠀蟻蠋谓, 蟿慰谓 伪蟻蠂伪委慰 位慰蠀位伪魏委 维谓蟿蟻伪 魏伪喂 蟺慰位位慰蠉蟼 维位位慰蠀蟼 谓蔚魏蟻慰蠉蟼 渭蔚 魏伪位萎 萎 魏伪喂 魏伪魏萎 渭蔚蟿伪胃伪谓维蟿喂伪 伪蠉蟻伪.
螠苇蟽伪 蟽蟿伪 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 蟺慰蠀 渭蔚纬伪位蠋谓蔚喂 慰喂魏蔚喂慰蟺慰喂蔚委蟿伪喂 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠀谓萎胃蔚喂蔚蟼 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟿伪 蠂伪蟻委蟽渭伪蟿伪 蟿蠅谓 谓蔚魏蟻蠋谓. 螘蟺喂蟽魏苇蟺蟿蔚蟿伪喂 蟿畏谓 螡蔚魏蟻蠈蟺慰位畏.螢蔚胃蠅蟻喂维味蔚喂. 螔位苇蟺蔚喂 蟿苇位蔚喂伪 蟽蟿慰 蟽魏慰蟿维未喂.围蔚喂蟻委味蔚蟿伪喂 维蠄慰纬伪 蟿畏谓 慰谓蔚喂蟻慰尾伪蟽委伪 魏伪喂 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蟺蟻慰魏伪位蔚委 蠁蠈尾慰 魏伪喂 蟺伪谓喂魏蠈 蠈蟿伪谓 蠂蟻蔚喂维味蔚蟿伪喂.
螣喂 蟿伪蠁蠈蟺蔚蟿蟻蔚蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 纬喂伪 蟿慰谓 螝伪谓 慰喂 蟽魏蔚蟺苇蟼 蟿蠅谓 蟽蟺喂蟿喂蠋谓 蟿畏蟼 纬蔚喂蟿慰谓喂维蟼 蟿慰蠀. 螣 委未喂慰蟼 味蔚喂 渭蔚 蟽蔚 苇谓伪谓 味蔚蟽蟿蠈 蟿维蠁慰-蟽蟺委蟿喂 魏伪喂 伪蟺慰魏伪位蔚委 纬慰谓蔚委蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟿伪 蟺谓蔚蠉渭伪蟿伪 蟿蠅谓 螌慰蠀蔚谓蟼 - 苇谓伪 味蔚蠀纬维蟻喂 蟺谓蔚蠀渭维蟿蠅谓-蟺慰蠀 蟿慰谓 渭蔚纬伪位蠋谓慰蠀谓 伪蟺慰 渭蠅蟻蠈.
韦慰 谓蔚魏蟻慰蟿伪蠁蔚委慰 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿慰 蟽蟺委蟿喂 蟿慰蠀. 螣喂 蠄蠀蠂苇蟼 蟿蠅谓 谓蔚魏蟻蠋谓 蔚委谓伪喂 慰喂 蟽蠀纬纬蔚谓蔚委蟼 魏伪喂 慰喂 蠁委位慰喂 蟿慰蠀. 螌渭蠅蟼 慰 螝伪谓 蔚喂谓伪喂 味蠅谓蟿伪谓蠈蟼. 螒谓萎魏蔚喂 蟽蔚 维位位慰 蔚委未慰蟼 味蠅萎蟼. 螝伪喂 蔚魏蔚委 蟺蟻苇蟺蔚喂 谓伪 味萎蟽蔚喂.
韦慰 蟺蟻蠈尾位畏渭伪 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺蠅蟼 苇尉蠅 伪蟺慰 蟿畏谓 伪蟽蠁维位蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 谓蔚魏蟻慰蟿伪蠁蔚委慰蠀 蟿慰蠀 魏喂谓未蠀谓蔚蠉蔚喂. 危蟿畏谓 伪位畏胃喂谓萎 味蠅萎 蟺伪蟻伪渭慰谓蔚蠉蔚喂 慰 韦味伪魏 魏伪喂 畏 慰蟻纬维谓蠅蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 纬喂伪 谓伪 蟽魏慰蟿蠋蟽慰蠀谓 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 蟿蔚位蔚蠀蟿伪委慰 蟺慰蠀 伪蟺苇渭蔚喂谓蔚 味蠅谓蟿伪谓蠈蟼 伪蟺慰 蟿畏 未慰位慰蠁慰谓委伪 渭喂伪蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼 蟺蟻喂谓 未蔚魏伪蟿苇蟽蟽蔚蟻伪 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪.
螆谓伪 渭蠅蟻维魏喂, 蟺慰蠀 味蔚喂 渭蔚 蟿慰蠀蟼 谓蔚魏蟻慰蠉蟼 魏伪喂 慰喂 味蠅谓蟿伪谓慰委 蟿慰 胃苇位慰蠀谓 谓蔚魏蟻蠈.
螝伪位萎 伪谓维纬谓蠅蟽畏!
螤慰位位慰蠉蟼 伪蟽蟺伪蟽渭慰蠉蟼!
螌位畏 畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蔚魏蟿蠀位委蟽蟽蔚蟿伪喂 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蔚 苇谓伪 谓蔚魏蟻慰蟿伪蠁蔚委慰 蟺慰蠀 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺位苇慰谓 魏位蔚喂蟽蟿蠈 魏伪喂 蠁蠀位维蟽蟽蔚蟿伪喂 蠅蟼 蔚胃谓喂魏蠈蟼 未蟻蠀渭蠈蟼.
螆谓伪 渭蠅蟻维魏喂 蟿畏 渭慰喂蟻伪委伪 谓蠉蠂蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 未慰位慰蠁慰谓蔚委蟿伪喂 畏 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 伪蟺慰 渭喂伪 蟺伪蟻维尉蔚谓畏 伪蟻蠂伪委伪 伪未蔚位蠁蠈蟿畏蟿伪 魏伪蟿伪蠁苇蟻谓蔚喂 谓伪 蟽蠅胃蔚委 魏伪喂 谓伪 尾蟻蔚喂 魏伪蟿伪蠁蠉纬喂慰 蟽蟿慰 纬蔚喂蟿慰谓喂魏蠈 谓蔚魏蟻慰蟿伪蠁蔚委慰.
韦伪 蟺谓蔚蠉渭伪蟿伪, 慰喂 魏伪位苇蟼 蠄蠀蠂苇蟼,伪蟺慰蠁伪蟽委味慰蠀谓 谓伪 蟺蟻慰蟽蟿伪蟿苇蠄慰蠀谓 蟿慰 渭蠅蟻维魏喂 渭蔚 蟿畏 尾慰萎胃蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 危委位伪 蟺慰蠀 伪谓萎魏蔚喂 蟽蔚 魏维蟺慰喂慰 蔚委未慰蟼 伪蟺苇胃伪谓蟿蠅谓.
螆蟿蟽喂 蟿慰 渭蠅蟻维魏喂 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰 慰谓慰渭维味慰蠀谓 螝伪谓 (螝伪谓苇谓伪蟼) 渭蔚纬伪位蠋谓蔚喂 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蟿慰 谓蔚魏蟻慰蟿伪蠁蔚委慰,蟽蠀谓伪谓伪蟽蟿蟻苇蠁蔚蟿伪喂 渭蔚 魏维胃蔚 蔚委未慰蠀蟼 蟺谓蔚蠉渭伪蟿伪,伪蟺慰 伪蟻蠂伪委慰蠀蟼 巍蠅渭伪委慰蠀蟼 魏伪喂 蔚蟺喂蟽萎渭慰蠀蟼 尾伪蟻蠋谓慰蠀蟼, 渭蔚蟽伪喂蠅谓喂魏苇蟼 渭维纬喂蟽蟽蔚蟼, 蟿蟻慰渭蔚蟻慰蠉蟼 蠀蟺畏蟻苇蟿蔚蟼 渭蠀蟽蟿喂魏蠋谓 胃畏蟽伪蠀蟻蠋谓, 蟿慰谓 伪蟻蠂伪委慰 位慰蠀位伪魏委 维谓蟿蟻伪 魏伪喂 蟺慰位位慰蠉蟼 维位位慰蠀蟼 谓蔚魏蟻慰蠉蟼 渭蔚 魏伪位萎 萎 魏伪喂 魏伪魏萎 渭蔚蟿伪胃伪谓维蟿喂伪 伪蠉蟻伪.
螠苇蟽伪 蟽蟿伪 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪 蟺慰蠀 渭蔚纬伪位蠋谓蔚喂 慰喂魏蔚喂慰蟺慰喂蔚委蟿伪喂 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠀谓萎胃蔚喂蔚蟼 伪位位维 魏伪喂 蟿伪 蠂伪蟻委蟽渭伪蟿伪 蟿蠅谓 谓蔚魏蟻蠋谓. 螘蟺喂蟽魏苇蟺蟿蔚蟿伪喂 蟿畏谓 螡蔚魏蟻蠈蟺慰位畏.螢蔚胃蠅蟻喂维味蔚喂. 螔位苇蟺蔚喂 蟿苇位蔚喂伪 蟽蟿慰 蟽魏慰蟿维未喂.围蔚喂蟻委味蔚蟿伪喂 维蠄慰纬伪 蟿畏谓 慰谓蔚喂蟻慰尾伪蟽委伪 魏伪喂 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 谓伪 蟺蟻慰魏伪位蔚委 蠁蠈尾慰 魏伪喂 蟺伪谓喂魏蠈 蠈蟿伪谓 蠂蟻蔚喂维味蔚蟿伪喂.
螣喂 蟿伪蠁蠈蟺蔚蟿蟻蔚蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 纬喂伪 蟿慰谓 螝伪谓 慰喂 蟽魏蔚蟺苇蟼 蟿蠅谓 蟽蟺喂蟿喂蠋谓 蟿畏蟼 纬蔚喂蟿慰谓喂维蟼 蟿慰蠀. 螣 委未喂慰蟼 味蔚喂 渭蔚 蟽蔚 苇谓伪谓 味蔚蟽蟿蠈 蟿维蠁慰-蟽蟺委蟿喂 魏伪喂 伪蟺慰魏伪位蔚委 纬慰谓蔚委蟼 蟿慰蠀 蟿伪 蟺谓蔚蠉渭伪蟿伪 蟿蠅谓 螌慰蠀蔚谓蟼 - 苇谓伪 味蔚蠀纬维蟻喂 蟺谓蔚蠀渭维蟿蠅谓-蟺慰蠀 蟿慰谓 渭蔚纬伪位蠋谓慰蠀谓 伪蟺慰 渭蠅蟻蠈.
韦慰 谓蔚魏蟻慰蟿伪蠁蔚委慰 蔚委谓伪喂 蟿慰 蟽蟺委蟿喂 蟿慰蠀. 螣喂 蠄蠀蠂苇蟼 蟿蠅谓 谓蔚魏蟻蠋谓 蔚委谓伪喂 慰喂 蟽蠀纬纬蔚谓蔚委蟼 魏伪喂 慰喂 蠁委位慰喂 蟿慰蠀. 螌渭蠅蟼 慰 螝伪谓 蔚喂谓伪喂 味蠅谓蟿伪谓蠈蟼. 螒谓萎魏蔚喂 蟽蔚 维位位慰 蔚委未慰蟼 味蠅萎蟼. 螝伪喂 蔚魏蔚委 蟺蟻苇蟺蔚喂 谓伪 味萎蟽蔚喂.
韦慰 蟺蟻蠈尾位畏渭伪 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺蠅蟼 苇尉蠅 伪蟺慰 蟿畏谓 伪蟽蠁维位蔚喂伪 蟿慰蠀 谓蔚魏蟻慰蟿伪蠁蔚委慰蠀 蟿慰蠀 魏喂谓未蠀谓蔚蠉蔚喂. 危蟿畏谓 伪位畏胃喂谓萎 味蠅萎 蟺伪蟻伪渭慰谓蔚蠉蔚喂 慰 韦味伪魏 魏伪喂 畏 慰蟻纬维谓蠅蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 纬喂伪 谓伪 蟽魏慰蟿蠋蟽慰蠀谓 魏伪喂 蟿慰谓 蟿蔚位蔚蠀蟿伪委慰 蟺慰蠀 伪蟺苇渭蔚喂谓蔚 味蠅谓蟿伪谓蠈蟼 伪蟺慰 蟿畏 未慰位慰蠁慰谓委伪 渭喂伪蟼 慰喂魏慰纬苇谓蔚喂伪蟼 蟺蟻喂谓 未蔚魏伪蟿苇蟽蟽蔚蟻伪 蠂蟻蠈谓喂伪.
螆谓伪 渭蠅蟻维魏喂, 蟺慰蠀 味蔚喂 渭蔚 蟿慰蠀蟼 谓蔚魏蟻慰蠉蟼 魏伪喂 慰喂 味蠅谓蟿伪谓慰委 蟿慰 胃苇位慰蠀谓 谓蔚魏蟻蠈.
螝伪位萎 伪谓维纬谓蠅蟽畏!
螤慰位位慰蠉蟼 伪蟽蟺伪蟽渭慰蠉蟼!
August 14, 2013
Once there was a little girl who lived in a big house in a strange and wonderful city in the North. Her name: Dove Black*. An unusual name for an unusual girl. Her equally unusual mother took her away for the summer, across the sea. I came to that strange and wonderful city and stayed in that big house. In the house was a book. The Graveyard Book! I fell prey to an odd illness during my visit; while my companions made merry in the streets and taverns of that city, I recovered on the wide and sunny porch of that house, the clucks of chickens from the chicken coop and the laughter of the children playing on the street making me feel rather less lonely. I took The Graveyard Book down from the shelf and read it. It was perfect company. Indeed, it is a perfect book!
I鈥檒l dispense with much of a synopsis because you can read that anywhere. An infant is taken in by a graveyard full of ghosts (and more); they raise him as their ward and son. As he grows up, young Nobody Owens learns a lot about death and a little bit about life as well. Gaiman notes The Jungle Book as an inspiration; I鈥檓 not sure I would have thought of Kipling鈥檚 classic myself but after reading that comment, it makes perfect sense, title and all. There, done with synopsis.
Many times I felt as if the book was tailor-made for a young mark monday, what with the eerie atmosphere, the ambiguity, the graveyard, adventure mixed with sadness, life and death existing side by side, and at the core of it all, an unusual and genuinely loving family 鈥� but a created family, not necessarily a family by blood. All those things appealed to me at a pretty deep level as a kid, which is probably why I really loved Bellair鈥檚 as well. I wish this book had been around when I was younger; I can easily picture connecting to it in so many different ways.
But I鈥檓 an adult and I still feel a deep connection to the book. All those things above are still things that connect me to a novel, of course, but my feelings about many of those things have intensified.
The idea of a 鈥榗reated鈥� family, one that can come together for a variety of reasons but one that will look out for and support and love its members, one that embraces the difference of the individuals within that family鈥� so meaningful to me! It鈥檚 an idea that I didn鈥檛 start experiencing until my early 20s, oh the life of a quasi-punk cynical jerk outsider who suddenly realizes that there are others out there like him, happy sigh, and it鈥檚 an idea that I feel like I鈥檝e tried to carry on with my adult circle of friends and within my work place. It鈥檚 actually why I even chose my place of work. The Graveyard Book offers this found family as meaningful and valid and beautiful, much as The Jungle Book did. Gaiman doesn鈥檛 bluntly pound the point home and he isn鈥檛 mawkish or even all that sentimental about it all 鈥� but it is such a central part of what makes the novel work. And it is also what makes the ending such a sweet and sad one. Sometimes, perhaps always, you do need to move on. Some things are transitory. Sometimes those families that you spent so much time with melt away and stay on only as memories. But you can always make those families again! Yes.
Ambiguity: I love it and I yearn for it in books. The feeling that the author doesn鈥檛 want to spell things out for you, that they realize the reader may gain pleasure from figuring things out on their own, filling in the blanks, imagining why something may have happened and what may come next. Not being spoon-fed every little detail and not tying it all up with a neat little bow. It seems like an easy thing to be able to do but I think many authors just don鈥檛 want to do that. Perhaps they don鈥檛 realize there is a sort of tyranny in excessive detail, in paths made painfully clear and obvious, fluorescent lighting rather than shadows and moonlight, endings that explain it all away instead of showing a newly opened door 鈥� an ending that leads to a beginning. That is one of the beautiful things about this book, that kind of an ending and the ambiguity of it all. Sure, it explained many things. But it left many doors open, for the reader to step through and explore on their own. Maybe this is also why I appreciate books written for children and young adults: because of the basic form of the genre, the actual length of such books, perhaps even because of the attention span of the audience鈥� things often have to be left to the reader鈥檚 imagination. I like simplicity that creates mystery, simplicity that is its own form of depth.
The book certainly knows how to illustrate Growing Up. Each chapter is a step forward, a snapshot of Nobody Owens as he grows up. At the end, it captures that wistfulness, that sweet sadness at the knowledge that growing up means you may never look at things the same way again, you can never go home again and if you do, that home will be a different place. That home may be a physical place, it may be a group of people or even just one person, it may be a feeling of being protected or a place where you learned and grew and loved and lived in a particular way. Good things to cry over. The tears may be melancholy ones, wistful tears 鈥� but yet not depressing ones, not to me at least. If anything, they affirm life. And growing up, or moving on, or going down new paths鈥� it is also an adventure. I love how the ending makes that perfectly clear. Sure, shed some tears over what has passed and can never be again, but know that the future is still a path that can lead you to all sorts of places. It doesn鈥檛 matter how old you are 鈥� old Silas is about to go on his own adventure too. And so Nobody is sad and moves on and is happy and moves on and he jumps onto that path and moves on.
Trudi said in her review 鈥淕aiman reminds me of why I love to read and I love him for that.鈥� Yes, Trudi, yes! Very well said.
After I finished the book, I looked through Dove Black鈥檚 bookshelves and found many things that I loved. A lot of Philip Pullman, Susan Cooper鈥檚 Dark Is Rising series, Narnia, books by Edward Eager and Louise Fitzhugh and Colin Maloy and Garth Nix, and of course Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. I admire your taste, Dove Black. I hope all of these books have informed your world view. But how could they not? They must. Your mother put your paintings and your awards on the wall and she should be proud: you are a talented young lady. I think you will grow up to be an equally impressive adult. I wish you the best of luck! But I really don鈥檛 think you鈥檒l need it.
____________
* A real little girl but of course not her real name. I tried to think up an approximate of her unusual name but I fear I have failed. Her real name is so cool!
I鈥檒l dispense with much of a synopsis because you can read that anywhere. An infant is taken in by a graveyard full of ghosts (and more); they raise him as their ward and son. As he grows up, young Nobody Owens learns a lot about death and a little bit about life as well. Gaiman notes The Jungle Book as an inspiration; I鈥檓 not sure I would have thought of Kipling鈥檚 classic myself but after reading that comment, it makes perfect sense, title and all. There, done with synopsis.
Many times I felt as if the book was tailor-made for a young mark monday, what with the eerie atmosphere, the ambiguity, the graveyard, adventure mixed with sadness, life and death existing side by side, and at the core of it all, an unusual and genuinely loving family 鈥� but a created family, not necessarily a family by blood. All those things appealed to me at a pretty deep level as a kid, which is probably why I really loved Bellair鈥檚 as well. I wish this book had been around when I was younger; I can easily picture connecting to it in so many different ways.
But I鈥檓 an adult and I still feel a deep connection to the book. All those things above are still things that connect me to a novel, of course, but my feelings about many of those things have intensified.
The idea of a 鈥榗reated鈥� family, one that can come together for a variety of reasons but one that will look out for and support and love its members, one that embraces the difference of the individuals within that family鈥� so meaningful to me! It鈥檚 an idea that I didn鈥檛 start experiencing until my early 20s, oh the life of a quasi-punk cynical jerk outsider who suddenly realizes that there are others out there like him, happy sigh, and it鈥檚 an idea that I feel like I鈥檝e tried to carry on with my adult circle of friends and within my work place. It鈥檚 actually why I even chose my place of work. The Graveyard Book offers this found family as meaningful and valid and beautiful, much as The Jungle Book did. Gaiman doesn鈥檛 bluntly pound the point home and he isn鈥檛 mawkish or even all that sentimental about it all 鈥� but it is such a central part of what makes the novel work. And it is also what makes the ending such a sweet and sad one. Sometimes, perhaps always, you do need to move on. Some things are transitory. Sometimes those families that you spent so much time with melt away and stay on only as memories. But you can always make those families again! Yes.
Ambiguity: I love it and I yearn for it in books. The feeling that the author doesn鈥檛 want to spell things out for you, that they realize the reader may gain pleasure from figuring things out on their own, filling in the blanks, imagining why something may have happened and what may come next. Not being spoon-fed every little detail and not tying it all up with a neat little bow. It seems like an easy thing to be able to do but I think many authors just don鈥檛 want to do that. Perhaps they don鈥檛 realize there is a sort of tyranny in excessive detail, in paths made painfully clear and obvious, fluorescent lighting rather than shadows and moonlight, endings that explain it all away instead of showing a newly opened door 鈥� an ending that leads to a beginning. That is one of the beautiful things about this book, that kind of an ending and the ambiguity of it all. Sure, it explained many things. But it left many doors open, for the reader to step through and explore on their own. Maybe this is also why I appreciate books written for children and young adults: because of the basic form of the genre, the actual length of such books, perhaps even because of the attention span of the audience鈥� things often have to be left to the reader鈥檚 imagination. I like simplicity that creates mystery, simplicity that is its own form of depth.
鈥淗ello,鈥� he said, as he danced with her. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know your name.鈥�Death is not the end! I don鈥檛 know if I believe in ghosts or heaven or a cosmic consciousness that we all float into. But I do believe in the somewhat corny We All Live On In Some Way, whether it be as memories or as influences or as just one more part of humanity that is connected to the rest of humanity because we are all humans. I dunno. The Graveyard Book literalizes that concept, of course. It does it in a way that can make sense to both children and adults 鈥� showing how things are forgotten, perhaps, and that鈥檚 not so bad really, and it does it by showing how we live on in each other, by the things we do and the people we care for. Is Gaiman a spiritual man? Surely he must be. There is a certain kind of spirituality to much of his fiction, an ease with and an interest in describing worlds that are larger than us 鈥� and yet he makes that greater world rather wonderfully prosaic, real, worlds we could actually live in, somehow. Some may think such things are depressing 鈥� or that a book that is set in a graveyard and that opens with death and where the dead live next to the living, all of that, that that is a depressing book. To me, it is the opposite of depressing. Death is a part of life; there would be no life without death. This book for children recognizes that and even, amazingly, celebrates it.
鈥淣ames aren鈥檛 really important,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 love your horse. He鈥檚 so big! I never knew horses could be that big.鈥�
鈥淗e is gentle enough to bear the mightiest of you away on his broad back, and strong enough for the smallest of you as well.鈥�
鈥淐an I ride him?鈥� asked Bod.
鈥淥ne day,鈥� she told him, and her cobweb skirts shimmered. 鈥淥ne day. Everybody does.鈥�
鈥淧谤辞尘颈蝉别?鈥�
鈥淚 promise.鈥�
The book certainly knows how to illustrate Growing Up. Each chapter is a step forward, a snapshot of Nobody Owens as he grows up. At the end, it captures that wistfulness, that sweet sadness at the knowledge that growing up means you may never look at things the same way again, you can never go home again and if you do, that home will be a different place. That home may be a physical place, it may be a group of people or even just one person, it may be a feeling of being protected or a place where you learned and grew and loved and lived in a particular way. Good things to cry over. The tears may be melancholy ones, wistful tears 鈥� but yet not depressing ones, not to me at least. If anything, they affirm life. And growing up, or moving on, or going down new paths鈥� it is also an adventure. I love how the ending makes that perfectly clear. Sure, shed some tears over what has passed and can never be again, but know that the future is still a path that can lead you to all sorts of places. It doesn鈥檛 matter how old you are 鈥� old Silas is about to go on his own adventure too. And so Nobody is sad and moves on and is happy and moves on and he jumps onto that path and moves on.
Trudi said in her review 鈥淕aiman reminds me of why I love to read and I love him for that.鈥� Yes, Trudi, yes! Very well said.
After I finished the book, I looked through Dove Black鈥檚 bookshelves and found many things that I loved. A lot of Philip Pullman, Susan Cooper鈥檚 Dark Is Rising series, Narnia, books by Edward Eager and Louise Fitzhugh and Colin Maloy and Garth Nix, and of course Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. I admire your taste, Dove Black. I hope all of these books have informed your world view. But how could they not? They must. Your mother put your paintings and your awards on the wall and she should be proud: you are a talented young lady. I think you will grow up to be an equally impressive adult. I wish you the best of luck! But I really don鈥檛 think you鈥檒l need it.
____________
* A real little girl but of course not her real name. I tried to think up an approximate of her unusual name but I fear I have failed. Her real name is so cool!
March 26, 2023
SPOOKY MIDDLE GRADE BOOK RECOMMENDATION
I read The Graveyard Book a while ago and still find myself thinking about it. It is quirky and creepy, two things we know I love.
If you happen to be in a spooky mood, but maybe aren't into really scary books, this may be a great option for you.
Set in a cemetery, the atmosphere will definitely give you all the goosebumps you need for a cold, misty night, without causing significant trauma.
Interesting and unique from start to finish, I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, fast, haunting read!
I read The Graveyard Book a while ago and still find myself thinking about it. It is quirky and creepy, two things we know I love.
If you happen to be in a spooky mood, but maybe aren't into really scary books, this may be a great option for you.
Set in a cemetery, the atmosphere will definitely give you all the goosebumps you need for a cold, misty night, without causing significant trauma.
Interesting and unique from start to finish, I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, fast, haunting read!
May 1, 2021
Bod Owens lives in a graveyard. Now, this is the idea for a superb story, and Mr Gaiman knows how to execute it to the full.
I was sucked in from the very beginning, and loved Bod who is a sweet an intelligent child. For him, the interactions with the departed are as natural as they can be. He has guardians, ghostly friends and even a teacher so it seems there is no need for the world outside the gate. And there is a mystery that surrounds him which opens the novel that gave me shivers.
My second novel by Mr Gaiman that was more than satisfying. Bravo!
I was sucked in from the very beginning, and loved Bod who is a sweet an intelligent child. For him, the interactions with the departed are as natural as they can be. He has guardians, ghostly friends and even a teacher so it seems there is no need for the world outside the gate. And there is a mystery that surrounds him which opens the novel that gave me shivers.
My second novel by Mr Gaiman that was more than satisfying. Bravo!
December 7, 2019
4.5/5
November 23, 2018
A friend of mine had an extra ticket to see Neil Gaiman's sold-out lecture in Denver last week, so we rode the bus downtown, walked a block or two, then turned a street corner, only to be startled by some 2,000 fervent fans wrapped around and around the building, shivering and salivating at the prospect of entering the doors.
I was in awe of their devotion, and I felt like an imposter, too. I'd never read anything of Neil's, other than an illustrated picture book for kids, and if these thirty-something fans only knew that I had a scored a rare ticket to his sold-out show. . . I'm sure they'd have pulled their wands out from their cloaks and performed the Cruciatus curse on me.
Neil's fans are primarily what I'd call the 鈥淗arry Potter kids.鈥� Meaning, the kids who were the perfect ages (somewhere between 10 and 17) when Harry Potter emerged like a lightning bolt on the juvenile fiction scene.
I was at least 10 years older than most members of the audience, but little did those kids know that I was a young mom with my first baby when Harry debuted in 1997 and I not only read every book in the series, I attended every midnight release of them, too (in a witch's hat, no less).
So. . . I'm not exactly far fetched in terms of my potential as a fan.
But, as of last week, I didn't have an opinion about his fiction.
This week I introduced myself, properly, to Neil, by reading his 2008 Young Adult fiction, The Graveyard Book. It just so happens to be a Newberry winner, so it obviously impressed someone beyond me, but I read it more for its universal appeal as a coming-of-age story.
It's lovely, and incredibly imaginative. Not as imaginative as, say, Ray Bradbury (who is??), but definitely as good as Roald Dahl or J.K. Rowling.
I loved the young protagonist here, Nobody Owens. . . and I found that Neil really knows how to embody his characters. Not one of them felt false in action or speech.
It is a fantastical book, but if you lack imagination, it may not be for you.
Personally, I rejoice whenever anyone, anywhere, picks up the technicolor dreamcoat and tries it on for size.
Come, all ye dream makers, visionaries, conjurors. . .
Our black and white world is starved for your color.
People want to forget the impossible. It makes their world safer.
(And, by the way, Neil. . . THANK YOU, OH, THANK YOU, for referring to Nobody's parents as his adoptive parents ONLY ONCE. I can tell you know that calling someone 鈥渁dopted/adoptive鈥� over and over again is painful and invalidating. Your REAL parents are the ones who love you and raise you. AMEN).
I was in awe of their devotion, and I felt like an imposter, too. I'd never read anything of Neil's, other than an illustrated picture book for kids, and if these thirty-something fans only knew that I had a scored a rare ticket to his sold-out show. . . I'm sure they'd have pulled their wands out from their cloaks and performed the Cruciatus curse on me.
Neil's fans are primarily what I'd call the 鈥淗arry Potter kids.鈥� Meaning, the kids who were the perfect ages (somewhere between 10 and 17) when Harry Potter emerged like a lightning bolt on the juvenile fiction scene.
I was at least 10 years older than most members of the audience, but little did those kids know that I was a young mom with my first baby when Harry debuted in 1997 and I not only read every book in the series, I attended every midnight release of them, too (in a witch's hat, no less).
So. . . I'm not exactly far fetched in terms of my potential as a fan.
But, as of last week, I didn't have an opinion about his fiction.
This week I introduced myself, properly, to Neil, by reading his 2008 Young Adult fiction, The Graveyard Book. It just so happens to be a Newberry winner, so it obviously impressed someone beyond me, but I read it more for its universal appeal as a coming-of-age story.
It's lovely, and incredibly imaginative. Not as imaginative as, say, Ray Bradbury (who is??), but definitely as good as Roald Dahl or J.K. Rowling.
I loved the young protagonist here, Nobody Owens. . . and I found that Neil really knows how to embody his characters. Not one of them felt false in action or speech.
It is a fantastical book, but if you lack imagination, it may not be for you.
Personally, I rejoice whenever anyone, anywhere, picks up the technicolor dreamcoat and tries it on for size.
Come, all ye dream makers, visionaries, conjurors. . .
Our black and white world is starved for your color.
People want to forget the impossible. It makes their world safer.
(And, by the way, Neil. . . THANK YOU, OH, THANK YOU, for referring to Nobody's parents as his adoptive parents ONLY ONCE. I can tell you know that calling someone 鈥渁dopted/adoptive鈥� over and over again is painful and invalidating. Your REAL parents are the ones who love you and raise you. AMEN).
November 3, 2023
Neil Gaiman never ceases to amaze and inspire!
September 1, 2021
This book was awesome. My favorite Gaiman so far without a doubt. He truly works magic in his books and his imagination is vast and well, takes you to another world! I'm not sure if i'm going to review this one, depends on whether I'm going to have time later. But if didn't particularly like American Gods like me (it was meh), you should definitely give this book a chance, it's so much better! I bought Ocean at the end of the Day immediately when I finished this one..
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