The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Bod is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place-he'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 timely ghostly teachings-like the ability to Fade.

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 things like ghouls that aren't really one thing or the other.

This chilling tale is Neil Gaiman's first full-length novel for middle-grade readers since the internationally bestselling and universally acclaimed Coraline. Like Coraline, this book is sure to enchant and surprise young readers as well as Neil Gaiman's legion of adult fans.

Well, I finished it! I didn't think I was going to because my day off was busier than I had expected, but I just read the final page and decided I would review it before heading to bed. To all that is waiting for this book, I think it is worth it. I am not the biggest Gaiman fan in the world. I have liked several of his books, but at the same time, I don't get as excited as many people when he has a new one out. I still have books by him on TBR pile, actually. That being said, I really liked this book! It is the perfect book for me because it expands on a short story that I loved in one of Gaiman's collections. The problem I have with short stories is that they don't tell me everything I want to know, so I am very happy to see that this book does in fact expand on the story.

This is the story of Nobody Owens. A young boy who has found himself wanted dead by some very powerful men. On the night that he is supposed to die, though, he cannot be found. He has wandered out the door and arrived at a nearby graveyard. This graveyard will be his home for the next several years. It's a fun idea. I like graveyards. I have been known to explore them when the opportunity presents themselves, so this was a fun setting for the book. It also allows many different people to interact in one place and it work well together. Bod, as he is called, is raised by a couple that always wanted children when they were alive and now, with the The Protection of the Graveyard, they have their chance while dead. Bod grows up in very unusual circumstances, that is for sure!

There are so many wonderful scenes in this book. So many characters that I loved. I didn't necessarily love every word, but there was so much that I did love that I hardly noticed when the story slowed down. This has officially became one of my favourite Neil Gaiman books and, also, one of my favourite young adult novels. I would love to share all my favourite parts, but I know that a lot of people are looking forward to this book, so I won't take the chance of ruining anything for them.

I will just conclude by saying that I recommend this book!