Friday, September 26, 2008

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!

10 comments:

  1. I'm so glad you enjoyed it so much :D

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  2. It sucks you have to wait so long to get your copy! I would offer to send you my copy but I don't think it would get there any quicker!

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  3. It really wouldn't, but thanks for the thought anyway! I'm wondering if maybe there's something wrong with the Amazon estimate. I pre-ordered Terry Pratchett's Nation earlier this month and I got my copy the day it was released. They're normally so efficient with these things. Ah well, I'll try to just forget about it until it gets here. It's not like I don't have piles of books to keep me busy until then anyway :P

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  4. I think I have heard a couple other people mention really off dates for their Amazon shipments, so that might be all that it is. Let's hope!

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  5. I'm not really a big Neil Gaiman fan, either. He's kind of give or take, I've found. If you like this one, I'll have to look for it.

    About Amazon . . . I've had a terrible time with them. In my case, though, I always go for the free shipping and apparently they put you at the end of the queue if you use free shipping. So, the shipping estimate is worthless. The last three times I attempted to order something that was "in stock, ships within 24 hours", I gave up after they hadn't even shipped my books after 3 weeks. So, I haven't ordered from them in at least a year. Nothing was ever showing up, anyway. After 3 weeks, if they haven't shipped I just cancel and order from someone else.

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  6. ok...I'm jealous that you got this early! But I'm super excited after reading your review...it sounds great!

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  7. I can not wait to read this book!! I'm so jealous you already have a copy!

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  8. How in the world have you gotten to read this before me? Ah, life is so unfair. Ha, just kidding! I am especially glad to hear that you enjoyed this since you are one of the people in my life that for some unfathomable reason doesn't recognize that Neil Gaiman is a writing god! ;) I'm certainly looking forward to snagging a copy on Tuesday. I ordered the collectible version for Subterranean but there is no way I'm waiting for that one to be published before I read this book. Come Tuesday all will be laid aside to enjoy this story.

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  9. Anonymous4:35 PM

    I just read Coraline and really nejoyed it so am looking forward to this coming out. Yours is the first review I have seen but it seems like everyone in the bloging world has this preordered except me so I expect to read lots more soon about it soon.

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  10. Sounds like a good read. I've had my first so-so experience with Gaiman, but I might have to pick this one up once the library gets a copy.

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