The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The blurb: When a baby escapes a murderer intent on killing the entire family, who would have thought it would find safety and security in the local graveyard?
Brought up by the resident ghosts, ghouls and spectres, Bod has an eccentric childhood learning about life from the dead. But for Bod there is also the danger of the murderer still looking for him – after all, he is the last remaining member of the family.
A stunningly original novel deftly constructed over eight chapters, featuring every second year of Bod’s life, from babyhood to adolescence. Will Bod survive to be a man?
My review: This book has been on my list of books to read since it came out in hardback – and since the paperback has been around since October that is some time. I don’t know why I kept putting it off, it was an absolute pleasure.
The Graveyard Book has a motley collection of characters, eccentric ghosts, reclusive vampires, deadly assassins and Bod, formely Nobody Owens the only ‘living’ person to reside in a graveyard, having the freedom of the graveyard he gets along just fine and this book is packed full of his adventures.
I loved every page of this book – it reminded me strongly of Steward & Riddell’s The Edge Chronicles but that may be because the illustrious illustrator has put his mark on this book too (and both have impulsive, young hero’s). Hugely inventive, Gaiman’s imagination has no bounds and takes the reader to the depths of possibility and beyond. A must read for anyone who loves fairytales, the peculiar or just a really gripping story.
Buy it now and read it immediately!
8.5 stars out of 10! ********.5
