Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a perfectly normal boy. Apart from the fact that he lives in a graveyard and is being raised and educated by ghosts, and his guardian belongs to neither the world of the living nor the dead.
There are dangers and adventures for Bod in the graveyard: the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer; a gravestone entrance to a desert that leads to the city of ghouls; friendship with a witch; and so much more.
But it is in the land of the living that the real dangers lurk, for it is there that the man Jack lives and he has already killed Bod's family.
THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman
Genre: YA Fantasy Fiction, Paranormal > Ghost Story
Published: 2008
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐
The Graveyard Book follows Bod's obscure childhood in the sanctuary of the graveyard, exploring and learning from each of the ghosts residing there who contribute to raising him.
His coming to live amongst the dead is the result of a brutal local murder of which his parents and older sister were victims. Just a baby at the time, Bod managed to slip free and crawl through the bars of the graveyard on the hill where he was discovered by Mr and Mistress Owens, long deceased, knowing that the time had passed for them to have a child. Bod became their living son.
Of all the Neil Gaiman books I've read, I have to say upfront that although this was a clever concept, it wasn't my favourite of his books. I couldn't help but compare it to Coraline due to it's similarities in tone, genre and target audience, which I was thoroughly gripped by, even reading it as an adult. There was just something more convincing in the characters that kept me intrigued.
My moments of intrigue throughout The Graveyard Book were plentiful, but burned briefly. The scenes were built up in suspense, then resolved too quickly for my liking. I craved more detail and explanation that would have given a new layer of complexity to the story and characters. I kept expecting it on the next page, and then feeling disappointed.
For example, I would have loved a more detailed explanation for why some ghosts can go amongst the living. We're given the impression that they're different, but the explanation was inadequate and not at all along the lines I expected. Whilst I can appreciate the author leaving this ambiguous to preserve the characters aloof nature and mystery, I'm a reader who can't stand to be left in suspense, and with questions unanswered. If anything I have more questions now.
I also thought the characters were a tad vague, even Bod. Normally when I read a book I find myself drawn to particular characters, routing for others, hating some even, but the only character I was intrigued by was the man Jack who's appearance on the first page was sinister, and cast shadows through the book. By the end however, I felt deflated by his involvement. I desperately wanted more information on the Jack of all Trade Society.
However, having said all this, the thing that I can never deny Neil Gaiman is that he is an incredible world builder. The setting of this book was was spot on, and there were moments I swear I could feel the damp of the tombstones surrounding me. I felt that I knew every inch of the graveyard as well as Bod did himself. In this way the graveyard was the most defined and fleshed out character, despite the fact that it was filled with bones. I enjoyed the sense of community from the dead, and the way the banded together to take care of Bod and to defend him, even if they could only do so from inside the graveyard fence. I could picture the ghoul-gate entrance and their parasitic city on the other side, and I wanted to read more. The descriptions of the crypts, and the Sleer lurking in the darkness, and the quirky tombstones were all so atmospheric.
Thomas Pennyworth
(here he lyes in the certainty of the moft glorious refurrection)
Overall, this was a unique ghost story to set aside for spooky season, especially if you're one for paranormal genres with softer edges.
I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts on The Graveyard Book. Please leave a comment below if you've read it, or if you plan to!
Zuzu 🖋
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