The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.79 You Save: $10.20 (57%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.00 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Graveyard Book
Book Review: Richie's Picks: THE GRAVEYARD BOOK
Summary: 5 Stars
"The man Jack paused on the landing. With his left hand he pulled a large white handkerchief from the pocket of his black coat, and with it he wiped off the knife and his gloved right hand which had been holding it; then he put the handkerchief away. The hunt was almost over, He had left the woman in her bed, the man on the bedroom floor, the older child in her brightly colored bedroom, surrounded by toys and half-finished models. That only left the little one, a baby barely a toddler, to take care of. One more and his task would be done."
But it is an unusually adventuresome toddler who, having been awakened by the noise downstairs and seeking release from the boredom of cribdom, has already succeeded in escaping both his crib and the house (through the door that the man Jack has left slightly ajar). Toddling up the hill through the thinning fog, the toddler squeezes between iron bars into an old graveyard. And even though the man Jack tracks the toddler to the graveyard, the killer fails in his final task due to the intervention of the ethereal inhabitants of the graveyard. Led by the Owens couple (who have been married in life and death for more than 250 years), those who call this place home decide to become protectors, teachers, friends, and surrogate parents to the child, and to provide him the "Freedom of the Graveyard." "'It is going to take more than just a couple of good-hearted souls to raise this child. It will,' said Silas, 'take a graveyard.'"
These good-hearted souls also decide to name him Nobody Owens, Bod for short.
"Rattle his bones
Over the stones
It's only a pauper
Who nobody owns" (epigraph)
Considering that our introduction to the toddler includes details of his resourcefully pulling a teddy bear into the corner of the crib in order to scale its high sides, his experiencing a fortuitously soft landing upon falling to the floor, and his skillfully navigating the stairs on his way out of the house, it is not surprising to see Bod grow into a bright and equally adventurous little kid who never hesitates to venture wherever he feels inclined to do so -- and is all too successful in achieving his desires. Fortunately, he has the support system of the many graveyard inhabitants so that he repeatedly experiences relatively soft landings.
"He decided not to tell anyone what he was planning, on the not entirely unreasonable basis that they would have told him not to do it."
But which will be the more dangerous expeditions for Bod? Those that take him from the sanctuary of the graveyard to hellish places where no living human has gone before, or those that take him from the graveyard into the world of living humans?
And what of the man Jack who continues to seek his prey?
Being that THE GRAVEYARD BOOK has been available for months, that Neil Gaiman has done a world tour promoting the book (Check him out on Youtube.), that the book has spent months on the NYT Bestseller List, and that there are scores of online discussions regarding the book's many allusions and references, there might well seem little need for my rhapsodizing about it.
But I cannot help myself. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK is just too sweet and exciting a read for me to keep quiet about. The day I spent reading it (I ate it all in one sitting.) has been a highlight of my holidays. And when my spring Nubian goat kids are born, I will be naming the firstborn male after Nobody Owens.
What makes it so great?
Once again, as with my favorite fantasy characters from years past, a young hero filled with goodness who cares about his relationships, uses his knowledge and gifts to battle evil and stand up for the little guy rather than for the sake of gaining power. The graveyard makes for a unique setting. The cast of quirky dead (and undead) characters who raise the child are funny and charming. There is a wealth of danger and adventure and humor.
"It was like every dream of falling he had ever had, a scared and frantic drop through space, as he headed towards the ground below. Bod felt as though his mind was only big enough for one huge thought, so, That big dog was actually Miss Lupescu, and, I'm going to hit the rock floor and splat, competed in his head for occupation."
Book Review: from [...]
Summary: 4 Stars
If you somehow missed the big news, this book was the 2009 winner of the Newberry Award for "the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." This was a big deal in the world of children's literature for two reasons. (1) A lot of readers really liked this book (and Gaiman in general) before the awards were announced and (2) unlike past winners this book appeals just as strongly to adult readers as to children (I acknowledge this point is debatable).
To save readers some of the embarrassment I had upon finally realizing as much, I will say right now that Neil Gaiman's novel (with illustrations by Dave McKean) The Graveyard Book (2008) is a riff on Rudyard Kipling's classic The Jungle Book.
If things had gone differently, Nobody Owens might have had a normal life. Things, however, did not go that way and now Bod is a normal boy leading a life very far from what most people would call normal.
When the man Jack killed his family, Bod managed to escape and found sanctuary in a graveyard where he was adopted by two ghosts--the only parents he's ever known. The Owenses raise Bod as their son in the graveyard with the help of Silas, the boy's corporeal guardian who is neither living or dead. As he grows older, Bod views the graveyard as his home; its residents become his mentors and friends.
The graveyard is a wonderful place for someone who has free reign and knows no fear of ghosts, but the world is bigger than one graveyard. And somewhere out in that big world is the man Jack. Still waiting for his chance to reunite Bod with his first, long dead, family.
The illustrations in The Graveyard Book when the first page revealed not the expected page of text but dramatic white-on-black text and the stunning first line of the novel:
There was a hand in the darkness and it held a knife.
This blend of the unexpected and the sensational in the first page largely sets the tone for the rest of the book with its unique content both in written and illustrated form. Although the illustrations take a backseat for the middle part of the novel, they are also likely to entice readers more commonly comfortable with graphic novels.
I read this book after the Newberry was announced and after hearing a significant amount of praise for the it. I also read it after already knowing that The Jungle Book (in the form of the Disney movie to be fair) was not one of my all-time favorite stories. All of which might explain why, although I can see why so many people love this book so much, I merely liked it.
In the acknowledgments section at the end of the book, Gaiman reveals that he started writing The Graveyard Book with chapter four (The Witch's Headstone) which goes a long way to explain why the story felt more like a collection of related short stories than a novel. For the same reason, the ending seemed to come together quickly and, in some ways, without a connection to the rest of the story (I want to explain further but I can't because it is a giant spoiler). Another difficulty I had with this book, and it's been happening to me a lot, is that the story did not end the way I wanted. I am trying to make my peace with that.
That said, this is a rare book that--provided you can put aside your qualms--will appeal to almost everyone. Bod is a great character boys can identify with in this coming-of-age story that never once gets too sappy for boys (or too gory for girls). There is action, adventure, humor, and really good writing. The illustrations are sure to entice reluctant readers. On top of that, there is Silas. One day I will compile a list of the greatest non-protagonist characters in literature and Silas will be near the top of that list.
Jacket praise for The Graveyard Book suggested that readers would want to see more of Bod and his graveyard retinue. While I greatly enjoyed parts of this story (especially chapter four), I disagree. The ending was not the one I wanted, but it was a perfect place to leave Bod and the rest of the characters--a perfect blend of closure and open-endedness.
Book Review: Pale Ghost of Mowgli
Summary: 3 Stars
"The Graveyard Book" is inspired by stories in Kipling's two JUNGLE BOOKS. Kipling's stories mostly concerned Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves (and other animals) in the jungle. These concern Bod, a "live boy", raised by ghosts (and other monsters) in a graveyard. The result is series of 8 tales, containing some rather effective moments of borrowed magic, which have been rather loosely stitched togother in a very weak overall story arc, wherein the whole is less than the sum of its parts.
Each of the 8 tales here can be tied to a counter-part story in the JUNGLE BOOKS (usually but not always a Mowgli tale), upon which it is (often very loosely) based. For those who enjoyed these stories, and may be interested in comparing the originals, they are as follows:
1. "How Nobody Came to the Graveyard" is inspired by "Mowgli's
Brothers". In each, an infant child is hunted by a deadly killer, but falls under the protection of an unusual set of foster parents....
2. "A New Friend" is inspired by "Quiquern". In each, a boy who claims he can see spirits undertakes a dark and perilous journey. A girl, though she cannot see what he sees, trusts him and joins him. Toward the end, she also sees a "spirit"....
3. "The Hounds of God" is inspired by "Kaa's Hunting". In each, a boy, frustrated with his teacher's lessons, allows himself to be befriended by self-important, chattering simian villains. Swinging by their arms, they carry the boy on an airborne journey to their hidden city. But the boy manages to send a flying messenger to his teacher....
4. "The Witch's Headstone" is inspired by "The Kings Ankus". In each, a boy finds a secret forgotten underground chamber, still guarded by an ancient serpentine creature. Ignoring the impotent guardian, the boy takes a valuable treasure. But the treasure brings only violence and tragedy to those who possess it....
5. "Nobody Owen's School Days" is inspired by "Tiger, Tiger" and its follow-up story "Letting in the Jungle". In each, our boy hero returns briefly to his own kind, but then seeks to inflict terrible vengeance upon humans for their acts of injustice....
6. "Danse Macabre" is inspired by "Toomai of the Elephants". In each, a boy hears rumors of a legendary dance, about which the participants do not speak....
7. "Every Man Jack" is inspired by "Red Dog". In each, a boy tries to help defeat a pack of vicious killers by luring them into a series of traps, while a climactic battle looms....
8. "Leavings and Partings" is inspired by the last Mowgli tale, "The Spring Running".
One of the problems is that, while Gaiman draws much inspiration from Kipling, resulting in genuinely effective moments, he never truly develops these sufficiently to make them his own. Events often occur, and characters often behave for reasons that made sense only in the originals. For instance, the girl's behavior in "A New Friend" just doesn't ring true.
The stories are often so pale in comparison with the originals that the reader often wishes the author had followed Kipling more closely. One early typical example: Kipling's Monkey-Folk fought like demons when their city was invaded, resulting in a deadly climactic battle. Gaiman's monkey-like ghouls flee like rabbits when faced with a similar threat, resuling in anticlimax. Other reviewers have complained about anti-climactic ending in "Every Man Jack"; and I have nothing to add, except to urge you to compare the climax in Kipling's "Red Dog".
Dispite his apparent distaste for violence, Gaiman still displays a disturbing indifference to morality, as judged by his too-sympathetic portrayal of the ghost of Liz Hempstock, a witch who protests her death by retaliating with the vengeful, spiteful mass murder of an entire community. Are we really supposed to like this evil person?
Book Review: I'm Torn! Loved the book, hated the last chapter.
Summary: 4 Stars
"Torn. That's probably the best way to sum up how I feel about this book. After reading multiple reviews, primarily positive, I felt I had to give it a shot. Also, with the added benefit of being able to add it to my reviews for the 'A World of Awards' feature for the Newbery Award, I thought why not? But now I'm not so sure. Let me just say this, if I could leave out the last chapter there wouldn't be a question, it was great! But there it is, the LAST CHAPTER. It had me balling through every last page and wishing beyond hope that it wasn't so. I won't say more about it than that, because I won't spoil it, but I'm almost wishing there was a next book.
"Sticking with the first seven chapters of the book I'll give some honest thoughts. In the first chapter Gaiman grabs your attention right away and it's almost hard to believe a story could begin in such a way, but it's so original. To even imagine that a small child would survive an attack from someone I initially considered to possibly be Jack the Ripper, crazy. Your heart breaks in almost the very first two or three pages, but quickly is healed by some very incredible moments ahead. I also held my breathe a lot during those first few pages, just hoping that things would go well and they do. Really, they have to or there wouldn't be much of a story.
"Every person involved in the undertaking of raising a mortal child in the graveyard is unique and has a history that spans not only decades but centuries. There are ghosts, ghouls, werewolves, vampires, witches, plain old every day human beings, and of course The Jacks. My favorite character by far would have to be Silas, Nobody's guardian and maybe that's because (as it's been hinted by Neil himself) he's a vampire. I love a good vampire character, always have (long before the sparkly versions in today's books came to be). It's the mystery and elusiveness that he brings to the scenes. Always just enough, but not too much. But truly all of the characters are wonderful and it's neat to see how Bod interacts with each of them.
"There is a scene where Silas and Bod are talking about the unconsecrated section of the graveyard, where the 'bad' people are buried. At the time Bod is only eight years old, but asks a question about people who commit suicide:
'Does it work? Are they happier?'
"And Silas responds by saying something so poignant that it affects me even now:
'Sometimes. Mostly, no. It's like the people who believe they'll be happy if they go and live somewhere else, but who learn it doesn't work that way. Wherever you go, you take yourself with you. If you see what I mean.' p.104
"In these simple sentences something that I have struggled with for some time was worked out and I have an even deeper peace about something I could do nothing to prevent. It seems silly to me that a simple middle grade fiction book could do this for me, but it did.
"This is a story for someone looking for a little mystery, a bit of adventure and even (believe it or not) some romance. There are silly parts and deep parts depending on what you chose to get out of it. What I liked best about it is that I could really see a young boy getting into it. I'm positive that it's because of The Turkeybird, I'm always on the lookout for books I want him to try out when he's a bit older and this is definitely one of them. Even with the ending how it is, I look forward to talking with him about the results and how it affects his own life and relationships.
"There are a few slow parts, but for the most part it's a quick read that will entertain many. I'm still torn about it, but I'm still recommending it. It's a book that with time will grow on me I'm sure, but for now has me thinking."
The1stdaughter Recommends: Age 10 and up, especially for boys, but not only.
Book Review: Gaiman Strikes Again
Summary: 4 Stars
Take Rudyard Kipling's classic Jungle Book stories, and replace the jungle with a misty English cemetery. In essence, this is the concept behind Neil Gaiman's latest, The Graveyard Book, a young-adult "novel-in-stories" that mostly succeeds as a supernatural, macabre coming-of-age tale in the vein of Gaiman's classic Coraline. Graveyard is not Gaiman at his best, but it is Gaiman nonetheless, and it sure beats that god-awful InterWorld mess that he "co-authored" a couple years ago with a hack.
An infant's family is murdered by a mysterious figure, but the baby manages to escape by wandering across the street to the eponymous graveyard. The newly-formed ghosts of his parents beg the inhabitants of the graveyard to watch and protect their son. Mr. and Mrs. Owens, dead for a century or more, agree. A community of ghosts, ranging from murdered Roman politicians to convicted witches, decides to raise the child and christens him Nobody, since "he looks like nobody but himself." To borrow another line from Silas, "it takes a graveyard to raise a child."
Each chapter is meant to stand alone as a short story, following Nobody Owens--Bod for short--on journeys where he inevitably gets into trouble and encounters characters from the established mythology of Horror, each with a Gaiman-esque twist. My favorite character is Bod's guardian (his Bagheera?), the tight-lipped, stoic Silas, whose implicit nature I won't reveal here. One of the book's early joys is trying to figure him out from Gaiman's hints.
Some chapters work better than others. Specifically, The Hounds of God, which takes Bod to a ghoulish netherworld, felt out of place and tangential. The chapter-as-story model works modestly well, but only when there is a narrative arc to tie them together. I found the completely "stand-alone" chapters a little hard to get through.
Unfortunately, Bod isn't quite as compelling as Gaiman's other young-adult hero, Coraline. Where Bod uses tricks and powers gained from his ghostly upbringing, Coraline's intelligence and bravery were more fun to read. And the archetypal Other Mother was a more frightening, fulfilling villain than Graveyard's lifeless, professional Jack, whose muddled motives are only revealed in the final chapter in a "Wait...really? That's it?" moment.
Stylistically, Gaimain is a little off the mark here as well. He's usually fluid and articulate, but Graveyard is full of awkward phrasing and stilted language during action sequences. I almost wondered if Gaiman rushed this one to print.
But there are characters and moments that shine. The Lady in Grey, Gaiman's angel of death, will take your breath away, and the guardian Silas' every appearance made me giddy. The Danse Macabre passage is hauntingly, lyrically beautiful as the living commune with the dead. There is an ancient subterranean tomb filled with pagan, pre-Celtic treasure and horror that is one of the book's best mysteries. Throughout, the atmosphere drips with Gaiman's special brand of darkness and wit.
Conclusion: I would've loved Graveyard when I was 9-12 years old. Gaiman creates a fascinating, creepy world that kept me coming back for more. But as an adult reader, the narrative falls short. My appetites as a reader simply weren't fulfilled in the end (sequel?). Still, Gaiman is Gaiman, and The Graveyard Book is a fun way to spend a dark, chilly night. Pick this up a week before Halloween and read a chapter a night! And then watch A Nightmare Before Christmas to top it off.
(See other reviews on my blog, mounthelicon.blogspot.com)