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The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaima

Cannonball Read / Mr. Vlach

Book Reviews | June 9, 2009 | Comments (25)

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman was this year’s winner of the Newbery Medal, the prestigious award given to children’s literature. As I started reading it, I wasn’t really enjoying it, but then I got to the beautifully written chapter in the middle entitled “The Danse Macabre,” and the ending really tied the story together.

The main plot of the book follows Nobody Owens, who goes by the name Bod. Bod lived with his parents and sister until they were brutally attacked and killed when he was a baby. He managed to elude the killer and escape to the local graveyard where the ghosts agree to take him in and give him sanctuary. As Bod grows older, he interacts with a fascinating mix of characters from various time periods, including the bizarre Miss Lupescu, the witch Liza, and Silas, his guardian and protector. All of the residents of the graveyard are fiercely protective of Bod, especially when he reencounters the man who murdered his family when he was so young.

The Graveyard Book is a beautifully written fantasy story, but this was especially exemplified in Chapter Five, “The Danse Macabre.” This chapter describes a special occasion in which all of the townspeople gather in the town square to dance with the ghosts of the cemetery, then the memory quickly fades for the people when the evening is over. Gaiman does an incredible job infusing this scene with the details of the movements and music, helping me to create a spectacular picture in my mind as I read it.

The Graveyard Book is definitely a title that would appeal to adults as well as children. It is darker than Coraline, and may not be appropriate for younger children, but would be recommended for fans of fantasy.

This review is part of the Cannonball Read series. For more of Mr. Vlach’s reviews, check out his website, The Luminous Reader.


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Comments

Gaima? Seriously?

Posted by: redfeathers at June 9, 2009 9:10 AM

Get Serious and break out Sandman. You won't regret it.

Posted by: Fantasysage at June 9, 2009 9:12 AM

Sounds a lot like...um...Harry Potter.

Posted by: AM at June 9, 2009 9:14 AM

Get Serious and break out Sandman. You won't regret it.

Posted by: Fantasysage at June 9, 2009 9:12 AM

I just recently "broke out" Sandman. It was one of the last "great" comic series that I hadn't gotten around to reading. I bought the first trade papberack a while ago. I read it and liked it and then stumbled upon the next 5 at the local Borders, which was closing, and scooped them up at 40% off.

I've now read the first 6 trades and have loved it. The last 5 are on there way. Some great stuff.

Posted by: Forbiddendonut at June 9, 2009 9:18 AM

Forbiddendonut: Just so damn expensive!

Posted by: Fantasysage at June 9, 2009 9:22 AM

AM: Actually it's more like The Jungle Book than Harry Potter.

Truly excellent and enchanting book. One of the few times I found myself wishing the book was 3 times as long. I would love to get a full length sequel that focusses on Silas and what was going on outside of the cemetary that the book only hints at.

Posted by: TylerDFC at June 9, 2009 9:45 AM

Forbiddendonut: Just so damn expensive!

Posted by: Fantasysage at June 9, 2009 9:22 AM

Yes. It hasn't been cheap, but I really don't buy too much stuff, so that's how I rationalize it. Coming across that 40% discount at Borders was amazing. It was a comics bonanza. I called Mrs. Donut and geefully informed her about the 40% off deal and that I had just saved $80 on comic books! Unfortunately, she's very good at math and quickly figured out how much her 35 year old husband had just spent on comic books.

Posted by: Forbiddendonut at June 9, 2009 10:09 AM

Neil has said pretty often that parents are more afraid of his childrens' books than the actual kids are, because adults tend to think that anything that is marginally frightening to them will be terrifying to kids, but the young ones are a tougher lot than you think.

Posted by: Tim at June 9, 2009 10:20 AM

I bought this book for my hubby, who loves a good ghost story. It's nothing like Harry Potter. It's more of a long short story, a la Dicken's "A Christmas Carol." We both really enjoyed this book.

Posted by: BWeaves at June 9, 2009 10:39 AM

AM I have to agree, how can you compare a ...Gaiman...to the shite that is Potter? Rowling couldnt write like Gaiman with a decade of intesive training, while on LSD to stimulate the creative impulses.

plus, without getting too snipey, how does the plot of The Graveyard Book (which Gaiman has said himself is based on The Jungle Book) conjure any comparison to Harry Potter? I mean if any thing, ROwling ripped her story off the Jungle Book(not to mention about ten million other stories I can think of not least of all a comic that appeard 2000 AD about a glasses wearing, lightning scarred young wizard who grew up oblivious to his status as a veritable messiah to the wizarding world)

Ahem, I apologise, I just get incredibly protective of Gaiman, who is an undeniable genius, when someone even mentions JK Roles In Shit in the same sentence.

I'll go and...drink less coffee now

Posted by: Nadine at June 9, 2009 10:46 AM

I love Harry Potter. I like Neil Gaiman. It's not shit, Nadine. It's just different.

Posted by: BWeaves at June 9, 2009 11:26 AM

B, politely, this is one of those times I have to state my opinion without giving an inch =( I'm not going to go on and on and cause friction, but it is my opinion that Harry Potter is tripe and Rowling is the worst thing to happen to literature, ever. I will give her her dues for getting so many kids reading again, but that doesn't mean she's any good.

And with that I am done on the subject and off to read more Gaiman

Posted by: Nadine at June 9, 2009 11:51 AM

Nadine: We agree to disagree. Nothing wrong with that. I need to read more Gaiman, too.

Posted by: BWeaves at June 9, 2009 12:01 PM

Maybe Ben'll show up and talk shit too.

Posted by: Jay at June 9, 2009 12:07 PM

"I will give her her dues for getting so many kids reading again, but that doesn't mean she's any good."

I say the same thing about Rowles and that Mormon who wrote Twilight but if children's reading never evolves beyond that it's pretty useless anyway.

Posted by: barf at June 9, 2009 12:19 PM

This looks interesting, but I really only dropped by to glare at Nadine and mumble incantations under my breath.


avdkdvr

Okay done.

That said, Neil Gaiman is the cat's smoking jacket.

Posted by: Sweetie Dahling at June 9, 2009 12:26 PM

I don't like Gaiman that much, based purely on Anansi Boys, which I thought was trying so hard to be amusing but just WASN'T. But my remark is based only on the idea of a kid whose parents were murdered being initiated into/raised in some sort of hidden world by protective adults...and witches.

Also: "All of the residents of the graveyard [Hogwarts] are fiercely protective of Bod [Harry], especially when he reencounters the man [Voldemort] who murdered his family when he was so young."

Agreed, Harry Potter is also derivative of The Jungle Book.

I'm not saying J.K. Rowling is a great author. But it doesn't sound like Neil Gaiman is that much more creative, as far as inventing plots goes.

Posted by: AM at June 9, 2009 12:41 PM

Rowling is the worst thing to happen to literature, ever.

Bite thy tongue. Nadine, allow me to introduce you to Ms. Stephenie Meyers...

Posted by: figgy at June 9, 2009 1:31 PM

Nadine, I admire you, I really do. I adore both Harry Potter and Neil Gaiman, but it's true, sometimes you just need to stick to your guns and ignore popular opinion.

However, I have to ask: worst thing to happen to literature? Seriously? Have you by chance ever come within four feet of a little nuclear waste pile of non-biodegradable cum stained garbage I like to call "Nicholas motherfucking goddamn assface talentless hack butt-nugget Sparks"???

Or even Twilight?

Just out of curiosity.

Posted by: dsbs at June 9, 2009 2:00 PM

but if children's reading never evolves beyond that it's pretty useless anyway.

barfolomew, I couldn't have put it any better. At least they've started reading, but they do need to set the stage for more challenging and worthwhile material.

Posted by: lordhelmet at June 9, 2009 4:28 PM

I also submit James Patterson for consideration for Biggest Insults to Literature who rank LOWER than JK Rowling. And I second Sparks' nomination.

Posted by: figgy at June 9, 2009 6:47 PM

I hate him so much.

Posted by: dsbs at June 9, 2009 7:36 PM

No, it's nothing like Harry Potter.

I read this after I read Coraline and I loved it. Now I have his earlier collection of stories called M is for Magic and I can't wait to dive in.

Neil and I are friends!*

*On goodreads.com. Where he seems to friend everyone, but whatever.

Posted by: Snuggiepants the Deathbringer at June 9, 2009 8:16 PM

My dearest Pajibans, I read the first few Potter books before I realised just how much I hated them. Twilight, my sister read, and literally banned me from reading. She said it would break my brain.

dsbs, I just googled Nicholas Sparks, got a look at some of the books he's written. Hoooomygod. That sort of shlocky, tripy, heartwrenching shite has never been my cup of tea, I've always been a King/Koontz/Layman/Gaiman/Pratchett/Carey kind of a gal. The only books that have made me cry, where by these people.

Gawd I love talking books with you guys, its like you all and my BF are extensions of my brain, in a good way =)

Also, I do apologise if anyone takes offence to my hatred of Potter, I have nothing against people who like the books, just the books and FuckingRowling themselves. Hell my sister loves the books. Loves them. She's read the last one about ten billion times.
I cant get her to like Gaiman. Go figure.

Posted by: Nadine at June 10, 2009 4:09 AM

D'Oh, Patterson, god what a HACK! Except for that book he wrote about people with wings. Not the hokey Juvenile Fiction series he turned it into, but the original book with the vet and FBI agent and all sorts of insane shit, including KIDS WITH WINGS LIKE BIRDS.

Barf, I agree, My kid brother read Potter but he's moving on to way, way better books, inclucing Gaiman, Pratchett and more, but yeah, way too many parents are proud that their kids have read all of the Harry Potter books but seem not to realise that this isn't really a huge achievment in terms of literacy and to be really proud they should encourage their kids to expand their literary horizons. I'll give any book a try, (barring Twilight. My sister genuinely threatened me) but too many kids are like 'I read Potter, thats all I ever need'

Try Peter Pan! Treasure Island! Some of the classics!!Or, if they want smart fantasy, yeah, Gaiman, or Pratchetts kids books, or the round the twist series which forking rawked my face off when I was young. They should bring back RL Stine and Goosebumps, kids today aren't scared enough, bring them back and make them horrifically disturbing....yeah..

Posted by: Nadine at June 10, 2009 4:17 AM