Book – The graveyard book

Book – The graveyard book

Author: Neil Gaiman

Score: 10/10

Year: 2009

Publisher: Bloombury

ISBN 978-0-7475-9480-2

Pages 289 

Language: English

19th book in my goodreads challenge for 2017, The graveyard book is perfect for Halloween season as it tells of Bod Owens, whose circumstances bring him to live a privileged life, in a graveyard. 

I love that Neil Gaiman doesn't talk down to his readers, even the young adults targeted here. 

This book is full of humour, both macabre and what I'll say "regular, with Neil Gaiman's cheekiness", with phrases such as "that people are more important than Brussels sprouts" and many other funny moments in Bod's life. 

In this fantasy novel, at the back of a crime, I interpret the tale as that of living as an outsider, only understood and accepted by other marginal people in society, represented here through Bod's friends. As the chapters progress, he grows up, and learns of the world around him, I'd also add a coming of age dimension to it.  

The wording is deliberate, often changing phrasing to describe the same person, and thus avoiding repetitious terms, which is always a refreshing and one of the best of Gaiman's writing strengths. 

I enjoyed the novel quite a bit and got attached to the characters, and was sad that it wasn't a longer novel.

There are interesting choices in character's names, some surreal elements and a lot of imagination, and a quite a bit of action. Never dull. 

This edition has Chris Riddel's illustrations before each chapter, while the other edition and presented thusly