Name: The Graveyard Book
Rating: 4.127570694087404 (778 reviews)
ISBN: 9780061709128

Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book

I was looking for a "universal book" recommendation, something that is.. light and heartwarming; a book that I can give as a gift to just anyone, regardless of its genre. I saw people recommending this book, so I gave it a try. I'm glad I did. But I'm not sure if it fits the "books-for-celebration" theme I was supposed to look for..

It's really unlike anything I've read before—most likely because there were a lot of mystical(?) or dead creatures that were difficult for me to imagine in my head (like ghouls?). There were times when I would question, "are they not ghost? what are they?" and I ended up searching it up on Google. However, I still couldn't get a grasp of the concept of the deads and those in between. Not that it matters that much, though. Because at the end of the day, it's the story of Nobody Owens that left such an impressive reading experience for me.

I was looking for a "universal book" recommendation, something that is.. light and heartwarming; a book that I can give as a gift to just anyone, regardless of its genre. I saw people recommending this book, so I gave it a try. I'm glad I did. But I'm not sure if it fits the "books-for-celebration" theme I was supposed to look for..

It's really unlike anything I've read before—most likely because there were a lot of mystical(?) or dead creatures that were difficult for me to imagine in my head (like ghouls?). There were times when I would question, "are they not ghost? what are they?" and I ended up searching it up on Google. However, I still couldn't get a grasp of the concept of the deads and those in between. Not that it matters that much, though. Because at the end of the day, it's the story of Nobody Owens that left such an impressive reading experience for me.

It takes a graveyard to raise a child. Nobody Owens, known as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a graveyard, being raised by ghosts, with a guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor the dead. There are adventures in the graveyard for a boy—an ancient Indigo Man, a gateway to the abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible Sleer. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, he will be in danger from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family.

ikkychan

Just finished reading “The Graveyard Book” by Neil Gaiman. It’s been my first Gaiman in such a long time that it feels a bit like a reunion with my favorite quirky neighborhood uncle who invites me to spring soirée and shrugs his shoulders all mysteriously when I told him there’s a weird arc of mushrooms in his backyard. Only this time it is not in a backyard, but a Graveyard. Life is definitely not a bed of roses for Nobody Owens – or Bod, for short – as we get to know of his parents’ and older sister’s cruel demise from the very first chapter of the book; turning baby Bod into an orphan in a blink of an eye. By the serendipitous turn of chances he toddles away to a peculiar graveyard before his killer gets his hands on him and is swiftly taken under the wing of the Owens, a couple of ghosts who reside there. Safe and protected inside the tall, strong wall of the cemetery, this is the story of The Boy Who Lived gradually learning about his way in the world, tethering his life between the living and the dead until it’s time to face his destiny. Instead of talking about the struggle of survival or dowsing the readers on the scaffolding of world building, which is common in YA fantasy/adventure books, Gaiman presented how one village of ghosts work together to oversee this young live human – something that is really different than them, both substantially and contextually – as he grow up. It’s fascinating how they themselves found out that they are more than equipped to be this boy’s family and grow on the boy slowly over time. Take Miss Lupescu for one. Though she is one of the Honor Guard, she takes her new part-time job of taking care and giving lessons to Bod while Silas is away in annoyance and most likely considers it like a boring, unworthy baby-sitting job. Bod, in retrospect, treating everyday lessons from Miss Lupescu as tedious and insignificance – he would try to abandon his note under a stone – and sulks away just like a five year-old who moped and pouting his lips because he is refusing to do his homework before bedtime. But after one messed-up encounter with the ghouls, Bod learns to appreciate and respect Miss Lupescu more as he understands now that all Miss Lupescu does is done with his best interest in mind. Miss Lupescu, noticing the shift in Bod’s regard for her, starts to grow on him as time passes. Even Silas was taken aback when he saw how the two bonded as he had not anticipated this kind of development on her kind, but call it maternal instinct if you like. Ironically, the longstanding history of Jack-of-all-trades – which “dated back to Babylon” – definitely does not bring them new perspective or innovation in life. They should’ve learned from all the Greek and Roman mythology how prophecy works. I found this meme article on how Oedipus might have been different if everyone in the story is smart: “I want a story about a king whose son is prophesied to kill him so the king is like “whatever, what am I supposed to do, kill my own kid? WTF is wrong with you” so he just raises him as normal, doesn’t even tell him about the prophecy, and instead of some convoluted twist of events that leads to the king’s murder, the son grows up and when the king is very old and dying and in excrutiating pain the kid is just like alright imma put him out of his misery. The king’s son becomes the new king, and is prophesied to defeat evil and bring an age of prosperity. His generals and knights all crack their knuckles but he pretty much ignores them and focuses on strengthening the infrastructure of his kingdom. Forty years later he is old and sick but still hearing his subject grievances, and a general’s like “how will you defeat the prophesied evil now? You’re old and weak.” Another visitor, a teenager fresh out of the kingdom’s public education system, looks at the general like he is an ignoramus. The king eradicated poverty, housed the homeless, taught the ignorant, ended class exploitation by abolishing the nobility and imprisoning the corrupt, and established a highly respected guild of doctors that recently figured out how to cure the plague. There are no brigands because there is enough wealth for everyone to live comfortably; hiding in the words and taking trinkets from people simply doesn’t make sense for anyone but the desperate, and the people are not desperate. “Evil is a weed,” explained the teenager. “It grows in cracked roads and crumbling houses and forgotten corners, rooted in indifference and watered by suffering. But the king demands that broken things be mended and suffering people be made well.” “No evil lives in this kingdom,” says the teenager. “It starved to death before I was born.” Oh yes.” But since they were blinded by greed and fear — like all the Monarchs and Emperors in ancient stories are – they fulfilled the prophecy on their own accord and unknowingly conspired themselves into their own self-organized catastrophe. Had they stop for a moment and use their brains to actually think, they wouldn't have to kill the Dorian family to set off the chain of events and use the time to improve the lacking management within their cult. It is clearly shown how extremely well-versed Gaiman is in numerous branch of mythologies from all around the world, taken how skillfully he involves lores from varied nations and fairytales of different regions and interwoven them into a rich and delectables cornucopia of fantasy where Werewolves, Vampires, Ghosts, Ghouls, and Arabic Djinn all exist within one plain. On top of that, he is not one to spoonfed the reader with facts and deliberately leaves room for doubt and mystery as to invite the reader to ease in into the book naturally and educate themselves on the lore enfolded in between every chapter. The reader is still omniscient and gets to keep track of what is happening at all important points in the story at all times, hence giving this sense of all-knowing and all-seeing point of view. Despite that, Gaiman is able to tell the whole story without forgoing the advantage and enjoyment of savoring the element of surprise altogether. He also has the knack of telling traumatizing and supposedly haunting experiences into an easygoing, relaxed and even funny episode. Knowing that the book even starts in a bloody serial homicide, it’s incredible to think how Gaiman can let the story flow in this sanguine, good-humored manner without downplaying the consequence and heaviness of the situation at all. Yes, this is a story of an orphan trying to survive in the face of a great threat to his existence, but it is also a light-hearted approach of how he grows up and makes his way in the world where he might experience great loss but at the same time remarkable triumph. Like Mr. Owens says at the final farewell he had with his substantial son, “Face your life/Its pain, its pleasure/Leave no path untaken”.

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy-an ancient Indigo Man beneath the hill, a gateway to a desert leading to an abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family. . . . Beloved master storyteller Neil Gaiman returns with a luminous new novel for the audience that embraced his New York Times bestselling modern classic Coraline. Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, the graveyard book is sure to enthrall readers of all ages.

Marija

This book is one of the greatest books I've read lately. Easy to read, interesting plot that remainds me of Tim Burton's movies- gothic scenes presented in such pleasant way , you simply can't resist. Reading this book wont scare any child and I truly recommend it to everyone.

Loved it as a kid, cozy audiobook to listen to while working in the cemetery

Kaye Barnett

Cadence Matters

Chapters were super long but regardless it was still a sweet and intense wee novel!!

ophelia ross 

Itzel

When I began reading this I was quite reticent because I had read so many good things about Gaiman's writing that I was afraid I wouldn't like it.
Fortunately, I liked it, even more when I tried to get off from that mindset.

Despite the book being basically a clever, darker retelling of The Jungle Book, I didn't notice until I read the Acknowledgments, and began making connections, and now left me wanting to read Jungle Book, as the most I know about it is the Disney movie and part of Cub Scout mythology head from some Scouters.

Anyway, the book is good and even if I thought it slow at the beginning, it definitely picks up. The chapters can be mostly read as stand alone stories, like The Witch's Headstone and the chapter in which Bod goes to school, but they all hold threads that tie up in the climax very well. 

The Jacks of All Trades were quite creepy, and I kept imagining villians alike un appearance to the Men in Grey of Momo, though I'm sure they are not supposed to be like that. 

It was also a bit heartbreaking at the end, and I wasn't really expecting that. Not at all, but it is a logical conclusion, after all, results from growing up.

The original audiobook edition of the acclaimed novel, read by the author!

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman, has sold more than one million copies and is the only novel ever to win both the Newbery Medal and the Carnegie Medal.

Nobody Owens is an unusual boy who inhabits an unusual place - he's the only living resident of a graveyard. Raised from infancy by the ghosts, werewolves, and other cemetery denizens, Bod has learned the antiquated customs of his guardians' time as well as their ghostly teachings - such as the ability to Fade so mere mortals cannot see him.

Can a boy raised by ghosts face the wonders and terrors of the worlds of both the living and the dead?

Magical, terrifying, and filled with breathtaking adventures, The Graveyard Book is the winner of the Newbery Medal, the Carnegie Medal, the Hugo Award for best novel, the Locus Award for Young Adult novel, the American Bookseller Association's "Best Indie Young Adult Buzz Book", a Horn Book Honor, and Audio Book of the Year.

©2008 Neil Gaiman (P)2008 HarperCollins Publishers

Sarah Sammis

Neil Gaiman does an excellent job reading and voicing his own books.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (with illustrations by Dave McKean) won the Middle Grade Cybils in the Science Fiction and Fantasy category. It's the story of Nobody Owens who is adopted by the "residents" of the next door cemetery when his family is brutally murdered.

Unlike so many recent orphan stories, Bod, as he's known by his friends and adopted family, is a well loved and happy child. His childhood may be unconventional and his schooling spotty by modern standards but he is still a happy and well adjusted child.

At the back of the book Gaiman describes the history behind The Graveyard Book. He points first and foremost to The Jungle Book and yes, it does share many similarities with the two volumes that make up Kipling's best known work. There's the young boy raised by an unlikely family (ghosts and other creatures of the night instead of the animals of India), an assassin disguised as a friend (Shere Kahn vs. Jay Frost), becoming one of the group (by seeing the elephants dance vs. the danse macabre) and so forth.

If you haven't read The Jungle Book you can still enjoy The Graveyard Book. The story is engaging, charming while being creepy and sometimes down right frightening. Key points in the novel are brought to life with Dave McKean's illustrations. There is a portrait of Bod on page 294 at the start of the final chapter that is very close to the author photograph at the back of the book. Gaiman says the story was inspired by his son Mike when he was two (although it took him twenty some years to finish the book!) but it seems that there's a lot of Neil in all his male leads.

Finally, if you do read the book (and I hope you do!), take the time to read the Acknowledgments on pages 311-2. I love it when authors share the methods and stories behind their finished works. Besides learning about the connection between The Jungle Book and The Graveyard Book, you will learn about the people who inspired the book and the others who helped in any number of ways. I did not expect to see (but was delighted to) Audrey Niffenegger and Moby among the long list of friends who helped.

Actual rating -◈ 4.25 STARS 

I actually have doubts while going through this book. I felt like this was not something I would really like. Sure, the beginning was interesting enough. But in the next chapter, I started to have my doubts. But fortunately, it only lasted a single chapter. 

I felt awfully empty after reading this. True, the ending would be the beginning of life for Bod. He would be starting his life outside the graveyard into the bigger parts of the world. But thinking how he lived in a small place of a graveyard all his life, having ghosts and graveyard entities as his family, being basically lonely and alone regardless of how he was surrounded by his graveyard family all his life, having no real family on his own that would support and be there for him, I am deeply sad for Bod, honestly. I felt really sorry for him. I really teared up for him as I felt like he's so lonely despite having the graveyard family, and now that he was going to get on with his life on his own, I can't imagine how would he manage to go on. And the sympathy I felt only made me realized that I actually got attached with this story. 

But Silas, he was undoubtedly the best guardian Bod could ever have. He appears to be cold and reserved but he was empathetic in his own way. And I loved how he smoothly became Bod's father figure in his lonely life. No one can replace him as Bod's guardian and protector. 

Being attached with a book means that I enjoyed reading this, even liked this in the most part. I even imagine the graveyard scenes so clearly inside my head but instead of feeling spooked or creeped out, I actually felt otherwise. I am glad that this is my first Neil Gaiman book that I've read.

chloe rae

What a remarkable story!
I randomly found this book at my local used book store and, having never heard of it but hearing lots of good things about Neil Gaiman, I decided I'd pick it up. I've always wanted to read something by Neil and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. It sat on my shelf for a while but this month seemed like the time to finally read it. And I'm so glad I did!
We follow Nobody (Bod for short) through the many twists and turns of his life as he grows up in a graveyard, which becomes his home and his own little personal world. I absolutely loved his story. I loved the adventures we get to follow Bod on and the characters he meets and loves. I loved Silas (he was my favorite character) and I loved watching Bod grow up, learn, and... live. What a wonderful book. It kind of took my breathe away at the end. Can't wait to pick up more from Neil Gaiman!

Deepika Ramesh

Gaiman didn’t disappoint in The Graveyard Book too. It took a little while for me to invest, but it was deeply satisfying at the end. Thus, I have hopelessly fallen in love with another children’s book this year after Charlotte’s Web, Coraline, and Dogsbody.Full review here: https://worncorners.wordpress.com/201...

Aamna

Melissa Palmer

Book #109 Read in 2014
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (YA)

Nobody (or Bod) escapes from his family's murderer as a toddler by wandering into a graveyard. The graveyard residents decide that Bod can live in the graveyard and they will protect him. Also protecting him is his graveyard guardian Silas. He makes sure that the boy has food and clothes as he grows. As Bod grows though he wants to experience life outside of the graveyard....but is it safe? I enjoyed this book. It would make a good Halloween read with werewolves, vampires, ghosts and mummies in it. I enjoyed it.

http://melissasbookpicks.blogspot.com

Looking for a perfect atmospheric, spooky, halloween tale? Look no further! Mr. Gaiman has done it again with fun characters, silly tones, and the perfect tone of a misty graveyard. 

The Graveyard Book

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