Neil Gaiman

Richard Mayhew is a young man with a good heart and an ordinarylife, which is changed forever when he stops to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London sidewalk. His small act of kindness propels him into a world he never dreamed existed. There are people who fall through the cracks, and Richard has become one of them. And he must learn to survive in this city of shadows and darkness, monsters and saints, murderers and angels, if he is ever to return to the London that he knew.

A Novel

Neverwhere

Jordan

"With cities, as with people, Mister Vandemar," said Mr. Croup, fastidiously, "the condition of the bowels is all-important."

Sarah Sammis

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman is a fun example of the "fish out of water goes on a quest" type of fantasy. In this case the fantasy world is London and the points of interest are the stops along the Underground except they're not like what Richard Mayhew expects.

Neverwhereis not a unique fantasy but it is still a fun take on a standard form of fantasy. Gaiman playfully acknowledges the books that have come before his with twisted literary references. My favorite is his gory allusion to Winnie the Pooh.

Like all good fantasy quests, the hero (or heroine) must join up with a band of local travelers to complete his journey. Like Dorothy and Alice, Richard just wants to get home to the London he knows, not this London Below. As with Through the Looking Glass where it's helpful to have a chess board nearby to track Alice's progress, keep a map of the London Underground handy to see where Richard is in his quest.

There are too many literary allusions and puns to mention them all. While understanding them or knowing your way around London isn't necessary to enjoy the story the extra knowledge does make the experience of reading Neverwhere all the more fun.

Author's Preferred Text

Zahra

4.5 stars

What a fascinating world of alternative London! The story's truly like a breath of fresh air, different and quite unlike anything I've ever read before. This is my first ever Gaiman and I'm very excited to devour the rest.

Deepika Ramesh

In one particular scene, the narrator says, “Richard wandered through the huge rooms of the store, like a man in a trance…” That’s exactly how I felt when I read Neverwhere. Utterly trance-like. Full review here: https://worncorners.wordpress.com/201...

Tatiana

Neverwhere: 4/5

“You've a good heart. Sometimes that's enough to see you safe wherever you go. But mostly, it's not.”

Premise:
Neverwhere follows the perfectly ordinary life of Richard Mayhew. That is, until one day, he and his fiancee stumble across a girl in the middle of the road, broken and bleeding. Richard takes the girl, named Door, back to his apartment to get her help and finds himself in London Below - a place for those who have slipped through the cracks of ordinary reality and do not belong in normal London, or "London Above". Richard will do anything to get back to London Above and embarks on a mission alongside Door to try and navigate this new life, as well as finding a loophole back home.

"There are little pockets of old time in London, where things and places stay the same, like bubbles in amber,” she explained. “There’s a lot of time in London, and it has to go somewhere—it doesn’t all get used up at once."

Writing & Plot:
I'm not fully sure why it has taken me this long to pick up a book by Neil Gaiman. Still, I was presently surprised by his writing style. I'm unsure what it is exactly about his writing that scratches my brain in just the right place. He's clever, succinct, and in a way, conveys a feeling of nonchalant-ness throughout the book. It's easy to read and understand as well as engaging. 

I would say the plot is pretty straightforward, and there were bits that I felt were exaggerated or prolonged for no reason. That being said, It was overall a delightful story that you can easily immerse yourself in.

Characters:
I really fell in love with these characters. We have a full cast made of Richard Mayhew, Door, Hunter, Marquis de Carabas, and more. What's lovely about the latter three is that it really feels they belong in London Below and it brought them to life. They're normal.. but there is just something about them that's off. It is absolutely captivating, and I really enjoyed them all. I genuinely wish there was a sequel so we could revisit them.

“I mean, maybe I am crazy. I mean, maybe. But if this is all there is, then I don't want to be sane.”

Conclusion:
This is definitely not a book I would have picked up on my own. My friend Lexie and I buddy read this together, and I am so glad we did. This definitely took me by surprise, and if you're someone looking to get into either adult fantasy or urban fantasy, this is a great place to start.

★★★☆ // i did not particularly enjoy the lengthy descriptions. for the most part, i just want it to get to the point. i guess i was expecting some sort of feeling of dread going into this? but it’s just impossible not to get sucked into Neil Gaiman’s world. while i am not a fan of the first few chapters, it did pick up its pace for me in the back half.


  ”I thought I wanted this. I thought I wanted a nice, normal life. I mean, maybe I am crazy. I mean, maybe. But if this is all there is, then I don’t want to be sane. You know?”

THE EXTRAORDINARY FIRST NOVEL BY THE MASTER OF STORYTELLING ACCLAIMED BBC RADIO 4 DRAMATISATION WITH ALL-STAR CAST INCLUDING JAMES MCAVOY, NATALIE DORMER, DAVID HAREWOOD, SOPHIE OKONEDO AND BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH 'Prose that dances and dazzles . . . Gaiman describes the indescribable' SUSANNA CLARKE 'It's virtually impossible to read more than ten words by Neil Gaiman and not wish he would tell you the rest of the story' OBSERVER 'Much too clever to be caught in the net of a single interpretation' PHILIP PULLMAN --- 'I love doors. Anything that leads to possibilities' NEIL GAIMAN --- Under the streets of London lies a world most people could never dream of. When Richard Mayhew stops to help a girl he finds bleeding in the street, his unremarkable life changes in an instant. This act of kindness leads him to a place filled with murderers and angels, pale girls in black velvet, a Beast in a labyrinth and an Earl who holds Court in a tube train. It is strangely familiar yet utterly bizarre. Here is London Below, the city of people who have fallen between the cracks. And for Richard Mayhew, it's just the beginning. NEIL GAIMAN. WITH STORIES COME POSSIBILITIES. --- **Includes an introduction to the author's preferred text, How the Marquis Got His Coat Back short story, reading-group discussion questions, an 'Altogether Different Prologue' and an interview with Neil Gaiman**

hileahrious

Honestly, meh. Ok disclaimer: this was my first audiobook experience and I haven’t read any other Gaiman books. I just don’t think this story is that great... it is mystical and at parts quite suspenseful and overall an enjoyable time, but mehhh. And the main character is so dumb it hurts my soul.

Jaden Nelson

an incredible and imaginative story from the King of fantasy writing.

This was my second read of the book and it was still just as fun, whimsical, and captivating as the first time.

Neil Gaiman has a way of describing the most ordinary things in the most interesting and unusual ways.

This time through I think I had a much stronger idea of the character motivations as well, and not just entertained by the bizarre, and it made the reading experience that much more enjoyable.

I also feel that the book, and especially the ending, really does make me question 'what would I do if I were Richard?' Because he is sort of described as being helpless, kind of dumb, and essentially has no control over his own life/actions. But, I then think, if I were suddenly thrown into a world where people could speak to rats, and crazy old men held royal court on a subway car, I would also be very much following the leader rather than leading. I just find Richard to be a very believable hero, simply because he is completely ordinary and thrown into a world of the extraordinary.

Emma Lechner

This was my second read of the book and it was still just as fun, whimsical, and captivating as the first time.

Neil Gaiman has a way of describing the most ordinary things in the most interesting and unusual ways.

This time through I think I had a much stronger idea of the character motivations as well, and not just entertained by the bizarre, and it made the reading experience that much more enjoyable.

I also feel that the book, and especially the ending, really does make me question 'what would I do if I were Richard?' Because he is sort of described as being helpless, kind of dumb, and essentially has no control over his own life/actions. But, I then think, if I were suddenly thrown into a world where people could speak to rats, and crazy old men held royal court on a subway car, I would also be very much following the leader rather than leading. I just find Richard to be a very believable hero, simply because he is completely ordinary and thrown into a world of the extraordinary.

Lara Engle

The adventure was okay, but Richard Mayhew is the most milquetoast of heroes. The other characters (Door, Hunter, the marquis de Carabas, and even Anesthesia) are much more interesting. However, the setting is the real protagonist here. Gaiman says that the idea of London Below is what made him write _Neverwhere_. I'm sorry to say that, for me, that's all that really came through. I get that he was making a statement about those who are invisible to most of society, but aside from that simple observation, the message fell flat. I'm afraid I agree with Richard's co-worker Gary when he states that the people who fall through the cracks of society more often suffer and freeze to death. I don't see any romance or adventure in that.

Patricia Nelson

I liked this book. it reminded me of the Shadowhunter series by Cassandra Clare. Having been lucky enough to visit London a few times I enjoyed thinking about the place names in different and more literal terms, such as Blackfriars and Earl's Court. 
A big take away from the book for me is how we look at life, that being happy with where we are is fine but that sometimes reaching for different or more might be scary but ultimately more rich and fulfilling. 
It also struck me how small actions can take us down very different paths.
The book was a fast read for the second half but dragged a bit in the beginning. It's a better book to read in great chunks of time than in snippets. The chunks of time allow you to immerse yourself in the setting and with the characters.

Excellent, fast-paced, imaginative, and humane. If a little dark occasionally. Great entertainment and a feel-good adventure.

Bilge Ince

I didn’t want it to be end but I couldn’t drop it down to sleep as well. I’m so much in love with Neverwhere and London Below, obviously.

+ Excuse me. I know this is a personal question but are you clinically insane?
- Possible but very unlikely. Why?
+ Well, one of us must be. 

 When Angels go bad Richard they got worse than anyone. Remember Lucifer used to be an angel

momo-reads

This books confirms that Neil Gaiman books are totally hit or miss for me.  Ocean At The End Of The Lane- yes.  Good Omens?  Hell yes.  American Gods- nope.  Neverwhere, hard nope.

Colleen

When I first joined Goodreads, I started seeing Neil Gaiman's name pop up everywhere. At first I was a little puzzled that I was not familiar with such a popular author who had obviously been around for a while. But when I thought about it, it isn't that odd since I have spent many years avoiding the Fantasy genre. Occasionally I would dip a toe in, but I was most often quickly stung by the tentacles of the ostentatious, cheesy Fantasy out there which always sent me running back to the other side of Reading Land to the safety of my mountains of Historical Fiction and Mystery. I was surprised to find that I had seen (and liked) at least three movies based on Gaiman's books. Thus heartened, I decided to give his work a try.

And now I thoroughly understand why he is so popular! He has a unique flare and style. The world he built is unique enough to stand out, but not different enough to be bizarre or off-putting. It was a fun and adventurous journey. And I loved Gaiman's little bits of dry wit that were sprinkled throughout the book. I will choose subtle sarcasm over in-your-face, trying too hard humor any day.

The main character, Richard Mayhew, was a delightful underdog. Gaiman managed to make Richard endearingly awkward and naive without being bumbling or stupid. 

The one thing that bugged me about this book was the character of Mr. Vandemar. He was described in the beginning as this scary, wolfish character; but as the book progressed, I felt that he became more and more of a stereotypical big, dumb thug. And compared to the colorful characters surrounding him, he felt so flat. But this is a minor complaint really, and did not really take away from my enjoyment of the book.

Finally, I would like to mention that the Audiobook version of the story read by the author was simply amazing! Sometimes it really is best to have a creator of characters be the one to give them voice as well, and Neil Gaiman is certainly on of those cases. I absolutely loved listening to him read this book and I can't wait to hear more from him!

This review fulfills the "Funny Book" category of the Popsugar reading challenge. http://www.popsugar.com/love/Reading-...

Faith Ho 

FANTASY coming back to it is like the warm embrace of a long-lost friend. I haven’t read fantasy in MONTHS (my two kinds of books are: bunch of ppl stab each other and fight mysterious creatures; and random protagonist walks around Thinking Things and nothing actually happens for hundreds of pages). This was a great book to be sucked into — filled with Good Twists and interesting characters and world building (I loved the concept of this world “below”, of people who are unnoticed). But I also do realise why fantasy is often in a series — a book feels too short to fully realise the entire arc of action and character (but this may be also because I sped-read it in a day, interspersed between history revision). Nevertheless (or neverwhere haha I have no more comedy braincells or any braincells for that matter) a very solid enjoyment. 

(note to self: update the months of book backlog after a’s lol. am i reading this before a levels ends? yes i make bad/good decisions)

Rhiannon Mansfield

This was the first Neil Gaiman book that I read and I absolutely loved it. I do not have it in my library but I am feeling a compulsion to go buy it. This is one of those books that I would love to be turned into a move.

Beau

I know, 5-stars. That's how good I thought this freakin' book was. Gaiman never ceases to amaze me. Never have I seen such a seamless ability to fuse the real-world and the fantasy-world together. When you can write a 370-page book about the sewers of London, where a protagonist learns to communicate with rats and ultimately becomes a figurehead of 'London Below' through a series of amazing mishaps; including instances with angels, two assassins who house similar traits to a fox and hound respectively, floating marketplaces, and an existential crisis where one is burdened by visions of people who are actually himself made manifest by the dark powers of the Blackfriars...well, there's something unique and imaginatively superb about it. This is the third Gaiman book I've read and for me this is up there with the prestigious American Gods. Perhaps not as complex in nature as American Gods but equally as magical, mysterious and flat-out bewildering - Neverwhere is a book I'll definitely pick up one day many years into the future. I'll flick the pages, I'll smile, and I'll remember why the world we see isn't the only world that's out there.

Prashanth Srivatsa

Largely set in underground London, the story revolves around a man who stumbles upon a bizarre world, reeking of canals, rats, angels and door-openers, in the quest for reclaiming the sanity of his life. Richly imagined, Gaiman is deliberate in using the rag-pickers and their ilk, typically no more important to us than a billboard or a trash can, and paints a simple narrative from the same palette of Alice in Wonderland. That he ends up provoking us working class into looking for hidden doors into magical realms isn't, however, altogether alluring, and falls just short of the kind of escapism Narnia or Hogwarts provided.

Neil Gaiman.

Savindi Jinasena

After reading The Graveyard Book... I knew that I definitely wanted to read some more of Neil Gaiman’s work. After speaking to a friend and browsing around I decided that I will read Neverwhere... I must admit the plot synopsis fascinated me; it takes place in a city that I would love to visit someday, the London Underground has been something that my dad had always talked about and I wanted to see how two world’s could exist at the same time without one knowing about the other. You know that you’ve lived under a rock for some time when you’re not familiar with the term “Urban Fantasy.”. Despite my ignorance to the term the plot captured my imagination, sadly the story didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

First off I will admit that the world Neil Gaiman created was magical. The London Underground with its Rat speakers, Black Friars and the darkness came alive in away that would make me think twice about taking the Subway in Toronto! Gaiman’s imagination and creativity really shone through for me in this book. He has a way of making darkness both intriguing and frightful at the same time. I personally think it’s one of his specialties as a writer; incorporating darkness in a way that captures the reader’s imagination. The descriptions in this book were great and it made me feel like I was a witness to everything that was taking place in the book.

In terms of plot, I thought the story was good but not great. There were times where I found myself confused and didn’t see the point of certain story arcs. I was able to overlook these aspects and enjoy London below. The plot twists towards the end was unexpected, yet I felt that it let me down a bit. Towards the end I found myself thinking “really that’s it?” The ending was a bit too abrupt for my liking.

As for the characters…*sighs*, it disappoints me to say this but they fell flat for me. I didn’t care much for Richard and Door. I didn’t find them to be well-developed and I found myself getting annoyed at the pair of them more often than I would have liked. Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar reminded me a lot of the “Jacks” in The Graveyard Book... and I found the Angel Islington to be fascinating. He was probably one of my favourite characters. Well what’s more interesting than an angel living in London below?

Overall Neverwhere... was an ‘okay’ read. I didn’t find myself emotionally invested in the characters and that disappoints me because I like strong and interesting characters in books. What kept me reading on was the world of London below, it fulfilled my imagination.

My Rating: 3/5

Would I recommend it? Not to a first time Gaiman reader. I don’t think I would have continued to read his work if I had read Neverwhere... first.

Rachel Kanyid

Starting to really enjoy Neil Gaiman books! Not sure why I hadn't picked up his books before. This book was a lot of fun!

Bruce Wang

tiff

I really really loved this book. The darkness of the "fairytale" was well written and in a sci-fi sort of way, believable. I was drawn to Door as a character, not so much Richard, though. I did feel bad for him but that's about it. He seemed like the sniveling type. I liked him just a little bit, not as much as I had liked to. On the whole, I thought this was a great book- I don't read much sci-fi, but I will read Gaiman. Loved this book. Didn't want to put it down.

edith w.

After many months of not being able to read anything at all (another story for another day), I re-entered the arena of words and dreams with Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. And I have not been disappointed. Neverwhere is quite the triumph of imagination. Little does he know, but Gaiman has convinced me thoroughly that everything he described in Neverwhere actually does exist. I can't believe I've never known it before; it just makes sense that it's all there, through the cracks. 

Now, it has to be said that I found Gaiman's characters in Neverwhere fairly uninteresting, and even tedious in places, but I was still on the edge of my seat, palpitating and short of breath, as I neared the end of their story. Such is Gaiman's ability to create a world that is so different to any other, and very likely preferable because of that, that I would have been devastated to see anything happen to it. It was simply marvellous, all told. That Richard should count himself very lucky indeed...

Neverwhere A Novel

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