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Fantasy. Juvenile Fiction. Juvenile Literature. HTML: 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… (more)
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But, back to the book. So much has been said about this book that I feel there's little I can add, other than to go ahead and recommend it. There were a few occasions when the events of specific chapters seemed a bit random (but they were still very entertaining!) and I wonder if that's the influence of the Jungle Book coming through, perhaps those were chapters that were modeled after Kipling's work? After reading this, I think I will track down a copy of the Jungle Books and read them, as I suspect they'll be very worthwhile and nothing like the Disney film (as great as it is!).
I wouldn't say that the Graveyard Book is necessarily great reading for children on their own, but you know what? Children need more healthy fear in their lives, because sheltering them suppresses imagination... if I had a kid, I'd probably read this book with them and talk about it together.
In the end, it was a fun read with great writing, from an author who refuses to cater to the "norm" of today's children's fiction. I read it all yesterday afternoon, without a break - so when you pick this one up, be sure to give yourself a nice chunk of time to sit and enjoy it!
Embracing a simple but sinister beginning, a precocious child, woken by the sounds of his family’s murderer, habitually escapes his cot, and therefore his own demise, by toddling off out the open front door of his home and into the nearby graveyard. Here he is – now orphaned - embraced by the resident ghosts, the Owens, and given a home and protection from this man who has inexplicably killed all his family and who, it stands to reason, must still be hunting him. Thus starts a series of adventures for Nobody Owens – Bod for short (some things never change, even in a graveyard) - with his new life growing up this otherworld under the watch of a formidable guardian, Silas.
A true ‘coming-of-age’ tale, this story simply comprises episodic chapters which recount Bod’s progression, participation and education through the years in his adopted world – and whose occupants and social rules differ wildly to those found standard beyond the gates. And here lies the delight and the joy – to me – espoused in the narrative. Whereas some readers may consider the account disjointed I enjoyed each instalment, enchanted by the inspired creativity meticulously built into Bod’s place and amongst the characters populating this sphere: the Freedom of the Graveyard, the lessons on Fading and Sliding and Dreamwalking and the inclusion of each owner’s epitaph, within their name and to depict their individuality - all afforded me immense satisfaction and entertainment.
For those expecting a taut plot–line then I suspect you may be disappointed; for those readers willing to ensconce themselves in an inventively-crafted, original concept regarding numerous real-estates haunting our urban environs, this book will be an absolute pleasure to read - a real treat. Superbly illustrated, this chronicles a fresh and unique vision, if at times quite dark; a whimsical exposition of gothic fantasy.
On the cover of my copy of The Graveyard Book there is a quote from author Diana Wynne Jones: ”The best book Neil Gaiman has ever written"; and I concur. What’s more, I shall never peruse a graveyard in quite the same manner again…
(Jun 17, 2009)
This is the story of a boy who lost his entire family as an infant to a mysterious murderer. He wandered from his home into the nearby graveyard where the dead and undead inhabitants take him in and protect him from those who want to destroy him. As he grows, he stumbles across adventure after adventure within the graveyard.
It's hard to decide what Neil Gaiman is best at. His world-building is excellent, his prose is gorgeous, and his characterization is excellent. The one thing that was a bit shaky in this book was the plot because there really isn't much of one. This is essentially a group of short stories tied in to a very basic plot. But the stories are so good, you won't mind.
Baby Nobody Owens was saved from the fate of the rest of his family who were brutally murdered. A wandering soul, unaware of what was transpiring in the house, he crawled out of his crib, down the
There the ghosts noticed a dark lanky menacing figure with a knife who sought the baby. When the spirit of the newly departed mother begged the ghosts to keep him safe, they complied. It took a village of spirits to raise the baby toward a life of safety and eventual freedom.
There were many themes in this book, including a Christ-like analogy of a baby destined to confront evil after escaping death at the hands of persecutors who sought to slay him because he was other worldly.
The humor amid the seriousness is a delight to behold, especially when Nobody traipses through the cemetery reading tombstones, discovering and communicating with historical figures, including the nameless “33rd President of the United States.”
As Nobody comes of age, he realizes that those in the cemetery remain the same and yet he changes. As he matures and ventures into the outside world, he realizes that to live, he must experience the pain of being “real.”
Highly recommended.
This is a fantastic novel.
As the
One of Gaiman's stock techniques is to introduce elements of horror into his stories, even the ones geared for younger readers. There isn't any gratuitous gore because Gaiman understands the power of suggestion, leaving the real horrors to grow in the reader's imagination. I'd be hesitant to give this book to a young reader, though of course it would depend on the child.
The denouement is rather weak. The motivation of the Jacks is really not explored beyond the fact that Nobody Owens is the boy born to overthrow their order. Okay — ? What did their order actually do? Who foretold that Bod would overthrow it? There are other weak spots in the plot, like the pawn shop owner somehow randomly connecting Bod with the boy that disappeared eleven or twelve years before. Of course the pawn shop owner knows the Jack that tried to kill Bod, and calls up this dangerous fellow right away on the basis of nothing but unfounded (and frankly, unconvincing) suspicion. It just seems sloppy. Then Bod has some brushes with bullies once he starts going to school, and those chapters just don't fit with the rest of the story. They feel oddly transplanted from something else.
There are some things I really liked about the book, however. I grew up right next door to an old country graveyard and it was our playground, so it was fun to see a part of my childhood fictionalized. The characters are quite fun and I loved the way the people from different historical periods interacted with one another. There is a charm about the idea of a community of ghosts adopting a human child; it's almost a reversal of the changeling theme. And Scarlett's decision to have all her memories of Bod erased doesn't make for the usual happy ending, but it does bring a realistic touch to the relationship.
I'll give this three stars and say it was fairly enjoyable, but I haven't joined the fandom of Gaiman just yet.
In the first chapter of this book, a young toddler's family are killed by a
The book itself is completely magical, perfect escapism and beautifully illustrated. I felt very sad to have to return this one to the library.
The book is good overall, albeit a little slow. More reluctant young readers may be intrigued by the story, but not enough to continue reading. Part of the reason for this is that it is told in a series of vignettes, like Rudyard Kipling’s original “The Jungle Book”, which slows the pace considerably. Certain of these vignettes are also quite long, another deterrent to some young readers. However, the charm and creativity will make up for pacing issues for most readers and also make it a great book to be read aloud as a family. Grades 6-9.
Gaiman's ability to write charming but spooky novels always delights me and The Graveyard Book was not a disappointment. The tales of Bod's life in the graveyard are by turns sweet and scary but always entertaining and I appreciated the episodic nature of the novel as it allowed Bod to grow up quickly over the course of the novel. I was thoroughly delighted by the slow reveal of the villain and found the overall concept very clever. Additionally, the illustrations by Dave McKean add an extra element of creepiness that enhances the atmosphere of the novel. And of course, being Neil Gaiman, there are also some truly beautiful sentences woven into the narrative that I found particularly moving.
A simple story of a toddler that fate helps to escape the clutches of a murderer who came in the night and wiped out his whole family. The child is drawn to a nearby cemetery and is adopted by a ghostly couple, and assigned a guardian to oversee the day to day operations of bringing up a child. Nobody (as he is called) grows to maturity in a surprisingly safe and secure environment. Protected, nurtured and schooled by the various haunts and creatures of the night that abide in the graveyard, they diligently prepare him for the dangers that lurk outside the gates of the graveyard.
This unique book was based on Gaiman’s take on Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book. We are thus treated to this magical graveyard world that is populated by interesting creatures, who by the way, often possess amusing epitaphs, and learn, as in The Jungle Book, that families don’t have to be gene based as long as the love and emotional connection is there. So what began as dark and twisted, actually was very sweet and caring.
Another masterpiece from the extraordinary mind of Neil Gaiman.
Peppered with Gaiman's signature mix of macabre humor and unpredictable plot, the vignettes are seamlessly woven together into a novel that is thoroughly captivating. This book is a must read for long-time Gaiman fans as well as those new to his work!
I tend to shy away from horror or anything remotely scary. If a scene gets too intense, I have to put down the book and switch to something lighter (because I'm a huge coward). Mr. Gaiman got me up to the point where I was getting ready to put down the book but never took me over the edge where I had to do so. I was so engaged while reading that what felt like a little time and only a few pages grew into a lot of time and many pages without me realizing it. I was shocked when I saw that after two nights of bedtime reading (typically the twenty minutes or so that I can last before literally passing out), I was more than halfway done with the book. I was kept so enthralled with the book that time, and the pages, literally flew.
The Graveyard Book is filled with great characters. Bod, who struggles to maintain his humanity even when he does not realize just how unique he is, gains the reader's sympathy from the moment he crawls out of his crib. Silas, as his guardian, is more his father figure than Bod's "true" father, the ghostly Mr. Owens. In his mysterious way, he does more to teach Bod about life beyond the graveyard than Bod truly realizes. There is a sense of danger and yet of complete and utter safety that exists around Silas that makes me think there is definitely another story there (hint, hint Mr. Gaiman).
I love how the horror and the mythical elements are not overdone. Any other author could have truly made the ghouls grotesque and horrific or even made Ms. Lupescu terrifying. Rather, I felt that Mr. Gaiman respected and gave tribute to each legend. This was his homage to each mythical character, if you will. That respect made them friendlier but also more realistic. It is much easier to imagine Mr. Gaiman's definition of ghosts in a cemetery than some other versions of them.
As I mentioned, I felt that Mr. Gaiman did a fantastic job of taking the reader right up to the edge of terror without going overboard. Even though it is YA, I was waiting to read it first before I gave it to my nine-year-old to read. I was afraid the subject matter was a bit too mature for him. Now that I've finished, I can't wait for him to read it to see his reaction. If I liked it so much, I can only imagine how someone in the target audience will react to it.
I definitely recommend this to anyone interested in ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night!
This book expands on one of the short stories in "M is for Magic" by Neil Gaiman. In that story we meet Bod, a boy who
The story starts with a creepy killer named Jack who kills Bod's whole family (trust me no spoilers here, this happens in the first page); Bod as a small, curious toddler escapes to the graveyard. The book is interesting in that for the first two-thirds of the book each chapter is more of a short-story about Nobody Owens (Bod). Initially there is a large time span between each chapter and in each chapter (short-story) we learn about one of Bod's adventures in the Graveyard. As you get towards the end of the book things happen closer together and the chapters turn into more of what you would consider a standard chapter.
It is fascinating to hear about a boy who is raised in a graveyard by ghosts. Bod develops into and strong and very interesting character, that you can't help but love. Silas, the guardian of the graveyard, is also fascinating. Gaiman, as usual, adds an ironic touch to the story by showing how similar Bod's issues when growing up are with any other childs.
As for being a kids' book; for the most part the book would be okay to read to a young child. The first chapter, where Jack murders Bod's family, I found the be extremly creepy; so I would shy away at reading this chapter to a young child. Many of the other chapters are also scary. If a child under 10 was going to read this book, I would say a parent should read through it first and then you can read it together and skip any inappropriate parts. This book, naturally, deals a ton with death and what it means to be dead.
I absolutely loved this book. I thought the age level was a bit higher than Gaiman's Coraline. People who complain about Gaiman being too morbid, haven't read enough Gaiman. He is like the young adult, fairy tale version of Stepan King...many of his stories are crafted to make you think and feel slightly uncomfortable. This was absolutely a wonderfully crafted story, it's one I am keeping to add to my book collection.
The Graveyard Book is a thinly disguised parody of, and a tribute to, The Jungle Book. Only, the Indian Jungle here has been translated to an English graveyard; Sher Khan has been transformed into the man Jack; the wolf pack, into a bunch of ghosts; and Bhaloo and Bagheera into Silas the vampire and Miss Lupescu the werewolf. Even the bandar-log are present as the eerily comic ghouls. Mowgli's counterpart is Nobody Owens, affectionately known as Bod, who grows up in the graveyard the same way Mowgli grows up in the jungle: a human boy living like a ghost, existing in the twilight land between death and life.
However, this book is much more than a take-off on Kipling's masterpiece. Inspired by the timeless classic, Gaiman has created a masterpiece of his own: a book which can be enjoyed by old and young readers alike. It is genuinely creepy in many places without losing the basic sunny nature of the story. The author's knowledge of Celtic folklore is evident throughout (I was similarly impressed by his almost encyclopaedic grasp of mythology in American Gods). The novel exudes an old-world charm of the English countryside.
But mind you, for all its lightheartedness, the main story is dead serious: literally a matter of life and death for its young protagonist.
This is a fun read. Enjoy!
The Graveyard Book is both dark and funny, which is a difficult
Named Nobody Owens, Bod for short, by the denizens of the graveyard, the boy spends his childhood playing among tombstones with ghosts as companions, warned never to leave the graveyard, as the man Jack is still out to kill him.
Man, this book is kind of scary for kids! Of course, as Neil himself has said, there has always been a dark side to children’s stories (think original fairy tales). The first half of the story was entertaining, but seemed to me to be sort of meandering, largely unconnected stories about Bod’s life growing up in the graveyard. Sure, there were some exciting adventures he had, but I didn’t see how they could be cohesive.
I shouldn’t have doubted Neil Gaiman. All of the pieces that seemed disparate came together at the climax of the story. This turned out to be a very enjoyable story, and listening to the audiobook with Gaiman narrating was great. I definitely wouldn’t give this to young kids to listen to, though.