Kelly's review of Neverwhere: A Novel

Neverwhere: A Novel
by Neil Gaiman (Goodreads author!)

Kelly's review

rating:

bookshelves: brit-lit, fantasy, fiction

status: Read in March, 2008

Well done again, Gaiman. Well done indeed. I very much enjoyed this novel. The same thing happened to me here as with American Gods. I was a little uncertain at first, a bit skeptical, and then slowly Gaiman won me over with his writing and sucked me into his world until I was engrossed and turned over 100 pages in a day without realizing it, even despite some distractions that should have made it impossible for me to concentrate. It is a very special breed of author who is capable of that.

Gaiman stuck to the same format as American Gods, i.e.: normal man gets thrust into randomly magical world that is hiding behind the mundane and everyday curtain of modern life that we all live to meet metaphors and representations of the past and ideals and myths particular to a specific country, in this case, London. Richard Mayhew, our regular Joe of the piece, wanders about "London Below," with figures out of swashbuckling tales, fairy stories (and fairy nightmares) and everything ...more Well done again, Gaiman. Well done indeed. I very much enjoyed this novel. The same thing happened to me here as with American Gods. I was a little uncertain at first, a bit skeptical, and then slowly Gaiman won me over with his writing and sucked me into his world until I was engrossed and turned over 100 pages in a day without realizing it, even despite some distractions that should have made it impossible for me to concentrate. It is a very special breed of author who is capable of that.

Gaiman stuck to the same format as American Gods, i.e.: normal man gets thrust into randomly magical world that is hiding behind the mundane and everyday curtain of modern life that we all live to meet metaphors and representations of the past and ideals and myths particular to a specific country, in this case, London. Richard Mayhew, our regular Joe of the piece, wanders about "London Below," with figures out of swashbuckling tales, fairy stories (and fairy nightmares) and everything else you hoped or feared might be hiding around a London streetcorner in the fog and rain. It might be an old device, but it is one that works, and I'm not going to quibble with it. I do think that I liked American Gods better, but thats mostly because I think he took on a lot more with that and the focus was larger than here, where it seems he was simply trying to tell a ripping good story. Which is as valid a goal- and one thing I do look for in a book is that goal- but I just think American Gods is on a different playing field than this book.

I loved the deliciously gothic, overwrought tone of the writing, the horrifically surreal painting of characters and circumstances. The descriptions of the London Below floating markets were particular favorites of mine. It was like watching one of those horror sequences of a fun house where they try to scare you with clown faces and garish colors.. only well done and as inclined to make you smile as scream. I very much enjoyed the characterization of the Marquis de Carabas, the different species of peoples underneath the sewers, and the way he could find something in people's actions to surprise you even though you sort of knew what was coming.

It is, truly, a book to get entirely lost in. And that's what all my favorite books are.

The only problem I had with the novel really isn't even Gaiman's fault. This particular novel centers around the homeless, the street musicians and the sick. I rather wish I hadn't read Charles De Lint before, because every single story that man writes is about how the poor, the insane, the people you pass on the streetcorner are full of secret magic and secretly run the world and we don't know it or how they are more virtuous than the rest of us. I've just seen this theme beaten to death a lot and in a thousand different ways (I've read a few short story collections by De Lint and he really hasn't more than a theme or two to write about). Granted, Gaiman does it much more beautifully and colorfully and in a much more complex way here and doesn't paint things so black and white as De Lint does, but nonetheless, it just made the whole idea a bit less magical for me than it should have been.

All in all: read it, love it, smile at it, thrill at it and remember that fantasy can be more than what you might think it can be....less

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message 1: by Michael

03/05/2008 11:12AM

FINALLY!!!

Looking forward to hear what you think off this.

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message 2: by Kelly

03/05/2008 11:18AM

You are a rather impatient fellow when it comes to Gaiman, aren't you? :)

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message 3: by Michael

03/05/2008 11:58AM

I love to share the wealth of quality literature...can i really be blamed for such a feeling?

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message 4: by Kelly

03/05/2008 12:00PM

You absolutely cannot. That's what goodreads is all about, and I thank you for your enthuasiasm that got me to read this sooner than I probably would have. :)

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message 5: by Michael

03/05/2008 12:34PM

Wouldnt want you missin out on somethign like this.

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message 6: by Kelly

03/05/2008 01:38PM

Sad to say, Robert, I'm not actually in London. I wish I was! I just meant that the book takes place in London.

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message 7: by Kelly

03/06/2008 04:37AM

I'll look into that. I'm sure my office will consider my private reading schedule a good reason. I would. :)

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message 8: by Anthony

03/09/2008 09:13PM

I sincerely hope you love this book.
I just... I find it perfect.

Are you a gaiman fan already?

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message 9: by Kelly

03/10/2008 06:07AM

Well, the only other book of his that I've read is American Gods, which I loved. So if this one turns out to be as quality as that one (I'm liking it so far!), then yes, I think I shall call myself a Gaiman fan!

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message 10: by Michael

03/10/2008 08:36AM

As i said at the beginning of this thread I'll be curious as to what you think, Kelly of this, espescialy compared to American Gods.

These, i think, are my top Gaiman works, but it depends on my current mood as to which is top top.

enjoy.

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message 11: by Kelly

03/10/2008 10:26AM

Don't worry Michael, I'm sure I'll post a thorough review. What I've read so far at least makes me think I will anyway.

I wish I were in London, Robert. It's been too long! Alas, I am just there in my reading.

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message 12: by Michael

03/10/2008 10:47AM

London is totally worth a revisit. it's been a few years but it is totally one of my favorite big cities ever. I need to go back with a much better camera than i had last i went.

And thinking abuot this book only makes that longing to go back that much stronger....dang it.

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message 13: by Kelly

03/10/2008 10:48AM

Yeah, its been several years for me too. I would also love to go back. Beyond love to go back. What with the pound kicking the dollar's ass currently, though... I don't think that's likely to happen.

Damn you, Gaiman, and your raising impossible ideas!

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message 14: by Michael

03/10/2008 11:05AM

Amen, and now he has a new book coming out that is makign me impatient for new Gaiman, but i have to wait till November or some such absurdity...maybe i can get my hadns on a galley copy somehow.

That and Coraline comes out on film hopefully sooner than later, but most likely towards October i think. ah well.

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message 15: by Kelly

03/10/2008 11:12AM

New Gaiman? What's the new book titled, do you know?

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message 16: by Anthony

03/10/2008 11:41AM

Well, if you enjoyed American Gods, I feel more than confident that you will love this.

Afterwords, check out 'Anansi Boys' (somewhat of a follow-up to 'American Gods'), 'Coraline', 'Stardust', etc... its' all fantastic. What can I say . . . I'm a fan!

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message 17: by Michael

03/10/2008 12:07PM

The new book is titled The Graveyard Book...a kind of twisted homage to The Jungle Book, about a boy who has lost his parents and is raised by ghosts adn otehr other-worldly creatures in a graveyard...from what i've heard and seen it looks to be amazing.

check out his online journal for all kinds of fun info and news...

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/

Tracy, I'm glad your loving this so much. YOu know i knew you would

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message 18: by Anthony

03/10/2008 12:14PM

By the by, the new Gaiman novel, to-be-released, is called "The Graveyard Book".

It's somewhat of an homage to 'The Jungle Book', so....let your imagination run absolutely wild!

: )

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message 19: by Kelly

03/10/2008 12:55PM

Thank you Anthony and Michael! I will definitely be keeping a lookout for that.

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message 20: by Michael

03/10/2008 01:03PM

Untill then have you read Good Omens?

A team-up of Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

Hilarious.

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message 21: by Kelly

03/10/2008 01:07PM

You know, I've got it on my bookshelf, and I've had it there since... oh god, it must be early high school, but if I read it I have no memory of it.

I should try again, perhaps!

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message 22: by Michael

03/10/2008 01:09PM

And there you go, next on your reading list taken care of.

problem solved

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message 23: by Kelly

03/17/2008 07:04AM

Good morning Tracy. Who doesn't love the eccentric nobleman in a fantasy/historical novel? Even if he is dirty and fake? Can't resist a good whiff of mystery and romance!

Richard.. they say he's good looking, but since he worked in the City in finance, I always pictured him as rather blandly, telegenically good looking, maybe with some scruff after London Below.

That's really all I've got to fill in that blank. It is odd, isn't it? Perhaps its because he was the dull spot in surroundings of bright color.

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message 24: by Michael

03/17/2008 07:42AM

After reading this the second time i found that Neverwhere had also been turbned into a graphic novel, adapted by Mike Carey who is also a great writer of supernatural weirdness.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/...

not my favorite art, but the visuals and look of everyone seems pretty consistant with the text....i didnt like Fabry's version of Door and The Hunter, but thought all else was good.

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Kelly's review of Neverwhere: A Novel

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