From the Bookshelf of The Reading Challenge Group…

The Graveyard Book

Neil Gaiman

Start date: June 1, 2014

Finish date: June 30, 2014

Discussion: Group Read Archive 2014-16

Why we're reading this: YA Group Read - June 2014
[close] YA Group Read - June 2014

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Group Read Archive 2014-16

Genre Group Read (Humour) - December 2016 - You Are Not So Smart
By Allison , Quest Hound · 11 posts · 30 views

last updated Dec 28, 2016 04:05PM

Alternate Group Read (Classics) - December 2016 - Mansfield Park
By Allison , Quest Hound · 5 posts · 18 views

last updated Dec 04, 2016 09:34AM

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What Members Thought

Feb 04, 2022 Eileen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2022, audiobook, horror, fantasy, childrens, 2022-ng-group-challenge, favorites, supernatural-paranormal, middle-school

All the stars!

At this point, I would say this is probably my favorite Neil Gaiman work. It's certainly the one I've "read" the most. I discovered this book when my daughter was young and we ended up really enjoying it. There was just something so interesting and likable about Nobody Owens and the denizens of the cemetery. It was fanciful, but not ridiculous and just had the right touch of everything. A few years later, I had started getting into audiobooks and I came across the recording by Neil ...more

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Nov 14, 2018 Tammy rated it really liked it

Shelves: listened-to-it

My second Neil Gaimen and continuing to enjoy the writing style. I especially like hearing the book read in the author’s voice. I enjoyed the many graveyard characters in this one. Great read (via audio).

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Jun 24, 2012 C.C. rated it liked it

Shelves: reviewed, read-in-2014, male-protagonist

This is the 2nd Neil Gaiman book I've read, the first being Neverwhere, which I didn't dislike but wasn't really impressed by. The summary of this sounded interesting, and I enjoyed the movie adaption of Coraline, so I decided to give this one a shot.

The concept of the book is an intriguing one, and one I've not really seen anywhere before. I mean how many books take place mainly in a graveyard? I don't blame Gaiman for choosing the title "The Graveyard Book." Plus it leads to some interesting This is the 2nd Neil Gaiman book I've read, the first being Neverwhere, which I didn't dislike but wasn't really impressed by. The summary of this sounded interesting, and I enjoyed the movie adaption of Coraline, so I decided to give this one a shot.

The concept of the book is an intriguing one, and one I've not really seen anywhere before. I mean how many books take place mainly in a graveyard? I don't blame Gaiman for choosing the title "The Graveyard Book." Plus it leads to some interesting thoughts on life and death and what's beyond, while throwing some supernatural stuff in there.

Each chapter is almost its own story, which some people may not like, but given the ~plot of the book, I'm not really sure how else it would be done. Between each chapter Bod grows a few years in age, however his voice is pretty consistent throughout the book. This bothered me a bit because the first couple chapters he didn't sound like the 5-year-old he was supposed to be. Growing up surrounded by adults, Bod probably did mature faster than normal, but I don't think quite that fast.

I know it's a common trope, especially in children's literature, but I was disappointed to find out (view spoiler) It was kind of a let down after wondering the whole book why.

Also was Silas supposed to be a vampire? There were many hints that suggested that he was, but if so, I don't get why they didn't just say it.

It's bit a hard reviewing this as an adult, since it is technically a children's book. I tried asking myself if my 12-year-old brother would like it and I think he would. He enjoyed Coraline and he likes Miyazaki movies, which this book reminded me of with the spiritual/supernatural element. But from an adult perspective, I was a little bit disappointed that it seems to suggest as a metaphor that as you become mature, you lose your imagination and ability to believe/see or whatever. And while that's true to an extent, I would say that has more to do with society, and Bod has been cut off from society. Yes, the book could only have ended with him growing up and moving on from the graveyard, but the implications of him losing the graveyard bothered me a bit. Maybe it's supposed to reassure kids that you'll grow and change and not like what you did as a kid but there's still plenty left to see and discover or something like that. But reading it as an adult, it's not as reassuring, haha.

Would I recommend this book? Maybe, if someone was looking for something like this. Will I read more Gaiman? That's still TBD. ...more

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Apr 16, 2010 Jana rated it liked it

This was an enjoyable listen while I was commuting to and from school. I'm not sure it would be such a good book for my son, though... The vocabulary and topics are a bit of a stretch. He is 10 years old. ...more

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Nov 17, 2008 🥀 Rose 🥀 rated it really liked it

Shelves: ghost-hauntings-supernatural

I must say after attempting to read Stardust and putting it down because I couldn't get through it, I was hestitant to pick up this one by Neil Gaiman. But am awfully glad I did. A wonderfully, imaginative little book. Bravo!
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Mar 10, 2011 jakki added it

i'm loving it especially cuz it's being read to me by the dulcet-toned Ricky Bouffant. Scary first chapter and definitely not like any childrens' book i've read. ...more

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