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Oct 01, 2008 Steven Harbin rated it it was amazing

Revised review originally posted at :
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

In many of his books Neil Gaiman delivers a fantasy version of the type of story that is usually known as a “coming of age” work of literature. His children’s book Coraline is an obvious example, but so in a unique way are his adult works American Gods and its companion Anansi Boys. In each of those novels, the main character is initially naïve and ignorant of their own personal abilities as well as the motives and agen Revised review originally posted at :
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...

In many of his books Neil Gaiman delivers a fantasy version of the type of story that is usually known as a “coming of age” work of literature. His children’s book Coraline is an obvious example, but so in a unique way are his adult works American Gods and its companion Anansi Boys. In each of those novels, the main character is initially naïve and ignorant of their own personal abilities as well as the motives and agendas of many of those they meet or encounter, and their adventures through the story lead to their own awareness of the world and their rightful place in it. The Graveyard Book was marketed as a young adult novel, and went on to win the Newbery Medal for that category, but it also won the Hugo Award, and I think it’s safe to say that it isn’t “just” a young adult novel. While reading it I was reminded a good bit of Ray Bradbury’s The October Country (at least some of the stories in that collection) and also his From the Dust Returned, as both books are peopled with quite memorable supernatural characters. Gaiman has done the same thing with this novel.

The story is about a young child who, through a horrific event at the very beginning of the book, is “adopted” by a nearby graveyard and the dead souls who inhabit it. Young Nobody Owens (the name given him by his ghost guardians) or “Bod” as he becomes known to the various denizens of the graveyard, is thus thrust into a different world, much as Tarzan or Mowgli were. Gaiman has said that Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book was one of his literary influences in this novel, and for anyone who has read both, there are indeed similarities.

In the very beginning a man known only as “Jack” kills all of Bod’s family except for the toddler, who has developed a habit of climbing out of his crib and then wandering off, to the chagrin of his parents. However, on this night the habit saves his life. He wanders up the hill from his home to the local graveyard, this eluding the murderer. In the graveyard, the spirit of his mother briefly appears to a ghost couple named Owen and begs them to look after her child. After some debate among the spirits inhabiting the graveyard, along with the intervention of a mysterious man named Silas and an even more mysterious woman riding a grey horse, the graveyard denizens “adopt” Bod and misdirect the dangerous Jack, who is still looking for the child. I won’t reveal more of the book, other than to say that the different spirits who inhabit the graveyard are as memorable a cast of characters as any I’ve encountered in my literary wanderings.

One of the beautiful things about Gaiman’s storytelling is that he usually realizes that less is more, while at the same time knowing when the time is ripe to disclose a little bit more of the of the big picture. His graveyard where Bod lives and learns is as fantastic and as beautiful a place as Kipling’s jungle where Mowgli dwelt, and just as deadly. Gaiman succeeds in drawing us into this world, and at the end of the book I found myself wishing for more of it. I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantastic literature, as I truly think it’s among Gaiman’s best work.
The Graveyard Book — (2008) Ages 9-12. Publisher: Bod 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 timely ghostly teachings — like the ability to Fade. Can a boy raised by ghosts face the wonders and terrors of the worlds of both the living and the dead? And then there are things like ghouls that aren’t really one thing or the other. This chilling tale is Neil Gaiman’s first full-length novel for middle-grade readers since the internationally bestselling and universally acclaimed Coraline. Like Coraline, this book is sure to enchant and surprise young readers as well as Neil Gaiman’s legion of adult fans. ...more

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Dec 01, 2015 Linda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, ohio-e-book-project, fiction, 2015

Neil Gaiman is the perfect story teller and the perfect narrator for his books. What a delight. From the title, one would think this might be a scary book, but it is not. It's a very simple story of a baby who is not killed when the rest of his family is murdered. He becomes known as "Bod" (from Nobody) who is raised by two ghosts from The Graveyard. Nuff said. Try this one yourself. ...more

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Oct 13, 2010 Pang rated it really liked it

Shelves: recently-read, book-club

What a great little book! I thought the story was lovely, and I loved his writing style. I enjoyed this book more so than I did with Anansi Boys. It had some subtle humor and simple goodness in the story. I chuckled when Mrs. Owens named him Nobody. Nobody Owens. Bod for short. He was so fearless. May be you were not supposed to be when you'd been raised by a bunch of ghosts! (instead of, like, Angels?) They did what they could for Bod, teaching him all the things they know. Like Mr. Pennyworth ...more

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May 10, 2009 Renee rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, adolescent, ghosts

The thing about writing reviews for most books is that it is easier to say what you didn't like than what you did, particularly with authors as spectacular as Gaiman. The better the author is in general, the less I feel qualified to say anything about their specific works. This could be why most of the reviews I've written on books by Neil Gaiman are so short...there is literally NOTHING to complain about, and I feel anything positive I could say would not be up to snuff considering how good his ...more

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Dec 08, 2008 Judy rated it really liked it

I really didn't expect to like this book, but I loved it. Bod (short for Nobody) survives the massacre of his family as a toddler and is raised inside a graveyard by ghosts, spirits, wereolves, vampires, etc. Written for young readers, this book also works for adults because of the writing. The magic lies in the aruthor's ability to bring to life (oops) the residents of the graveyard who were buried there over centuries. My favorites were his "parents", the Roman centurion, the protective vampir ...more

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May 14, 2018 Tracy rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, audio-book

I quite liked this book. I have recently been listening to a few of Neil Gaiman's audiobooks and he tends to read his own works - which I like. He has a good delivery and I really enjoy his writing style.
An interesting and fun creative work for children/teens (or anyone, but definitely written for a younger audience). ...more

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Jun 01, 2017 Lori rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The entire family loved this story and we especially enjoyed Neil Gaiman's narration on the audiobook. A beautiful and imaginative story. We haven't looked at a graveyard the same way since. ...more

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Sep 15, 2020 Letitia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020-to-read, audiobook

If this isn't the most perfect spooky young adult fantasy in life then I don't understand fiction. I adored this. It is classic Gaiman, with all the gross and dark elements made somehow extremely homey and beautiful. However, it's written for younger readers which eliminates a lot of the more disturbing elements from Gaiman's adult novels and allows me to enjoy it that much more. The story is timeless and engaging and magical and deliciously dangerous. The characters are real, the writing tight ...more

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Jun 03, 2009 Eileen rated it liked it

Shelves: kids-fiction-horror

A little bit disappointing for me. I liked Bod, but found the detailed description of the graveyard a bit dull.

The Graveyard Book straddles the upper end of Children's Lit and YA. I think I'll have my son read and see what he thinks. ...more

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Nov 02, 2008 Tori rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kids-ya

What if the Jungle book took place in a graveyard instead? That's essentially this book. A small child's family is brutally murdered, and he escapes into the closeby graveyard, where the ghosts decide to protect and raise him. Every chapter is two years apart, and more snapshots into the boy's life rather than a detailed narrative.

This book has won numerous awards, and rightly so. A clever book for children - or adults that are young at heart. ...more

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