YA Group Read (June 2014) - The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman

[Faye, The Dickens Junkie]

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman won our poll for June's YA Group Read! The conversation can begin on June 1st.

[Amber]

I've read it already. It's a pretty good read. Enjoy everyone! :)

[Holly, That Geeky One]

I'll definitely be reading this! Although probably won't be able to until the latter half of the month'

[Renee, Mistress of the Mini-Challenge]

Giving serious consideration to this. I haven't read Neil Gaiman, but I've heard lots of buzz.

[Philip]

I will definitely read this in June, I am a huge fan of Gaiman.

[Roseanne]

It is on my tbr list but I don't know if I will get to it before the end of June.

[Philip]

Oh maybe you can help me, Philip. I am wondering if his book Fortunately, the Milk really fits both ..."

I am sorry to say but that is one I have not yet gotten to.

[Amber]

Hey Sandy I want to read Fortunately the Milk too. Even though its a little kids books, I'd like to check it out. :)

[Amber]

No problem Sandy. :)

[Lucy]

I'm looking forward to this book - just got it out from the library. It will be my first Gaiman novel!

[Holly, That Geeky One]

Picked this up at the library yesterday, and I'm about 50 pages in. It's alright, haven't really got into the story yet.

[Holly, That Geeky One]

Finished this yesterday. It definitely improved as it went on, but I'm not sure why people attach the 'wow' factor that they do.

Regardless, the story is interesting (although I think the ending was rather rushed, and could have started earlier in the book), and it's a unique idea that has some really interesting parts to it. I'd recommend it, just because it's a relatively simple read. I personally, however, didn't love it.

[Amber]

Hey Holly, it is Neil Gaiman's version of the Jungle Book.

[Holly, That Geeky One]

I didn't know that! That's very interesting, and adds a bit to it!

Regardless, I think it's a decent read!

[Tracey]

I thought it was too disjointed as a book, as if Gaiman didn't connect his stories well enough. I liked the original idea of a boy growing up in the graveyard and associating with the ghosts, but then his stories took some turns I thought were less interesting.

[Lucy]

I thought this book was sweet and enjoyable, but nothing ground breaking. Knowing it was Gaiman's version of The Jungle Book enhanced my enjoyment of it, as did the great illustrations in my copy. The story itself though was pretty one-dimensional.

[Mags]

Read this a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Didn't realise it was his version of The Jungle Book and I can see how it relates to it. Well worth a read :)

[Evan]

Mags wrote: "Read this a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Didn't realise it was his version of The Jungle Book and I can see how it relates to it. Well worth a read :)"

Mags I didn't realize the relationship between his book and The Jungle Book until I read your comment. Now that I'm thinking about it it seems so obvious. I've read this book a couple times and love it. Nobody Owens is such a smart little boy, and I'm actually a little jealous of his ability to float between this world and the next.

[Brenda (aka Grandma)]

I finished this week and I enjoyed it. Anybody who can tell a story about a kid who's Nobody in a way that a lot of kids could actually read and that somehow made grown up me feel good... Yes, I'll be reading more by Gaiman.

[Sam]

I read this a while ago. I enjoyed it although I didn't love it either. I too didn't know it was his version of the jungle book. I like that idea though!

[Bridget]

I thought I was the only person left on earth who had not read a book by Neil Gaiman. Glad to know that I am not alone.

I started it this week and am very happy to find this thread. The book is very much outside my comfort zone. I'm about 25% of the way and am finding it slow. I also found the very beginning part with the man named Jack to be pretty scary for a YA book.

[Evan]

Bridget: yea I agree, the beginning is a little freaky for a YA novel? But I'm assuming this would be read by the upper end of the YA category (based on the name alone). Besides this isn't tooooo big of a jump from the Goodebump series. The nature of the terror is different but they are similar stories.

[Ashley]

Read this and several of his other books earlier this year they are great stories and he is an amazing writer! Enjoy!