October Group Read Discussion: A Graveyard Book

[Nadine in NY]

Drakeryn wrote: "I feel like, most of the time I read stuff with orphaned protagonists, it's just a plot device to get the parents out of the way so that the kid can be on his own and unsupervised. ..."


LOL I have to agree with this. SO MANY kid's books involve one reason or another (some reasonable, some outlandish) to just get the parents out of the way so the kids can have adventures.

[Teri]

I finished the book this weekend, and I enjoyed it much more than I expected.

Answers to Discussion Questions:

Who are everyone's favorite characters, outside of Bod?
I liked Silas a lot, and I loved the Owens for "adopting" Bod. Scarlet was fun up until the end. Really, most of the characters were delightful, even the Sleer and the Jacks.

The graveyard is populated with characters we typically think of as evil. How does Gaiman play with this idea, particularly in the characters of Silas, Miss Lupescu, and Eliza Hempstock? What do these characterizations suggest about human nature?
I love stories about redemption and about good overcoming evil. It restores my faith in the human race, because even if these people are fiction and supernatural, there are parallels to the living. There is some good in evil people (and some bad in good people).

“A graveyard is not normally a democracy, and yet death is the great democracy” (p. 29). How is death the great democracy? How does Gaiman explore the relationship between the dead and the living?
There were still positions of power in the graveyard, so I don't feel that everyone was on an equal plane there. But it did seem as if everyone had a voice, and they had figured out how to coexist. And it was nice to see Bod learn a great deal from the dead, which is something we should all try to do - probably not as ghosts so much (unless you have quite a sixth sense).

"There is a rich tradition of orphans in children’s literature as well as a tradition of child-of-destiny themes in fantasy literature. Discuss how Bod fits squarely into both categories." "How does Bod differ from other traditional orphan characters in books?"
Bod is different from many other orphans in literature because he was able to find a loving family right away. His struggles were not the typical ones of survival so much as learning how to grow up in such odd circumstances.

"Boundaries—between the living and the dead, between the graveyard and the world—are an important part of the novel. How does Bod test these boundaries? What are the consequences of Bod’s actions?"
Bod's experiences, while obviously unusual, seemed in a sense somewhat typical of a growing child. They push boundaries, they make mistakes, they learn and adapt.

[Lauren]

Drakeryn wrote: "Lauren wrote: "The scenes with [...] Scarlett in the graveyard toward the end stand out for me with this question..."

oh man that scene made me SO MAD (not directly related to your question but I ..."

Good points. I had forgotten about that scene with Scarlett, but it was frustrating!

And I think Orphan Train was the first thing that came to mind when I was considering that question, but your interpretation might be more of the norm. Ha!

And I agree on the strong family he finds in the graveyard. :)

[Suki]

Lauren wrote: "Here's another discussion question I found for the group:

"There is a rich tradition of orphans in children’s literature as well as a tradition of child-of-destiny themes in fantasy literature. D..."

When the topic of orphans in literature comes up, Charles Dickens springs immediately to mind. I know he's not really considered to be a children's author, but many of us were first exposed to his books in middle school. A child orphan protagonist is pretty much a trope in Dickens (Oliver Twist, Great Expectations, etc), and they don't have an easy time of it. Compared to this, Bod has had quite an easy time of it.

[Michelle]

I started, and finished, this book yesterday. I loved it! Honestly, I didn't expect that I would like it because American Gods was a DNF for me. But Bod and Silas and Miss Lupescu- so many great characters! I loved the setting also.
My only complaint was the predictability of certain aspects of the plot, but I tend to let that go in books aimed at children, which as far as I can tell, this book is. To be honest though, I think it is too dark and creepy for my almost 10 year old, so I'm not sure the ideal age for this one.
I'm really happy I read this book, and now I'd like to try Good Omens and The Ocean at the End of the Lane (the audiobook sample for this one seemed pretty good to me).
This is my first time joining in a book discussion here, and I've loved reading everyone's thoughts! I'll be back with thoughts on the discussion questions, but now I am off to work :)

[Lauren]

Michelle wrote: "I started, and finished, this book yesterday. I loved it! Honestly, I didn't expect that I would like it because American Gods was a DNF for me. But Bod and Silas and Miss Lupescu- so many great ch..."

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Yes, this book is found in the children's section of the library, but I think most of us have questioned the best audience for this.

I enjoyed The Ocean at the End of the Lane when I read it for a book club a few years ago - hope that one works for you too!

[Drakeryn]

I think like 90% of the book was very kid-appropriate. There are ghosts, but they're not spooky/scary; they're mom and dad and friends and teachers and adults with cool stories to tell about their lives. Obviously, Bod gets into trouble and has to escape/outwit bad guys, but that's pretty standard for kids' adventure books.

The only really scary part (imo) is the first chapter, which is well-done but kinda tonally dissonant from the rest of the book.

[Lauren]

Drakeryn wrote: "I think like 90% of the book was very kid-appropriate. There are ghosts, but they're not spooky/scary; they're mom and dad and friends and teachers and adults with cool stories to tell about their ..."

Agreed! Most of it was find and makes sense for a younger audience. I remember reading things like The Diary of Anne Frank: And Related Readings and She's Come Undone (and lots of Goosebumps! haha) at age 12 so something like this wouldn't have been an issue for me, but maybe for others.

[Johanna]

This book confused me! The beginning was very gruesome and I am shocked that this was supposed to be a children's story. I felt one of the stories just didn't make any sense at all (although it nicely tied in with the ending). I was about to quit, but kept going and am glad that I did. Probably the most pleased ending of a book I've read in a while.

I loved Bod's "family" and how they all looked out for him. Definitely showed the definition of "It takes a village."

[Drakeryn]

Johanna wrote: "I felt one of the stories just didn't make any sense at all (although it nicely tied in with the ending)."

Which one? Personally, I thought Danse Macabre was the weakest story. I didn't really get the point, they just all danced and went home.

[Hilary]

Drakeryn wrote: "I think like 90% of the book was very kid-appropriate. There are ghosts, but they're not spooky/scary; they're mom and dad and friends and teachers and adults with cool stories to tell about their ..."

Agreed! The beginning was pretty intense, but my kids seemed okay with it. I think it would be better for middle and upper elementary aged kiddos, rather than your preschoolers or kinders. I actually thought Book 4 in the Harry Potter series to be more gruesome and intense.

[Lauren]

Thanks for everyone's comments on the book this month! Here's the last question:

Like much of Gaiman's work, The Graveyard Book manages to fuse elements of humor, horror, fantasy, and mystery into a single story. How did these work together in this story collection? How might the story read differently if one or more of these elements were removed?

I personally like the mix of elements, especially as I've been reading more horror and fantasy than I used to. I like the levity that humor can bring in to make the reading experience less intense. And I was never too into mysteries but I've found that the writing style makes a difference on whether I can enjoy them. The The Shadow of the Wind series was my favorite way to break into that genre. I think the mystery aspects of "The Graveyard Book" were at just the right level for me.