Book Review: The Graveyard
I have just finished reading The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman. I will say this: this was my first Gaiman novel (I've read his blog for ages), and... it was everything I had hoped for.
What's intensely fascinating, immediately, is the setting of the book, which takes place in two primary locations: the house, in which "Bod", the main character, was born, and the graveyard, where he lives most of his life. I've never had an author drop me into a story in media res and have it feel as immediate as Gaiman so flawlessly does. It reminded me why I like the choice, actually. You have no choice but to go along on this journey, which walks this line between the fantastic and the realistic. The world was fabulous -- as dark, moody and unpredictable as the characters.
The characters themselves, I immediately fell in love with: and the choices Gaiman makes not to tel you every single solitary thing about them. Silas, the mentor character, reminded me very much of what I adored about early Dumbledore -- he is a mentor, yes, highly valued by Bod, but relatively unknown by him. Silas holds all the cards to solving the mystery that runs throughout the book -- namely, who murdered Bod's parents, and yet at the end, you don't resent him for making the choices he makes because you feel they're only necessary.
The most gratifying change in young adult literature that I'm seeing as I delve back into the genre is that there is less and less of the "This Book Is About Growing Up, Which Is Sad and Scary And Not Like You're Anticipating At All", and more about... embracing life at every age, and living it not just well, but complexly, enjoying all of its shades and flavors.
I can't say I loved every single thing about the ending. Those of you who know me well know my extreme shipping tendencies, but it's okay. I know someday they'll find each other (Scarlett and Bod), after he's seen the world, and live happily ever after.
All in all, I thoroughly, and I mean thoroughly enjoyed myself. What a fun read, and it was good to open an actual book again.
editrx, you know what hun? You done good.
What's intensely fascinating, immediately, is the setting of the book, which takes place in two primary locations: the house, in which "Bod", the main character, was born, and the graveyard, where he lives most of his life. I've never had an author drop me into a story in media res and have it feel as immediate as Gaiman so flawlessly does. It reminded me why I like the choice, actually. You have no choice but to go along on this journey, which walks this line between the fantastic and the realistic. The world was fabulous -- as dark, moody and unpredictable as the characters.
The characters themselves, I immediately fell in love with: and the choices Gaiman makes not to tel you every single solitary thing about them. Silas, the mentor character, reminded me very much of what I adored about early Dumbledore -- he is a mentor, yes, highly valued by Bod, but relatively unknown by him. Silas holds all the cards to solving the mystery that runs throughout the book -- namely, who murdered Bod's parents, and yet at the end, you don't resent him for making the choices he makes because you feel they're only necessary.
The most gratifying change in young adult literature that I'm seeing as I delve back into the genre is that there is less and less of the "This Book Is About Growing Up, Which Is Sad and Scary And Not Like You're Anticipating At All", and more about... embracing life at every age, and living it not just well, but complexly, enjoying all of its shades and flavors.
I can't say I loved every single thing about the ending. Those of you who know me well know my extreme shipping tendencies, but it's okay. I know someday they'll find each other (Scarlett and Bod), after he's seen the world, and live happily ever after.
All in all, I thoroughly, and I mean thoroughly enjoyed myself. What a fun read, and it was good to open an actual book again.
editrx, you know what hun? You done good.