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The Graveyard Book

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"The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman follows the life of a young boy named Nobody Owens, who escapes to a nearby graveyard after his family is killed. Raised by the ghosts of the graveyard, Bod grows up surrounded by supernatural beings, facing challenges and adventures as he matures. The book is inspired by "The Jungle Book" but with a twist, as it explores themes of friendship, identity, and growing up in a unique setting. The writing style is engaging, with a mix of suspenseful plot development and endearing relationships that keep readers captivated until the very end.

Characters:

The characters are compelling and diverse, with Bod at the center, showcasing growth and connection to both the dead and living.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is both whimsical and haunting, combining humor with poignant moments, making it enjoyable for readers of all ages.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot intricately weaves together Bod's adventures growing up in a graveyard, emphasizing themes of family, belonging, and the journey towards self-discovery.

Setting:

The setting is rich and vivid, evoking a sense of wonder and mystery amid the graveyard's eerie atmosphere.

Pacing:

The pacing varies, with episodic chapters allowing for character development while building tension as Bod confronts challenges.
The toddler’s room was at the very top of the house. The man Jack walked up the stairs, his feet silent on the carpeting. Then he pushed open the attic door, and he walked in. His shoes were black lea...

Notes:

The Graveyard Book is loosely inspired by Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book.
The story begins with a chilling triple murder described in the first chapter.
The protagonist, Nobody Owens (Bod), is raised by ghosts in a graveyard after his family is killed.
Bod is granted the "Freedom of the Graveyard," allowing him special abilities such as fading and haunting.
Each chapter of the book reads like a self-contained short story, detailing different events in Bod's life as he grows up.
The characters in the book include a vampire named Silas, a werewolf named Miss Lupescu, and a witch named Liza Hempstock.
The book addresses themes of loneliness, identity, and the balance between life and death.
The illustrations by Dave McKean enhance the eerie atmosphere of the story, though they are minimal.
The Graveyard Book won both the Newbery Medal and the Carnegie Medal in Literature.
The ending struck many readers as bittersweet, leaving a sense of longing and nostalgia.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of murder and violence, particularly in the beginning of the book, which may be unsettling for sensitive readers.

From The Publisher:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman, an ingenious and captivating reimagining of Rudyard Kipling's adventure The Jungle Book that is a glorious meditation on love, loss, survival, sacrifice, and what it means to truly be alive-one of ten classic Gaiman works repackaged with elegant original watercolor art by acclaimed artist Henry Sene Yee.

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would have been completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy-an ancient Indigo Man beneath the hill, a gateway to a desert leading to an abandoned city of ghouls, the strange and terrible menace of the Sleer. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack-who has already killed Bod's family. . .

By turns macabre, uplifting, sinister, and heartwarming, Neil Gaiman's #1 national bestseller-winner of the Carnegie and Newbury Medals and the Hugo Award-is a "novel of wonder . . . a tale of unforgettable enchantment" (New York Times Book Review).

Ratings (292)

Incredible (63)
Loved It (125)
Liked It (77)
It Was OK (17)
Did Not Like (6)
Hated It (4)

Reader Stats (570):

Read It (300)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (158)
Did Not Finish (7)
Not Interested (104)

8 comment(s)

Loved It
2 weeks

“If you dare nothing, then when the day is over, nothing is all you will have gained.”

Decently fun YA book with a bit of filler but overall nice and easy world to “live” in.

Would give it a 3.5

 
Hated It
3 weeks

Author

 
Hated It
1 month

Too whimsical, sorry.

 
Incredible
3 months

I loved this book, as many others have. It's a delightful read for all ages.

 
Loved It
3 months

Lei este libro buscando algo para recomendar a mi sobrino y me acabo gustando a mi.

 
Loved It
5 months

The Graveyard Book is still as charming as it was to me when I first read it (or rather,

listened to it) when I was in sixth grade though it is a touch sadder than I remembered.

It's fabulously constructed and the prose is nice, but it's missing that layer of complexity that I crave, quite possibly because it's a book for children. I just feel like I've outgrown it more than I thought I had...

Despite this, I still highly recommend

The Graveyard Book.

 
Loved It
6 months

A charming, somewhat dark and decidedly fairytale-esque tale, The Graveyard Book, tells the story of Nobody Owens - a living boy who is adopted by a graveyard. Reading like a collection of short stories with a recurring cast of characters and an overarching plot, each chapter tackles a different part of Nobody's life as he grows up.

This was great. Nobody was brave, bold and kind and I liked how the ghosts of the graveyard embraced him. I would've liked to know a bit more detail about his family though, particularly what Nobody's

actual name is. I mean, yeah, his name

is now Nobody but I was also curious as to what it was before.

My favourite part was his desire to learn to read and his continued passion for it. I wasn't a fan of the ending.

I hated that Nobody starts to be unable to see his family and that he has to leave. Like I get it but also it sucks. Plus Silas basically cuts off contact as well. I mean he's spent his whole life surrounded by love and care and then he's just abandoned. I hated it. It does end on a hopeful note but I would've preferred a happier ending.

An enjoyable fantasy with ghosts, adventure, danger and friendships. 3.5 stars rounded to 4 stars.

 
Incredible
8 months

I can't describe this book do anyone. You'll need to read it for yourself.

 
 
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