Book Review – The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

By

The Graveyard Book, published in 2008, is a work of Neil Gaiman’s that instantly appeals to readers of the macabre and strange. The novel follows Nobody ‘Bod’ Owens through his experiences of living with a cohort of ghouls and ghosts within a cemetery. The Graveyard Book chronicles his life throughout the graveyard and the places in its vicinity, and was a novel that succeeded Gaiman’s 2002 novel Coraline, which was adapted for television just a year after the release of The Graveyard Book.

I did not enjoy this book at all. One of the most central reasons for this was that the novel wasn’t actually a novel at all, but rather a collection of short stories that occurred with Nobody throughout his life. I don’t know whether I had set my expectations too high when I purchased the book, but all hopes and aspirations were crumbled by uninteresting characters, bland dialogue and boring plot development.

One of the main reasons I feel I didn’t enjoy this book is the fact that I had extremely high expectations for it. Coraline, the novel written by the same author, continues to be my favourite film and novel–if not actual thin–on the planet, and though I had delved into Gaiman’s adult novels (American Gods, The Ocean at the End of the Lane) I had never felt the need to explore his young adult/children books. I highly doubt that I will ever be doing this again after the impression this novel left on me.

I also feel as though my reasons for disliking this novel stem back to its failed attempt at setting inspirations. Graveyards have always been a point of interest for me–their ominous feel, their fearful history–but I feel as though The Graveyard Book completely missed an opportunity to really develop and give backstory to the graveyard that Bod found himself in. I was rather annoyed that Gaiman had not given us more information on the beginnings of the graveyard, which was something I thought he (Gaiman) could’ve played with.

All in all, this book was a disappointment, and while I will say that it will not hinder my complete love for his early work, Gaiman may find that I will not be giving this novel complete praise if he ever comes to read this review (wishful thinking.)

Plot: 3/10
Characters: 5/10
Writing: 6/10
OVERALL: 5.5/10

Posted in Book Review.
Share

Related Posts

  •
    16/08/2019

    Book Review – Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

    Eoin Colfer’s bestselling middle-grade adventure mystery novels chronicle the lives of twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl. In the first Artemis Fowl novel, we meet our eponymous character, who is more devious and clever than most adults. The novel follows Fowl after he attempts to catch a fairy in order to obtain gold for ransom. His main motive …

  • P is for Pearl
    22/02/2018

    Book Review – P is for Pearl by Eliza Henry Jones

    Eliza Henry Jones’ P is for Pearl is a sweet piece of summer escapism. Set in a quiet beach town in Tasmania, complete with romance and hints of mystery, it’s an easy way to pass the time over the summer holidays, sitting out in the sun with a drink in hand. The reader is dropped [...]
  •
    31/01/2019

    Book Review – Meet Me at the Intersection edited by Rebecca Lim and Ambelin Kwaymullina

    Meet Me at the Intersection is a rich short story anthology written by a diverse range of Australian authors and lovingly edited by Rebecca Lim and Ambelin Kwaymullina. The anthology aims to showcase the experiences of marginalised groups through “own voice” stories, whose authors fit into those groups. The first thing about the anthology that …

  •
    14/11/2017

    Book Review – The Secret Science of Magic by Melissa Keil

    Melissa Keil’s The Secret Science of Magic is a unique and compelling twist on the typical romance novel. Shift away from the typical “quirky” star-crossed lover archetypes, Keil has created the kind of relatable and complex character that exist in real life, but rarely ever play a starring role in the media. Sophia is so …

  •
    16/08/2019

    Book Review – Sadie by Courtney Summers

    Courtney Summers’ well-written murder mystery is a modern take on the genre. Following the sister of a missing girl and the journalist trying to find her, Sadie’s format is unique, if a little confusing at times. The chapters written from Sadie’s perspective are in first person, but every second chapter is written as a script …

  •
    25/02/2020

    Book Review – The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

    Marcus Zusak’s captivating debut novel follows the story of Liesel, who witnesses the death of her younger brother while on a train through Germany. When she discovers a novel hidden in the snow while standing by her brother’s grave, Liesel pockets it, despite the fact that she has not acquired the ability to read. When …