Book Title: The Graveyard Book
Author: Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman writes in simple, moving and intricate proses. His style, though like liquid in the air, is surprisingly fast-paced and certain. His story is fascinating; like a modern fairytale. His words are like breaths that vibrate to your skin into satisfying goosebumps. I guess greatness comes with a story and the way it is presented. Gaiman has mastered these two.
The Graveyard Book is a retelling of the Jungle Book. It follows the same format but different twists and premise. It revolves around a boy named Nobody “Bod” Owens who’s raised by ghosts and his guardian (neither dead nor alive, you guess what he is) in a graveyard on top of the hill. Just like the Jungle Books’s man-cub, Bod knows little to nothing about the world of mankind. His story becomes more intriguing due to its suspense element. He’s the only one who survived in a family murder. The murderer is still at large, fuming with desperation to finish him off.
There’s more to the graveyard than meets the eye. There are other entities or creatures or whatever you call them than ghosts and apparitions. There are ghouls- bad spirits that feed on dead bodies, night-gaunts- big winged creatures of the dark, dead witch- a witch but dead, werewolves- creatures we’re all familiar with, and more.
The graveyard is like a village occupied predominantly by ghosts with headstones and crypts as their homes. These ghosts act as Bod’s parents (Mr. and Mrs. Owens, hence his surname), teachers, playmates, neighbors, and companions. It is also a nature-reserve enveloped with ancient mysteries. Such a fascinating adventure of an extraordinary boy in the graveyard and beyond.
I daresay I have nothing negative to say. You may decide to skip the book or end up not liking it as much I do for a probable reason that you simply don’t like the story. Or because the pacing isn’t appealing enough to your personal liking. Or because the bittersweet ending makes you hate it. But truth be told, its storyline and writing are top notch. 🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌 bananas. Highly rich in potassium.
“He took a step forward, through the gate that took him out of the graveyard. He thought a voice said, “I am so proud of you, my son,”…”
-Neil Gaiman
The Graveyard Book
Nollan’s Bookhouse 