The Graveyard Book
By Neil Gaiman
Published September 2008
See synopsis and editorial opinions on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
As Neil Gaiman stories go, this one is pretty typical. A bit macabre yet light hearted, inventive and whimsical, and a main character with simple roots who grows into something more over the course of his adventures. I don't think it's his best work, but it's enjoyable, written with his usual concise, beautiful language and practical handling of fantasy. The Dave McKean pen and ink illustrations are lovely; it's nice to see his work in another medium.
The plot is relatively simple: a baby orphan of a murdered family is adopted and raised by a graveyard's inhabitants. As he tries to figure out his place between the living and dead, he makes many discoveries, including the friendship of a live girl and the need to avenge his family's deaths. But what makes Neil Gaiman a genius is how he reinvents werewolves and ghouls and tombs and haunts into interesting scenarios and personalities. Overall, it was a fun and short read, good for curling up in the couch on a fall afternoon.
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