May 11, 2009
The Graveyard Book
Author: Neil Gaiman
Pages: 320
Year Published: 2008
It all begins with a knife in the dark and the murder of a child’s family.
Not exactly how children’s books begin these days, although that is changing, but it would have been a beginning Kipling or Doahl would have recognized right off the bat. In fact, The Graveyard Book draws inspiration directly from Kipling’s The Jungle Book.
Bod (short for Nobody Owens) is adopted by the denizens of a local graveyard and there he begins his life and education among the ghosts and other inhabitants. Along the way, Bod learns about ghouls, how to Fade so no one pays attention to him, and explores every niche and crevice of his adopted home. Along the way, he also comes into contact with the larger world around him, which often brings conflict to his life. And all the while, his family’s murderer stalks the world looking for the one victim that escaped.
Gaiman is a master storyteller and this book is no exception. Each chapter is set up as an encounter in which Bod will learn something, either about himself, or the world. Oftentimes both. Reader’s of Kipling’s work will recognize a lot of parallels, but they are not all direct ones. There is no direct analogue of Shere Kahn, or King Louie. Rather, it is a story of a boy raised in a society not his own, just as Mowgli was, though with Gaiman’s own Gothic interpretation.
The Graveyard Book is a good read, even for adults, but it is primarily aimed at younger, pre-adolescent children. In an age where all children’s books are supposed to be light and airy (although, as I pointed out, this is changing a bit), Gaiman’s book is written to speak directly to children, instead of at them. The darker material will no doubt make some parent’s wary, but overall the book is worth it.
-K
How prevalent are the illustrations? I was considering getting this on Kindle, but I didn’t want to do Mr. McKean a disservice.
Just enough to call it an “illustrated” book, but nowhere near the amount found in a regular picture book. Honestly, I found them kind of distracting on the Kindle. It’s one area when going from text to a picture and back to text doesn’t quite feel normal.
-K
And the resolution on the Kindle is, let’s face it, pretty poor. ‘Round about the time they come out with better resolution and color is when I will upgrade.
I was trying to think of the last time I really cared about illustrations in a book, but then I remembered I don’t have children. That’s got to up the ante.
-K
Well, I’ve got a bit of an art background and I do love me some comic books, so that may account for some of illustration love.
I really meant illustrations in a novel, rather than graphic novels themselves. I had to finally give up collecting comics. Too expensive and carrying them everywhere was a pain. Although the trades for Marvel’s Ultimate line keep tempting me.
-K
I’m extraordinarily picky when it comes to comics. I go into comic shops and find the selection dizzying — especially since I don’t know too many people who are reading them regularly and and steer me toward what’s actually good. I usually leave empty handed.