Fantasy: The Graveyard Book

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Gaiman, Neil. 2010. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0060530944.

PLOT SUMMARY

The Graveyard Book starts out with a grisly murder. A young boy’s family is killed in their home while he escapes to the nearby cemetery.  A kind, ghostly couple called the Owens decide to adopt him at the request of his dead parents and receives the name Nobody ‘Bod’ Owens because he looks like nobody but himself. He is given the gift of the Freedom of the Graveyard. This allows how to see and speak to ghosts and all manner on fantastical creatures. Silas is a man who is given the task of taking care of Bod. Silas is one of the only characters in the novel who can leave the graveyard. As Bod gets older he becomes more accustomed to all the creatures he meets and comes into contact with. He meets a young girl named Scarlett with whom he becomes friends but she eventually moves away. Bod eventually learns that the creatures and characters in the graveyard are his family and friends but he can’t stay amongst the dead forever. Several events cause Bod to come to terms with the fact that he is not meant for the Graveyard and that he will eventually have to leave and create a new life for himself among the living.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Fans of Tim Burton will love this novel. The setting of the Graveyard will excite many fantasy lovers. The setting really helps to immerse the reader in the creepy story of death, friendship and growing up. The tone of the books eerie as well. Many readers will love Neil Gaiman’s prose and how it is able to transform the reading experience. 

The fantastical elements of the story are also very prevalent. It is hinted throughout the book that Silas is a reformed vampire and Miss Lupescu is a werewolf. The ghoul gate is another aspect of the book that fantasy lovers will enjoy. The living are able to transport themselves to land of the dead.

Neil Gaiman has said multiple times that the Graveyard in the book is a metaphor for a library. Each headstone represents a different character and world that Bod explores. When Bod is learning how to read, the headstones are his books. With the Ghoul Gate, the headstones are literally able to take you on a voyage the same as many say books do.

The Audio book format of this book is a truly fantastical way to consume the story. The audiobook boasts a variety of cast members who perfectly transform you into the story and truly make you feel as if it is you who are living in the graveyard. Each character has their own voice and tone that master their character’s behaviors and motives. Each performer gives you a look into that character’s life and drags you into the magical story.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “The child Bod's behavior is occasionally too precocious to be believed, and a series of puns on the name Jack render the villain a bit less frightening than he should be, though only momentarily. Aside from these small flaws, however, Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family.”

BOOKMARKS MAGAZINE: “Critics praised each illustrated chapter as its own little gem, with moments both tender and terrifying—and each equally exciting. The Graveyard Book is sure to become a book to last the ages.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS: “Wistful, witty, wise—and creepy. This needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child.”

HORN BOOK: “Lucid, evocative prose and dark fairy-tale motifs imbue the story with a dreamlike quality. …this ghost-story-cum-coming-of-age-novel as readable as it is accomplished.”

CONNECTIONS

*Newberry Medal Winner

*Carnegie Medal Winner

*New York Times Bestseller (over 1 million copies)

*Students may want to listen to this book as an audiobook. The audiobook is read by a full cast including: Neil Gaiman, Derek Jacobi, Robert Madge, Clare Corbett, Miriam Margolyes, Andrew Scott, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Emilia Fox, Reece Shearsmith, Lenny Henry.

*Read another creepy read by Neil Gaiman:

Gaiman, Neil. CORALINE. ISBN 0380807343