Genre: Fantasy fiction, young adult fiction, Gothic fiction
Key Stage: KS2/3
Rating: ★★★★
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (2008)
Bod, short for Nobody Owens, has all his life lived with the dead. Quite literally. After his family was brutally killed by the mysteriously lethal man Jack, he managed to escape and was adopted by the graveyard-folk, and his peculiar guardian; Silas; who is neither dead nor alive. Growing up, he longs for life and searches for it- meeting grotesque ghouls, a witch with a last request, and eventually, people. But the man Jack is still out there. Still hunting for Bod. Still waiting to accomplish his task…
Neil Gaiman has a uniquely eerie, haunting gothic style that combines everything humane- life, death, friendship, revenge and et cetera. The pace is quite slow, but this allows the reader to absorb the situation fully.
The characters are also fairly memorable; like Liza and her story; while some, like Silas, are never quite explained and are shrouded in mystery. Another thing I noticed is how all the characters have a desire for something- The Owenses wanted a child, Liza wanted to be remembered in some way, and Bod desired life.
The ending… is a bit nostalgic, like growing up is, and leaving everything behind. A bit disappointing too, despite the story being finished, but overall, this is a great story- and would be an epic spooky bedtime fairy-tale.
Reviewer: Muslimah, Year 9