A silent and mysterious killer is sent to kill a family, including a one year old boy. The killer swiftly and silently kills the mother, father and older sibling, but the one year old boy is nowhere to be found. He has toddled to the old graveyard up the hill where the ghosts of days gone past congregate. With the assassin on his tail, and at the plea of his mother’s ghosts, the graveyard ghosts protect the boy and give him the Freedom of the Graveyard. Christened as Nobody Owens, Bod is raised by the ghosts and Mr. and Mrs. Owens who were never able to have a child of their own in life. Bod is brought food and other items from the living by the not quite living and not quite dead Silas, his guardian. Bod learns from the old teachers in the graveyard and makes friends with poets, explorers and even a witch. He is taught how to open a ghoul gate, Dreamwalk and Fade from memory. He even goes exploring an old crypt that even the ghosts won’t go in, older than any of the ghosts; it is guarded by the strange Sleer. Even with all this going on, Bod is safe in the graveyard; however, if he goes outside the gates, the man Jack, his assassin is still waiting for him.
This book has the most wonderful first sentence: “There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.” Coupled with the eerie illustration, I was immediately pulled in. Like the other Neil Gaimen stories that I have read, The Graveyard Book has a way of mystifying and delighting, scaring and comforting at the same time. I fell in love with Bod from the moment that he toddled away from his crib, he was obviously very special, but we have no clue why. I wanted to explore all of the nooks and crannies of the graveyard and get to know all of the old ghosts right along with Bod. Through all of his adventures, befriending a witch, opening a ghoul gate, exploring the crypt of the Sleer and going to school with real children, I had almost forgotten that Bod’s family was murdered in cold blood and the killer is still after him. When Bod’s assassin finally resurfaces, the mystery is brought to light and the deeper danger is revealed. In a style like no other, The Graveyard Book blends dark fantasy, adventure and whimsy together for a wonderful story.
This book has the most wonderful first sentence: “There was a hand in the darkness, and it held a knife.” Coupled with the eerie illustration, I was immediately pulled in. Like the other Neil Gaimen stories that I have read, The Graveyard Book has a way of mystifying and delighting, scaring and comforting at the same time. I fell in love with Bod from the moment that he toddled away from his crib, he was obviously very special, but we have no clue why. I wanted to explore all of the nooks and crannies of the graveyard and get to know all of the old ghosts right along with Bod. Through all of his adventures, befriending a witch, opening a ghoul gate, exploring the crypt of the Sleer and going to school with real children, I had almost forgotten that Bod’s family was murdered in cold blood and the killer is still after him. When Bod’s assassin finally resurfaces, the mystery is brought to light and the deeper danger is revealed. In a style like no other, The Graveyard Book blends dark fantasy, adventure and whimsy together for a wonderful story.
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