Neil Gaiman is a jerk.
Well, I don’t really mean that. But honestly, how many beautiful ideas is a guy allowed to have in a lifetime? There’s Coroline and American Gods, not to mention and incredible array of short stories, and practically inventing a genre of literature with Sandman. And now I’ve heard that his recent The Ocean at the End of the Lane was voted best book in the universe or something. I mean, seriously?
All deep-rooted bitterness aside, The Graveyard Book—you may remember I’m writing a review here—The Graveyard Book is based on a pretty elegant premise. An orphaned toddler wanders into a graveyard, and it is up to the dead people who live there to raise him. Brilliant.
The Mowgli character in this liminal fantasy is “Nobody Owens,” raised by the disembodied spirits of various generations under the protection of the graveyard. Needless to say, his education is eclectic. Because of his unique neighbourhood, he is able to speak the English of a hundred generation and has a very particular and narrow understanding of history. He learns to read English and Latin from the epitaphs on tombstones, but he also learns the particularly ghastly gifts of fading from view, dreamwalking, and haunting. It is a very clever book, able to draw in our cultural imagination of graveyards into a single bittersweet tale.
This is one of those books that can work at various “layers.” I know, I know. Books that are tinged with meaning, moral, or symbolism are terribly unfashionable right now. But The Graveyard Book does what good books should. I am always looking for a story that will capture the sense of alienation and loneliness I had when I was child. What could be better than a boy named “Nobody” who is practically invisible to humans and lives in a place that doesn’t exist? Moreover, parents reading this book are going to be left with the haunting feeling—see what I did there?—that they are in some danger of over-protecting their children.
These morals emerge naturally from the narrative; none of them are forced. Critics of layered stories are missing the point, I think. Anyone reading Harry Potter would be a dangerously narrow reader if they didn’t see the social implications. Yet they read because the Harry Potter books are good literature that are great fun to read. The Graveyard Book is exactly that type of read.
I’m not surprised it’s good. As soon as I heard the premise I knew that it would be. It is not a perfectly good book. Gaiman is a short story writer at his best, so the book is episodic, filled with flashes of Nobody’s life as he grows. They are great episodes, but the plotline is really going somewhere. Nobody’s life has a particular direction, as readers slowly come to understand. Some of that sense of destiny is lost in the triptych style of storytelling, so a little bit of the payoff for the climax is missing too. It is not only the retelling of Kipling’s classic, nor is it simply an orphan tale. It is a messianic story, laced with prophecy that crosses many millennia and a few dimensions. I think that this particular element fades too much to the background.
But these are granular criticisms within a heap of praise. My real complaint is that Neil Gaiman is a jerk. And greedy too. The Graveyard Book won not only the Newbery Medal, but it also won the Carnegie Medal (a first double win, I believe). If that wasn’t enough, Gaiman took home the Hugo and Locus awards. How are other writer’s supposed to build a career when this guy is sitting down t
o a computer with his elegant premises, fantastic hair, and friendships with amazing illustrators (in this case, Dave McKean)?
Anyway, readers may note a touch of bitterness. I would hate for my grave feelings about Gaiman at the moment to overshadow what is a very great book. But don’t buy it. That will just help his cause. Read it in the aisle at the bookstore or over someone’s shoulder on the bus. No one will find that creepy at all.
Hahahah! A fantastic review, because it is entertaining in its own right. Gaiman is one of those who should remind us that we Are Not Him (or anyone else). And that is a good thing. I mean, imagine a world with multiple Gaimans… *shudder* No, the world might be able to use one of you, or one of me, but it doesn’t need another of him. 😉
That would be a creepy world!
I don’t even write creepy material. I just found the idea very elegant. I secretly wish him well, but don’t tell him.
My lips are sealed. ;P
I agree – The Graveyard Book is one of my favorites. If you haven’t read The Ocean at the End of the Lane, you should – it’s very good.
Yes, I probably will read it. And I’ll probably think it is very good. Which leads me back to my first complaint!
Haha, maybe I should try reading it over someone’s shoulder. I honestly have not read any of his books… yet.
I haven’t either – I love his premises, and the episodes of Doctor Who he has written. It’s one of those things I mean to do, but don’t ever quite get to.
Thank-you for my new favourite word. I googled ‘liminal’…..reminds me of that minimalistic luminescence, the mirror that we look into ‘dimly’ , but which assures us of glory. And you live in Prince Edward Island…I am an Anne lover from my 9th birthday.
It’s a great word, isn’t it!
And yes, we are the land of Anne. My wife is a descendent of Lucy Maud’s sister. That’s sort of a PEI thing–everyone is connected somehow! Come visit. We have shrines!
Here’s a good application: literature is a liminal experience.
In a couple of years my husband and I going on a ‘shrine’ crawl, all those places where God has established a Bethel for us. PEI is one of my places. The ‘white way of delight’ and ‘the lake of shining waters’ are as spiritually rich for for me as The Way of the Cross is for some others.They speak of eternal possibilities and the gleamings of that ‘untraveled world’ . ooops, rambling here!
PEI really is beautiful! In my experience, the off-the-beaten path is even better than the woods and walks that have been prepared for pilgrims.
One caution: Many come here thinking they can do PEI in 2-3 days. They typically leave disappointed. Try and cut out a good amount of time.
Gosh Brenton, now I feel guilty for buying it…. reading over someone’s shoulder would have been much more fun! 😉 LOL…. thanks for not giving away anything… I’m only a few chapters in… but loving it!
Yes, I try not to spoil my reviews. Even older books, if I have to talk about an ending, I talk about it as an episode, so no one knows I’ve spoiled it until they’ve finished it!
Brilliant review, loved how you started with Neil Gaiman is a jerk in the title! I had to read it immediately!
Thanks for the comment! Don’t tell Neil I said this though.
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