Comments on: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

By: Kirsty

Kirsty — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:24:31 +0000

Thank you Rebecca for replying! Now I better understand why someone would enjoy the book. I bet if I read it again it might not appear as dark as it did the first time I read it.

By: Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 12:36:43 +0000

Kirsty, I enjoyed it because it seemed light-hearted all the while it took place in a cemetery of all places, and I found Gaiman’s story-telling ability to be very impressive. I also enjoyed seeing how Bod grew up: his development was realistic to me.

But I am one who does not often enjoy the book everyone else enjoys, so I completely understand where you are coming from. Don’t feel like the odd one out–just go on to the next book and forget about it. I hope you enjoy your next book more!

By: Kirsty

Kirsty — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:31:02 +0000

I was wondering if any of you could explain why you found Neil Gaiman’s “The Graveyard Book” so fascinating? I read it recently but I do not understand why everyone likes it so much. Is it the metaphor of adulthood, the mysterious characters or the irony of the boy’s name…? I feel as if everyone is enjoying a desert and I am the odd one out who finds it unappetizing.

By: Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:43:41 +0000

Cara Powers, I didn’t know about discussion boards. I’m not that much of a fan to go read them, though!! Already am on to the next book(s)…

By: Cara Powers

Cara Powers — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:24:09 +0000

I totally missed the vampire bit, too, until I started looking at the discussion boards. Did you know there are discussion boards dedicated to The Graveyard Book?

By: Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:22:14 +0000

Jackie, I read it as entertainment for myself, not for my son. It reminded me of Roald Dahl in "scariness" though: It was light-hearted scariness. I enjoyed Dahl without being scared as a kid, so I would suspect older kids would be okay with this too. Amanda, I read this right after Dracula, so the hints were made obvious to me! glad to hear it's easy to miss, since the idea bothers me...

By: Amanda

Amanda — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:31:23 +0000

I was just gathering reviews for my review of this book, and saw your note on Bod’s guardian being a vampire. I had no idea! I didn’t pick up on that at all. Maybe it’s just because it was fast readathon reading, but seriously I just never picked up on that. That completely blows me out of the water.

By: Jackie (Farm Lane Books)

Jackie (Farm Lane Books) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:40:47 +0000

I have to admit that I didn’t love this book as much as other people did. I had the same reservations you had before reading it, but mine were realised. I will ensure my boys get to read this when they are a bit older, but it was a bit too basic for me to enjoy.

By: Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:14:45 +0000

Cara, thanks! I'll link to yours! Tracie, maybe we're both just trying to resist following the crowd? I guess the crowd has a reason, huh? I'm looking forward to Coraline now! Kathy, I hope you love it! Vasilly, a good read-a-thon choice! Ladytink, I'll add a link to yours! Literate Housewife, wow, a month of Gaiman! I hope it's fun! Michelle, I'll add a link to yours!

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:56:50 +0000

This was my first Gaiman book, and I loved it! Glad to see that you did too. Here’s my review: http://www.michellesmastermusings.com/2009/09/review-graveyard-book-by-neil-gaiman.html

By: Literate Housewife

Literate Housewife — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:10:47 +0000

Oh, I’m so excited to read your review! I’m reading nothing but Gaiman next month (his birthday month) and The Graveyard Book is one of the books I’ll be reading.

By: Ladytink_534

Ladytink_534 — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:56:06 +0000

I LOVED this one. I even cried at the end.

http://reviewsofthings.blogspot.com/2009/04/it-takes-graveyard-to-raise-child.html

By: Vasilly

Vasilly — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:16:25 +0000

I’m glad to know that you’ve enjoyed The Graveyard Book. I’ve already read it but I’m thinking about re-reading it for the read-a-thon.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:06:39 +0000

Fantastic review! You’ve made me really anxious to read this book!

By: Tracie Yule

Tracie Yule — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:38:36 +0000

I’m not a huge Neil Gaiman fan. Like you, I have no idea why. His one book that I have read (and finished) is Coraline. I loved it! I listened to it on CD with my bonus boys and they were incredibly creeped out

I’m interested in reading this book, but it seems I have to be in a very particular mood to pick up Gaiman.

By: Cara Powers

Cara Powers — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:42:30 +0000

Well written review. (Yours I mean.) Mine’s here:
http://oohbooks.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-graveyard-book.html

By: Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:15:31 +0000

JT, it's lots of fun! Claire, awesome story of meeting Gaiman!! Wow! I agree, it's the story-telling aspect that made this great. I was going to listen to the audio but the cd was scratched so I went back to the library and got the book. Amanda, great read-a-thon choice! I gave myself a mini-read-a-thon the night I read it! Steph, I do remember seeing your review. Off to add it! I put the title in Fyrefly's search and seriously a hundred came up, so I just got the first ones I saw. I found it completely different from Harry Potter so I didn't find myself comparing at all! Very good though! Stephanie, I was going to listen to the audio -- Gaiman does it himself and it has won awards -- but the CD was scratched so it wouldn't play so I went with the physical book this time around. I hope you enjoy it!! Trisha, I'm thinking yes.... debilyn, thanks so much! Off to check out your blog too! Welcome to blogging! Stefanie, Graveyard Book was set up as short stories for the most part. It has an underlying plot, but overall each chapter could stand alone. I'm looking forward to more Gaiman!

By: Stefanie

Stefanie — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:58:07 +0000

I’ve not read this particular Gaiman book but I do like him very much. I have read an excerpt, he includes a chapter of the book in his short story book M is for Magic and I was enchanted. I look forward to getting to Graveyard Book one of these days!

By: debilyn

debilyn — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:27:36 +0000

Sounds like a worthwhile read…I may have to check this one out!

{new to book blogging here…just wanted to tell you I love your blog!}

By: Trisha

Trisha — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:06:40 +0000

I hope this starts you on a wondrous journey of reading Gaiman!

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:04:02 +0000

I’ve got this one waiting for me at the library at this very moment. I reserved the audiobook format, so I hope it’s just as engaging as the your experience with the actual book.

By: Steph

Steph — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:48:08 +0000

We read this on our way back from our honeymoon (well, I read it aloud in the car!), and reviewed it back in July: http://www.stephandtonyinvestigate.com/?p=1946

Like you, I haven’t read much Gaiman in the past (just one other book which I didn’t care for very much at all), but I did like this a good deal. I don’t think I enjoyed it quite as much as you did, mostly because I couldn’t help comparing it to Harry Potter and finding it came up short, but it was certainly an entertaining yarn.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:42:21 +0000

I hope I enjoy this. Gaiman’s more hit or miss for me, but I tend to like his YA-and-younger stuff. I just hope it gets here in time for the readathon!

By: Claire (Paperback_Reader)

Claire (Paperback_Reader) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:36:44 +0000

So glad that you enjoyed this, Rebecca! I am one of the many bloggers who love Neil Gaiman and think that he is undoubtedly one of the best storytellers alive. If you can, try to listen to something of his in audio as he also has one of the best narrating voices and read his adult work.

I was lucky enough to hear him read aloud from The Graveyard Book last Hallowe’en (and sign my copy, complete with a drawn gravestone with my name on it!) and it was fantastic.

By: J.T. Oldfield

J.T. Oldfield — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:32:22 +0000

This is one of those books that I see everywhere and really have to get around to picking up!