‘The Graveyard Book’
Tuesday, February 24th, 2009Coraline may be 3rd in the box office, but it’s Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book that caught my interest.
I recently read an article about The Graveyard Book receiving the Newbery Medal for children’s literature. Having grown up reading stories about ghosts and ghouls, I just had to check it out. However, it would only add to my ever growing stack of books to read – so I decided to get the audio book version and listen to it during my commutes to and from work.
The audio version of The Graveyard Book is wonderfully narrated by the very capable Neil Gaiman himself.
It is the story of Nobody Owens – Bod for short – who is orphaned when his family is killed by an assassin. He escapes to an old graveyard where he is protected and raised by its ghostly inhabitants.
This is pure story at its best. It is thrilling, clever, sinister and yet tender. The story’s language and humor can seem sophisticated, and is reminiscent of storytellers from long-ago, weaving a tale of haunting enchantment.
Bod reminds me of a young version of Dean Koontz’s, Odd Thomas. Although classified a YA novel, I enjoyed it immensely. Once I was so engrossed listening to the story that I missed making a scheduled stop at a local market to pick up dinner for the family. I only realized it when I was most of the way home. So I had to turn around and go back…which enabled me to listen to more of the story…
Whether you read or listen to it, I highly recommend The Graveyard Book.
