Scan barcode
georgelathwell's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
I love Neil Gaiman and have enjoyed every one of his novels but it took me a few attempts to get into this one for some reason but upon this reading I fell on love with the book and it is such a lovely book.
ddeydub's review against another edition
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
yas_sezer's review against another edition
3.0
this book was really enjoyable, and if i had read this at a younger age i can see it being one of my favourites
loved silus, his guardian, and felt so safe having him around for bod throughout his whole life. i always knew bod would be fine.
i loved how the jack plotline was somehow evident, yet not overpowering other really important elements of this story, particularly with bods experience with the witch and her headstone.
the ending broke my heart, although i would not have had it any other way. bod deserved to live, i just wish he could have maintained some sort of contact with the dead. but, alas, this is the way it had to be.
loved silus, his guardian, and felt so safe having him around for bod throughout his whole life. i always knew bod would be fine.
i loved how the jack plotline was somehow evident, yet not overpowering other really important elements of this story, particularly with bods experience with the witch and her headstone.
the ending broke my heart, although i would not have had it any other way. bod deserved to live, i just wish he could have maintained some sort of contact with the dead. but, alas, this is the way it had to be.
chillcassie's review against another edition
5.0
Anything Neil writes is excellent! I read this in one sitting. The characters are great. I didn't realize it was a YA book and did finish it wishing it was more adult and spookier. Also longer!
crloken's review against another edition
5.0
Original Review: Entertaining play on Jungle Book. Its told in an episodic style where every chapter is a separate story, and this works quite well. Its a fun book with a good message that I would not hesitate to give to children.
Update: I used to have so much more brevity in my reviews on here. I believe my original intent was just to have a sentence or two for my own uses about all the books I read. When I returned to goodreads recently it was more specifically in order to make myself practice writing in some form. Anyway, I just reread The Graveyard Book and I pretty much agree with my former review except to say that the book is more haunting and beautiful than I gave it credit for.
Nobody Owens is adopted by ghosts after his family is killed by The Man Jack and is given freedom of the graveyard. Each chapter takes place two years after the previous one and tells another story about Bod's life growing up in a graveyard, his love for his dead friends and family, and his yearning for the living.
By framing life by showing only one living boy trying to grow up among a graveyard of ghosts, Gaiman is able to illustrate the process of growing up in a way that feels both inspirational and wistful. Life is filled with potential and as long as we have that there is hope for change and growth and for things to get better.
It's very different to interact with fiction than it was in 2013 or even in 2019. In the age of the pandemic there is a particular angst and fear that becomes reflected in the way I view a lot of fiction. The Graveyard Book was a good pandemic read. In a weird way the quarantine makes one feel a kinship to Bod as he is trapped in the graveyard, but there is also a hope, joy and beauty of life that Gaiman brings out in his story about dead people. The Graveyard Book is haunting, but helps remind me that the quarantine will end and the world will be out there waiting.
Update: I used to have so much more brevity in my reviews on here. I believe my original intent was just to have a sentence or two for my own uses about all the books I read. When I returned to goodreads recently it was more specifically in order to make myself practice writing in some form. Anyway, I just reread The Graveyard Book and I pretty much agree with my former review except to say that the book is more haunting and beautiful than I gave it credit for.
Nobody Owens is adopted by ghosts after his family is killed by The Man Jack and is given freedom of the graveyard. Each chapter takes place two years after the previous one and tells another story about Bod's life growing up in a graveyard, his love for his dead friends and family, and his yearning for the living.
By framing life by showing only one living boy trying to grow up among a graveyard of ghosts, Gaiman is able to illustrate the process of growing up in a way that feels both inspirational and wistful. Life is filled with potential and as long as we have that there is hope for change and growth and for things to get better.
It's very different to interact with fiction than it was in 2013 or even in 2019. In the age of the pandemic there is a particular angst and fear that becomes reflected in the way I view a lot of fiction. The Graveyard Book was a good pandemic read. In a weird way the quarantine makes one feel a kinship to Bod as he is trapped in the graveyard, but there is also a hope, joy and beauty of life that Gaiman brings out in his story about dead people. The Graveyard Book is haunting, but helps remind me that the quarantine will end and the world will be out there waiting.
mx5421's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kirstenrose22's review against another edition
3.0
I have such high expectations for Neil Gaiman, and he never seems to quite reach them. This wasn't quite as derivative as American Gods, thankfully, but it still seemed all over the map and a bit disjointed. It wasn't bad, but I sure can't figure out why it won the Newbery. Huh.