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surdiablo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I didn't really feel or think much about anything for the most part while reading this book (excluding the ending ofc) but now that I finished it, I find myself pondering about everything that happened and how saddening it was overall. Of course, I do the same with every book I read but this feels different, its as if I didn't recognize how meaningful and important some of the moments were to me until now. The writing style is very accessible, elegant and thought-provoking. The story itself has a bit of everything in general and was also rather wholesome, at least more than I imagined it to be, considering the beginning. We see several 'adventures' of Bod as he grows up and these events altogether build up towards a well-written bittersweet conclusion. There were some questions that I didn't get the answers for, but I feel like this is one of those books where it's done well, where some things are best left to the imagination of the reader. It was also my first Gaiman book and I think I can see why he's so well-regarded.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence
disnelyse's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Death of parent, and Bullying
fronk10's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
A cute little book full of snapshots from the graveyard. The world building is excellent, and the thread of darkness mixed with childish whimsy is very Gaiman. I just wish the book had a bit more plot to it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Death
sofiazee's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Death, Violence, and Bullying
Minor: Gun violence, Murder, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Blood
chickhen's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
It’s a little simpler than I expected it to be - not that that’s a bad thing by any means. It was an easy enjoyable read, set in a lightly magical world with wonderful intriguing characters that I wish you spent more time with.
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence
allyareads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder and Violence
janay_shandell's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Great Fantasy Novel. Very descriptive and vivid. Neil Gaiman is so skilled at sucking you into these alternate worlds and environments he creates. A great read for a beginner fantasy reader.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and Murder
billyjepma's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I can’t believe I’ve gone this long in life not knowing that Neil Gaiman wrote a retelling of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book with ghosts. If that’s not a book tailor-made for me, then I don’t know what is. And now that I've read it and loved every page, it's my contractual obligation to force everyone I know to read it and experience the emotions it gave me when I finished the final chapter in bed last night. An instant, all-time favorite that I might have to start revisiting every October.
Gaiman describes the book as a novel made up of short stories, and the approach works beautifully. Each chapter captures a pivotal experience in the protagonist's childhood, allowing us to watch him grow up without needing to spend 16 years with him. Gaiman's writing is as lovely as ever and expertly balances melancholy with tenders and adventure with scares. It's spooky without being scary, nostalgic without being trite, and is yet another example I can use in my argument that Gaiman's YA-leaning novels are his best works. This is a treasure of a novel. ❤️
Gaiman describes the book as a novel made up of short stories, and the approach works beautifully. Each chapter captures a pivotal experience in the protagonist's childhood, allowing us to watch him grow up without needing to spend 16 years with him. Gaiman's writing is as lovely as ever and expertly balances melancholy with tenders and adventure with scares. It's spooky without being scary, nostalgic without being trite, and is yet another example I can use in my argument that Gaiman's YA-leaning novels are his best works. This is a treasure of a novel. ❤️
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Blood, Death of parent, and Car accident
gemstonejasper's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
It's Neil Gaiman. What more is there to say? I loved this cozy story about a boy raised by ghosts in a graveyard. The book itself deserves 5 stars. I gave it 4.75 because I listened to the audiobook and sometimes the music was too loud to understand what was being said.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Violence
Minor: Child death
chrisljm's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
4.5 stars; For a book that starts off with a triple homicide, it is surprisingly sweet and funny. The sole survivor of the family who gets murdered is Bod, a baby who essentially gets adopted by the ghosts of a cemetery. It’s stated that it takes a graveyard to raise a child and it was very sweet to see just how true it was. I loved all the characters very much, but especially Bod and Silas’ relationship, and seeing how they all leave an impact throughout various parts of Bod’s life. The greedy part of me wishes I could’ve read more anecdotes on Bod’s life in the graveyard, but realistically I think the amount written was just right.
I listened to the audiobook read by Neil Gaiman himself (on youtube) and he was fantastic and so funny. This has become one of my favorite audiobooks.
I listened to the audiobook read by Neil Gaiman himself (on youtube) and he was fantastic and so funny. This has become one of my favorite audiobooks.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Stalking, Car accident, and Bullying
Minor: Suicide