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suttonm9's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I went into this book blind and I’m glad I did because never did I think I would so thoroughly enjoy a book primarily set in filth and sewers 😅
I want to read everything Neil has written. His writing style is so cozy and comforting and familiar. In the forward he mentioned he wanted to create a world like The Chronicles of Narnia that you want to keep coming back to and he definetly did. It was fun, I was never bored, only occasionally grossed out, and deeply invested in the characters. More people have asked me what book I’m reading with this one than any others, so I’ve already recommended it to everyone and will continue to do so.
I want to read everything Neil has written. His writing style is so cozy and comforting and familiar. In the forward he mentioned he wanted to create a world like The Chronicles of Narnia that you want to keep coming back to and he definetly did. It was fun, I was never bored, only occasionally grossed out, and deeply invested in the characters. More people have asked me what book I’m reading with this one than any others, so I’ve already recommended it to everyone and will continue to do so.
bookishgingerjo's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
bookdesi's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed reading about the journey Richard and Door took, especially their world, but it never grabbed me. I didn't find myself reading an extra chapter without realizing it or really wanting to see what happened to all the characters. I liked it enough though because Gaimans writing is fun to read and I did want to find out what happened to Door and Richard.
emily_the_fae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
bookhatun's review against another edition
I couldn’t get into the plot. Also slow paced
peterkeep's review against another edition
4.0
Neil Gaiman has the unique ability to keep me reading his books, even after they turn from "surreal and fantastical" to "weird." Neverwhere had a healthy mix of both, and I really liked it. It's an interesting story with creative and unique characters and a plot that starts as a meandering wander through this new world of London Below and ends with a fast-paced sprint through a vengeance-driven quest on an epic scale.
I've also started noticing that a lot of Gaiman's books leave me with a ghost of a feeling that the story isn't actually about what it's supposed to be about. Neverwhere is obviously about people who "fall through the cracks" in modern society, but that's not what I mean. What if it's about something else completely? What if this is a story of a delusional man and his dissatisfaction with his life? What if Richard creates London Below in his imagination as a way of escaping the mediocrity of his role in London Above? Does that make the story any more or less enjoyable? For me, it doesn't. And there aren't enough clues to convince me of what this story is actually about - it could be a story of a man who journeys through a real (but hidden) world filled with the cast-offs of society, or it might be a story of a man who yearns so strongly for his life to have some sort of purpose that he escapes to an imaginary world where that is the case. Gaiman does a great job of making these two opposing stories exist in the same book, creating a sort of thematic tension.
I enjoy this tension: not knowing whether Richard is a hero for the characters in London Below or if he's simply sinking farther and farther into his delusions to try and escape reality.
Either way, Richard falls through the cracks of society and his story is interesting and compelling in a totally Gaiman-esque way.
I've also started noticing that a lot of Gaiman's books leave me with a ghost of a feeling that the story isn't actually about what it's supposed to be about. Neverwhere is obviously about people who "fall through the cracks" in modern society, but that's not what I mean. What if it's about something else completely? What if this is a story of a delusional man and his dissatisfaction with his life? What if Richard creates London Below in his imagination as a way of escaping the mediocrity of his role in London Above? Does that make the story any more or less enjoyable? For me, it doesn't. And there aren't enough clues to convince me of what this story is actually about - it could be a story of a man who journeys through a real (but hidden) world filled with the cast-offs of society, or it might be a story of a man who yearns so strongly for his life to have some sort of purpose that he escapes to an imaginary world where that is the case. Gaiman does a great job of making these two opposing stories exist in the same book, creating a sort of thematic tension.
I enjoy this tension: not knowing whether Richard is a hero for the characters in London Below or if he's simply sinking farther and farther into his delusions to try and escape reality.
Either way, Richard falls through the cracks of society and his story is interesting and compelling in a totally Gaiman-esque way.
lilac_rose's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
4.0
I loved all the side characters and the little bits of a magic that litters the book. I had only 2 issues. First the main character he is just a wimp that I didn't care for. Two the pros feel so slow. Which makes senses since this was Gaiman first really solo book outside of comics.