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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
(8)
My first introduction to Neil Gaiman's writing and it is wonderful. A unique world built with great humour and darkness. The chapter where Richard does the trial is probably one if my favourite chapters of any book ever.
Some bits did seem to go nowhere and there were some bits of the story that I am not sure why they were there necessarily.
Overall a great read though!
My first introduction to Neil Gaiman's writing and it is wonderful. A unique world built with great humour and darkness. The chapter where Richard does the trial is probably one if my favourite chapters of any book ever.
Some bits did seem to go nowhere and there were some bits of the story that I am not sure why they were there necessarily.
Overall a great read though!
I kind of feel like the term "steampunk" could have been invented to describe this book.
adventurous
dark
funny
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:
Yes
adventurous
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:
No
Read this and listened to the audioplay and watched the tv series aaaand played a one shot of the table top rpg someone made in the world of London Below. I just love this universe and Neil's beautiful fantasy, because it draws on reality in a way that you can totally picture yourself in the world.
I wish the audio play was available for listens all the time because it is so brilliantly done!
I wish the audio play was available for listens all the time because it is so brilliantly done!
My first Neil Gaiman book, and my last if it's representative of his work.
I know that introducing a fantastic world through the eyes of an average person is great and all that, but Goddamn did I find the main character of Neverwhere boring and obnoxious. His name is Richard Mayhew, but I secretly called him Bland McDraggedalong the whole time.
Let me describe Bland in a few sentences:
- He has a goal but never does anything to reach it, just demands it.
- He is a coward but follows others into danger because reasons, and doesn't seem to mind if he dies.
- The story couldshould oops have happened without him.
- The single noteworthy thing he does is thanks to another character's help, but he gets the credit for it.
The main female character, Door (that name isn't a joke from me) hasn't much personality to show off either but at least she moves the plot forward. And Bland, the very adult main character (I can't bring myself to type "hero"), falls in love with Door for... her physique, I guess, since that's what's described the most. (That can't be considered a spoiler, you see it coming from kilometers away.) Now, just let me add that she's a teenager who "reminds him of a homeless child" and is constantly described as small, underweight and pixie-like...
Then imagine those two, who have zero chemistry and development, suddenly almost kissing halfway through the book.
I couldn't believe what I was reading.
Bland doesn't manage to seal the deal with Door but it's all right, the rest of the more mature female cast is there for him to thirst over as well.
The world building, which is often the main point of attraction of a fantasy novel, is mediocre. The idea of an underground London based on tube station names isn't bad per se, but it ends up being little more than a disjointed amalgamation of "quirky places", and our main cast speeds through it like it's a theme park ride. Mr. Gaiman spent more time making sure we witness all of the funny little ideas and puns he came up with rather than crafting a story that's organically woven into a coherent, fully-fledged world.
The fact that it takes 250+ pages for the story to really pick up (then fall flat, that climax felt rushed) and that many of its quirk rests on the reader's knowledge of London City's geography, landmarks and subway map doesn't help either.
Oh, and the plot is nothing to write home about. I almost forgot to talk about it, that should tell you something.
Now that my venom's out, the good sides:
- Good use of imagery;
- The Ordeal;
- Some okay secondary characters.
So, two stars for the book. AND ZERO STAR FOR THE PUBLISHER, HEADLINE.
Jesus, the mistakes and lack of punctuation in this book! I've never seen this in any work before, and I'm sure my ESL ass still missed some. A handpicked selection:
"The body beneath the face, where it was not covered with feathers, was would round and about with ropes." (p.51)
"The knife flew through the air like an extremely large and sharp knife flying through the air very fast indeed." (p.73)
"[...] there was something more ancient in those huge opal-coloured eyes in their pale heart-shaped face than her young years would have seemed to allow." (p.155)
Who had a stroke? Me, or Mr. Gaiman, his spellchecker, his editor and the half-dozen people he thanks for reviewing his drafts? And I'm sparing you all the repetitions. Even the "From the same author" section isn't safe: apparently, Victoria from Stardust is "as cold and sistant as the star she and Tristan see fall from the sky one evening."
Yeah... I think it's time for me to sistance myself from this book.
Edit: And from the author too! Anyone who's surprised that a man who writes women like Gaiman does turns out to be a sex pest, raise your hand...
I know that introducing a fantastic world through the eyes of an average person is great and all that, but Goddamn did I find the main character of Neverwhere boring and obnoxious. His name is Richard Mayhew, but I secretly called him Bland McDraggedalong the whole time.
Let me describe Bland in a few sentences:
- He has a goal but never does anything to reach it, just demands it.
- He is a coward but follows others into danger because reasons, and doesn't seem to mind if he dies.
- The story could
- The single noteworthy thing he does is thanks to another character's help, but he gets the credit for it.
The main female character, Door (that name isn't a joke from me) hasn't much personality to show off either but at least she moves the plot forward. And Bland, the very adult main character (I can't bring myself to type "hero"), falls in love with Door for... her physique, I guess, since that's what's described the most. (That can't be considered a spoiler, you see it coming from kilometers away.) Now, just let me add that she's a teenager who "reminds him of a homeless child" and is constantly described as small, underweight and pixie-like...
Then imagine those two, who have zero chemistry and development, suddenly almost kissing halfway through the book.
I couldn't believe what I was reading.
Bland doesn't manage to seal the deal with Door but it's all right, the rest of the more mature female cast is there for him to thirst over as well.
The world building, which is often the main point of attraction of a fantasy novel, is mediocre. The idea of an underground London based on tube station names isn't bad per se, but it ends up being little more than a disjointed amalgamation of "quirky places", and our main cast speeds through it like it's a theme park ride. Mr. Gaiman spent more time making sure we witness all of the funny little ideas and puns he came up with rather than crafting a story that's organically woven into a coherent, fully-fledged world.
The fact that it takes 250+ pages for the story to really pick up (then fall flat, that climax felt rushed) and that many of its quirk rests on the reader's knowledge of London City's geography, landmarks and subway map doesn't help either.
Oh, and the plot is nothing to write home about. I almost forgot to talk about it, that should tell you something.
Now that my venom's out, the good sides:
- Good use of imagery;
- The Ordeal;
- Some okay secondary characters.
So, two stars for the book. AND ZERO STAR FOR THE PUBLISHER, HEADLINE.
Jesus, the mistakes and lack of punctuation in this book! I've never seen this in any work before, and I'm sure my ESL ass still missed some. A handpicked selection:
"The body beneath the face, where it was not covered with feathers, was would round and about with ropes." (p.51)
"The knife flew through the air like an extremely large and sharp knife flying through the air very fast indeed." (p.73)
"[...] there was something more ancient in those huge opal-coloured eyes in their pale heart-shaped face than her young years would have seemed to allow." (p.155)
Who had a stroke? Me, or Mr. Gaiman, his spellchecker, his editor and the half-dozen people he thanks for reviewing his drafts? And I'm sparing you all the repetitions. Even the "From the same author" section isn't safe: apparently, Victoria from Stardust is "as cold and sistant as the star she and Tristan see fall from the sky one evening."
Yeah... I think it's time for me to sistance myself from this book.
Edit: And from the author too! Anyone who's surprised that a man who writes women like Gaiman does turns out to be a sex pest, raise your hand...
maybe it's bad timing & i need to pick it up another time.. just having major trouble getting into this.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
An ineffectual and utterly uninspiring white span supported by a delightful cast of interesting characters that bring the only real color to the book - sound like any one you know?
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes