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  • The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book

by Neil Gaiman
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
★ 7.80 / 45
1231451064721819910

Hugo Award 2009, World Fantasy Award nominee 2009, Mythopoeic Fantasy Award Nominee for Children's Literature 2009.

Illustrations by Dave McKean.

When a baby escapes a murderer intent on killing the entire family, who would have thought it would find safety and security in the local graveyard?

Brought up by the resident ghosts, ghouls and spectres, Bod has an eccentric childhood learning about life from the dead. But for Bod there is also the danger of the murderer still looking for him — after all, he is the last remaining member of the family.

A stunningly original novel deftly constructed over eight chapters, featuring every second year of Bod’s life, from babyhood to adolescence. Will Bod survive to be a man?

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FantasyYoung AdultGhostsLocus AwardHugo AwardCarnegie MedalGhoul
Release date: September 25, 2008
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Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is a storyteller whose work effortlessly bridges the realms of mythology, fantasy, and reality. Known for his uniquely poetic prose and his ability to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, Gaiman’s books have captivated readers of all ages. With a career spanning novels, short stories, graphic novels, and even television, his writing is celebrated for its dark yet whimsical tone, its profound insight into human nature, and its masterful weaving of mythological and fantastical elements.

Read more ...

Born in Portchester, England, in 1960, Gaiman grew up with a voracious appetite for books, with a particular fondness for fantasy, horror, and the classics. His early exposure to mythology, fairy tales, and comic books would later influence much of his writing, where ancient gods, creatures of lore, and the magic of storytelling find their way into modern-day worlds. His professional journey began in journalism before he transitioned into writing fiction.

His breakthrough came with Neverwhere, a novel that transports readers to a hidden, darkly enchanting underworld beneath London. From there, he continued to craft stories that blended the surreal with the everyday, from the haunting beauty of American Gods to the thought-provoking Good Omens (co-written with Terry Pratchett). His work explores the intersections of myth, identity, and the thin lines between the seen and unseen, always with a deft touch of wit and wisdom.

What makes Gaiman’s writing stand out is his ability to create worlds that feel both timeless and startlingly immediate. His characters—whether gods, ghosts, or ordinary people—are deeply human in their struggles, desires, and fears. The atmosphere in his books lingers long after the final page, a testament to his rare gift of writing stories that are both sweeping and intimate, fantastical and grounded. Whether it’s the young boy facing impossible odds in The Graveyard Book or the complex tapestry of deities in American Gods, Gaiman’s worlds feel like places readers can almost touch, places where myth and reality blend seamlessly.

Gaiman’s influence stretches far beyond the pages of his books. His work has been adapted into graphic novels, films, and TV shows, with American Gods and Good Omens among the most notable. His distinct voice has earned him numerous awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker Awards, and his contribution to literature and pop culture continues to resonate with fans worldwide.

One of Gaiman's most cherished quotes captures the essence of his approach to storytelling: “I believe that it is important to tell stories, especially in difficult times.” This belief runs through every page of his writing, where the act of storytelling itself is both an escape and a revelation, offering readers not only new worlds but new ways of seeing their own.

From the whimsical to the profound, Neil Gaiman’s writing invites readers into imaginative spaces where the rules of reality bend and twist, and where the unexpected always lurks just around the corner. His stories continue to inspire generations, confirming his place as one of today’s most influential and beloved authors.

More books by Neil Gaiman

The Seven Sisters (Neverwhere #2)
⧗ 10.00 / 9
The Neil Gaiman Reader: Selected Fiction
Unrated
Pirate Stew
Unrated
Neil Gaiman's A Study in Emerald
Unrated
Norse Mythology
★ 6.28 / 18
The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Non-fiction
★ 7.00 / 2
The Sandman: Overture (The Sandman)
★ 7.00 / 1
Eternity's Wheel (InterWorld Trilogy #3)
★ 10.00 / 1
Trigger Warning
★ 7.34 / 6
Hansel & Gretel
★ 7.00 / 1
The Sleeper and the Spindle
★ 7.00 / 5
The Graveyard Book: The Graphic Novel: Volume 2
★ 8.66 / 3
The Graveyard Book: The Graphic Novel: Volume 1
★ 8.34 / 3
The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains
★ 9.00 / 2
How the Marquis Got His Coat Back
★ 9.00 / 2
Fortunately, the Milk...
★ 6.40 / 10
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
★ 7.62 / 27
Unnatural Creatures
Unrated
The Silver Dream (InterWorld Trilogy #2)
★ 10.00 / 1
The Absolute Sandman: Volume 5
★ 9.34 / 3
Stories: All-New Tales
Unrated
Crazy Hair
★ 6.00 / 1
The Absolute Sandman: Volume 4 (The Sandman)
★ 9.00 / 4
The Absolute Sandman: Volume 3 (The Sandman)
★ 9.00 / 4
Coraline: The Graphic Novel
★ 6.94 / 16
Odd and the Frost Giants
★ 7.00 / 2
The Eternals
★ 7.46 / 13
The Absolute Sandman: Volume 2 (The Sandman)
★ 9.20 / 5
InterWorld (InterWorld Trilogy #1)
★ 7.60 / 5
M Is for Magic
★ 7.34 / 6
Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere
★ 7.66 / 21
The Absolute Sandman: Volume 1 (The Sandman)
★ 8.28 / 11
Fragile Things
★ 8.00 / 26
Anansi Boys (American Gods)
★ 7.06 / 39
The Monarch of the Glen (American Gods)
★ 8.00 / 4
The Wolves in the Walls
★ 6.34 / 6
The Sandman: Endless Nights (The Sandman)
★ 7.78 / 19
Coraline
★ 7.52 / 53
American Gods (American Gods)
★ 7.84 / 77
The Last Temptation
★ 6.00 / 1
Stardust
★ 7.54 / 73
Smoke and Mirrors
★ 7.96 / 20
The Sandman: The Kindly Ones (The Sandman #9)
★ 8.26 / 12
The Sandman: The Wake (The Sandman #10)
★ 8.80 / 10
The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish
★ 7.72 / 7
Death: The Time of Your Life (Death of the Endless #2)
★ 8.34 / 3
Neverwhere (Neverwhere #1)
★ 8.00 / 74
The Sandman: Brief Lives (The Sandman #7)
★ 8.08 / 14
The Sandman: Worlds' End (The Sandman #8)
★ 7.54 / 13
The Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy of Mr. Punch
★ 6.00 / 1

Book Reviews

01/16/2016
Robin Lythgoe avatar
Robin Lythgoe
33 books, 17 reviews
★★★★★★★★★★ 10 / 10

The Graveyard Book, set in the graveyard in “Old Town” (somewhere in England) is a story about Bod, an unusual boy living in an unusual place and under truly unusual circumstances. When tragedy strikes his family, Bod is adopted by the denizens of the cemetery and guarded by a man known only as Silas. While he grows he is taught by ghosts from every century, by Silas, and by Miss Lupescu (a werewolf). The tales of his adventures combine a wonderful sense of humor with shades of creepiness and a dash of magic. The assassin that killed Bod’s family was supposed to kill him, too. His failure haunts him and he continues to hunt the boy. In the end, Bod faces the killer—but not without cost. The end is bittersweet, but well crafted and fitting, even full of hope for Bod’s strange future. More suitable for tweens and teens, The Graveyard Book has its dark moments and some violence. It is the winner of the British Carnegie Medal and the American Newbery Medal. As an adult, I found it occasionally dark, occasionally sad, and frequently heart-warming.

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