The Graveyard Book
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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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.
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Book Reviews
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.