The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - Children's book review from Reading Rumpus

The Graveyard Book is bittersweet and melancholy. Not words one would associate with a horror novel. But, make no mistake, The Graveyard Book is a horror tale. It begins with a triple homicide committed by the aptly named Jack, who wields a bloody, ripping knife. Jack, upon finishing off a father, mother and daughter, chases the surviving toddler into a graveyard. There, the toddler will live, and thrive, thanks to the kindly spirits and various other monsters, beasts and demons that inhabit the graveyard. They will name the toddler Nobody, Bod for short, and he will walk a unique path from boyhood to manhood. He will learn important skills that only dead men tell and the graveyard will protect him from Jack who still hungers for his blood.

The Graveyard Book is a coming-of-age tale and invites obvious comparison's to Kipling's Jungle Book tales. But it's also unique in the way Gaiman manages to convey horror with enchantment, terror with melancholy. Instead of fearing the dead, we love them (and the undead aren't too shabby either)....... Continue reading the review and see more info on author Neil Gaiman on Reading Rumpus.

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