Date of Reading: 02/04/2018
Author: Neil Gaiman
Publisher: Harper Collins
Year: 2008
Rating: 5/5
Rating: 5/5
About the Book:
After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.
Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family...
Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family...
My Review:
This is my first book by Gaiman and I have already become a devoted fan eagerly devouring his other works. I loved it so much that it is hard to put down the feeling in words. The life in the graveyard envelops us the moment we open this novel and trust me . . . you will never want it to end!!! If this is what happens after death I don't mind dying that much. Of course, I need to make sure to have a family grave of my own!!!
The premise of the story gives some leads for an adventure. I was expecting a Froddo Baggins type journey from Bod anytime and was really relieved that it didn't follow any of the popular plot lines. Then there is Silas, a Dumbledore mode character, who is just as constant, dependable and aloof in a way that is endearing. I was afraid to be fond of him remembering what happened with Dumbledore. We won't want to risk our hearts twice over someone who may or may not die, would we?
Apart from the characters, what attracted me most was the originality by which the idea was conceived. Sure there are parallels, but Gaiman successfully manoeuvres the horrors of the graveyard to something protective and homely. If you liked the movie 'Coco', then this won't disappoint you in the least.
Summary:
The man Jack reached that big storeyed house to kill the whole family. He had slain the parents and the eldest daughter and that leaves only the toddler. But the kid is nowhere to be found. He follows his scent to the graveyard on the hilltop.
The little kid is found by Mrs. Owens, a ghost who has been living there with her husband for hundreds of years now after their burial here. The Owenses are warned by a pale ghost (the boy's mother who is going to be buried in another graveyard) that the man rattling the graveyard gates has come to kill her son. Mrs. Owens who died without children takes the boy to her plump bosom promising to be his parent.
The man Jack is persuaded to leave the graveyard by Silas, a being who is neither dead nor living. He agrees to be the boy's guardian and other ghosts are persuaded to give the boy the Freedom of the Graveyard. That means he will be able to see the ghosts, see in the dark, can enter the graves and will also be taught to fade in and out. They name him Nobody Owens as he resembles nobody but himself. Everyone call him Bod.
The boy Bod grows up as an obedient child. He knows that it is not safe for him to go out of the graveyard. The killer is lurking around waiting for him to make an appearance. He is taught his letters and Silas brings him books, food and clothes. At the age of five, he becomes friends with Scarlett Amber Perkins who takes him to be an imaginary friend. Together they find a tomb buried inside the hill. The treasure there - an old brooch, a cup and a little stone knife - is guarded by the Sleer, a snake with three heads. The encounter terrifies Scarlett and later her family moves to Scotland when her father gets a teaching position there.
Once when Silas needed to be away from the graveyard, he puts Bod under the care for Miss Lupescu. She was a Hound of God or a Werewolf. Bod hates her disciplined teachings and goes with the ghouls to their country. On the way, he realises his mistake as ghouls are creatures who feed on dead things. He tries to escape by calling out to the Night Gaunts as taught by Miss Lupescu. It fails but the message is passed and Lupescu comes to the rescue. They get along well after this.
Bod is advised to keep away from the grave of a witch who is buried at the far end of the graveyard. But on closer acquaintance, he feels an attachment to the witch, Liza Hempstock. He decides to bring her a headstone as she is buried without one. That needs money and he steals the brooch from the Sleer. But selling it proves tricky. Abanazar Bolger with whom he has tried to make a bargain locks him in a room to know the source of the treasure. Liza comes to help and aid him in his endeavour to fade and disappear. Bolger fights with his henchman Tom Hustings that leaves them both unconscious. Bod returns the brooch to the Sleer and places the big paperweight he has taken from Bolger's place as Liza's headstone.
After eleven years of being in the graveyard, Bod is sent outside to attend school. Though he was quite brilliant he manages to go unnoticed until he helps a boy to resist bullying. The bullies corner him and he punishes them through dreams. He stops going to school after that.
Scarlett returns with her divorced mother and this time she realises that Bod is real. She also makes friends with Mr. Frost who does some research in the graveyard. Silas is away again and this time Bod is worried about his guardian. Scarlett searches the local library for the details of the murder case of Bod's family and finds that Mr. Frost is living there at present. He invites them both telling that he has unearthed some clues as to the murder. Frost isolates Bod and attacks him. He was Jack Frost, the very man who killed his parents.
Bod escapes through fading and finds that four other Jacks are waiting in front of the house. They are part of an organisation called Jacks of All Trades and they had foreseen that the end their group will be brought by a child who will walk the borderland between the living and the dead. So they sent their best Jack to kill him. Now they are only ones left since Silas and his comrades have destroyed the others.
Bod traps one to a pit and others to the ghoul gate. Jack Frost is lured to the place of the Sleer. Bod informs the Sleer that Jack is their master and Sleer catch hold of him to protect him forever from the dangers of the outside world. He is forever trapped in that grave. Scarlett gets angry thinking that Bod is just like his killers. Silas intervenes suddenly and takes her memories regarding these incidents. She goes back to Glasgow with her mother. We come to know that Miss Lupescu died in the battle against Jacks.
By the time he turned fifteen, things start changing. He is no longer able to see in the dark or fade. Time has come for him to move to the outside world. Silas too is about to leave as he has finished his duty as a guardian. He is part of the Honour Guard who protect the borderlands. Bod bids farewell to Mrs. Owens and comes out of the graveyard.
Summary:
The man Jack reached that big storeyed house to kill the whole family. He had slain the parents and the eldest daughter and that leaves only the toddler. But the kid is nowhere to be found. He follows his scent to the graveyard on the hilltop.
The little kid is found by Mrs. Owens, a ghost who has been living there with her husband for hundreds of years now after their burial here. The Owenses are warned by a pale ghost (the boy's mother who is going to be buried in another graveyard) that the man rattling the graveyard gates has come to kill her son. Mrs. Owens who died without children takes the boy to her plump bosom promising to be his parent.
The man Jack is persuaded to leave the graveyard by Silas, a being who is neither dead nor living. He agrees to be the boy's guardian and other ghosts are persuaded to give the boy the Freedom of the Graveyard. That means he will be able to see the ghosts, see in the dark, can enter the graves and will also be taught to fade in and out. They name him Nobody Owens as he resembles nobody but himself. Everyone call him Bod.
Once when Silas needed to be away from the graveyard, he puts Bod under the care for Miss Lupescu. She was a Hound of God or a Werewolf. Bod hates her disciplined teachings and goes with the ghouls to their country. On the way, he realises his mistake as ghouls are creatures who feed on dead things. He tries to escape by calling out to the Night Gaunts as taught by Miss Lupescu. It fails but the message is passed and Lupescu comes to the rescue. They get along well after this.
Bod is advised to keep away from the grave of a witch who is buried at the far end of the graveyard. But on closer acquaintance, he feels an attachment to the witch, Liza Hempstock. He decides to bring her a headstone as she is buried without one. That needs money and he steals the brooch from the Sleer. But selling it proves tricky. Abanazar Bolger with whom he has tried to make a bargain locks him in a room to know the source of the treasure. Liza comes to help and aid him in his endeavour to fade and disappear. Bolger fights with his henchman Tom Hustings that leaves them both unconscious. Bod returns the brooch to the Sleer and places the big paperweight he has taken from Bolger's place as Liza's headstone.
After eleven years of being in the graveyard, Bod is sent outside to attend school. Though he was quite brilliant he manages to go unnoticed until he helps a boy to resist bullying. The bullies corner him and he punishes them through dreams. He stops going to school after that.Scarlett returns with her divorced mother and this time she realises that Bod is real. She also makes friends with Mr. Frost who does some research in the graveyard. Silas is away again and this time Bod is worried about his guardian. Scarlett searches the local library for the details of the murder case of Bod's family and finds that Mr. Frost is living there at present. He invites them both telling that he has unearthed some clues as to the murder. Frost isolates Bod and attacks him. He was Jack Frost, the very man who killed his parents.
Bod escapes through fading and finds that four other Jacks are waiting in front of the house. They are part of an organisation called Jacks of All Trades and they had foreseen that the end their group will be brought by a child who will walk the borderland between the living and the dead. So they sent their best Jack to kill him. Now they are only ones left since Silas and his comrades have destroyed the others.
Bod traps one to a pit and others to the ghoul gate. Jack Frost is lured to the place of the Sleer. Bod informs the Sleer that Jack is their master and Sleer catch hold of him to protect him forever from the dangers of the outside world. He is forever trapped in that grave. Scarlett gets angry thinking that Bod is just like his killers. Silas intervenes suddenly and takes her memories regarding these incidents. She goes back to Glasgow with her mother. We come to know that Miss Lupescu died in the battle against Jacks.
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| Neil Gaiman |
Such a unique idea for a book. Great review! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds entertaining
ReplyDeleteThanks DJ
DeleteThis sounds like a great book. Fab review.
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteI love Neil Gaimans books. Great review
ReplyDeleteI am just starting with Gaiman. Hope his other books are just as good
DeleteNeil Gaiman isn't really my forte but I think my husband might enjoy this!
ReplyDeleteI feel like this is one author I NEED to read, but every time I think about it, another book catches my attention and I forget all about him.
ReplyDeleteYou are going to love it. This is a must read
DeleteGreat review, this book was my first Neil Gaiman book that I have read and I feel in love with his books after that as well. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Katiria . . .
Delete