tisdag 20 maj 2008

Neil Gaiman: The Graveyard Book (English)

One and all will hear and stay
Come and dance the Macabray
9/10
Ooohh... *starry-eyed* Ooohh, good book...

(Klicka här för svenska versionen.)

I'm not going to write too much about the plot, not to rob anyone of their sense-of-wonder; as to that I'll settle for a rewrite of the available info: A small boy's family is murdered, he escapes and finds sanctuary in a graveyard. He is adopted and raised by the ghosts and... other beings among the graves.

If it sounds slightly familiar, try exchanging the graveyard for a jungle, the ghosts for wolves, and the other beings for, say, a bear and a panther. I warmly recommend that you read / reread The Jungle Book before you read The Graveyard Book - it's not released until September-October so you have plenty of time - it will give you that extra dimension which lifts the book from Oohh, good book... to Ooohh, good book...

Now can you imagine what Neil Gaiman could do with this mixture? He does all of that and much more. In no way derivative or "just" myth-retelling: This is Neil Gaiman at his story-telling best, his own as much as anything can be, death and all. (Better'n Kipling, there, I said it.) Wonderfully told wonderful story. I could do it justice if I quoted all of it. And those who are put off by its classification as YA deserve nothing better than to miss out on all this wonder.

I want to reread it right away, but that'll earn me a beating from my colleagues waiting to read the Advance Reader's Copy. Instead I'll definitely buy it when it's released for real: also, then it will include the illustrations by Dave McKean! (And meanwhile, there's the trailer for Coraline... And waiting for special features on Mouse Circus...) *happy sigh*

5 kommentarer:

Anonym sa...

Oh, låter lockande. Gaiman i topptrim? Inget att missa, ungdomsbok eller ej (och den som har läst Un Lun Dun vet att ungdomsböcker kan vara alldeles utmärkta).

Men september? Ugh. Kommer att bli en bra månad när den väl kommer, i alla fall. Ny Gaiman och ny McKillip. ;)

Ana S. sa...

"I warmly recommend that you read / reread The Jungle Book before you read The Graveyard Book - it's not released until September-October so you have plenty of time"

I plan on doing just that. I've been meaning to read it for years anyway. Anyway, I'm so excited about this book. And reading enthusiastic reviews like yours only makes me wish it were September already.

Kitty Cat sa...

well done, little Librarian, a thoughtful non-reveal---

lazy sa...

kitty cat - yeah, non-reveal was what I was going for. Now I think I may have gushed a bit much... but it was hard not to!!
(btw, I love the Graveyard book mousepad!)

Bokomaten.. sa...

OH! I envy you!! After reading Gaimans blog and how difficoult it has been for him to master the motivation to finish this book (everyone get´s writers-blook at some point it seams) I SO look forward to when it´s released. I Want pre-editions too!!