The Graveyard Book

What a fun book to read! I needed something light after the heavier books I’ve been reading lately, and this fit the bill (which is ironic because almost the entire book takes place in a graveyard). Still, I thought it was a fun, unique premise. My book club leader always says that sometimes you have to be in the right mood to read a certain book, and I was for this one. The story begins with the murder of a family, well at least the father, mother, and daughter. The toddler manages to get away by simply walking down the street and into the graveyard. There, he meets two kind spirits wanting to take in the boy and they convince the others in the graveyard to help raise him. Since they don’t know his name, he becomes Nobody Owens, or Bod for short. So begins this wonderful tale of how Bod is raised in the graveyard, walking the line between the living and dead. This book can only be described as “whimsical” for me. The reader has to suspend their beliefs in life and death almost right away and just allow Gaiman to carry you along with the story. It was easy for me to put down at the end and think “that was a nice break; now I’m ready for more substance again.” I do find that Neil Gaiman is good for that. I liked his other book, Good Omens, for that reason also….and going on a bit of a tangent about that book, that is one of the few instances where I liked the movie better than the book! Well, the miniseries is more accurate, I guess. Normally I am a strong advocate for always reading the book first, but the two actors who starred in the Good Omens miniseries (Michael Sheen and David Tennant) were just perfect for their roles and watching them banter back and forth was better than even my imagination! So if you’re going to read Good Omens, I’d say to at least give the miniseries a try too. Anyway, if you’re wanting something light and are willing to put aside any rational thought or reasoning for awhile, The Graveyard Book is a fun break.