Book Review: Neil Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book"

I decided to buy Neil Gaiman's book entitled "The Graveyard Book" on the recommendation of Tim Ferris, a noted author, and podcaster. I had no idea what the book was about but I thought if Tim Ferris loved it so much it must be worth reading. The book sat in a drawer for quite some time before I got to it and I'm really glad I did. It is a wonderfully written and thoroughly engaging book.

The book is about a boy that grows up in and around a graveyard in what, I surmise, is a normal, modern-day English town. It is nearly impossible to talk about the book without giving something of the magic of the book away so I will try to describe it without revealing too much. Neil Gaiman masterfully blends supernatural elements in with a grounded tale of a young boy learning about the world and where he fits into it. With his parents gone he is taken in by an unlikely duo of dead do-gooders and a rugged but fair guardian.

In each chapter we learn more and more about the world the boy finds himself and about the dangers that await him outside the graveyard as well as some that lie within its gates. He meets historical figures and mythical creatures and all the while learns about the power of friendship and how complicated growing up can be. In the end, he finds himself taking on death itself and discovering the price one pays to do the right thing.

This book is a very fun read and has many great life lessons told in a way that a wide range of readers can enjoy. It creates subtle intrigue and exudes imagination that saturates the reader in a fantasy that is both unreal and instantly familiar. Neil Gaiman takes a fresh look at how boys become men and take the reader on an adventure through all the joys and pains that go along with that transition. I highly recommend this book, especially to young readers who have the courage to discover the world on their terms.

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