The Graveyard Book (2008)

Ho trovato un Neil Gaiman un po' fuori forma in questo romanzo. Insomma, le idee sono quelle: sempre molto affascinanti e sottilmente inquietanti, però per la prima volta, come dire? Le ho trovate un po'... oh mio dio, non riesco neanche a dirlo quando parlo di Gaiman... le ho trovate ripetitive. Non credo che siano le idee in loro stesse ad avermi disturbato, quanto, forse, il contesto in cui sono inserite... si, perché qui è la costruzione stessa del romanzo che non funziona. La storia si trascina per quasi tutta la sua lunghezza attraverso capitoli quasi autoconclusivi senza una coerenza interna, anzi, molti di essi mi sembrano addirittura aggiunti a posteriori per giustificare alcune soluzioni narrative sucessive (Neil, questo non è da te... me lo sarei aspettato dal Dimitri di "Pan", ma non da te) e inoltre manca un background:il "non narrato" che da profondità alla storia che è proprio una delle caratteristiche che hanno reso Gaiman un grande scrittore, quella profondità che magari, nel racconto, viene solo accennata ma che il lettore percepisce e ci regala la sensazione che dietro la storia ci sia un vero e proprio universo. Niente di tutto questo è presente ne "il figlio del cimitero", che risulta quindi un'opera molto vuota. Forse Neil Gaiman dovrebbe abbandonare per un po' la narrativa per ragazzi e dedicarsi di nuovo a quella per adulti, quella che, a partire da Sandman fino a American Gods, ci ha fatto spaventare e sognare...
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Nobody Owens is a boy who lives in a graveyard and has been granted Freedom of the Graveyard. He came to live with the supernatural beings here because when he was a little baby, his family was killed. This book logs all the adventures Nobody (Bod) encounters as he grows into a young adult. The spirits and his guardian do their best to prepare Bod for life outside of the graveyard, but when will that day come? ( )

My Thoughts



I really enjoyed this one, and I think it would make a great family read/bedtime reading. ⁠



“You're alive, Bod. That means you have infinite potential. You can do anything, make anything, dream anything. If you can change the world, the world will change. Potential. Once you're dead, it's gone. Over. You've made what you've made, dreamed your dream, written your name. You may be buried here, you may even walk. But that potential is finished.”







Despite being set in a graveyard, the book isn't too chilling, but actually shows a lot of family bonding and love!



The storytelling is phenomenal and perfect for getting to know all of those creepy characters without the fear factor. There are many comparisons between this read and The Jungle Book, which I noticed while reading, then found out after was intentional buy Gaiman. ⁠



Bod, aka Nobody Owens, is adopted by ghostly couple after he wanders into the graveyard as a toddler, following the murder of his whole family. ⁠Bod is raised by the Graveyard and all of its spooky inhabitants, going on several spooky adventures with his friends. ⁠But his most dangerous escapades lie outside the cemetery gates!⁠



This book is brilliant, because as well as being highly entertaining, it is teaching strong values in confidence and potential, and touching on sensitive topics such as suicide, in the same way youth do- approaching it with curiosity and plain honesty.



“Face your life, its pain, its pleasure, leave no path untaken.”



Have you read this? Have any other Gaiman faves? We actually own a lot on our shelves, so I think it's past time I got to reading them!⁠⁠















I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on The Graveyard Book. Have you read this? Tell me what you thought! 



Feel free to comment below or on my 'bookstagram' at @ReadWithWine . 
This review was originally posted on ReadWithWine ( )

I read this with my six-year-old son and loved it. Part ghost story, part mystery, part coming-of-age tale, it's peacefully slow paced, a little creepy, and oddly gentle for the danger that suffuses it. My nine-year-old daughter's reading it now, and I'll look forward to reading it again on my own in the future. ( )

Per my usual response to Gaiman's books, I liked the parts more than the whole. I loved the characters and most of the story lines, but something just didn't work for me. I'm not sure I can put my finger on it, though. I want to absolutely love Gaimans' books, and usually come away feeling impressed, happy to have read it, but somehow not quite blown away. It may be the ecstatic book jacket blurbs; I just can't say this was the best book of the year.

I made this review much more negative than I'd intended. I liked the book and really loved the idea. I'm glad to have read it and will recommend it to other people. I think my expectations are too high for Gaiman and I keep coming away from his novels a bit let down.

Course evaluation:

Personal Response: I enjoyed this dark story about growing up and facing our greatest fears. Bod is a likable character and I wanted to see him succeed and find happiness. I also related to his hesitance of stepping outside of the graveyard, his home, in order to learn more about himself and the world.

Evaluation: Gaiman creates a detailed world, giving this story a setting that is believable yet grounded in fantasy. Just as Bod straddles the world of the living and dead, the story jumps between them with ease; neither world feels fake or forced in any way. The plot is suspenseful, dialogue realistic and appropriate for each character, and the characterization is well written. The story follows Bod from his infancy until he turns about 16; readers will relate to Bod’s emotions and frustrations at various ages. McKean’s few illustrations evoke the shadows of the graveyard, transparency of the ghosts, and dark elements of the plot. ( )