Book Reviews: Neil Gaiman under the spotlight

[dweomeroflight]

I've thought about reading "that Neil Gaiman guy" for awhile... ever since goblin author jimhines posted this utterly hilarious post of Chuck Norris Neil Gaiman jokes and even got to wear the tshirt (man this guy is SO on my to read list). Link here... http://www.jimchines.com/2009/09/20-neil-gaiman-facts/
and then when it was announced that Gaiman was writing an episode of Dr Who well of course I had to read SOMETHING of his.

I ended up reading The Graveyard Book (Is there a film of this does anyone know?) and Anansi Boys. Coraline and American Gods are on my to read list. Does anyone have other Gaiman suggestions?

Anyway thoughts under cut for both books...



The Graveyard Book. I liked this one alot. I think the best summation is actually the Garth Nix review on the back "I wish my younger self could have had the opportunity to read and reread this wonderful book, and my older self wishes that I had written it." This Garth Nix. THIS. (By the way I met Garth Nix two years back at the Sydney Writer's Festival. He had funny glasses and wasn't Isobelle Carmody so I had a terribly awkward conversation with him, having never ever read his books before. Then the orange stocking wearing Isobelle Carmody appeared and all else was forgotten).

This book reminded me of A Series of Unfortunate Events (which by the way I totally have to do a write up of on here one day. I love that series to bits for all kinds of weird and wonderful meta reasons) and this is a good thing.

I liked how the book was kind of like lots of little short stories all loosely linked together and I liked the little bits of wisdom dropped in throughout. I also liked the bittersweet ending and the overall message of the book... everyone has to grow up and make their own way someday, we all have to experience as much as we can. I think it was promethia_tenk who was describing the series five theme back in the day who said pretty much the same thing aka this:

This is what I hear from Steven Moffat over and over and over: Think deeper. Imagine wilder. Believe good things are possible. It's ok to forgive. It's ok to trust. Be good to each other. Remember. Keep trying. And keep telling stories, because the stories are where we keep the meanings.
That isn't trite, and that isn't naive. That's humanism. And we need to hear it, over and over. We need to hear it all the damn time.

I totally agree and apparently so does Neil Gaiman which makes him fit into new new Who very, VERY well I hope.

On to Anansi Boys. I actually liked The Graveyard Book better than Anansi Boys which was a horror cum comic fable for adults (what this says about me I don't know) but I still absolutely devoured this book.

I think the reason I didn't like this book as much as The Graveyard Book was because I didn't sympathise with the characters as much. I liked Spider and the policewoman, but I didn't actually like Fat Charlie or Rosie all that much. Maybe that was just me though.



Are the Sandman comics good? I might try those too eventually :)

Now I am off to write a quick how to post on the nicola_walker comm and then write a bit of an essay on environmental history. Fun.

Comments

[ragdoll.livejournal.com]

The Graveyard Book has not been optioned for a film yet as far as I know. It's also a relatively new book by comparison to Neil's older stuff. The only things that have been filmed to date are Neverwhere (which is a better book than tv series), Stardust (fantastic film) and Coraline (also fantastic). Good Omens and American Gods are apparently in the works and there has been threats of Sandman: The Movie for decades, but given that that's out of Neil's hands, most of us are hoping it never happens.

If you haven't read American Gods, then Anansi Boys is going to be a bit harder to get into since Spider/Mr Nancy is introduced there. Anansi Boys is sort of a stand alone piece, but you get to know Mr Nancy a lot more in AG. :)

I first discovered Neil over 20 years ago via Sandman. I would highly recommend it. It's an amazing combination of fantasy, horror, super heroes, mythology, magic and I don't even know what else. It's a lot of short stories and small story arcs that build up into one giant storyline covering 70+ issues. Not everything is perfect but most of it is. I would also recommend the related spinoffs -- there are several Death stories and Sandman: The Dream Hunters which was illustrated by the Japanese artist Yoshitako Amano which is just gorgeous.

I would also suggest Neil's short story compilations: Angels & Visitations, Smoke & Mirrors and Fragile Things.

Obviously I'm a fan and can't wait to see what he does with Dr Who. I personally think his script for Babylon 5, "Day of the Dead" was the only really good episode of that show's 5th season. :)

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

Ah thanks. I was just a bit confused because in the aknowledgements Gaiman mentioned negotiating film rights.

I want to read everything of Gaiman's eventually but it's going to take me awhile ;)

Sandman sounds awesome! I'll have to check it out!

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT GAIMAN DOES WITH NEW NEW WHO. IT WILL BE GREAT.

Did you read the Chuck Norris Gaiman style jokes? They made me laugh alot :)

[sand-woman.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, I vote Coraline next, and people rave to me about Sandman comics (but I have trouble reading comics so haven't). I'm really excited about what this episode will be like.

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

Coraline and American Gods are definitely next on my to read list!

[jo1967.livejournal.com]

I usually recommend his short stories to, well, just about everybody actually *grin*. His other tales are amazing too and I love Sandman.

And if you've ever read a fairy story, you should go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWRvqO1MjIs and listen to the man himself read his "Instructions".

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

Read a fairy story? Heck one of my half written novels is one! Scurries off excitedly to listen!

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

Ohhh that was interesting! I especially, associated with the ending, having just returned from a long adventure away from home myself (and about to embrak on another in June). It's true that when you come back home seems smaller and you notice more and you have to, to at least some extent, rebuild.

Thanks for that link :)

[impetusofadream.livejournal.com]

GOOD OMENS!!! READ IT!!! *granted it's a collab with Terry Pratchett, but HOMG I love that books to DEATH!*

I also really love his short story about Susan Pevensie, "The Problem of Susan" I'll upload it for you later, I have the audio track but it's on the desktop and I'm on my lappy right now. So I probably won't get to it until tomorrow. But I love it very muchly!

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

OMG GOOD OMENS IS TERRY PRATCHETT TOO. OMG I LOVE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. I've wanted to read 'The Problem of Susan' for awhile! An upload would be love!

[impetusofadream.livejournal.com]

I KNOW!!! IT IS AMAZEBALLS!!!!

And apparently it was NOT on the desktop so I'll have to check my old lappy. I know I have it somewhere, it's just going to take longer than I thought to find it. Sorry!

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

I found a copy but thanks for the offer. OMG that was an interesting read! Made me think a lot. Probably when I reread The Chronicles of Narnia, there will be a blog post re Lewis and Gaiman and stuff. I really found this short story to be hard hitting.

[impetusofadream.livejournal.com]

Glad you found it AND liked it. I really enjoy it. Granted I read all of The Chronicles of Narnia in a different light now that a) I'm aware of their religious overtones and b) not really a follower of any particular religion anymore. But I'm looking forward to your review!

[aletheia08.livejournal.com]

Suggestions? GOOD OMENS! But I see you've already read that :) I loved Neverwhere too, and American Gods.

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

Haha I haven't read it yet... I was just squeeing about the Terry Pratchett as co author part and NOW HAVE TO READ IT!

[aletheia08.livejournal.com]

Oh in that case, YES! You definitely have to read it. I still remember the looks I kept getting from strangers as I giggled every 2 minutes while reading that book ;)

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

Haha I can imagine. What a combination!

[cianthecat.livejournal.com]

You must read "Neverwhere". It's great, and I recommended it to my friends who have completely different reading tastes to me, and they all loved it.

Also, for short stories "Smoke and Mirrors" has some great work within.

Did you know that he did the movie "Stardust" (based on one of his novels that I still haven't read)? I do love that film, I know it's a bit tacky but it gets his quirky sense of humour down to a tee.

[dweomeroflight.livejournal.com]

I knew that he wrote the script for Stardust and wrote the initial novel yes. One of the reasons I felt I needed to pick this guy's books up actually! I quite liked the movie too :)

What is Neverwhere about?

His short stories sound like must reads so I'll place them on hold I think :)

[cianthecat.livejournal.com]

I think Stardust got me into his books. :)

Neverwhere is about this very average guy living in London, who starts to fall through the cracks by helping this seemingly innocent girl called Door. (She was lying, almost dead, on the pavement in front of him and he couldn't ignore her). After the meeting, he starts to be invisible, almost like he never existed, and then discovers a whole other London that co-exists called London below, where he sets out to find Door and what has happened to his life.

You will love it! Neil Gaiman is a very witty writer.