Reviewed by Alexander Kwang
The book begins with an opening sentence, ‘There was a hand in darkness, and it held a knife’: like all of Neil Gaiman’s books, the language is oddly simple. Yet he manages to create an effective blend of suspense and the supernatural in the story.
A bit creepy, but likeable nonetheless, Neil Gaiman quickly establishes a relatable protagonist - a young infant, of unknown name - and a dangerous antagonist known as Jack.
Throughout the course of the book, Gaiman preserves the innocence of Bod, as the young infant becomes known, as he grows to his teenage years.
In the book, Gaiman blends a touching relationship with ghost parents alongside terrifying experiences with ghouls and snake caverns. Beyond that is the addition of a sliver of teenage romance, as Bod first experiences the queerness of the modern world and is forced to face the reality that he is human, not ghost.
Along the way, Bod ventures around and meets ghouls, witches, school bullies and even the cryptic Silas, who seems to come and go at his own will. Time and time again, Bod uses his somewhat comically named superpowers to save himself as he approaches his destiny of facing his parents’ murderer in the unknown real world. Gaiman brings up the idea of Bod leaving his childhood, as symbolized by the graveyard.
As a tale especially made for children, Gaiman’s graveyard will certainly bring up their imagination. Weaving an intricate web of fantasy, horror and suspense, Gaiman efficiently keeps the atmosphere tense and the readers guessing. I thought the book to be a good read for all ages, searching for simple, yet electrifying novels. Fans of books such as Coraline, also by Neil Gaiman, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl and even Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce will definitely enjoy this award-winning book.
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