Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Bibliography

Gaiman, Neil. The Graveyard Book. Ill. by Dave Mckean. New York: HaperCollins Pub., 2008.

ISBN 9780060530921

Plot Summary

          Nobody Owens, named because “He looks like nobody but himself” (25), is a boy whose circumstances take him away from his own family to be raised by a charitable group of ghosts in a graveyard.  Nobody is given “Freedom of the Graveyard” (22) which the living cannot access and thus protects him from the one who relentlessly pursues him.  Neil Gaiman, author of The Graveyard Book introduces the reader to Nobody (Bod) and a host of occult characters, including ghouls, witches, members of secret societies, and ghosts.  It’s a world where the magic of Dreamwalking, Sliding, Fading, Haunting, and other skills become school curriculum subjects along with living of world of the three R’s, such as the The Cat in the Hat (38).  The reader follows Bod as he grows from a toddler to a teen, learning to distinguish good acquaintances from bad, demonstrating sympathy and empathy for others who are living or dead, and gaining the ability to be fearless in the real world because of his experiences in the graveyard.

Critical Analysis

          The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is a fantastical tale of Bod, a young boy who comes of age in a cemetery under the tutelage of Silas, a “bridge” character between worlds who acts as his guardian so as a “living child” in a graveyard, Bod can grow up safely, adopted by graveyard ghosts.

          The plot concerns how Bod, short for Nobody Owens, is exposed to experiences and acquaintances which help him mature in the time between his childhood and adolescence.  For example, Bod meets Liza Hemstock, a witch whose grave is in unconsecrated ground, giving her the ability to roam in and out of the graveyard at any time.  Because she helped him recover from a fall he wants to buy a gravestone for her.  In return for his kindness, she protects him with a Fading spell as he goes into the real world for his purchase (131-132). Bod’s experiences occur in and out of the graveyard.  He goes to real-life school as a way to learn even more. Always in the background is a sinister figure who wants Bod dead for some reason Bod does not understand. 

          As evidenced by the title, the graveyard is the predominate setting for Bod’s life.  Most people fear the graveyard, but Bod sees it as his home.  It functions for Bod as a park would function for a young person.  He meets mostly ghosts and befriends a young, living girl named Scarlett Perkins.  He does go out into the living world, but he has his roots in the supernatural.  For example, his teacher, Miss Lupescu, a hell-hound, teaches him how to “call for help in every language in the world” and then tests his knowledge of the “Night-Gaunt,” a flying creature that Ghouls fear (72).The black, white, and grey illustrations by Dave McKean contribute to the reader’s visualization of the setting.  Their lack of color echoes the shades of death and the grave.

          Gaiman’s characterization of Bod mirrors an actual child.  He is very inquisitive and intelligent.  He asks questions of the graveyard ghosts, such as the ones of Caius Pompeius about who was the oldest in the graveyard, which leads to Bod’s discovery of the Druid grave containing treasure.  Bod’s intelligence is evidenced when he outsmarts the school bullies who are blackmailing the other students in his real-world school (185).  He is shy to shine too much because he knows he must keep his identity hidden from his pursuer and because his graveyard protectors know Bod can be found if he becomes too well known.  “The boy was a model pupil, forgettable and easily forgotten…” (182). It is possible to identify with Bod since he has real world feelings.  His wanting to go to school is prompted by Silas’s telling him that his family was murdered by the man pursuing him.  Bod’s reaction was to go to school in order to be prepared to go after the man himself.

          Other characters are described consistent with their identity.  The ghosts’ speech patterns match the time in which they lived before their death.  Liza speaks as an uneducated girl of her time when she says, “Never stole nuffink.”  The ghouls use expressions such as “I ‘ave the honor to be ther ‘onorable… and ‘Hat your service”(76)

          Thematically, Gaiman conveys to the reader that family combined with knowledge is power. Family isn’t just blood relations; it is who cares about you and wants the best for your future. Knowledge does not just come out of books or real-world experiences; it comes from unexpected places and from chance meetings.

Review Excerpt(s)

Newbery Medal 2009

Hugo Award for Best Novel 2009
Locus Award for Best Young Adult Novel 2009
Carnegie Medal 2010

“Wistful, witty, wise—and creepy.  This needs to be read by anyone who is or has ever been a child.” – KIRKUS REVIEW, starred review

“Gaiman has created a rich, surprising, and sometimes disturbing tale of dreams, ghouls, murderers, trickery, and family.” – SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

"This is an utterly captivating tale that is cleverly told through an entertaining cast of ghostly characters. There is plenty of darkness, but the novel's ultimate message is strong and life affirming…this is a rich story with broad appeal.” – BOOKLIST, starred review

"Lucid, evocative prose and dark fairy-tale motifs imbue the story with a dreamlike quality...this ghost-story-cum-coming-of-age-novel as readable as it is accomplished." – HORN BOOK, starred review

Connections for Teens

·        Read other books by Neil Gaiman:  Stardust, M is for Magic, Coraline.

·        Write an essay about the person or persons who have had the most influence on your education so far.

·        Engage a guest speaker on the subject of gravestone rubbings and their historical significances.