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A Book Review

“The Graveyard Book” by Neil Gaiman

Introduction

             The “Graveyard Book” is a story that narrates the adventure of a boy named Nobody Owens also known as Bod. Bod is a normal boy, normal except he was raised by ghosts and has a guardian that is neither living nor already dead and lives in a very special nature reserve graveyard. Bod is the only living person that was given the “Freedom of the Graveyard”. While, he isn’t allowed to go out of the graveyard as the ghosts and his guardian stated that he wasn’t “ready” and it is too “dangerous” for him. Beside from that, when Bod will leave the graveyard, his life will become risky from the man named Jack. Some of Bod’s adventure in the graveyard includes: the search for the ancient grave; meeting the ghouls and the witch; and the mysterious Danse Macabre.

            This book is written by Neil Richard MacKinnon Gaiman, the author of Coraline, Sandman and American Gods. He is an English author, voice actor, comic book creator and a screenwriter who writes books for all ages. This man is not just your ordinary author but he is also an award winning author who won several awards from his various creations, from Hugo awards to Carnegie medals. A self-described “feral child who was raised by patient librarians”, as he loved their local library (at Sussex) as a child who haunted the books it possess. Neil Gaimann, the man who loved graveyards as much as he feared them.

            The Graveyard Book was inspired by the son of Gaiman, Michael, who was just a child riding his tricycle, through the graveyard past the grave belonged to a “witch”, what Gaiman thought before. Influenced by Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, The Graveyard Book as Gaiman stated “composed of short stories”. Written from December 2005 to February 2008, Gaiman confessed that this book is something he wanted to write for over twenty years and that the first chapter he wrote for the book was the book’s chapter four. The Graveyard Book won several awards such as Locus Young Adult Award, UK’s Booktrust Prize for Teenage Fiction, the Newbery Medal (“the highest honor given in US children’s literature”), as well as the Carnegie Medal. This book also made Gaiman the first author to gain both Newbery Medal and Carnegie Medal with the same book.

by: Joan Andrea Giralao

 Plot

            Neil Gaiman’s “The Graveyard Book” was all about mystery, fantasy, magical and the longing of a normal human life. The plot of the story was written appropriately from the introduction until the end. Even though the chapters of the book had different stories, it was still alright because the stories are still connected with each other. That's why it’s interesting, because readers are required to think critically, and read the story thoroughly. The beginning was interesting because it started with a murder case. In this part it slowly gave hints about the main characters’ identities in the story. As the story goes on, it was surprising because of its sudden twist, which the author actually wrote it well. The climax until the end was written consistently for it attracts the readers’ attention and it was written in a suspense manner.

            Since it was my first time to read a whole story of the book, and it was good and interesting for me. Even though it’s good, I suggest that it should be end up like the antagonist should not killed so that the protagonist and his friend never gave up their friendship because of this misunderstanding. In other words, I guess that the story should end up in a happy ending.

by: Liezel Macariola

Characterization

Nobody “Bod” Owens

            Nobody Owens was actually not supposed to be the Nobody Owens of the graveyard, actually, he was supposed to be normal human. His surname was actually Dorian and by a streak of luck, he coincidentally escaped from death and arrived at a local graveyard. He was then raised by the dead, a living child being raised by the non-living. As he grew up, the author directly characterized Nobody Owens as a child with sober grey eyes and mouse-colored hair. Also, it was stated that Bod was actually obedient, but at the same time, inquisitive. Lastly, as he grew old and turned to 11 years, his mouse-colored turned darker, and he became lean as stated in the book.

            As we were reading through the novel, we managed to characterize the main protagonist of “The Graveyard Book” as adventurous, which became more evident during the final chapter when he was about to leave the graveyard, saying different things about the places he wants to try, experience and places to go to. He was also a brave person, being able to stay calm most especially when he and her first living friend, Scarlett Amber Perkins, were inside a cave located in a certain hill in Bod’s graveyard. Aside from that, he was also a wise child, being able to think of calling Night-gaunts to help him when he was abducted by ghouls, and especially when he was dealing with the Jack of All Trades. Furthermore, he was a caring and a somewhat sweet boy which was seen when he decided to buy a gravestone for a dead witch named Elizabeth Hempkins.

            I don’t know if my groupmates would agree with me but personally, what I like about his character is that he’s curious, and whenever his curiosity were answered, he would totally learn to remember it. He’s also got a sharp memory which, in return, becomes the foundation of his own wisdom. Thus, apart from the ghastly supernatural things that he can do most especially when he’s inside the graveyard’s premises, I, myself, would love to acquire his wisdom and obedience. On the other hand, like Nobody Owens, there are also children who lost their real family at a young age, and raised with strangers, or someone close with their parents, our group seems to never experienced it though. I also liked the fact that the author narrated how Nobody changed from the day he first came to the Graveyard, to the day he left the Graveyard because he can stand on his own, which in return, made the readers understand how Bod thinks more.

 Silas

            Silas is a dark and mysterious character who played an important role in the main protagonist’s life. When the spirits of Mr. and Mrs. Owens decided to adopt and raise Bod, Silas volunteered to be the child’s guardian, promising that he’ll be the one to provide the boy’s foods and do many things for him. As for his physical features, we’re afraid that it wasn't really described very much in the novel, however, it was stated that he has bony fingers and wore a dark velvet coat. Apparently, the novel stated many times that Bod’s guardian is actually not a ghost, and is neither alive nor dead. Lastly, during the chapter where Nobody Owens came to another graveyard, Owens was told by ghosts living in the said cemetery that his own guardian, Silas, was part of a group called Honor Guards.

            Truth be told, what boggled our minds is this question, “If he is neither alive nor dead, then what kind of creature is Silas?”. We later found out that Silas has the ability to turn into a bat-like creature when he saved the arrested Nobody Owens from the police with something he did not do, and although it was not explicitly stated, Silas also seems to have no reflection on any mirror, thus, we deduced that Silas could be a vampire. On the other hand, Silas was a wise and knowledgeable about many things since he answered Bod’s questions about many things with clarity, and he also became the protagonist’s first teacher. He is also secretive, keeping the fact that he’s an Honor Guard, that he fights an evil organization during his ‘trips’, and hiding the fact about Bod’s real parents and their fates. Moreover, there were also times that he’s becoming overprotective about Bod, like when Bod decided to go to school. However, despite all of that, Silas is still a caring and responsible character because he still never forgets to bring Bod his necessities and provides the protagonist his own needs.

            We think of Silas as a father-like figure for the protagonist, and not just a normal father but a cool and great father. Well, even though Nobody Owens has his foster father, Mr. Owens, we still think that Silas was more influential to Bod.  On the other hand, although we think that the author meant Silas to be a mysterious character, whose life should be kept a secret, we still also think that it would be better if we knew more about Silas. We can’t relate on what’s happening with him since, as stated earlier, he’s too mysterious, though we still like his character. Furthermore, adding mystery on his character makes Silas more exciting, although again, I personally think that it went a little bit too much. Despite all of that, for me, Silas was actually narrated in the story very well, and even if his character is full of mysteries, we all believe that these questions added a great ‘spice’ in the story though.

 Jack Frost

            A tall man with dark hair and dark eyes, and it was also stated that those who see him will feel intimidated, and uncomfortable. He also serves as the main antagonist of the novel, and the one who killed Nobody Owen’s family, his mother, father, and his older sister. Furthermore, it was revealed that Jack Frost is a member of a dark organization called the “Jack of All Trades”. In the novel, it was stated that he mostly wore shiny black leather shoes, thin and black leather gloves, a long black coat, and uses a sharp knife for killing his victims. During the seventh chapter, thirteen years has passed after his attempt to kill Nobody Owens, he disguised and goes by the name of Jay Frost, where he befriended Scarlett Amber Perkins, who was the protagonist’s living friend, in hopes of finding leads for Bod. During those parts, he wore a tweed jacket and a fawn mackintosh, his hair also had gone thinner and gone grey, and Scarlett also mentioned he was also nice. Lastly, Jack Frost stated himself that he was prideful.

            He was cold-blooded, and no mercy, he was a professional killer, and with this, it seems that he’s very trained not to feel guilt to those he killed. In fact, he was very used to corpses, and blood, which was very evident when he killed Bod’s family. It was also obvious that he has inhuman senses, he uses his sense of smell to track his ‘preys’, and he can see well in dark, although not very clear as Bod’s. Like Bod, he also doesn’t get scared easily, although Frost was surprised when Bod used Fade to turn invisible, he was not afraid of Bod, and he was not really scared very much when the Sleer appeared in front of him and the protagonist. He was also the person who never gives up until he finished his mission/s completely, in fact, he never forgotten about the toddler who managed to escape from his hands. However, he was a really friendly and sociable person when he is pushed, truth to be told, when he was under the disguise of Jay Frost, whom Scarlett befriended, he was totally different from the cold-blooded killer who murdered persons in his past.

            If only Jack Frost was always Jay Frost, he could be very a nice and kind person. Personally, I’m afraid to think that his sociable self was all an act, that his friendship with Scarlett and his laughs with Mrs. Perkins weren’t fake. I mean, if only Jack Frost changed at the seventh chapter and somehow say that he learned his lessons, he may not have died, but unfortunately, he didn’t change. Well, we guess that it must’ve been better when he’d changed since he’s got of potential. Moving on, aside from his friendly personality and his ‘not-giving-up spirit, we don’t like his other personalities. Although personally, I’d love to have his enhanced senses. Basically, we can’t also relate on his character very much, because just like Silas, Jack Frost was also mysterious. If only he shared his past, like telling his own story, why did he became a member of the organization of the Jacks, and his family, although there was once a part in the novel where it was revealed that Frost had a grandmother, then we can relate with him more. However, since Jack Frost’s character was really meant to be the main antagonist on the novel but aside from his motive to kill Bod, there’s no other explanations or revelations about him as a character.

by: Carl Jev Orcullo

 Art & Delivery

            This illustration shows what the whole novel wants to tell, life and death, the two different worlds of bod. World of the dead, where he used to live in shadows, grew up for years and where his guardians protect him against the dangers of the living world. While the Living world that lies behind the gate through the world of the dead, colorful as it is, full of life, temptation and dangers for bod yet, as years passed by, Nobody “Bod” Owens learned to accept the fact that he has to leave the world of the dead, his comfort zone and live his life.

            I chose this illustration for, just looking at this art; it would instantly give the true essence of the story, the life of a person living both worlds which able to grow, survive and live.

By: Nur-Aisa Askalani

 Final Verdict

            Neil Gaiman, we must say, did a job well done for this novel. The story well plotted, from the beginning to the end, it never ceased to excite us, most especially the protagonist’s adventures, and the mysteries of the graveyard. What’s more is that the characters themselves were wonderfully thought, most especially the main protagonist of the story. Another great thing in the novel was the unique idea of the author, a normal human child raised by ghost. Personally, I loved the way of narration in the story, it was certain to make the readers’ imagination run wild.

           However, it feels that some things were left unanswered, although the author probably decided that himself, for the readers to expect a sequel. However, if I am to be asked if this novel deserved a sequel, yes it does, but it seems that Bod’s adventure in the graveyard ended, his life in the graveyard ended, and so as the story. Unless Gaiman, thinks of more wonderful plot twists, or he thickens the plot, it’ll not be the same Graveyard Book that we read.

           Yes, Gaiman’s work is a must read, it gives the ‘feels’ of childhood, it’s adventures, and its magic. That’s why, if you want to read something unique, and feel the hopes, and dreams, and the adventure of life, then we suggest that you read this novel. Commentaries aside, we rank “The Graveyard Book” 8 out of 10.

by: James Philip Ayop