The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I’ve been waiting a long time for The Graveyard Book. I fell for Neil Gaiman when a friend handed me Violent Cases over two decades ago. Then I read Black Orchid. Then someone gave me the first Sandman, I read all of them, and loved them.

There were other comics and graphic novels, mostly with Dave McKean. So when Gaiman wrote “Good Omens” with Terry Pratchett was thrilled, but it didn’t read like the comics, didn’t have the edge of “Sandman”, that funny, twisted, dark and lovely take on things. So I tried American Gods”, and again something was missing. I gave up.

Along comes Nobody Owens, Silas and man Jack and I am enthralled again. This is a story about a lost boy and how he is found, loved and eventually free  to head out into the world. It is dark and romantic and so loving I want all the people I know who have suffered loss to read it.

I guess I have to read Coraline, The Wolves in the Walls and Gaiman’s other work for younger readers. I am so happy to have his characters back in my life.