The Graveyard Book, Volume 1 by P. Craig Russell

The different illustrators are at once not an issue as they are similar, but sometimes it can take you out of the story (such as the character Silas has a different look each time). The first volume is slower paced than the second, which almost feels rushed in places.Įach chapter is illustrated by different artists. The graveyard itself is also a caregiver a place where Bod learns about both life and death, yet unable to leave the gates as the graveyard protects him. Here he is raised by the ghosts (the Owens becoming his parents) and a special guest of the graveyard, Silas agrees to be his guardian (making sure food, clothing and other needs the ghosts cannot do are met). It has wandered off, finding refugee in a local graveyard. However, due to strange events, the baby is not there. It starts with a family’s murder (yes there is blood, but not gore) and the assassin Jack, is to kill the baby as well. Bod also can “fade” out of immediate sight, walk in dreams, and other supernatural events occur. This is highlighted by the fact our hero, Nobody Owens (or Bod) speaks to ghosts, his main guardian is a creature of the night (neither alive nor dead, which is important later). There is an other-worldliness as if this is a parallel world to ours. It could be set from the mid-1900’s to as late as the 1980’s. There is a classic feel to the setting as well.

It feels as if it was written in the early 1900’s or even earlier. There is this classic feeling to the text. There can be as little as a year or two that has passed or could be several years that passed all at once. Each chapter is set up slightly different with the passing of time. You need to take your time reading as there are many levels to the story. It is a serious story with dark and dry humor. I wish I had found a complete one volume (hence why I dashed off to the library before I had finished volume one, I did not want to forget anything from book one). The two volumes are an interestingly wild ride. Craig Russell’s graphic novel adaptation shows how Gaiman’s reputation might have been earned. (Though the movie Coraline was fun and the audio of it was an experience.) However, P.

I have not read a lot of Gaiman, but what I have, I have not necessarily loved. The Graveyard Book Volume 1 and Volume 2 are based on the Neil Gaiman middle reader novel of the same name.

The Graveyard Book, Volume 1 by P. Craig Russell