*** SPOILERS ALERT!! ***

I really, really liked this book. And no, it's not because I'm madly in love with Neil Gaiman (seriously - he looks like a rock star!), but because he can write a damn good book. The Graveyard Book falls into the category of Juvenile/Children books, according to Neil. I've only read two other books of his from this category - Stardust and Coraline - and I was intrigued the whole way through both of them. Enough so that I tried to read them in any instance I had, in any spare moment of time. Even the movies were wonderful. But maybe I'm just biased.

Back to The Graveyard Book.

On the first page, we learn the fate of the main character's family. It was a scary beginning, which made me wonder what age exactly a "juvenile" is, but I trudged through (at 28 years old, I figured I could take it). The family is killed right off the bat by the man Jack (from the order of the Jacks of All Trades) and the main character, a toddler of just over a year at the time, manages to escape. He finds his way to the local graveyard and is adopted as part of a family of ghosts in a graveyard and from then on his name is Nobody - Bod, for short.

Bod grows up like any normal kid, learning his ABC's by doing gravestone rubbings, taking classes from the local graveyard ghosts, and learning lessons from his guardian, Silas (who isn't dead and isn't alive, but is 'in between'), and his alternate Mrs. Lupescu. He's given "Freedom of the Graveyard," sees "as the dead do" and learns how to fade (i.e. disappear), dreamwalk, and how to instill fear in people.

Wait? That's not normal? Well, it's normal for Bod.

If you've ever read the Lemony Snicket books, The Graveyard Book is very reminiscent of them - without the goofy language. Instead of a whole series of short novels, Bod has many adventures in this book - he goes to school, he meets the 'Sleer', he meets Scarlett, he meets Liza the Witch - and they all manage to tie together quite nicely for a slightly-expected ending.

My only disappointment was that Scarlett and her mom move back to Scotland, where they were originally from. The romantic in me wanted her to stay and for her and Bod to have more adventures - maybe in future books. I don't think that Neil is planning on releasing more books in the series, which is okay because everything is resolved in the end (though he does leave a few ends hanging just slightly, which could work for a sequel). I was also sad that Bod eventually doesn't see his graveyard family anymore, having grown up and all.

The illustrations throughout, by Dave McKean, are great, though sometimes I was left staring at them wondering how they are depicting the story at certain points. The illustrations aren't distracting at all, and are quite lovely, but sometimes I wanted more of them - they really only appear at the beginning of each chapter for a few pages, and again at the end of the book.

I would recommend this to readers, young and old, who want something different, something that makes them smile in wonder and amazement, and something with enough mystery and fantasy for all.

Nobody (Bod) Owens' family is murdered when he is still a baby. He manages to crawl away to a nearby graveyard, where the ghosts protect him from the man who wants to murder him, too. In fact, the ghosts of the graveyard decide to take care of him till he is old enough to be on his own. They know that this man will continue to try to murder the little boy. The story follows Bod, as he grown up amongst the graveyard-folk, while they teach him some "different" skills and protect him from the outside world.

I found the first chapter very creepy. Unfortunately, the creepiness didn't continue throughout, as I was hoping, but it was still very good. Each chapter skipped ahead a few years in Bod's life, and so initially they felt a little like vignettes, but it all came together at the end. Very enjoyable, and my favourite book by Gaiman, so far.

Although this is a young adult book, it has plenty of interest, excitement and intrigue to offer an adult reader.

Nobody Owens [Bod to his friends] lives in a graveyard, where he is looked after by the ghostly residents who live there and one live [we think] - but quite mysterious - guardian, Silas.

Bod cannot leave the graveyard, because there are sinister forces looking for him. The same forces that killed Bod's entire family when he was a baby want to find him and finish their evil deed. Bod is hidden and safe in the graveyard, but, as he grows, he longs for the adventures of the world outside the graveyard.

Not that there aren't adventures to be had IN the graveyard, mind you, what with all sorts of people and stories and secrets held by those inside.

I listened to this as an audio book, and Neil Gaiman, the author also narrated the audio version, and did an excellent job.

The story is clever, unusual and creative - filled with mystery, adventures, good guys and bad guys, damsels in distress, lessons to be learned, and important decisions about life to be made.

The characters are diverse and endearing - except the bad guys, who are deliciously evil and unredeemable - and are all brought fully to life by Gaiman's deft writing and narration.

This is a fast and easy read chock full of twists and turns, murder and mayhem, and unexpected suprises as Bod tries to figure out who he is and what his life should be. Along the way, Gaiman also delivers, oh so subtly, lessons about courage, choices and family which are sometimes sweet and tender, and other times bitter and sad. Ultimately though, the book is a thoroughly satisfying adventure story that neatly combines a boy's coming of age with magic, mystery and excitement. A very fun read!

I liked graveyard to begin with. Such quiet, calm places, especially on dark nights. Now, I’ll never look at them without wondering! Gaiman is by far a master at what he does, weaving a story that, while aimed at youngsters, can nevertheless capture adult hearts. Bod is the epitome of a child, curious in everything, yet outside the world most other children know. His abilities reflect those that many children wish they had, though he learns, unlike so many of reality’s children, to moderate his use of them and Gaiman has provided an invaluable moral there. Moderation in everything and consideration for one’s actions. Bod’s guardian, Silas, is a wonderfully mysterious character: readers can’t be sure if he is good or bad, vampire or not, angel or demon. They can only observe how he patiently guides Bod through life until such a time as he has no more to teach. And the myriad of ghosts, themes, and adventures Bod becomes entangled with is enough to boggle the mind! A truly unrivalled feat of literature in the realm of children’s fantasy!