Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book
Note: The following article is a personal review and analysis of The Graveyard Book. Illustrations inspired by the book (drawn by the blogger) are present, as well as illustrations from the book itself. Both illustrations and writing may contain spoilers.
“THERE WAS A HAND IN the darkness, and it held a knife.”
The beginning of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book thrills the reader, starting with the description of a murderer’s hand. The narration is almost casual, as it continues to state details of the knife’s handle and the sharpness of the blade. The deed done by the knife is described in a roundabout manner, even though it is rather obvious what had happened;
“The knife had done almost everything it was brought to that house to do, and both the blade and the handle were wet.”
(Chapter 1, page 5)
We look through the eyes of the murderer, as he ascends the staircase to finish his objective. For a moment it seems as if he has succeeded, as he readies to bring the knife down on the still form in the crib. Alas for the killer it is only a doll. The child had disappeared through the open door, into the swirling mist.
(Illustration by Dave Mckean, from The Graveyard Book)
As the babe climbs into a graveyard of all places, some of the resident ghosts take interest. While the elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Owens, vote to take the child in, the rest of the ghosts hesitate. Then a spectral lady on a ‘grey’ (a white horse) appears, and speaks,
“The dead should have charity”
(Chapter 1, page 30)
(Illustration by Dave Mckean, from The Graveyard Book)
The ‘Lady on the Grey’ is a being more ethereal than the ghosts themselves. She is reminiscent of an Angel, or Death on her pale horse. She appears once more during the Macabray, and talks to the baby, now named Nobody.
Nobody
Nobody Owens, ‘Bod’ for short, is the protagonist of the book. Wandering into the graveyard and taken in by the Owens, he is given the name Nobody because he “looks like nobody but himself”. Under the care of the graveyard’s ghosts and Silas (the caretaker), Bod is taught the various abilities that ghosts have, like fading and haunting.
Once, with a girl named Scarlett, Bod visits an ancient tomb in the graveyard and encounters the Sleer. The Sleer is a frightful being, whose sibilant voice is reminiscent of multiple serpents, and Bod only properly sees it at the end of the book. With a snakelike body and three heads tattooed in indigo patterns, the Sleer guards its master’s tomb and treasures.
(The Sleer: Illustration inspired by the book)
Bod meets many other interesting people and not-people during his life in the graveyard. His meeting with the ghouls is one example where the lesson ‘Stranger danger’ should be seriously considered. The ghastly beings drag Bod into their own ghoulish world, where night-gaunts fly under a dead sky.
(Ghulheim: Illustration inspired by the book)
The description of the desolate ghoul-world is both repulsive and exotic. The dull sky of day feels suffocating, and the sun is no more than a dying orb. The night sky, by contrast, seems to glow with eldritch life, as two moons glare down at a broken city. Luckily, Bod was spared the fate of being trapped in the ghoul’s world thanks to the timely intervention of his guardian.
And yet, Bod’s life is still in danger. The murderer of his family, Jack, is still looking for the missing babe, and the graveyard cannot protect the boy forever. The second half of the book reveals the truth behind the murder of Bod’s family, and the fate of our main character.
The (ab)Normal Life
The Graveyard Book is a fantastical story, with Neil Gaiman’s peculiar and yet matter-of-fact narration bringing out the bizarre other worldliness in Bod’s world. For those not familiar with the author’s other works, some of the characters may seem outlandish, like Silas’s allies that are later introduced. While supernatural beings make up the majority of the characters, the problems Bod face are rather realistic, like bullying, relationships, and self-identity. Barring the ghosts and mythical creatures, The Graveyard Book is about a growing boy who struggles to find his own place in the world.
Another interesting feature of the book is its illustrations, a few samples shown in this review (not counting ‘Ghulheim’ and ‘The Sleer’). Dave McKean’s black-and-white drawings bring out the crooked, subdued mood of the graveyard, adding on to the sometimes whimsical, sometimes chilling atmosphere. The beginning illustrations in Chapter One are especially striking, as the thick lines twist and contort the features of Jack and the house, giving everything a grotesque, Picasso-esque vibe.
(Illustration by Dave Mckean, from The Graveyard Book)
Back to the world of the Living…
All books, in the end, are stories about us. While the details of Bod’s life are surreal, the base of many of the conflicts he face are real-life problems. Through trial and error Bod stumbles through life like any growing individual, meeting various people and circumstances. Featuring the daily life of a child with otherworldly powers and a dash of supernatural characters, The Graveyard Book is a great read to those of us, like Bod, who continue to explore our purpose in life.
Korean version in Naver blog
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[Book info]
Title: The Graveyard Book
Author: Neil Gaiman
Illustrator: Dave McKean
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 978-0-06-053092-1
[Personal Illustrations inspired by book]
Titles: “Ghulheim”, “The Sleer”
Artist: Sotdae / Sotdaescape (Suyung Cho)
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A Look into Lauren Wolk’s Wolf Hollow
Note: The following article is a personal review and analysis of Wolf Hollow, focusing on various characters and places that caught the blogger’s interest. Illustrations inspired by the book (drawn by the blogger) are present, and may differ from the actual text. Both illustrations and writing may contain spoilers.
Into the Woods
It was the first day of November when I read Wolf Hollow, an autumn day just like Annabelle’s. Unlike the bustling heart of Seoul however, her story takes place in the quiet countryside of 1943 Pennsylvania. Away from the brunt of Word War II, Annabelle enjoys the relative peace and quiet that country life gives, until the day Betty Glengarry arrives.
At first glance Betty seems to be your average school bully, tormenting the younger children and threatening Annabelle to “bring her something”. However there are also hints of something sinister in this blonde city girl. A few days later, Betty kills a quail in front of Annabelle for apparently no reason.
Betty’s brutality doesn’t end there. Once Toby steps in to defend Annabelle, Betty begins a chain of events that pit villagers against each other, start a manhunt, and test Annabelle’s boundary of what is right and wrong.
The Wildlife around You
Where a person lives influences how they think, and Annabelle is often seen using animals to describe the people around her. Aunt Lily has a “birdlike head”, Betty’s poison ivy rash is reminiscent of ”a bullfrog in full croak”, and Toby is like a wolf that is “torn between the need to fight and the urge to live”. As an artist heavily inspired by animals, Annabelle’s (and ultimately the author’s) description of people makes for delightful art.
Toby
Toby is an interesting character. Unless you know him personally, like Annabelle, he is what many people will regard as suspicious; a recluse who carries around three guns and refuses to answer personal questions. Add the fact that he might also be taking pictures of you when you’re not looking, and many people today might call the police. Annabelle likened Toby to that of a wolf. Wolves were often negatively portrayed, the classic Little Red Riding Hood being a prime example. Toby’s predicament is similar. As Betty goes missing Toby’s lone wolf personality makes him the prime suspect, with only Annabelle and her parents giving him the benefit of doubt. During his disguise as ‘Jordan’, his mingling with the troopers brings to mind the wolf in sheep’s clothing, or in this case, wolf in hound’s clothing.
Aunt Lily
One other character that I found as aggravating as Betty was Aunt Lily. While her role in the story was essential for providing conflict, her assumption of people based on their appearance is personally teeth-grinding. It is highlighted when she alternates between talking about Toby and ‘Jordan’. Being my least favorite character in the story, it was almost cathartic, watching her dig her own grave as she mistakenly rebukes Annabelle for lying;
“She hit me hard enough to leave a black bruise the size of a cucumber,” I said. “No way I could exaggerate black.”
Aunt Lily sat up straighter. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor,” she said sharply.
But though it had been some time since Betty had swung that stick, I stood up and bared my hip right there for everyone and let them see the mark that was still visible. Still ugly enough.
(Wolf Hollow, Chapter 10)
Turtle Stone
The Turtle Stone was a location that caught my eye. A large boulder in Wolf Hollow, Annabelle describes it as “a pretty place, but serious too”. Descriptions of it make it seem almost sacred, especially with lines like “It was in a little clearing as if the trees had not dared to get too close”, and how Annabelle hypothesized that the Indians might have used it for their ceremonies. Turtles are known for their long life span, and their association with wisdom and tranquility might have been what prompted the author to use the turtle imagery for this particular location.
Returning Home
Wolf Hollow reminds me of nature, the wilderness that can frighten, but also bring forth the more daring side of oneself. The stark, yet hopeful undertone of the story gives me my own sort of hope, to face the difficulties of the present and reach out to those around me. Of those who find themselves reading Wolf Hollow, I wish that you too find the same courage and inspiration.
Korean ver. in Naver blog
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[Book info]
Title: Wolf Hollow
Author: Lauren Wolk
Publisher: Corgi Childrens (2016. 6. 30)
ISBN: 9780552574297
Cover art: Gelrev Ongbico (2016)
[Personal Illustrations inspired by book]
Titles: “Betty Glengarry“, “In the Hayloft“, “Among the Hounds“, “The Wolf enters the Hollow“, and “Turtle Stone“
Artist: Sotdae / Sotdaescape (Suyung Cho)
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