Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Neverwhere
Book Review: A dark fantasy but light to read
Summary: 4 Stars
I've never read Sandman and I've never been to London, so maybe I'm not the right person to review this book. Be that as it may, I did enjoy Neverwhere. The setting was truly original, and even if the story followed many clichés of epic fantasy adventures, somewhere in the background I could sense a kind of parodic smile... maybe this book shouldn't be taken very seriously. On the other hand, Gaiman's emotional escapism is something you can't label a joke. I do love stories that say we still have a chance to run away from the everyday world. There are books that are better written and authors who have more ideas. But the important thing is that Neverwhere _feels_ better than most of those. Hail Gaiman for that.Book Review: A dark, but charming mythological tale!
Summary: 4 Stars
A fascinating look into a mirror world of our own existence. Neil Gaiman will have you hooked after only a few chapters. You will be intrigued by Richard Mayhew, his romantic gateway into the London other world, "Door", and all of her enemies and allies. It is a dark novel and one with haunting gore and violence. Nevertheless, it is a book you won't want to put down. This is especially true if you imagine yourself as a mythical traveler along for the ride with Richard Mayhew where people that you encounter either help you (a lot) or hurt you (as in deader than a doornail, but there is still a chance to survive!).Book Review: A fun setting for a journey of self-discovery
Summary: 4 Stars
Like pretty much any of Gaimans stories, the setting is a surreal other world within/below/parallel to our mundane everyday world. In this case, it's the story of the protagonist's journey from being a nice but spineless guy leading a mediocre life where his friends treated him as a commodity, to becoming a confident, brave person, and eventually realising what's really important to him.
The main criticism raised by the reviews that only give a couple of stars is that the plot is extremely simple. That's true. But it's not the point. The inner journey is meaningful, and the setting is enchanting.
Book Review: A good read
Summary: 4 Stars
Have you ever really looked at a big city? Not just glanced around at the shops and the tall buildings, but actually looked? I have, and with so much space and so many people, I get the feeling that things must be going on that most people don't know about. How much more is there than meets the eye? Neverwhere grabs that feeling and runs with it. Richard Mayhew is an everyday guy who lives a normal life in London. One day he sees a girl bleeding on the street. She obviously needs help...but why doesn't she want to be taken to a hospital? Why can't anyone else seem to see her? And, most importantly, who are these unpleasant-looking men knocking on Richard's door? Richard and the reader are quickly drawn into London Below, a world where you never know what will show up next and where nothing (and no one) is as benign as it would seem. The book is extremely readable, darkly funny, and filled to the brim with allusions.
Unfortunately, there are several major problems with this book. The characters are mostly stock, particularly Richard, who is a little too everyday to seem realistic, especially considering what he manages to do by the book's end. The plot, at its core, is a fairly standard one, and you're likely to figure out many of the surprises well before they come. What really disappointed me, though, was the way Gaiman failed to flesh out so many of the characters and groups he describes. A sense of mystery is a good thing to some extent, but it would be nice to know who the Seven Sisters, or the people with goggles, or any number of others, really are. There were also a few other things that made very little sense, such as the elevator down to the labyrinth.
Despite these flaws, Neverwhere is still a good book, and I recommend it. It's also a quick read, so even if you don't like it, you won't have wasted mushc of your time. The only book I know of that surpasses its sense of urban weirdness is Perdido Street Station by China Mieville. I'll be snapping up Neil's latest book, American Gods, as soon as it comes out in paperback.
Book Review: A great book. Period
Summary: 5 Stars
Once in a while whilst visiting your local library (or bookstore, or online shop, whichever you perfer) you reach the far corner shelf. One with missmached dusty books that you never heard of. Thats when I met this jewel. As soon as i finished reading it I wondered why in the world my friends hadn't already read it. It was a hit, a success, and inspiration. Welllll maybe thats taking it a bit far. But this is one of the better books I read.From start to finish it introduces a constant string of charecters, some you instantly hate (the bad guys) and some you grow to love. The book is so greatly detailed that you find yourself screaming "get out of the way!" or "dont go in there!" instantly to realise that yes, it is a book and no, they cant hear you. Then you blush and look around to see if anyone saw you.
But it is a wonderful book, a great read, and an overall classic. I can only pray that Mr. Gaiman writes a sequel.