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Loading... Neverwhere (edition 1998)by Neil Gaiman
Work InformationNeverwhere by Neil Gaiman
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In the end it wasa good read, but I was actually quite diapointed. This was the first book I ever read by Neil Gaiman and though I loved the fantasy and the characters the plot was too straightforward in my opinion. On the other had I'm quiet sure that I will read more by Gaiman in the near future as I have the feeling that this novel was just tryout for his later work. why? No clue. Just gut feeling. ( ) This 1997 debut novel is an adaptation of a BBC miniseries by the same name devised by Neil Gaiman and Lenny Henry and first aired in 1996. The novel tells the story of a young Scottish businessman, Richard Mayhew, living in London. His fiancée, Jessica, seems content with him, her job, and her friends, although her parents do not care for Richard. Everything changes when an injured young woman, Door, just appears (seemingly coming out of a brick wall), and Richard tries to help her while Jessica is annoyed and leaves him to his task. His life goes sideways thereafter, illustrating the old saying, “no good deed goes unpunished”. He becomes invisible to most people. Neverwhere appears to be the underbelly of London; a series of underground railway stations occupied by a large group of strange people and creatures, e.g., an angel (Islington), a beast in a labyrinth. This sometimes depressing and sometimes funny book is part urban fantasy, part mythology, part horror, part drama, and a whole lot of whimsical delight. Some may say that this is Neil Gaiman, best novel, but I think it’s something that transcends the typical arc of character development and story fulfilment. In that way, it’s somewhat absent in its conclusion, I thought the premise, the characters, and the general pacing was actually all very good, however, although these ideas started so well, they didn’t really seem to develop further than great ideas. I understand that Gaiman is planning on returning to the world of Neverwhere. I do wonder whether that will be a better read. As you can imagine the photos society Production is extremely good and lives up to their normal very high-quality.
Gaiman blends history and legend to fashion a traditional tale of good versus evil, replete with tarnished nobility, violence, wizardry, heroism, betrayal, monsters and even a fallen angel. The result is uneven. His conception of London Below is intriguing, but his characters are too obviously symbolic (Door, for example, possesses the ability to open anything). Also, the plot seems a patchwork quilt of stock fantasy images. Adapted from Gaiman's screenplay for a BBC series, this tale would work better with fewer words and more pictures. The novel is consistently witty, suspenseful, and hair-raisingly imaginative in its contemporary transpositions of familiar folk and mythic materials (one can read Neverwhere as a postmodernist punk Faerie Queene). Readers who've enjoyed the fantasy work of Tim Powers and William Browning Spencer won't want to miss this one. And, yes, Virginia, there really are alligators in those sewers--and Gaiman makes you believe it. The millions who know The Sandman, the spectacularly successful graphic novel series Gaiman writes, will have a jump start over other fantasy fans at conjuring the ambience of his London Below, but by no means should those others fail to make the setting's acquaintance. It is an Oz overrun by maniacs and monsters, and it becomes a Shangri-La for Richard. Excellent escapist fare. Is contained inHas the adaptationIs expanded inInspiredHas as a supplementAwardsDistinctionsNotable Lists
Richard Mayhew's life is forever changed after he rescues a young girl named Door and finds himself living in a city of monsters, saints, murderers, and angels, and he must help Door on her mission to save this strange underworld kingdom from destruction. No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.914Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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