Saturday, November 5, 2016

A Neil Gaiman Round-Up

CoralineCoraline by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A whole "other" world is waiting for Coraline at the end of a secret passageway she finds in her living room, and now it's up to her to save her parents from the thing that wants to be her Other Mother.

First thoughts: Coraline is a great book to start off a Neil Gaiman kick.

Favorite quotes:

"Coraline wondered why so few of the adults she had met made any sense. She sometimes wondered who they thought they were talking to." -p20

"Nothing, she thought, had ever been so interesting." -p137

"Be wise. Be brave. Be tricky." -p145

Recommended for: children and parents, explorers and storytellers, wanderers and wonderers.

Final thoughts: A short read and a must read. Perfect for a late summer day - would be great to read to a student before school starts.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Neverwhere is the story of what happens to the people the world forgets, set in a place the world doesn't see.

First thoughts: What's real? What's reality? I loved escaping to London Below. Makes me curious to think about a Chicago Below. This book makes you rethink the meaning of "falling through the cracks."

Doors: A door is a way in, a way out, it can be locked or unlocked, a gateway or a barrier...and in this book, Door is also a character and family name. Who/what are you if your name is Door?

Recommended for: readers who love to get lost in a world, dreamers, big imaginations, anyone who's ever wondered what's on the other side of reality.

Final thoughts: Neverwhere is a fantastic telling of reality. I could visualize all the characters and settings and truly felt the story. Gaiman builds a complex world and lets his characters loose inside.


My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What happened to the gods our ancestors brought with them to the New World? And what happens when the new gods challenge the old? American Gods tells the history of gods in America, all the way up to battles being fought even today.

First thoughts: I loved all the Midwest love - Illinois and Wisconsin are featured settings, including Chicago, Madison, and the House on the Rock.

Favorite quote: "If he was going to be anywhere tonight, he might as well be here..." p257

Recommended for: historians and fantasy-lovers alike.

Final thoughts: While there is an abundance of detail in this story, it doesn't always move the story along. My only critique is that I wanted more of the Lakeside plot - I liked the mystery of the little town and it's disappearing children. Personally, I could do without all the extras and the backstories of all the minor gods. All in all, it was still a great world to get lost in.



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