Neverwhere

Title: Neverwhere
Author: Neil Gaiman
Paperback, 370 pages
Published September 2003

Under the streets of London there is a world of which most people could never dream. When Richard Mayhew accidentally stumbles on this hidden city of monsters, saints, murderers and angels, he is catapulted from a safe and predictable world into one that is eerily familiar yet utterly bizarre.

This is my second Gaiman book, and I can't help but compare it with another children's book, Alice In Wonderland.  Neil takes me to an underworld of doors and creatures I actually never wanted to meet.

The protagonist, Richard Mayhew, as I have mentioned above, was actually like Alice In Wonderland where he embarked on a journey with Lady Door, a girl who can open any door, (of course), locks, windows, even handcuffs. And there he also met two vicious men, Mr. Vandemar and Mr. Croup who would do everything and anything just to get the girl. And there was also an Angel in disguise. An angel holding a deep secret that only Door can unlock.

Neverwhere is a good book. At first, I found the story boring and predictable, but I pushed through it and the second half was entertaining. In the end, everything ties together with mystery and makes you want to keep reading after some really interesting revelations and plot points. I consider the end to be the best chunk of the novel, which is concluded well and inventively, preceded by an unlikely climax.


I'm having a hard time deciding whether to give this 2 or 3 as a rating. But then, since this is a Gaiman story, I believe he deserved 4 stars ****!

Stardust

Review # 9
Title: Stardust
Author: Neil Gaiman
Paperback, 250 pages
Published: September 1st 2006

I haven't seen the movie version of this book, but a colleague already told me to ignore the movie adaptation ; it does not do justice to this amazing book.

I can agree with her, because I really liked Stardust - the Book! This book is billed as a "fairy tale for adults", and that is exactly what it is, executed in the most brilliant way possible. It is a true fairy tale for all adults who dreamed that fairy tales could be come true; but with a nice sexy and cynical twist for those same dreamy adults who know what the world is really like.

Sex is blended seamlessly into the story, although not in a pornographic way. Unlike traditional children’s fairy tales, where a quick kiss to wake a sleeping princess is about as racy as it gets—this story tells love and sex like it is. There are one night stands in the forest and beautiful maidens who use unsuspecting nerds to boost their egos.

Although the story has the requisite happy ending for the main characters, main and minor characters must make moral and lifestyle choices which mirror the lives of real people. People fall in and out of love; and question whether infatuation and sexual desire were real love in the first place. Characters are forced to choose between love, power, money, duty, and respectability—and they do not always make the choices one would like them to make. And those characters who make a mockery of love and choose lives without love only serve to emphasize the love between the one couple who finally gets it right. This adult fairy tale illustrates that although true love is difficult in the complexities of the adult world, it is not impossible. But real love is never for the weak of heart.
 
I love the blending of the characters where they will all eventually meet one way or another. I love the ending which really brought justice to Tristan & Yvaine's happily ever after!

 

For this book, i commend Neil Gaiman for engaging me on this wonderful and heavenly journey. I'm giving him 5 bookmarks rating!