Gaiman has always been hit or miss for me. Some of his books I love, some I don’t care for, so I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Neverwhere, outside of the fact that there’s something deeply satisfying about holding the illustrated version—something about thick little hardcovers is just the best feeling. Anyway, Neverwhere is a not subtle in its message: the homeless are invisible to those who want to pretend the “problem” doesn’t exist—but make it magic that has a very Tim Burton feel, because this is Gaiman, after all. When Richard sees one of those who have fallen through the cracks—a citizen of London Below—and proceeds to help her, it sets off a chain of events that plunges him into London Below and makes him just as invisible to London Above, and his old life, as the rest of the characters in this novel. In which there a lot, all of which are unique and magical and so beautifully distinct from each other. I even loved Mr Vandemar and Mr Croup who are unequivocally terrible people, but they are written in such a creative way that I couldn’t help but love them just as much as Richard and our heroine Door, with her opal-colored eyes.
I loved the prose of Neverwhere, it read almost like it was meant for children when it’s so clearly not. There’s this whimsy to it, alongside Gaiman’s love of a metaphor and simile, which made the whole style just as magical as London Below. Speaking of, I loved the characters that populated this secret place. Gaiman was able to weave in a complex mystery and twists and turns into something that should have been an otherwise very straight forward plot: find out why/who is after Door and killed her family, and get Richard back to London Above. Gaimain, in this particular book anyway, is able to make you love and care for a character so, so deeply and then cut you to the core by taking them away all in one chapter. He’s also able to play with your mind about what is truly reality for Richard, and who should our main characters trust in a way that really added to the twists at the end. It was masterfully done!
I will say that I read A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab before reading Neverwhere, and after reading Gaiman’s book, it’s really easy to see where Schwab got a lot of inspiration for that series: everything from the different types of Londons that only one person really seems to be able to move between, and even a certain magical coat. I’m not mad about this at all! It’s clear that Schwab idolizes Gaiman, and her writing is an homage to that without being a rip off. Its just something to keep in mind if you read this and things start sounding… familiar.
All in all, this was a perfectly satisfying read—from just holding the book, to the perfect illustrations, the magical whimsy of the writing, and the cast of incredible characters that inhabit London Below. The story is dark, but with moments of tenderness and humor so I never felt bogged down to the point where I could no longer appreciate the imagery. Gaiman’s fantasy is always a reflection of reality with fantastic elements, so the ugly parts of our world are still present, but made magic so when you read you don’t necessarily feel preached to. But I can definitely understand why this style may not be for everyone—Gaiman doesn’t describe anything in a straightforward manner, instead almost tricking the reader into visualizing these delightful things. Which I loved, personally! This book was quirky and deep, fantastic and the kind of realistic urban fantasy I didn’t know I was missing until now, which is why this gets an easy 5 stars from me!
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From the Publisher
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| Stardust | American Gods | Anansi Boys | Coraline | Trigger Warning | The Neil Gaiman Reader | |
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Reviews with images
NEVERWHERE: Taught me about Great Fantasy Writing & Entertained me along the Way
I ordered and read NEVERWHERE for my kindle. I immediately recognized that the writing is brilliant...and that I'd bought an abridged version with Audible.com unabridged narration... Neverwill do that again.NEVERWHERE (even abridged text teamed with unabridged narration) is flooded with great lines, which make me thank God I've gotten to read such inspirational writing.NEVERWHERE is the story of a man walking through a blah life at the end of a leash. He's not really in control of anything—not his calender; what he does with his free time; the world's perception of him; or, even whether he can call his girlfriend by a shortened version of her name. Richard Mayhew doesn't only ride public transportation to get around London, he's a passenger in life itself being driven around by lots of other people and agendas.Early on he has an encounter that suggests his future will be filled with opportunities to change—doors.And his life does indeed change when he refuses, even in the face of threats from his girlfriend, to step over an injured person and hope someone else will help. Along with readers, Richard Mayhew begins to perceive his own spine—strength he never sensed before.Before this moment, Richard Mayhew hasn't made much of an impression on the world; it seems like his only claim to fame might end up being as partner to his more successful girlfriend. After this moment, Richard Mayhew's world is turned upside down, and he finds that there is a place for people like him—people who've fallen through the cracks—to have another identity.Neil Gaiman creates a plot and a world that allows his characters to develop, and he builds in surprises for readers. As a writer myself, the impact of NEVERWHERE is that I'm considering rewriting my entire fantasy series...again. My tweets about NEVERWHERE have finally become this review. I've finished the book. The journey is over. But I've loved the way NEVERWHERE made me laugh 'till tears—in the midst of its plague-like darkness.I have enough favorite lines to fill a notebook...and have—filled a notebook with favorite lines from NEVERWHERE.Comparison is unwise, and my experience reading NEVERWHERE is a perfect morality tale that explains Why: I don't think I've ever written a character with whom, as I do with Richard Mayhew, I can COMPLETELY identify.There is such awesomeness in this book! Fun. I finished it a few minutes ago, and I couldn't believe it was over.
Top reviews from other countries
simoom
Opens the door that separates the ordinary from the extraordinary. Spellbinding...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 1, 2023
