Neverwhere - Review
Link to the author's (N. Gaiman) personal website
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Type: Book
Tags:
- Average Age of Main Characters (30)
- Length (5 / 10)
Link to Goodreads
Blurb: Under the streets of London there's a world most people could never even dream of. A city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, knights in armour and pale girls in black velvet.
"Neverwhere" is the London of the people who have fallen between the cracks.
Strange destinies lie in wait in London below - a world that seems eerily familiar. But a world that is utterly bizarre, peopled by unearthly characters such as the Angel called Islington, the girl named Door, and the Earl who holds Court on a tube train.
Now a single act of kindness has catapulted young businessman Richard Mayhew out of his safe and predictable life - and into the realms of "Neverwhere." Richard is about to find out more than he ever wanted to know about this other London. Which is a pity. Because Richard just wants to go home...
Review: I admit to having had an uninformed opinion on the author, which following the reading of this book has since been rectified. The book made me laugh, and made a beautiful story that hit every note it needed to with joy and more. The humour was on par with discworld, the plot was self-contained yet not limited, and all side characters were given their moment in the story. The side characters especially are memorable, and they are a great example of world-building without the need to give background. The example extends to London Below as a whole.
I am especially happy with the ending, the last page produced a mile wide smile. The closure it gave for many characters was fulfilling, and was achieved without making it feel like the entire world had entered a new age. It was a set of individuals with their individual endings, some of which intertwined. The largest takeaway, is an admission that many of the quotes in this book will inevitably worm their way into my vocabulary. The writing was suburb. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a stand-alone book.