Paris a Day: #5

This was an epic day. French classes held at the beautiful Gare de Lyon, then onto the Sainte-Chapelle Cathedral and Notre Dame Cathedral for Art History. Afterward one of the advanced students and I grabbed a petit café and walked all around the a Île de la Cité. We ended up at the one place that was at the top of my personal 'must-see' list: Shakespeare & Co.

The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
The tales Neil Gaiman weaves are often macabre and fantastical, The Graveyard Book is no exception. It is the perfect combination of suspense and whimsy.

My recommendation is that his book should be read by ages 8 and up. There are moments of very real danger in this book. And the lovely illustrations by Dave McKean enhance the moods, and the very visual style in which Gaiman writes. The beauty of his story telling is that it is visual, whimsical, dangerous, thought provoking, and it leaves much unsaid. The gaps in the story are gaps that could not be explained in a child's book, it would take volumes of folklore, religious texts, and cultural studies. Much of it is left for the reader to ponder and make sense of. Just as the main character, Bod, must make sense of his existence and place in the world.

Congratulations to Mr. Gaiman for winning the 2009 Newberry Award. I have been a fan of his work for a very long time, and am pleased to see it honored.


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