K reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Turned out a lot better than expected!
Paperback, 400 pages
Published Nov. 2, 2000 by Headline Book Publishing.
Neverwhere
by Neil Gaiman
4 stars
(347 reviews)
"Richard Mayhew is an ordinary young man with an ordinary life and a good heart. His world is changed forever when he stops to help a girl he finds bleeding on a London sidewalk. This small kindness propels him into a dark world he never dreamed existed. He must learn to survive in London Below, in a world of perpetual shadows and darkness, filled with monsters and saints, murderers and angels. He must survive if he is ever to return to the London that he knew."
Ika Makimaki reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Neil Gaiman is one of my personal heroes. His stories flow wonderfully, they are fun, mysterious and interesting. Some of my favourite books came out of his pen.
In this one, an average Joe, Richard Mayhew, gets dragged into the magical and mysterious world of London Below, a parallel city that exists on the cracks of everyday normal London.
Neverwhere is one of his earlier works, and what it lacks on mastery it makes up with freshness and ingenuity. He paints a beautifully magic portrait of London, a city I've never visited but that now lives in my imagination. His characters and relatable and endearing, his story lines fun and clever. This is not his best book, but a below average Gaiman is still better than most other writers on a good day.
I recommend this book for a fun, quick fantasy read. Great for kids in kids bodies or β¦
Neil Gaiman is one of my personal heroes. His stories flow wonderfully, they are fun, mysterious and interesting. Some of my favourite books came out of his pen.
In this one, an average Joe, Richard Mayhew, gets dragged into the magical and mysterious world of London Below, a parallel city that exists on the cracks of everyday normal London.
Neverwhere is one of his earlier works, and what it lacks on mastery it makes up with freshness and ingenuity. He paints a beautifully magic portrait of London, a city I've never visited but that now lives in my imagination. His characters and relatable and endearing, his story lines fun and clever. This is not his best book, but a below average Gaiman is still better than most other writers on a good day.
I recommend this book for a fun, quick fantasy read. Great for kids in kids bodies or kids in grownup bodies.
Can't go wrong with Neil Gaiman on board.
Rainer reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Neverwhere was the perfect story for my time and place. It is a fairy tale for adults that takes in to account our disillusionment with everyday life and spins a beautiful story to illustrate mystery and wonder. My favorite part of the book is that spoilers
Gaiman manipulates that "I'm so smart, I know what's going to happen at the end of the book" feeling that we all inevitably get in such a way that you never truly have a grasp on what to expect.
Sean Gursky reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
This is the second Neil Gaiman book I have read and both have left me thinking 'it was okay' and I must be the problem as others revere his work. My expectations are different for what Gaiman does and I need to correct that if I read anymore from him in the future.
Neverwhere was recommended on a list for books to read by people who enjoyed Harry Potter. It's a fantasy story, but definitely more on the scale towards Harry Potter and less Wheel of Time. This is urban fantasy. The story imagines what is beneath the surface of our lives instead of creating a whole unique world entirely. Gaiman is very creative with describing a world just beneath our feet and not something I'm used to in the books I typically read.
The creativity is exceptional and you can't help but wonder what if it was possible. Neverwhere β¦
This is the second Neil Gaiman book I have read and both have left me thinking 'it was okay' and I must be the problem as others revere his work. My expectations are different for what Gaiman does and I need to correct that if I read anymore from him in the future.
Neverwhere was recommended on a list for books to read by people who enjoyed Harry Potter. It's a fantasy story, but definitely more on the scale towards Harry Potter and less Wheel of Time. This is urban fantasy. The story imagines what is beneath the surface of our lives instead of creating a whole unique world entirely. Gaiman is very creative with describing a world just beneath our feet and not something I'm used to in the books I typically read.
The creativity is exceptional and you can't help but wonder what if it was possible. Neverwhere quickly escalates and you find yourself relating to the main character, Richard, as you try and figure out what is going on. Like Richard, you slowly question the world and actions of London Below and go along for the ride. I will try one more Gaiman book (American Gods most likely) for good measure because I don't want to write Gaiman off entirely as he has a lot of high rated books.
Paul Kater reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Neverwhere. Not just a read... During my vacation I devoured this book.
Sometimes you come across a book that will prevent you from opening another book for a while. A book that has a story that won’t leave you alone even in your dreams. For me, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman is such a book. It’s about London. Everywhere and neverwhere in London. If you’ve been to London you’ll recognise many places and spots, but Mr Gaiman paints such an amazing world in and around the city that it grabbed me by the eyeballs and it refuses to let them go. It had this stunning duality where I wanted to get to the last page to see how it ended but at the same time I did not want the story to end!
Neverwhere is high up there with the best stories of Ray Bradbury and Terry Pratchett for me. β¦
Neverwhere. Not just a read... During my vacation I devoured this book.
Sometimes you come across a book that will prevent you from opening another book for a while. A book that has a story that won’t leave you alone even in your dreams. For me, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman is such a book. It’s about London. Everywhere and neverwhere in London. If you’ve been to London you’ll recognise many places and spots, but Mr Gaiman paints such an amazing world in and around the city that it grabbed me by the eyeballs and it refuses to let them go. It had this stunning duality where I wanted to get to the last page to see how it ended but at the same time I did not want the story to end!
Neverwhere is high up there with the best stories of Ray Bradbury and Terry Pratchett for me. It wasn’t a read. It was an experience. When I grow up I want to write like that.
satyajit reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
10th-ish anniversary reread.
jellybeyreads reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
3.5 stars. This is about Neverwhere, I promise. Bear with me.
I first read Good Omens 10 years ago, a little after I had first discovered Discworld and was hungrily devouring everything with Terry Pratchett's name on it. I must confess that every time I've read it since then, I wonder the same thing: what did Neil Gaiman actually contribute to Good Omens? It's just so Pratchett-y, it didn't seem like there was room in there for Neil Gaiman too, and it was so different from the couple of Neil Gaiman books I eventually read.
And then I recently read The Graveyard Book, which made me want to read more Neil Gaiman, and Neverwhere was available at the library, so I read it too. And it's wonderful and fantastic and enchanting and funny, and I have more to say about that in a minute. Critically, given that Good Omens is β¦
3.5 stars. This is about Neverwhere, I promise. Bear with me.
I first read Good Omens 10 years ago, a little after I had first discovered Discworld and was hungrily devouring everything with Terry Pratchett's name on it. I must confess that every time I've read it since then, I wonder the same thing: what did Neil Gaiman actually contribute to Good Omens? It's just so Pratchett-y, it didn't seem like there was room in there for Neil Gaiman too, and it was so different from the couple of Neil Gaiman books I eventually read.
And then I recently read The Graveyard Book, which made me want to read more Neil Gaiman, and Neverwhere was available at the library, so I read it too. And it's wonderful and fantastic and enchanting and funny, and I have more to say about that in a minute. Critically, given that Good Omens is one of my very favorite books and I want to know it deeply and thoroughly, Neverwhere made Gaiman's role in Good Omens abundantly clear, in a way that the other Gaiman books I've read did not. And this Pratchett fan girl is rather tickled to discover that Good Omens is just as Gaiman-y as it is Pratchett-y.
And now, my thoughts about Neverwhere on its own, not in the context of some other unrelated book:
It's a really fun read. I loved the ragtag team. I loved that the (under)World's Best Bodyguard was a woman. I loved the con artist who intentionally took his name right out of Puss and Boots. I loved the quirks of London Below--extra tube stations (much to the displaced upworlder's disbelief), a raucous night market that sets up shop in Harrod's, the widespread adoration of the very clever rats. I loved the run-in between the displaced upworlder and his confused fiancΓ©e in the halls of the British museum. I loved that the complexity of London Below made the displaced upworlder's decision whether to stay below or return above an interesting one, not just an inevitable plot point. There were a hundred small moments that made me want to keep reading and made this a wonderfully immersive reading experience.
Neil Gaiman is great with pronouns. (Yes, that's what I said.) Angels are "its", not hes or shes. The best bodyguard is a woman, so it makes sense for people in the underworld to refer to abstract hypothetical warriors as "she," a habit picked up by the displaced upworlder, who surely never thought about warriors as women before he got to London Below.
A few things stuck out to me as drawbacks. First, how old is Door supposed to be? She is described as a child, but then there's a scene when Richard, who's probably around 30, contemplates kissing her, and wildly age-inappropriate sexual attraction would be incredibly out of character. Second, I got a little annoyed with how frequently Door's "odd colored eyes" and "elfin" appearance get mentioned. I get it. She's small and unusual looking. Moving on. Third, when Richard gets back to London Above, he discovers his life has drastically improved I. His absence--promotion, penthouse apartment, etc--but why? There's no evidence that London Below can affect events in London Above, and in reality a long unannounced absence would not be viewed kindly. A small detraction from the realism of London Above, which matters as it is supposed to contrast markedly with London Below..
Slightly more problematic: I didn't find the villains particularly menacing, just goofy. And the quest doesn't feel important or interesting--it's an excuse to show off the characters and get them into interesting scrapes. The quest itself doesn't really matter much.
I wavered between giving this 3 and 4 stars. Overall, I enjoyed reading this a lot! But I think my appreciation for it is disproportionate to the actual quality of the book--it's pretty good, but not great, and Gaiman can do better. 3.5 it is.
ceoln reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I really wanted to give this 4 and a half stars or something. It's well written, the settings and characters and general mythological flow are lovely and original (inspired by the mysterious names of London landmarks and subway, excuse me, Underground, stations (and isn't that word, Underground, pretty inspiring itself, in retrospect?)), and overall it's rich and wonder-filled.
So why only four stars? Because amidst all the wonderfulness it's actually sort of simple, sort of easy, sort of edgeless. Our hero accomplishes great things that no one has been able to do for millennia by basically being a nice guy. The bad guys are all bad, the good guys are all good. There is the standard twist where you find out that one entity you thought was good is actually bad, and another where that happens, but then the entity in question becomes good again through self-sacrifice. At the end β¦
I really wanted to give this 4 and a half stars or something. It's well written, the settings and characters and general mythological flow are lovely and original (inspired by the mysterious names of London landmarks and subway, excuse me, Underground, stations (and isn't that word, Underground, pretty inspiring itself, in retrospect?)), and overall it's rich and wonder-filled.
So why only four stars? Because amidst all the wonderfulness it's actually sort of simple, sort of easy, sort of edgeless. Our hero accomplishes great things that no one has been able to do for millennia by basically being a nice guy. The bad guys are all bad, the good guys are all good. There is the standard twist where you find out that one entity you thought was good is actually bad, and another where that happens, but then the entity in question becomes good again through self-sacrifice. At the end it turns out that a fantasy world made up by the author is better than reality (never a big surprise!). There is no acknowledgment that life is actually about tradeoffs, that most people are somewhat good and somewhat bad, etc.
Which isn't to say that it's bad, only that, with the general skill the author displays in storytelling, it could have been better. I still enjoyed it very much, and don't at all regret the time spent reading it. It's a fascinating world to have visited.
Review of 'Neverwhere Illustrated Edition AUTOGRAPHED by Neil Gaiman (SIGNED EDITION)' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
Beautifully written and hard to put down - draws you into a complex world that seems so real
Review of 'Neverwhere Illustrated Edition AUTOGRAPHED by Neil Gaiman (SIGNED EDITION)' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Quite good. Some good fiction there but there are loose ends and some lack of certain elements in the characters.
Strakul reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Despite the slow start and the slightly derivative feel throughout the novel, I enjoyed the book. It's a bit hard to point out what is the best/worst in this book or to tell exactly why I liked it. Neil Gaiman is just a pretty good author.
A more thorough review is available here: strakul.blogspot.com/2012/04/book-review-neverwhere-by-neil-gaiman.html
drizzy reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
I knew right away on the second page this is an extraordinary book. It pulled me right away into the world of London Below, with rat-speakers, angels, hunters and prey. There is nothing I can say that will truly express how much I enjoyed reading this book. It was exciting, scary, funny and oftentimes surprising. I loved all the characters, but I felt particularly engaged around Marquis de Carabas and the two good-hearted fellows: Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar. This is the scary version of Alice in Wonderland. You will get to know what happens when you fall through the cracks. Let Neil Gaiman be your guide to the London Below, and leave behind your life. Be aware though that the night is dark and can take its toll.
Alex Keane reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Gaiman is a fantasy writing god. I loved his work with Terry Pratchett on Good Omens, and liked Neverwhere just as much. Door, Richard, Hunter, de Carabas, they were all such wonderful characters, and the idea of London Below was just awesome. Now to go find and read even more Gaiman.
Mark Philpot reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Throughly fun and definitely recommended!
All in all, the characters were a little to thin -- it would have been nice to delve deeper into the world Gaiman created. Our protagonist, Richard Mayhew, starts of as essentially a mirror of Arthur Dent circa Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide series, but unlike Arthur, Richard evolves to accept and even understand the world he is presented with. I enjoyed his development, even if it didn't dive too deeply. The rest of Gaiman's characters are basically there as a backdrop and to advance the story along. It's been awhile since I read a story that was intended as a single work (lately it has been series of various length). I actually wished there was more -- it was a fascinating world.
There is apparently a BBC mini-series based on this and just added it to my Netflix queue. Hopefully the production and acting isn't β¦
Throughly fun and definitely recommended!
All in all, the characters were a little to thin -- it would have been nice to delve deeper into the world Gaiman created. Our protagonist, Richard Mayhew, starts of as essentially a mirror of Arthur Dent circa Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide series, but unlike Arthur, Richard evolves to accept and even understand the world he is presented with. I enjoyed his development, even if it didn't dive too deeply. The rest of Gaiman's characters are basically there as a backdrop and to advance the story along. It's been awhile since I read a story that was intended as a single work (lately it has been series of various length). I actually wished there was more -- it was a fascinating world.
There is apparently a BBC mini-series based on this and just added it to my Netflix queue. Hopefully the production and acting isn't too bad.
Gossamerchild reviewed Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (London Below, #1)
Review of 'Neverwhere' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
This had a fantastic casting (hello, James McAvoy!) and was really fun to listen to, but also really confusing. Unlike the regular audiobook, there was no filler between the dialogue, so I felt like I was missing out on a lot of the world-building (and I've read the original book at least twice). I'm guessing this is something you get used to when listening to full-cast audio, but I'm not convinced I like it. I would have to know the book forwards and backwards before I could really enjoy it. However, if you are really familiar with "Neverwhere," I highly highly recommend listening to this.
Subjects
- Crime & mystery
- Fantasy
- Science Fiction