Neverwhere: A Novel

My favorite book by one of my favorite authors. It's been too long since I read it to give much in the way of detailed review, but I recall being entirely enchanted.

If you’ve never read Neverwhere, the Author’s Preferred Text is the version to pick up, because it’s the story exactly as Gaiman meant it to be. He mentions in the introduction that everything too strange, too big, or too impossible for the BBC show ended up in the book…because that’s where it truly began. This edition also includes added clarity for American readers, an alternate beginning, a Q&A, and even the short story “How the Marquis Got His Coat Back,” which adds layers to one of the most intriguing characters in London Below. The pages themselves have these quirky illustrations that match the vibe of the story, shadowy, whimsical, a little unsettling. And if you’ve ever wondered how Gaiman feels about commas… he doesn’t. He absolutely does not believe in them. And somehow, it still works. My experience reading this changed multiple times as I went. Richard Mayhew starts as the classic “ordinary man” who does the right thing at the wrong time yet pays for it. Gaiman even makes you question whether Richard is losing his mind. Is this a true plunge into a hidden world? Or is it a psychotic break wrapped in rats, assassins, angels, and doors? But then Richard gets what he thinks he wanted: to go home, to normalcy, to stability. And he hates it. There’s a quiet lesson here: sometimes doing the right thing cracks your life wide open…but maybe that’s not a tragedy. Maybe it’s a doorway. The Q&A at the end adds an unexpectedly beautiful touch. When asked, “What door would you open?” Gaiman answers: “Any of them. Anything that leads to possibility.” And isn’t that exactly what Neverwhere is about? Possibility. The courage to step through a door even when you’re not sure where it leads. Choosing wonder over comfort.

The very best narrative I've read of a man going from being nothing to becoming something. Fanciful and taut with tension, I loved EVERY moment therein.

Totally hillarious and fantastical. I loved every minute of it and will now try to watch the BBC mini-series.

Neil Gaiman is certainly an excellent writer but this was just too dark for me personally.