Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

[Ozymanithrax]

Neverwhere
by Neil Gaiman
Review by M. Frank Darbe

Modern London filled with faceless, ordinary people is a mask concealing a magical city in Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere populated by bizarre and fascinating people living invisibly under the streets and within walls. Richard Mayhew is one of those ordinary people who through an act of kindness saves a wounded bleeding young woman loses his life, his livelihood, and his home. Finding himself literally unseeable by his former friends and lover, he enters the nightmarish magical world of London Beneath.

This book surprised me. I was unfamiliar with Gaiman's work, except in comic books. I found it complex and enjoyable.

[Chemisse]

1. What an interesting storyline.

[fadedrose]

2. I like the underworld people too

In my first venture into fiction a fews ago I ordered a mixed bunch of books from Ebay for my daughter who was divorcing, living with me, and bored. She took the romance, and I got stuck with the mystery and spy stuff.

I was lucky enough to get a Robert Tannenbaum book about a NY DA & his wife and family who knew people who lived under the city with the tunnels, rats and rumors of cannibals. I loved the series up until about book 17 when Tannenbaum got a new ghost writer. Someday I will start will No. 1 and go all the way through. Oh, and it was a funny series as well....

And now I read only mysteries and spy stuff

[jannyk]

3. In case you are interested, Neverwhere started as a TV series by the BBC.

The book started as a script and then became a fully fledged 'book'. I haven't read the book, but I have seen the BBC 6 part series - it's very good and is currently on Netflix DVD.

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Neverwhere/70202592?trkid=2361637

[uppityperson]

4. I thought they did a decent job of getting

the Neverwhere feeling. Of course they left out and changed things, and made it rather "trippy", which it was, but thought it a good series. Read the book if you can, it is quite good and will help flesh out the show.

[jannyk]

5. ok. I'll try the book - thanks!

[closeupready]

6. Neverwhere is one of my favorite books -surprisingly, because

I hadn't read any fantasy stuff for a while - this made me feel just like a kid again. Highly recommended.

[grillo7]

7. Thanks for the reccomendation

I'm about half-way through and it has been fantastic. I've been reading mostly non-fiction lately, having found it hard--for whatever reason--to really get into any good fiction lately, but this certainly has done it. I'm really enjoying it so far!