Odd and the Forst Giants by Neil Gaiman

Summery:
Odd is a young boy whose life has been anything but easy. His father dies at a young age, his mother remarries a less-than-admirable man, and Odd shatters his own leg, which makes walking a very difficult task. On top of everything winter seems to be lingering longer than usual. One day, Odd has enough and runs away into the forest. There he encounters a bear, a fox, and an eagle. Odd discovers a shared secret among the three animals and accompanies them to Asgard, the city of gods. There he plans to confront the frost giants and restore balance. Quite a daunting task for a young twelve-year-boy who only has a shattered leg to stand on...

Book Trailer:


Review:
A delightful, quick read. This is a heart-warming story for readers of all ages interested in a love-conquers-all fairytale. Gaiman combines Norse mythology with simple prose in this delightful fable. A perfect book to curl up and read on a cold winter's day.

Cover Art Commentary:
Gorgeous. The colors are eye-catching. I love the shadow outlines of the characters.

Overall Rating:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

From the master storyteller, Neil Gaiman, comes a magical story of love, friendship, and survival. Nobody Owens, otherwise know as Bod, is the lone survivor of a family massacre. He is taken in by a dead couple at the local graveyard, as well as a guardian that is neither living nor dead. Concurrently, Bod is raised in the graveyard, between the two worlds of the living and the dead. There are many obstacles to overcome, for growing up in graveyard can prove difficult at times. However, through the eyes of the dead, Bod comes to discover how truly wonderful it is to be alive. If you are a true Gaiman fan, The Graveyard Book is not to be missed!

Next up is Wicked by Gregory Macguire.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

I have just finished my first book of the new year, Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. The story is about a man named Richard Mayhew who discovers a life underground London. He lives an ordinary life in London Above, until he meets a character named Door. Upon helping Door, Richard is thrown into the underground world, where he discovers life has more color and meaning than one could possibly imagine. Richard meets several vivid characters along the way, many of which aren't quite who they seem to be.

I really enjoyed this book, although, it is not my most favorite Gaiman novel. The story has a nice flow, keeping the reader interested in the journey. Neverwhere is easy to get caught up in. A fairy tale for adults, I might say. I found myself able to relate to Richard in many ways. Perhaps the most prominent relation was the personal growth he made throughout the story. Overall, it was a delightful read and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a short and sweet journey from reality.