July 31, 2003

Neverwhere

A brief entry for Zuly's Reading Room, on Neil Gaiman's book "Neverwhere" - overall, an enjoyable tale set in a unique hodgepodge of places that have "fallen through the cracks," carrying our man Richard Mayhew on a life-changing adventure. I found it weak in a couple of areas though - too many events felt like a deus ex machina, making me think perhaps another rewrite or tighter editing was called for to make the story feel "real," no matter how fanciful - and the "Ordeal" which Richard faced, while a good idea, should have been much longer, more drawn out, and used in a way to truly show the changes he was undergoing. This, of course, could also be the result of the editing outside of Gaiman's hands.

Regardless, if you like Gaiman's stuff, pick it up - an easy read if you're looking to kick back with a story-driven book, even if some loose ideas bounce around the pages without explanation.