Title: Neverwhere
Author: Nel Gaiman
Publisher:William Morrow
Release date: September 16th 1996
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If you enjoy Neil Gaiman as an author, well this is one of his best work.
If you've never heard of Neil Gaiman but you enjoy parallel universe or amazing world building, this is still the book for you!
Why was this one of my favorites by Neil Gaiman?
Well you see my friend, Neil Gaiman write these really interesting stories and most of the time, they are so complex and intriguing that the initial situation can be a bit on the longer side. It makes total sense though since you want to make sure the reader is well situated and that he won't be lost by chapter six.
But Neverwhere? It starts with a bang. From the first pages, I was hooked and that was a pleasant surprise as I was expecting the usual Gaiman storytelling.
Sometimes, when books start with a bang, the rest of their story kind of dwindles into a less exciting zone, if I may put it that way. But not Neverwhere! It may be because it's been a while since I read books other than contemporaries, but it was so exciting to see Richard, the MC, go through so many obstacles! There was always a next step, always a next place to go, a next person to find and it was SO MUCH FUN!
Speaking of people, the characters in this book were great!
Richard is your average day-to-day guy who gets drags by mistake into this other world and of course, at first he reacted like any person would do: he was in denial. But to follow him through this incredible adventure and to see him evolve as a person made the book that much better!
Door was chill. It may seem a bit odd to describe a character with "chill" but she was! She's a key element to the story, but despite the things that happened to her, she wasn't a damsel in distress or weak or annoying and she did not seek pity from anyone. She was strong; emotionally strong and that strength wasn't found in her body, but within her mind, heart and spirit.
The the rest of the cast of characters was also amazing! Each and everyone one of them added a little something special to the story.
The world building guys. The WORLD BUILDING! It was A-Mazing! Absolutely and incredibly amazing! There aren't many authors who have done a great job with creating new world to the point that I actually pay attention to it. For me, the setting is not as important as the characters and their story. But Neverwhere really got to me with its unique universe. Other than Terry Pratchet, Neil Gaiman is the only author who managed to grab my attention with this skill.
I have this major respect for Neil Gaiman as an author and I will read anything and everything he writes. Some of his books don't always meet my high standards, but this one exceeded them. I strongly recommend you read Neverwhere, you'll be transported by its story.
Sophie
