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The Graveyard Book - May 2020 Book Group discussion thread

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LindsD May 2020 10:44pm, 30 May 2020 37,282 posts	Quote Pin LindsD Yes! Luke and Leia
Peregrinator Jun 2020 12:19am, 2 Jun 2020 614 posts	Quote Pin Peregrinator A point that I came across was that many coming of age stories are ultimately about the new relationships that the young person makes, and how these reflect and develop their character. So the orphan has to react to everyone from new without lots of history. Doesn't explain why so many are boys.
GregP Jun 2020 7:03am, 2 Jun 2020 120,154 posts	Quote Pin GregP Just finished American Gods. It felt quite a lot shorter than it was. I think I probably liked it.
GregP Jun 2020 8:36am, 3 Jun 2020 120,164 posts	Quote Pin GregP Okay. I wrote this on GoodReads. I’m not particularly happy with it, but it conveys the essence of how I feel: I liked this very much, I really did, and it flew past for a long book. I was just expecting much more. It was fun and clever and entertaining. It wasn’t, at least for me, in any way profound, moving or even especially memorable. So I found it good, yet a crushing disappointment all the same.
LindsD Jun 2020 9:51am, 3 Jun 2020 37,400 posts	Quote Pin LindsD that's very you, but I do sort-of know what you mean.
phal Jun 2020 11:54am, 3 Jun 2020 2,844 posts	Quote Pin phal I finished The Graveyard Book yesterday, I was a little disappointed tbh. I think it's because I've enjoyed his other books so much and know what a clever writer he can be. There were elements of classic Gaiman in there, and I know it was a children's book, but there really wasn't anything surprising about it that I didn't see coming. I enjoyed the bits with Mrs Lupescu the most I think and the journey that they took - but then characters just got killed off because they 'died for the good of Bod' so to speak when more could have been done with them. I did like Silas too. The whole bit about Scarlett and Silas at the end was disappointing. Bit too jumpy about to tie up different bits at different times. Not sure, bit of a meh from me really. Interesting about the discussion around the use of orphans etc in stories - The Great British Menu this year had a poet at the banquet at the end who discussed this as he was fostered and then entered the care system; he had written a poem about it too. I can't remember his name though. I'll see if google can help..... It was Lemn Sissay, although I can't find the poem. He's done a TED talk about it (I'm part way through listening): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLiM2-izFl4 GregP - I can understand your review! I prefered Anansi Boys.....
phal Jun 2020 11:58am, 3 Jun 2020 2,845 posts	Quote Pin phal Just to add - the TED talk is not all about literature, it's just how it starts. The rest is his life story and his experiences.
Diogenes Jun 2020 9:13pm, 12 Jun 2020 49,759 posts	Quote Pin Diogenes I finished TGB this evening. I liked it, but no more than that, and I don’t really have much more to add. It was quite episodic and light, something that will fade quickly and easily into the shadows. I have revised my vote from 1 to 7.
Serendippily Jun 2020 9:17pm, 12 Jun 2020 18,028 posts	Quote Pin Serendippily You turned it the right way up?
Diogenes Jun 2020 9:18pm, 12 Jun 2020 49,760 posts	Quote Pin Diogenes I’d recommend Lincoln In The Bardo as the best book set in a graveyard I’ve read.