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Neverwhere (London Below, #1)

Neil Gaiman

Start date: March 1, 2024

Finish date: March 31, 2024

Discussion: Low/Urban Fantasy

Why we're reading this: March 2024 selection
09/22/22 nominated by Shanna
[close] March 2024 selection
09/22/22 nominated by Shanna

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Low/Urban Fantasy

Storm Front (The Dresden Files #1) by Jim Butcher - October 2024
By Gem , Belle · 5 posts · 8 views

last updated Sep 28, 2024 03:02PM

Neverwhere (London Below #1) by Neil Gaiman
By Gem , Belle · 13 posts · 18 views

last updated Mar 26, 2024 03:10PM

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What Members Thought

Aug 22, 2012 Parvathy rated it really liked it

4.5 Stars

The reaction that I had after reading this book goes some what like this "Neil Gaiman, where have you been all my life?". If you haven't guessed it till now then let me make it clear, I love the book.
I don't particularly know what aspect of this book appealed to me but one thing is for sure I have never felt this thrilled about a fantasy book in a very long time. The simplcity of Gaiman's writing took me back to those time when I used to curl up on my sofa listening to stories being re 4.5 Stars

The reaction that I had after reading this book goes some what like this "Neil Gaiman, where have you been all my life?". If you haven't guessed it till now then let me make it clear, I love the book.
I don't particularly know what aspect of this book appealed to me but one thing is for sure I have never felt this thrilled about a fantasy book in a very long time. The simplcity of Gaiman's writing took me back to those time when I used to curl up on my sofa listening to stories being read while letting my imagination run wild. It is very refreshing prospect when someone takes the long forgotten or the overlooked part of certain tales and binding them together in a new concept. There a sense of sentimentality associated with this long forgotten tales. Take for instance the movie "The Nightmare before Christmas" in which Tim Burton has created a whole new magical world where the monsters reside. You know these monsters, you have spent many a sleepless nights thinking about them. But in this movie they are humanized and portrayed as common folks trying to celebrate christmas.

In "Neverwhere" the concept is somewhat the similar. The people who live in the underground cities in sewers and slums is being portrayed as the part of a magical world. The lost and the forgotten falls through cracks of the earth into the realm of London Below. The place divided into Baronies and fiefdoms where the Rats are royalties, Earls rule realms and Monsters in the sewer are not just a myth. It is to this very same place the Richard Mayhew is catapulted to when he
stops to help a strange girl. Now a part of the London Below with his existence wiped out in the real world Richard must travel with this mysterious girl whose life he saved and her crew in their quest to figure out a way to get back to his life and outrun two ruthless underworld assasins with the Trojan war in their resume of achievements. In mythological stories I have come across myths regarding the underworld where the dead live in a dark place which known as Dark earth a washed out version of real world and the way to reach this place is through the pits and ponds on the face of the earth. The falling through the crack concept did remind me a little bit of this myth. I also liked the idea of the "Floating Market" and Night Bridge and the Earl's court which added a special flavour to the story.

Surreal and imaginative "Neverwhere" is everything you want a dark fantasy book to be. Fresh concepts, innovative ideas and simplistic witing with enough mystery and suspense.
What more could you as for?. I would have given this book a 5 star rating but there were a lot of questions left unanswered by the end of the book that somewhat left me a little bit dissapointed. I think the readers would require some explanation regarding certain elements of
this book but other than that I would say this book is perfect and a must read. ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 03, 2016 Elizabeth (Stuffed Shelves) rated it it was ok

Shelves: did-not-finish

I wanted to love this book but after reading the first half, I realized I was seriously not interested.

1 like · Like · see review

Dec 07, 2012 Jessica Andersen rated it really liked it

So, I couldn't decide what kind of a tag to put on Neverwhere. It's kind of urban fantasy, but not in the way the term has come to be used. There aren't vampires or witches, but there are people and creatures that border on supernatural.

I have been on a Neil Gaiman kick lately, and I have yet to find a book of his that I haven't loved. This particular book takes place in an underground London. It's about the people that slip through the cracks of society and the fantastical world they live in. ...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Eileen Sheridan rated it it was amazing

One of the best books I've read in a while. Great characters and a fascinating storyline. I love the Alice in Wonderland feel with a darker edge. ...more

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Aug 14, 2018 Majuchan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I was set on giving it a 3 stars, but that ending gave me what I wanted... So I'm giving it 4 stars.

Gonna miss Door and Richard. Hunter will always have a place on my heart despite...

Full review to rise from London Underside. ...more

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