The Graveyard Book

by Neil Gaiman

Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family.

(borrowed from the front flap)

I've seen so many fabulous reviews for this book, and obviously, if it won the Newbery Medal, it must be a terrific book. I agree that the story was unique and original, the ideas were creative, and the writing was absolutely flawless. The descriptions were elaborate and Gaiman's sentences were full of imagery. The characters were definitely well thought-out, especially the dead ones.

Yet for me, there was something that didn't click. Yes, I thought it was a great book, but I don't think it's on my favorites list. I felt that there was something lacking in the book- perhaps there were too many undead characters, or the story was just too perfect. I think the main reason why I didn't completely enjoy it was because until the end of the book, when all the action came in, I wasn't entertained by the story. Although Bod had some close scrapes and many adventurous moments, most of them seemed artificial and bland. I wasn't wholly captivated by the story until the climax, when I could actually feel all the emotions and adrenaline going through Bod.

Sooo...that was basically my overall impression of The Graveyard Book. What did everyone else think of it?