I appear to have been reading an awful lot recently! That usually means I'm procrastinating and putting off something important but this time it's probably just me taking my mind off things and escaping away into another world. Those who have been reading my reviews and the noticing the types of books I read will have spotted I tend to look for fantasy or "other world" stories, partially because it does allow an escape sometimes when I need one.
Neil Gaiman is an author who has passed my by until now, aside from a brief liaison in the form of the movie version of Stardust which is based on his novel of the same name. I have heard many good things about him however and decided to take the plunge.
Neverwhere is actually the companion novel to the TV series written in the mid-1990s by Gaiman and Lenny Henry. The story and characters will be familiar to those who have seen the series, with just a bit more flesh on the bones.
Synopsis
There is a place, below the city of London, where all those who slip through the cracks gather. Into this world is thrust a normal man from the world above. All he wants to do is get home but he finds himself inexorably drawn into this fascinating place, despite the warnings of those from below.
Verdict
I think this is a very cleverly written book. The world Gaiman has created in London Below is barely on the edge of believable, but it is close enough to get you thinking "just maybe".
The story sucks you in slowly, tantalisingly at times, but it allows the world to organically grow in your consciousness. This is not a tale which is spelled out for you but rather one which permits your imagination to fill in the gaps and keeps you looking ahead for where it is going next.
Ironically (considering my love of "other" world stories) it is the fact that Gaiman keeps this story grounded in real-life places that I enjoyed the most. Harrod's, the HMS Belfast, Earl's Court and the British Museum all make an appearance but they are twisted and warped to create a sense of a separate world bubbling close to our own, but which is right there underfoot.
Most of Gaiman's characters here have depth and intrigue although there was one notable exception who disappointed somewhat, mainly due to a lack of quality air time. The TV series may have afforded them this air time but I haven't seen it so can't comment. But that one aside, the majority of the protagonists and antagonists of the story gel well and there is an organic feel to their interplay and dynamics throughout.
The world of London Below itself has a grittiness and griminess that suits the mood of the story. This is not a kids story by any stretch of the imagination, there is a violence and a roughness which can be disturbing at times - regardless of the fantasy element of the story. But there is still that sense of hope and love running through it which keeps the plot from descending too far into the realms of grit and grime.
Overall I enjoyed this first look into Gaiman's mind. He has created (in quite a short book) a vibrant, gritty
world populated by interesting characters with plenty of scope to work with if he decided to expand the frame. However, this book does stand alone very well on its own which is pleasing. Too many books these days serve only to set the scene for an "epic" and themselves suffer needlessly for it. We could return to London Below, but maybe we don't need to.
I would recommend this book to those lovers of what I will term "light fantasy". And I don't mean "light" as in full of princesses and flowers and happy endings but more that this is not in the Swords and Sourcery bracket in the mould of Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. But then again, it isn't trying to be.
Verdict: 4 stars of 5
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