Book Review: Neverwhere

Title: Neverwhere

Author: Neil Gaiman

ISBN: 978-0-7553-2280-0

First Published: 1996

Blurb:

Under the streets of London there’s a place most people could never even dream of. A city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, knights in armour and pale girls in black velvet. This is the city of the people who have fallen between the cracks.

Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman

Richard Mayhew, a young businessman, is going to find out more than enough about this other London. A single act of kindness catapults him out of his workday existence and into a world that is at once eerily familiar and utterly bizarre. And a strange destiny awaits him down here, beneath his native city: neverwhere.

Review:

My previous experience of Neil Gaiman is fairly limited. Last year I read Stardust, which I enjoyed very much, and I watched Coraline, a film based on one of his short stories, a couple of months ago. Neverwhere was great fun to read.

Set in “London Below”, the novel is very inventive and exciting, following Richard Mayhew on various adventures through the bizarre city beneath a city. It is a place where there is an angel called Islington, where you really do have to “Mind the Gap”, where there is an earl at Earl’s Court, and where there are friars at Blackfriars. As the blurb says, these familiar places are cleverly twisted, making London Below come alive. It will be hard for anybody who has read this book to go to London and not imagine that there is indeed this city hiding beneath their feet.

The plot is exciting and paced well. It was a book that I struggled to put down, and when I had to, one that I looked forward to picking up again. Something that helped the pace was the length of each scene; each chapter was split into several sections that made it easy to read, and easy to get back into should you need to leave it for a while. It is written with a darkly humorous flair, and never gets bogged down with too much description. The language is easily accessible, and doesn’t take itself too seriously, making the novel a fairly easy read.

Another strong point to the novel are the characters. One immediately relates to the main character, Richard, who is forced through various tasks that he has to learn to overcome. The companions he meets, namely Door, the Marquis De Carabas, and Hunter, are all intriguing and have their own quirks and backstories. There are a wide variety of minor characters that Richard and his companions meet on the way, and they add to the bizarre nature of London Below.

I would recommend this book to any fan of fantasy. It has a more mature tone than other fantasy books, but still accessible for young adults. If you live in London, or ever visit, then this is definitely a book for you since it will make you see the capital in a way you never thought you would before.

Ratings:

Character: 10/10

Plot: 9/10

Style: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

Book Review: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Title: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Author: Susanna Clarke

ISBN: 978-1-4088-0344-8

First Published: 2004

Blurb:

It is 1806, the Napoleonic Wars are raging, and most people believe magic to have long since disappeared from England – until the reclusive Mr Norrell reveals his powers and becomes a celebrity overnight. When another practising magician emerges, the young and daring Jonathan Strange, he becomes Norrell’s pupil and the two join forces in the war against France. But Strange is increasingly drawn to the wildest, most perilous forms of magic and soon he risks sacrificing not only his partnership with Norrell but everything else he holds dear.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke

Review:

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is a delightful novel that is truly unique. Set in the early 19th Century, and emulating the style of period, it is triumph of imagination and research.

The novel is an alternative history, set in England over a decade spanning 1806-1817. Clarke’s research is astounding. She includes historical figures such as the Duke of Wellington and Lord Byron amongst her expansive cast of characters, and they act just as you would expect. The use of footnotes and extensive references to books about magic make it possible that there is a hidden history of magic in England, and it is readily believable.

Norrell and Strange are polar opposites. Norrell is secretive, reclusive, and stubborn, whereas Strange is open, outgoing, and stubborn. The two complement each other very well, and the way their relationship develops is one of the key plots in the novel. The supporting characters are all very believable, and fleshed out well.

There are rather a lot of sub-plots that are equally important. Whilst reading the novel through, it is a little hard to see how they all link together. As the novel draws to a close, however, all these links are neatly tied up whilst still allowing room for rather interesting interpretations. As a result of the many plot-points, the novel is rather long at just over 1000 pages. The plot can feel a little slow in places, but it is a book that should be digested slowly. Whilst not a page-turner throughout, the slower parts are very enjoyable for leisurely reading.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell has a grand scope, but it is not epic fantasy in the way that The Lord of the Rings is. It reads more like a book by Jane Austen (Clarke does an excellent job at both emulating and parodying the writing style), but with magic and fairies mixed in. Indeed, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is the epitome of historical-fantasy.

I would recommend the book to anybody interested in fantasy, and even those who aren’t. If you’ve read nineteenth-century novels before, then you’ll have a special appreciation for Clarke’s mastery of language and style, but it isn’t required to enjoy it. It probably isn’t suitable for younger readers, since the plot does get a little confusing, and some of the language is a little advanced. Anybody from teenagers through young adults to older readers will enjoy this novel.

I haven’t come across another book like Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, but I will keep my eyes open for more from Susanna Clarke. She has written short stories based in the same world, so there is scope for wider reading that I will look into. Overall, a fantastic book that will stick in your mind long after you’ve finished it.

Ratings:

Character: 10/10

Plot: 9/10

Style: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

Film Review: Coraline (2009)

Title: Coraline (2009)

Director: Henry Selick

Starring: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders & Ian McShane

Rating: PG

Coraline (2009) 2-disc Collector's Edition

Blurb: From the visionary director of THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, and based on Neil Gaiman’s best-selling book, comes this spectacular stop-motion animated adventure!

Coraline Jones (Dakota Fanning) is bored until she finds a secret door and discovers an alternate, better, version of her life on the other side.

When this seemingly perfect world turns dangerous, Coraline must use her resourcefulness, determination and bravery to save her family.

The Review:

When I first saw the trailers for this film last year, I was intrigued. I have always enjoyed Tim Burton-esque films, and whilst Burton won’t be found in the credits, I was not disappointed by Coraline.

The basic plot remains just that; basic. However, where the plot lacks real depth, it makes up for it with charm. Both the novel and the film have been compared with Alice in Wonderland due to its “down-the-rabbit-hole” storyline and outrageous characters, including a mysterious talking cat. This comparison is especially apt for Coraline‘s strangeness and wonder. It is a world where people have buttons for eyes, snapdragons literally snap at your feet, and where dogs sit in a theatre to watch an operatic sing-off.

The humour is mostly childish, which is to be expected from a PG-rated film based on a children’s book, but a few chuckles are bound to be sounded by everybody watching.

The acting is, on the most part, very good. I could imagine Dakota Fanning standing in a studio at some points during the film, but she does a great job at making Coraline likeable. Teri Hatcher’s performance is also commendable as she demonstrates the unnerving differences between the Mother and the Other Mother well.

The tone of the film is one of dark wonderment, and so I recommend that the PG-rating be taken seriously. Some scenes may frighten younger viewers. Having said that, the colourful vibrancy and sense of fun ensure that Coraline does not get too dark. The haunting mood is enhanced by an eerie soundtrack that suits the film perfectly. I have since learned that the film was initially intended to be a musical, similar to The Nightmare Before Christmas. To me, this would have been unnecessary; Coraline is an excellent film just as it is.

The animation and camerawork are impressive to say the least. The stop-motion is so smooth and crisp it almost looks CGI. The 3D effects are cleverly done, and only occasionally fall into the gimicky side of 3D films. It’s almost unbelievable to imagine the amount of work that must have gone into filming.

The particular DVD that I have is the 2-disc Collector’s Edition, and contains both the 2D and 3D versions of the film. Four sets of 3D-glasses are also provided. I viewed both to compare.

It may be because I was watching on a 17″ laptop screen, but the 3D version wasn’t as crisp as the 2D. During some shots I could distinctly see the two layers on the screen, and this made my eyes ache since I couldn’t focus on anything properly. The colour is a little affected by the green and red lenses at some points. These setbacks only retract from the overall experience momentarily, and there is always the 2D version to watch if there are issues. However, the 2D version does lack the visual depth that is noticeable through the whole of the 3D version, and is slightly less effective at sucking the viewer into the world.

Coraline is a great family adventure full of fun and wonder, and can be enjoyed by all ages. I would especially recommend it for fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas style of films.

Verdict: 4 out of 5