EBN A Ghost Story: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I've just learned that they have put up two more seasons of The Great British Bake Off on Netflix. I love that show. It is one of the best competition shows I have ever seen. My husband would say that NBA games or any sporting event would beat it hands down, but I think it's the best. I keep trying to think of ways to combine my love of books with my love of cooking and baking. Maybe I'll make a YouTube channel about it. Hmmm...

If you can't tell by the Newbery Medal on the cover of this book, it is a YA novel. I was looking for a ghost story book but was a little leary of things. I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to the horror genre, especially if it is something I think exists like ghosts or serial killers. The worst for me are ones that involve children. This book actually embodies all three, but it's meant for kids so I thought I would be ok. My sister had read it and said it was good. And it was, indeed, good.

The story was about this little toddler whose family is murdered and is then raised by this ghost couple who live in the graveyard by his house. Since his adoptive parents are ghosts and can't leave the graveyard, he has a guardian who cares for his physical needs (e.g. food). His guardian, Silas, is neither dead or alive. In fact, I'm 99.9% sure he is a vampire.

This book had a lot of interesting portrayals of classical horror characters. Vampires and werewolves are mentors and warriors (if anyone knows who the guy with the lucky pig is supposed to be let me know). The Ghosts are just people with regular human motivations. I thought the "Jack's of All Trades" were a pretty neat idea too.

So, part of the theology I associate myself with is the belief in an afterlife. I believe that when a person dies their spirit lives on her on earth, though on a different plane. The best part about this book is its humanizing portrayal of the ghosts. They really were just people, subject to all the foibles that controlled them in life. I think some human flaws are brought on by physical shortcomings and so wouldn't be continued after death, but that's a conversation for another time. I think if we recognize or think of ghosts more on that kind of level develop a really great sort of relatability.

The other thing I really loved about this book is how the events in the main character's life all played a part in the resolution of the climax. But all these life events were, on the surface, very stupid. He puts himself in danger, or breaks a rule, or storms off in a huff and finds himself in terrible trouble. He learns something from each of these experiences though and, had he not had them, the story would have ended in his death. Life is what it is and that is good. Regardless of how awful things get, we can always grow from them.