Neil Gaiman - Neverwhere

Neverwhere is a deeply engrossing tale of dark fantasy, painting a bustling and details world that leaves the reader never feeling quite the same about everyday life. It is about a man named Richard Mayhew, a young businessman who moves to London, has a fiancee, lives in an apartment, and generally lives an average, normal life. All of that changes, however, when he stumbles upon a bleeding girl named Door who he takes home and nurses back to health and in return, she unwillingly pulls him into the dangerous, wild, and mystical world of London Underside - Neverwhere. The next day, the girl leaves with a strange, cunning old man, Richard's fiancee has broken off their engagement, he goes to work and finds his desk has been emptied, and he returns home and finds that it is in the process of being sold. His bank card and pin number no longer work, taxi drivers ignore him, and two murderous looking men in business suits come to him with death threats.

Though the book has a slow start and had trouble keeping me interested, once it picked up I was unable to put the book down. Quite literally, in fact, as this review is being written at about midnight for I believe strongly in reviewing a book directly after having finished it. That aside, as soon as Richard finds himself trapped in Neverwhere, the twists and turns simply do not stop. Danger does not lurk at every corner. Instead it shrouds the cast in an ever present darkness, threatening to consume them at any time. The plot always has you guessing, as the book continues to throw you just as you imagine you know what is going on.

The language which the book is written in is simple, but very strong. At all times, you have a clear image of where you are in the magical world of Neverwhere, and concepts that make little sense are suddenly very obvious. It is one of Gaiman's talents, and he is an excellent writer. Neverwhere has been one of the few stories I have managed to read and find the ending leaving me speechless. The execution of this novel is nearly flawless. Many writers pen an exceptional story only to fail to satisfy the reader with the ending. This does not happen with Neverwhere - the ending simply leaves your heart fluttering against your chest as you realize the story has ended. Then the feeling of completion, that the story has become a whole in your mind and that there is nothing more to it, settles in.

Neverwhere is highly recommended for those seeking deep adventure and dark mystery. Having finished the novel, I now wonder if one day I will wake up and be invisible to the world, falling into the cracks into the cutthroat world of Neverwhere. Then I realize that if I did, I would not mind the least bit.

Weishan Chin

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