To start off, Neil Gaiman is a fantastic author whose writing is sheer brilliance almost every step of the way. His writing is so matter-of-fact that the reader walks away from every passage thinking, “Well, of course, I should have known.”
In Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman accomplishes the same goal he does in every book; creating a world that one truly believes could be real. Each and every character, from the angel Islington, to the evil Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar, and to the very simple Richard Mayhew, they each have their own depth that is surprising and intriguing.
Neverwhere is a creepy world of fiefdoms, floating markets, and creatures lurking in every shadow. Don’t get me wrong, it’s as realistic as it can get, and it makes one wonder if London Below really does exist. The road through Neverwhere is a road of self-discovery, for every character, but especially for the ever-practical Richard Mayhew. Richard has a productive job and a bossy girlfriend, but he lives a very routine life that leaves him unaware of the reality around him. Here enters Lady Door, a teenage girl with the power to open doors that were never meant to be opened.
Richard is the epitome of compassion who just can’t stop himself from helping Door, which is what leads him to lose everything he is in London Above and become nothing more than a problem in London Below. This truly leads Richard on his path to self-discovery, even though he thought he knew everything he needed to about himself.
London Below is a character in itself, a dark and twisted landscape that is even scarier than Messrs Croup and Vandemar, the assassins that caused Door to be placed in Richard’s path. London Above houses the oblivious, the easy and the mundane world, while London Below is the place where the runaways, the rats and the homeless can find asylum. Once the invisible veil is lifted and one knows of London Below, they can never go back to London Above.
Neverwhere is part fantasy and part psychological thriller that draws the reader in and makes them want to go on their own path of self-discovery through London Below. Readers just won’t want to put the book down, and the bad guy isn’t known until the very end. Neverwhere is a true page turner, and it is an extraordinary read.
