Neverwhere: A Novel

Neil Gaiman

Mar 2009 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this ebook

“Neil Gaiman is undoubtedly one of the modern masters of fantasy writing....For those who have not read Neverwhere, the new edition is the one to read, and is a fitting introduction to Gaiman’s adult fiction....American readers can experience this spellbinding, magical world the way that Neil Gaiman wanted us to all along.”  —Huffington Post

The #1 New York Times bestselling author’s ultimate edition of his wildly successful first novel featuring his “preferred text”—and including his special Neverwhere tale, “How the Marquis Got His Coat Back”.

Published in 1997, Neil Gaiman’s darkly hypnotic first novel, Neverwhere, heralded the arrival of a major talent and became a touchstone of urban fantasy.

It is the story of Richard Mayhew, a young London businessman with a good heart and an ordinary life, which is changed forever when he discovers a girl bleeding on the sidewalk. He stops to help her—an act of kindness that plunges him into a world he never dreamed existed. Slipping through the cracks of reality, Richard lands in Neverwhere—a London of shadows and darkness, monsters and saints, murderers and angels that exists entirely in a subterranean labyrinth. Neverwhere is home to Door, the mysterious girl Richard helped in the London Above. Here in Neverwhere, Door is a powerful noblewoman who has vowed to find the evil agent of her family’s slaughter and thwart the destruction of this strange underworld kingdom. If Richard is ever to return to his former life and home, he must join Lady Door’s quest to save her world—and may well die trying.

Ratings and reviews

Maybe it's just me but it was... tolerable? I wanted to read this because it seemed similar to my own writing interests (interdimensional dreams worlds and stuff). I think one of the things that affected my enjoyment the most was the constant POV switching. I assume this was written in 3rd person omniscient, but that greatly challenges my ability to care deeply about characters when I'm hopping from one head to the other constantly. That's more an observation about reader taste and if you love getting into a lot of characters' heads, then this is your book, but I didn't like it personally. What else? The characters were all pretty distinctive, some were weak, the strongest one was Jessica. Damn I love Jessica. She knows what she wants even if it's bad for her haha. Richard was a passive protagonist in comparison, and that made him on the weaker side in my opinion.

Beautiful writing, and a gripping setting. In this book Neil Gaiman takes us through the twists and turns of a strange world, reminiscent of a modern Alice in Wonderland, but with more dead animals. While this book succeeds in it's skillful portrayal of the protagonist as both average and unique, just like a real individual, it fails to bring the full weight of the world it creates home to the reader. An amazing book, but American Gods, by the same author, is in my mind the superior novel.

Truly enjoyed how Gaiman takes the reader on an adventure of a whole other world that exists under London. The characters are very interesting, and Richard is just the guy for the job in this book. A very likeable character, as well as (believe it) the torturous twosome of Crouch & Vandermar. Lots of nice little surprises and much adventure.

About the author

Neil Gaiman is the New York Times bestselling and multi-award winning author and creator of many beloved books, graphic novels, short stories, film, television and theatre for all ages. He is the recipient of the Newbery and Carnegie Medals, and many Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner Awards. Neil has adapted many of his works to television series, including Good Omens (co-written with Terry Pratchett) and The Sandman. He is a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR and Professor in the Arts at Bard College. For a lot more about his work, please visit: https://www.neilgaiman.com/