The little Graveyard Book that could has done it again, winning Britian's prestigious Carnegie Medal -- read more about it here in the Guardian.The longer it becomes since I've read it, the less sure I am just why it is so hugely awarded (it also picked up a Hugo for best novel, which was a pretty tremendous nod to a book written for children). I remember clearly not liking the bad vulture-type spirit things with presidents' names (what did they add?) ; I remember liking very much the bit where the ghosts go out to dance, and I remember liking Bod, and the "boy growing up in graveyard" part of the book, but I don't quite remember it as being so very, very good as all that....Oh well. Maybe it's time for a re-read...
I'm with you. Really enjoyed the book, not a bad thing to say about it. But, really, come on.
ReplyDeleteAnd one or more of the Harry Potter books also won the Hugo. Too lazy to look up exactly with one(s). In my opinion, the Hugo is spoiled every time there is a sci-fi or fantasy work that is popular beyond the bounds of the genre. It invariably wins, even if it wasn't actually the best sff work that year.
I think Graveyard Book is deservedly rewarded; it's a beautiful book, very beautifully balanced.
ReplyDeleteI really like the book and will just point out that winning all these awards doesn't mean it's the only good book of its year, or that it's 10x better than everything else--just that it's quite good, also fresh compared to a lot of books with cookie-cutter premises out there, and so edged out the rest.
ReplyDeleteI liked it lots too (and was on the panel that shortlisted it for the Cybils)....and I think I may well have picked it over the other books shortlisted for the Carnegie that I'd read. But still...it would have made life more intesting if some fantastic book that I hadn' read won!
ReplyDeleteAh, so what you're looking for is a recommendation for another really good book.
ReplyDeleteThat I can understand.
I do really love The Graveyard Book, but I also felt that it didn't necessarily deserve all 999 awards it won. I mean, yes, I know that each contest should evaluate the books out there without referring to the results of other contest, but still. It got to the point where I groaned when each new contest was announced.
ReplyDeleteI need to reread it myself, as I'm not entirely convinced of its greatness. Although I also liked it lots.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed it a lot and was very impressed by how fresh it was. It's rare these days that I read a MG book that isn't like something else and GRAVEYARD was very unique so that counts for something. I also thought it was nice to see a genuinely scary book for this age group - he doesn't mince on just how bad the big bad is and I appreciated that.
ReplyDeleteIf nothing else, Gaiman continues to be wildly original and how many authors in MG/YA fantasy can we really say that about these days?