I’m so excited to be participating in the readalong for Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, hosted by the awesome Jenn over at Booksessed. I’ve read this book a few years ago and I remember loving it (though, really, how can you NOT love a Neil Gaiman book??), so I was pretty happy to get to read it again!
Here are my answers to this week’s questions:
What were your initial first impressions of the characters?
Well, obviously I hated the bad guy — he was pretty evil! Quite a scary way to open a book! I loved how daring Bod was by climbing out of his crib and leaving the house — little daredevil! I also liked everyone in the graveyard, especially the caretaker and how he slyly led the murderer away from the graveyard and away from Bod.
How did the ghost of Bod’s mother make you feel?
I loved how even as a ghost, she was persistent that someone take care of Bod. She just died, she had no idea about her baby, but she was convinced the graveyard would take care of him. I really felt for her — I mean, how hard is it to see your baby in such a helpless state and NOT be able to take care of him?
Do you think that Nobody is a good name for a boy?
It’s definitely one that not very many people have! I’m sure since reading this book, someone has named their kid Nobody. 
What are your thoughts on Silas and the woman on the grey horse?
I think it was good that she came around! And really, she’s right — these ghosts should have charity! Just because they’re ghosts doesn’t mean they should sit around and do nothing — they should do good!
Do you think it’s a good thing that Bod Freedom of the Graveyard and thus other powers?
Yes and no. I think it’s pretty cool to have Freedom of the Graveyard and to have supernatural powers that no other human would have. But in the same sense, Bod is still young — would this freedom lead him to something that might scare him?
Do you think it’s okay to let a child play in a graveyard like Scarlett’s parents did?
I think it’s bizarre! Though, really, they did say it’s a nature preserve, so I guess it’s okay. Really, the thing I had a hard time with was the fact that they let her just wander off. I mean, I’ve seen so many news stories where kids wander off and get kidnapped, hit by a car, or fall in a lake — how do they know she’s not going to fall into an open grave and hurt herself?
Why do you think Scarlett’s parents are so eager to claim imaginary friends?
I think having an imaginary friend is something that’s so normal. Though I also think that they don’t want to think she’s communicating with a ghost — an imaginary friend sounds easier.
Did the semantics of the Tattoo Man seem obvious to you or was it a bit frightening?
It was definitely frightening! Bod and Scarlett are so young that I couldn’t see how it wasn’t frightening to them — but they talked their way out of it. That was pretty humorous — I like how the humour balanced out the scary parts.
What do you think were Scarlett’s parents real motivations in moving the family to Scotland?
Maybe they were worried that her “imaginary friend” was something a little more — like I said, there are creeps everywhere. They’d probably want to get away just in case her friend is real and trying to harm her. Or maybe they think the change of scenery might quell her wanting to go wander in a graveyard!
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Stay tuned next week for my answers for Chapter’s 3 and 4!
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