There's London Above―that's where you lived―and then there's London Below―the Underside―inhabited by the people who fell through the cracks in the worThere's London Above―that's where you lived―and then there's London Below―the Underside―inhabited by the people who fell through the cracks in the world.
This is my first Neil Gaiman book, and I doted on it. All the time I kept thinking, "This is so fascinating. Bloody hell, all this while everyone's been hounding me to read Gay Man's books and I just didn't listen!"
Reminiscent of King Rat, I was intrigued by the idea of Neverwhere, even though I've never been to London. Reading the book, you just know that Neil Gaiman's is a British bloke. It was incredibly absurd and gloriously strange. I loved the very ordinary Richard Mayhew and even Door, but I've got a special place in my heart for The Marquis De Carabas and his not so charming ways. The only ones I didn't like were Croup and Vandemar. Also, I never would've guessed that the Angel Islington was behind it all along. That shocked me. Anesthesia and Hunter broke my heart. I even found that bit about the sewer canals gripping (not dripping. I hope you don't see what I did there, it's lame.) Neverwhere's pulled off what Clive Barker's Imajica couldn't.
I loved Neverwhere more than Coraline, which is generally thought as rotten judgement on my part by everyone. I'll admit that it could've turned out into a cornball dark fantasy at it's tawdriest if it wasn't for the decent writing and the impressive story. ...more
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was perfect for me when I was little. But when I read it again a few years later, from an eerie blQueer but quirky.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was perfect for me when I was little. But when I read it again a few years later, from an eerie blend of wistfulness and caffeine...I became aware of a few things that the child me hadn't really deigned to perceive.
1. Food fetish Alert. (It's becoming a cliche for this genre. Like eyes in chick lit.)
2. What's with the sexism? Has anyone else noticed how Dahl always make the fathers have a certain dry, witty sense of humor that is clearly lacking from the hysterical, daft and deranged mothers?
3. The Oompa Loompa songs are just massive nursery rhymes.
4. Is it just me or is Willy Wonka one sexy sob?
5. If I was one of the lucky five, I'd definitely be one of the bad kids. I'm slightly spoiled, but that doesn't mean I want to be thrown down the rubbish chute!
6. I chew a lot of gum. But a lifetime of unlimited chocolate supply does not make up for an eternity spent as a primary color.
7. Also, I watch more TV than Mike. That doesn't mean I'm not reading books.
8. I'm greedy too. But so would every other kid in the world be when faced with a giant chocolate river!
9. I think Wonka's magical chocolate factory would be more like a carnival of horror for me! I'll fall into a hot chocolate river, turn into a giant blubbery, and shrink to thrice my size. No, thank you.
10) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory could have been an unforgettable Goosebumps! ...more
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