NEVERWHERE

Title: NEVERWHERE
Author: NEIL GAIMAN
Pages: 372
Date: 03/04/2007
Grade: 5
Own

When Richard Mayhew moves from Scotland to London, he is a passive young man who lets life happen to him. And so, three years later, he finds himself with a job, a flat and a fiancee, Jessica, almost by accident, thinking his life is good.
Then he encounters a wounded girl in the street and despite Jessica's protestations, he decides to help her.
But the girl, Door, is not from his world. Her world is one that exists underneath the London Richard is familiar with. A London where live those who fell through the cracks. A London filled with weird creatures and monsters. And because Richard has to enter this London in order to help Door, he finds that his ties with the regular London are cut. He is no longer part of that world and has no choice to return to the underworld.
Back below he reunites with Door and joins her and two others on a quest to avenge her murdered family, in the hope that succeeding will show him a way back to his old life.
During the quest they face hired assassins, monsters, angels, (friendly) rats and all sorts of other creatures. And they're never out of danger.
But will going back to his old life bring the happiness Richard expects, or has the underworld changed him too much?
Thrilling and gripping story. A complete fantasy, but because it starts of in London as we know it, it seems almost possible and definitely left me wondering and day-dreaming. The book is written in very simple language and keeps you turning the pages. It was a pleasure to read this book.
Gaiman says in the introduction that he's considering writing a follow-up to this book, and I for one hope that he will.