The witchcraft books by Neil Gaiman are a collection of novels and stories that delve into the world of witches and magic. Gaiman, known for his imaginative storytelling and dark, whimsical style, brings his unique perspective to the subject of witchcraft, creating captivating and engrossing narratives. One of Gaiman's most well-known works in this genre is his novel "Stardust," which follows the story of Tristan Thorn as he ventures into the magical realm of Faerie to find a fallen star and win the love of his life. In this book, Gaiman weaves together elements of folklore and enchantment, creating a world that is both enchanting and dangerous. The book explores themes of love, destiny, and the power of magic. Another notable work in Gaiman's witchcraft collection is "The Ocean at the End of the Lane," a dark and haunting tale of a man who revisits his childhood and encounters a supernatural being named Lettie Hempstock.
The Graveyard Book is a bildungsroman – a novel about a protagonist’s education – in which Nobody’s unusual tutors are a collection of ghosts, a vampire and a female werewolf, and the strange powers are supernatural abilities granted by the dead people who live (as it were) in the graveyard.
So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, the Four Bikers of the Apocalypse are revving up their mighty hogs and hitting the road, and the world s last two remaining witch-finders are getting ready to fight the good fight, armed with awkwardly antiquated instructions and stick pins. Gemini is ruled by Mercury or Hermes god of thieves, jokes, communication, travel and secrets; in addition to which he is the conductor of souls to the Underworld.
Another notable work in Gaiman's witchcraft collection is "The Ocean at the End of the Lane," a dark and haunting tale of a man who revisits his childhood and encounters a supernatural being named Lettie Hempstock. Through their relationship, the protagonist discovers the hidden depths of his own memories and the magical forces that shape his life. Gaiman skillfully combines elements of horror and fantasy in this book, creating a haunting and atmospheric story.
Ghosts, ghouls and graveyards: Margaret Atwood on the magic of Neil Gaiman
O nce, during an on stage discussion of the type literary festivals go in for, I frightened Neil Gaiman by channelling the voice of the Wicked Witch of the West from the film The Wizard of Oz. “And your little dog, too!” I cackled. “No! No! Don’t do that!” cried Neil. He then explained that he had been petrified by this green-tinted witch as an eight-year-old. Behold: a literary influence had been discovered!
The best children’s writers are, somewhere deep in their psyches, still eight years old. They know what is scary. They remember what it was like to have your hand plunged into a Halloween bowl of peeled grapes in a darkened room, having been told they were eyeballs. They relish the delights of being terrified in song and story. They understand the benefits of imaginary horror: yes, this is frightening, but ultimately it can be dealt with, at least in fictional form.
Gaiman brought himself up right. He read a great many books proper to his future calling, and absorbed their memes and lessons. When advised to direct his feet to the sunny side of the street, he did – he does not write tragedies – but he also directed them to the shadow side; for, as Ursula K Le Guin so memorably put it: “Only in silence the word, / Only in dark the light, / Only in dying life: / Bright the hawk’s flight / On the empty sky.” Or as Beatrix Potter demonstrated, no fun robbing the radishes from Mr McGregor’s garden unless the rabbit-pie dish hovers as a threat. What’s the point of being “Alive, alive, oh” unless you also risk being dead as a doorknob? (Though we must reserve judgment about those doorknobs, in view of A Christmas Carol.)
Illustration from Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book by Chris Riddell.
Astrologically, Gaiman is a Scorpio with Gemini rising and, if you go in for that sort of thing – as he must, because I found his horoscope online – this explains much. Scorpio is governed by Pluto, patron of the Underworld as well as of plumbing, underwear, the criminal underworld and everything below the line. Gemini is ruled by Mercury or Hermes: god of thieves, jokes, communication, travel and secrets; in addition to which he is the conductor of souls to the Underworld. Most travel to the land of the dead is one-way, but Hermes comes and goes as he pleases, and so do various protagonists in books by Gaiman, including The Graveyard Book.
Most of us have a distinct aversion to being dead. We have great difficulty imagining ourselves as simply not existing any more: even the sentence “I will be dead” contains an “I”. So where will the “I” be when the “dead” phase kicks in? There have been a great many answers to that question over time: in a dusty underworld (Mesopotamia); in a complex, many-chambered afterlife, supposing your heart passes its weighing-in test against the Feather of Truth (ancient Egypt); in the asphodel-bestrewn but tedious Elysian Fields, if a Greek hero; in Hell, Purgatory, Paradise or Heaven, if an early-Renaissance Christian; in the territories of the dead after your journey on the three-day road (indigenous North America), or in the inventive goth worlds of Tim Burton, such as the one in Corpse Bride; or in the frolicsome Mexican Day of the Dead realm of the recent Pixar film Coco.
But there are many other possibilities. You could – for instance – become a vampire: neither alive nor dead. You could become a ghoul: alive in a way, but consuming dead bodies. Or you could become a ghost: there but not there, visible sometimes but invisible at other times, and frequently spotted in graveyards.
It is this latter body of folklore that Gaiman draws on for The Graveyard Book. The hero of his tale begins as a toddler who climbs out of the window while his parents are being murdered and makes his way uphill to the neighbourhood cemetery, where some of the resident spirits – prompted by the fleeting appearance of his ghostly mother – elect to adopt him. Since they don’t know his name, they call him “Nobody” (“Bod” for short), reminding us of the ruse practised by the wily Ulysses during his escape from that pesky Cyclops. So useful to be able to answer “Nobody” when asked who you are.
The graveyard in question is very old and contains many layers of time – Celtic, ancient Roman, many centuries of English – so Bod learns different kinds of writing from the tombstones and a lot about history from the inhabitants. There is a misadventure when he tries to go to a real school – he doesn’t exactly fit in – but his persecutors are satisfactorily foiled.
It’s customary for heroes to be educated in unorthodox ways – by a centaur, for instance, like Achilles, or by a wizard, like King Arthur. It’s also not unusual for them to have dead parents and strange powers, like Harry Potter.
The Graveyard Book is a bildungsroman – a novel about a protagonist’s education – in which Nobody’s unusual tutors are a collection of ghosts, a vampire and a female werewolf, and the strange powers are supernatural abilities granted by the dead people who live (as it were) in the graveyard.
Gaiman brought himself up right. He read a great many books proper to his future calling, and absorbed their memes and lessons. When advised to direct his feet to the sunny side of the street, he did – he does not write tragedies – but he also directed them to the shadow side; for, as Ursula K Le Guin so memorably put it: “Only in silence the word, / Only in dark the light, / Only in dying life: / Bright the hawk’s flight / On the empty sky.” Or as Beatrix Potter demonstrated, no fun robbing the radishes from Mr McGregor’s garden unless the rabbit-pie dish hovers as a threat. What’s the point of being “Alive, alive, oh” unless you also risk being dead as a doorknob? (Though we must reserve judgment about those doorknobs, in view of A Christmas Carol.)
Gaiman's short story collection "Smoke and Mirrors" also contains several stories that focus on witchcraft and magic. From a young girl who discovers a hidden library of magical books to a village haunted by a witch's curse, Gaiman explores a wide range of supernatural themes in these stories. His prose is rich in detail and provides an immersive reading experience for those interested in the mysteries of witchcraft. Overall, the witchcraft books by Neil Gaiman showcase his talent for blending fantasy, folklore, and horror elements into compelling narratives. Whether it's a novel like "Stardust" or a short story from "Smoke and Mirrors," Gaiman's writing transports readers to worlds full of magic and wonder. These books are a must-read for fans of witchcraft and those who appreciate Gaiman's distinctive storytelling style..
Reviews for "The ethical implications of witchcraft in Neil Gaiman's stories"
1. Samantha - 2 stars
I was really excited to read the witchcraft books by Neil Gaiman, but I was extremely disappointed. The writing style was confusing and hard to follow, making it difficult to engage with the story. The characters lacked depth and felt one-dimensional, making it hard to care about their fates. Additionally, the plot was slow and uneventful, leading to a lack of tension and excitement. Overall, I found the witchcraft books to be underwhelming and not worth the hype.
2. Michael - 1 star
I couldn't even finish the witchcraft books by Neil Gaiman. The writing was pretentious and overly descriptive, bogging down the story and making it a chore to read. The characters were uninteresting and I couldn't connect with any of them. The plot seemed aimless and lacking direction, leaving me bored and unengaged. I was truly disappointed by these books and would not recommend them to anyone.
3. Emily - 2 stars
I had high expectations for the witchcraft books by Neil Gaiman, but they fell short for me. The writing style was overly simplistic and lacked depth, making it hard for me to become invested in the story. The plot felt predictable and lacked any major surprises or twists. Additionally, the characters didn't have much development or complexity, making it difficult to care about their journeys. Overall, I found these books to be underwhelming and forgettable.