BBC: "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman

Few things can express my love for Neil Gaiman's "Neverwhere"... It's a classic story of a man living a completely ordinary life and then discovering a dark and beautiful world beneath the mundane London streets. It's a build on the Alice-in-Wonderland story model, but executed with so much flair and originality that it feels entirely new. Escapism at its finest!

Perhaps my favourite bit in the book is where Mayhew attempts to cross Knight's Bridge. I'm not ashamed to admit that I was extremely scared of the dark when I was younger, and reading the passages pertaining to the all-consuming dark brought back all my childhood memories. To call it 'creepy' would be something of an understatement, as I spent the next few nights sleeping with a flashlight after I read that chapter.

Another favourite would be the fact that the most physically powerful character in the book is a female, and that she can best all the Buffys and the Echoes of television. Without a doubt, Hunter is a femme fatale worth emulating. (Never mind that she made a bad decision or two along the way-- at the very least, she was possessed of a single-minded determination that I find extremely interesting.)

The main protagonist is your somewhat typical "everyman", but Gaiman writes him with such enthusiasm that I can't help but empathize with his character. After all, it would be wonderful to think that if I were thrust in the same situation I would react with courage and fervor, but in actuality I would probably react very much like he did-- sit in a corner and cry. ;)

I highly recommend this novel to fans of fiction and fantasy-- whether or not the surreal is your cup of tea, I can guarantee that you'll find "Neverwhere" an enjoyable read.