Book Review: Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (Author's Preferred Text)

I had read this back in the late 90's when it came out, but I've always wanted to re-read it aloud for the boys, and when I saw that a Director's Cut (really "Author's Preferred Edition") came out, I leapt at the chance. I'm not sure what differences there were in the story itself. It may have taken a little longer to get going. But the boys didn't seem to mind. Both of them were as enthralled with the strange parallel world of London Below as I was, and now that I've been to London and, for example, know exactly what the scene that takes place on the fragment of the London Wall looks like, I enjoyed this book all the more. A weird, and wonderful, and at heart old-fashioned book about how this isn't all there is. I liked it even more the second time. The short story appended to the end is also wonderful and allows me to keep voicing the Marquis, who may be my favorite character to read -- although for some reason I kept thinking of the Gaiman Doctor Who episodes as I read it. As a read-aloud book, it was even better than I thought I would be for that, and I was able to easily edit it down from a PG13 rating to a PG for the kids (and to mitigate my own blushing). Love this book.