A pair of ghost stories
Posted by: Kaite Stover
It didn’t even occur to me that these two books I’m about to mention are very well suited for the month of October. I was only thinking about what a great duo they’d make for a discussion.
I just finished Audrey Niffenegger’s sophomore effort, Her Fearful Symmetry and thought what a great pairing it would be for a book group to discuss this title with Neil Gaiman’s award-winning The Graveyard Book.
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
What made me put these two books together was the prominence of the cemetery as a crucial location for both books. In Her Fearful Symmetry, it’s Highgate Cemetery; in The Graveyard Book, the cemetery is unnamed, but bears a striking resemblance to Highgate.
Another great discussable issue is the theme of death and the way the characters react to it. The presence of ghostly characters and how and why they interact with living ones will also provide interesting conversation.
Imagine my surprise when I discover both authors are friends and consulted each other while writing their books. I didn’t pick up on that until I read the acknowledgments. My first thought was, “the settings are so similar and yet the authors treat them so differently.”
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
I’m looking for pairings for my book groups these days to liven up the discussion, give the readers a choice, and also access to one title if another is all checked out. These two novels share enough similarities that I expect we’ll have a great compare-and-contrast chat once we get to the meeting room.
Topics for discussion will include:
In what ways do the authors describe the cemetery similarly? Differently? What special place does it hold for the main characters?
Are there any similarities in character between the twins, Julia and Valentina, and Bod? Can any connections be drawn between their situations?
Talk about the ghosts in each story. How do the authors treat their ethereal characters?
Do the authors share similar approaches to the themes of death and living?
Point to the scariest places in the stories. What makes them shiver inducing?
Do you see any similarities in the illustrations of both books?
Which one is scarier?
October 26th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Wow! What a great connection I never would have found on my own. I LOVE The Graveyard Book, so now Her Fearful Symmetry must go to the top of my list.
October 29th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
I second what Mary said! Now I have to read Her Fearful Symmetry asap.