A Gaiman Question

[power to the J]

I've just started Neverwhere (spoilers) and just got to the point where Richard's fiance dumps him. It seems devoid of emotion. He just accepts it and moves on, when in the pages before Gaiman spends several pages explaining how much Richard loves her. Then, when he's a "ghost" or w/e it is (I haven't got much past that, so don't say anything please!) he just wonders why. I'm wondering if all of Neverwhere and/or all of Gaiman is like this: missing emotion? Or, is this just my own odd opinion that isn't shared? Either way, thanks in advance for answering.

[the_faery_queen]

i tend to feel that way abotu a lot of gaimons work. his graphic novels are very emotional, to read. and i feel for the characters, but i think it helps that you can see how they feel in their little drawn faces
in his books, there isnt' that. i've read neverwhere and stardust and both felt flat to me because i never felt that any of the characters felt anything. they weren't vivid. unicorn died in stardust, he'd helped them a lot, but they didn't seem to care. at the end, believing the star and boy were in love, i didn't, it was too fast and without any real emotion

so yeah. i think gaimon has great ideas, he does brilliant graphic novels, but his work falls down in prose because he can't convey descriptions or emotions very well so nothing ever feels alive
for me at least

[LyannaWolfBlood]

I'm not so sure about Gaiman not conveying emotion well. The shallowness of their relationship - Jessica telling him he should propose, comments such as (I'm paraphrasing) "This was the most important day of Richard's life. Not of hers, of course, that would come later when they made her the Prime Minister, or the Queen, or God...." - seems established right from the start. It's obvious that things aren't going to go on like this and all his insistence that he's deeply in love with her seems to be to convince himself that he really is deeply in love with her.

That being said, yes, you'd expect him to be upset. But when she dumps him when he finds Door he doesn't believe it's real, he expects her to call him and make up - understandably, given what she's dumping him over. And later, when he knows it's real he is (IIRC) quite upset. After that he's otherwise occupied staying alive and can't really mope over her.

As for Gaiman's general descriptions of emotion, I think he's OK. It's true that his characters are more inclined to be reserved that to be outwardly emotional, but many people are like that. IMO his general descriptions are amazing - much better than his emotions and possibly one of the strongest aspects of his work.

[D_Davis]

Originally Posted by power to the J

I've just started Neverwhere (spoilers) and just got to the point where Richard's fiance dumps him. It seems devoid of emotion. He just accepts it and moves on, when in the pages before Gaiman spends several pages explaining how much Richard loves her. Then, when he's a "ghost" or w/e it is (I haven't got much past that, so don't say anything please!) he just wonders why. I'm wondering if all of Neverwhere and/or all of Gaiman is like this: missing emotion? Or, is this just my own odd opinion that isn't shared? Either way, thanks in advance for answering.

This is a problem I have with most of Gaiman's books I've read. Very shallow on any real emotion or character driven drama.

His comic books are great (I read through Sandman frequently), and I think he has good ideas, but I am shocked at his success and popularity as a novelist. It really is an eternal mystery to me. I just don't think he conveys things very well through his prose, without the aide of drawings. His prose always seems to precious and trite for it to carry any real emotional impact.

[the_faery_queen]

me too actually. my brother saw stardust (as did I) and he has most of gaimans books too and he went on abotu how brilliant a writer he is and i find that baffling because he's not. he's a great idea man, his graphic novels are beautiful, but his books are just ok. good ideas, but they feel rushed, nothing is very indepth and i never really care abotu anyone in them

[power to the J]

Originally Posted by LyannaWolfBlood

And later, when he knows it's real he is (IIRC) quite upset.

He wasn't, really. Just a bit annoyed. He just asked people questions and then the next thing I know he's with the rats.