When I finish a story, close the cover and can't keep the details out of my head, when the world in the story seems so full and yet I know only a tiny slice of it and I wonder what happened after, who Were those people, what all do I Not know about what happened, that to me is the mark of a truly good story. I just finished The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. That is the feeling I have now.


I suppose it's a mark of where I am in my life that I would rather enjoy that slight ache of a good story ended than have someone try and come back and tell me all the rest. I don't Want it explained. It ended where it should with uncountable new adventures possible, with so much that neither I nor Bod really Know about how it all works and that's as it should be.

Thanks, Neil, for another rich, dark fairy tale that any kid I might actually like can read and enjoy and one that leaves me with that delicious sadness at the story being over. I'll reread it, I'm sure, and read it to other people if they'll sit still long enough.