The View from the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman Review

Title: The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction
Author: Neil Gaiman
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Nonfiction
Series: N/A
Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

First of all: Happy Fourth of July, all! Hope your Fourth is full of family, friends, and food, and of course, books!

Okay, so just so you know, I'm going to be unapologetically biased in this review: I love Neil Gaiman, ever since I read Snow, Glass, Apples a few years ago. (I know, I know, I sound like a rabid fan, but no Misery-esque craziness here, I promise) Reading his work for the first time was like being introduced to someone new, but you feel like you've known them forever. And frankly, The View from the Cheap Seats was like having one of my inspirations all to myself for the three days I was reading it. I felt like Neil himself was sitting in my living room, telling me stories and encouraging me and telling me all the things he cares about. If all nonfiction were like this book, I would be an avid fan.

This book is a hefty one--over five hundred pages of pure Neil Gaiman, who I thought I knew before now. And I did--through his fiction. But there is so much more to him than his writing and literature career; he cares about all of that and more. Comics, fairy tales, movies and music, writing, reading. And he explains a topic in such a way that even if you didn't care about it when the essay began, you did when it ended. I love how especially thorough and personal and incredibly emotional it is--Neil Gaiman is one of my heroes, and now, because of this lovely tome, I feel like I know and love and am inspired by him that much more, that much better. It was highly enjoyable, full of stories and knowledge and love. I'm so enlightened and inspired, and I have a lot of food for thought from this wonderful, absolutely essential volume from one of the brightest stars in literature! The bottom line: A thoughtful, loving tome on Neil Gaiman and all of his loves, The View from the Cheap Seats is absolutely essential for any fan, whether they be devotees or new to the author! Next on deck: The Marked Girl by Lindsey Klingele!

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