Never(any)where

True to Mike Carey style, from my experience with Lucifer, this graphic novel adapted from Neil Gaiman's novel takes you on a journey of learning through London Below. Carey weaves a spell of magical realism as the world of London Below creeps in and out of London Above.

Door, the heroine, escapes into London Above from pursuers who were at first, faceless and nameless to her. She pleads for help from Londoner (Above) Richard Mayhew, who takes his first-ever initiative and decides to help. This decision drags him into the in-between realm caught between the two Londons where London Above does not see or recognise him, and London Below spurns him. In a bid to retrieve his life in London Above, he follows Door on her quest to avenge her family, who was killed by those nameless, faceless pursuers of hers at the start. On the way, they encounter death, battle with The Beast, fight with their inner demons and are double crossed, but behold the twist - Door knew all along she was walking into a trap and managed to trick the mastermind villian to his end.

In some ways, the plot of this graphic novel shadows Constantine the movie (Keanu Reeves) - the depressive would-be hero character and the twist in the identity of the villan share uncanny similarities to the movie.

I have yet to read Gaiman's novel, but I can bet that this graphic adaptation is skimming on the details that I know Gaiman's work to contain. This 'Neverwhere' was curt and short on the nuances that would complete the portraits of these worlds which would allow the reader to be fully transported into the magical reality in the story. Perhaps this read would be best with prior knowledge of Gaiman's original novel, but for me, the best is to follow up on that.

Still, Carey's 'Neverwhere' is interesting enough to enrapture you for the course of the adventure Door and Mayhew face, but once over, it is not likely to stay anywhere in your memory.