Creatures Of The Night

by Neil Gaiman, Michael Zulli | Children's Books |
ISBN: 1569719365 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 7/13/2006
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9 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Thursday, July 13, 2006
This Dark Horse production contains two of Neil Gaiman's stories, beautifully illustrated by Michael Zulli. I think it was the cover art that really caught me on this one but the contents are worth the effort!

The first one, "The Price," muses on an assortment of cats that have been abandoned by vacationers or summer people and have made their way to the author's house. One in particular seems to be on duty against something mysterious and malevolent... I'd first read "The Price" in Gaiman's wonderful collection Smoke and Mirrors and found it memorable, and this illustrated version is wonderful. It opens with a touch of humor (the picture of the wide-eyed rescue-ee on the table at the vet's for neutering) but turns into something much darker. [I've got a grey cat who looks like the black one in the picture sometimes. Makes you wonder...]

"The Daughter of Owls" begins like many fairy tales, with a foundling turning up on the doorstep. She's clutching an owl pellet (the little knot of fur and bones that's all that remains of an owl's usual prey), and this disturbs the villagers, who insist that she's cursed in some way and want her put to death. The village elders opt to let her live but insist that she remain in an old convent far outside of town and not see a living soul aside from one old woman who'd look after her. When the girl grows up, beautiful but mute - how can she learn to speak with nobody to speak to? - rumors get about, and the men of the village grow... interested... This one's a very dark tale of vengeance.

Journal Entry 2 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Saturday, July 15, 2006
I'm offering this for a bookring; see the forum post here.

Bookray/ring instructions:

When you receive the book, please journal it, and PM the next person in line for their address so you'll have it ready when you've finished the book.
Note: even if you've sent books to that person before, please PM them before mailing this one, to confirm that the address is correct and that they're able to take on a bookring book at this time.
Try and read the book promptly - ideally, within a month of receiving it. (If you expect to take longer, you can request to be put at the end of the list. If you find you're swamped with other books when the person before you contacts you about the bookring, you can ask to be skipped, and then let me know whether you'd like to be moved down the list or dropped entirely. If you receive the book and find it's taking longer than you'd planned to get through it, I'd appreciate an update in its journal entries or on your profile, just to let me and the other participants know you haven't forgotten it.)

When you're ready to pass the book along, please make another journal entry containing your comments about the book and stating where you've sent it, and set the book's status code to "traveling". [If you find that you're having problems contacting the next person in line, or don't think you can manage to mail the book as originally agreed, please let me know; I'll be glad to try to work something out.]

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Participants, in mailing order:

LaurieS [New Hampshire]
RockDg9 [Australia]
FutureCat [New Zealand]
AmaniS [Germany]
rebeccaljames [Ohio]
yvensong [Nevada]

...and back to GoryDetails in New Hampshire!

Journal Entry 3 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Sunday, July 30, 2006
Controlled release:

This book's on its way to BCer LaurieS in New Hampshire, to kick off the bookring - hope you enjoy it!

Journal Entry 4 by BarkLessWagMore from Merrimack, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, August 2, 2006
I haven't read Gaiman for awhile and am looking forward to starting this today. More later . . .

Journal Entry 5 by BarkLessWagMore from Merrimack, New Hampshire USA on Friday, August 4, 2006
Gaiman's work, be it these almost fairy-tale like tales, his Sandman series or his children's work, is almost always peppered with some very dark edges, which is what makes them so appealing to me. These two stories were no exception.

As a cat lover, I really enjoyed "The Price". As a child, we had outdoor cats who would come home with horrible wounds but I always assumed they were from other common beasties. This story was an imaginative look at the source of one brave kitties injuries.

As "The Daughter of Owls" went along, I turned the pages with a feeling of dread not wanting to see illustrated what I knew was inevitable. Fortunately, the nastier bits were left to the imagination (which might even be worse for someone like me!). After reading the story, I found the back blurb disturbing to say the least. It says "the strange girl inspires tragedy when word of her uncanny beauty spreads to the neighboring villagers". Tragedy isn't exactly the word I would've chosen if I'd written the blurb (unless, of course, you were writing it from the girls' POV). This was a moody little tale of justice that was tastefully illustrated.

Thanks for sharing gorydetails. I'm mailing this one off to the next in line this afternoon.

Journal Entry 6 by BarkLessWagMore at Bookring 2 in bookring, Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Friday, August 4, 2006

Released 17 yrs ago (8/4/2006 UTC) at Bookring 2 in bookring, Bookring -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

This has been mailed off to RockDg9 . I hope you enjoy it!

Journal Entry 7 by RockDg9 from Toowoomba, Queensland Australia on Thursday, November 16, 2006
You can stop worrying LaurieS!!! This arrived here today - not sure where it's been - probably enjoying a lovely holiday in Figi or something.

Journal Entry 8 by RockDg9 from Toowoomba, Queensland Australia on Friday, November 17, 2006
I enjoyed reading these stories - the second one especially ... it's such a haunting tale.

I've PMd FutureCat for an address and will post on as soon as I receive that.

Journal Entry 9 by RockDg9 from Toowoomba, Queensland Australia on Monday, November 27, 2006
Posted on to FutureCat.

Journal Entry 10 by futurecat from Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand on Friday, December 1, 2006
Arrived safely in NZ today.

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Journal Entry 11 by futurecat from Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand on Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Two very disturbing stories! I wouldn't want to live inside Neil Gaiman's imagination, but I'm glad he does, because he produces some amazing books as a result. This is the first time I've read one of his graphic novels (though I've read other books of his), and it didn't disappoint.

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Journal Entry 12 by futurecat from Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand on Thursday, December 14, 2006
Posted to AmaniS yesterday.

Journal Entry 13 by AmaniS from Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg Germany on Thursday, December 21, 2006
received in the mail today. I will try to read today and get out as soon as possible.

Journal Entry 14 by rebeccaljames from Cincinnati, Ohio USA on Thursday, January 11, 2007
I just received this book today and already read it. Thank you for sharing. I will be mailing this out to yvensong as soon as I receive an address.

Journal Entry 15 by rebeccaljames from Cincinnati, Ohio USA on Tuesday, January 23, 2007
I mailed this to yvensong this afternoon.

Journal Entry 16 by yvensong from Reno, Nevada USA on Saturday, February 3, 2007
I received this today. I have a BookRay I'm reading right now, then on to this one!

Journal Entry 17 by yvensong from Reno, Nevada USA on Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Thanks so much for sharing this with all of us, GoryDetails!

I read this last night, and today spent a little more time enjoying the artwork.

I've just started reading Gaiman this past year, and really like his tales. These two were dark and did not disappoint.

The first story reminded me of a scrappy little cat I used to have several years ago, and had me wondering what demons he was keeping me safe from.

I will be returning this on the weekend, my next trip to the post office.

Journal Entry 18 by yvensong from Reno, Nevada USA on Sunday, February 18, 2007
This is on its way back to GoryDetails.

Confirmation #0305 2200 0822 4488

Journal Entry 19 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, February 21, 2007
The book's safely back home after its trip around the world; many thanks to all who participated in the ring. Glad you enjoyed the book!

Journal Entry 20 by wingGoryDetailswing at N/A in N/A, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Friday, March 30, 2007

Released 16 yrs ago (3/30/2007 UTC) at N/A in N/A, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Controlled release: This is one of a batch of books that I've mailed ahead for distribution at the upcoming BC Convention in Charleston SC, courtesy of BCer kiptrix (many thanks!). I don't know whether the books will wind up in goodie bags or on the "book buffet" or somewhere else, but I hope someone will enjoy them!

Journal Entry 21 by CharlestonBCers from Charleston, South Carolina USA on Wednesday, April 4, 2007
In a box of books sent for convention release. Thank you very much!

Journal Entry 22 by rem_HKR-388626 on Friday, April 20, 2007
Picked up from Book Buffet Table at Charleston Convention.

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