I am having touble understanding "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman. If someone could post chapter by chapter summaries in detail that would be great. Also any major symbols in the book that can't be easily comprehended. I am reading this book for school and any help would be much appreciated. I tried sparknotes but the website did not have notes on any books by Gaiman. Thanks

Pax Christi

We appreciate you need help, but won't do your homework for you. Is there a more specific question you have besides what happens in the entire book and name all the symbolism?

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Originally posted by materdeiorapronobis:
I am having touble understanding "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman. If someone could post chapter by chapter summaries in detail that would be great. Also any major symbols in the book that can't be easily comprehended. I am reading this book for school and any help would be much appreciated. I tried sparknotes but the website did not have notes on any books by Gaiman. Thanks

Pax Christi

try reading the book again. Its not all that elaborate, which is part of neils charm. Its metaphors are clever and mysterious, but oh so blatently obvious.

Like the whole ordeal thing obviously references the use of tea by Douglas Adams, as he and Neil were good friends. It didn't seem like much of anything to me until i began to read Douglas Adams. After that it was like a smack in the face.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Eldi,

I'd be more than happy to oblige!

In Chapter Eight, Old Bailey comes in contact with a young girl who inquires a statue she has. Old Bailey tells her that the statue is of a man who got lost in the Underground years ago.
Richard and Door talk to the rats about Richard's accidental killing of a rat the previous night. Richard and Door (and her body guard Hunter) then come across a broken bridgeway. Door reveals her familial talent of being a Repairer, and the trio crosses the Bridge with ease. The three then cross into the London Above. They travel to an Inn to look for Angelus.

The hookah in Chapter 10 is an obvious reference to the Caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. Neil went a bit overboard when he said it also made Julian fries.

I have also seen it speculated that Richards nightmare of the beast is an attack on christian faiths. I guess the spear relates to the spear that was used to gorge Christ and the fact that there was some boar like references suggests that he was calling christian people "fat and lazy" or something.