I just finished reading my first Neil Gaiman book, Neverworld yesterday and I have to say that I loved. It felt like I was reading The Matrix but better than the Matrix. I know that this was never answered in the book so I am wondering about your opinions on this matter.

Why was Richard able to see Door and remember her?

You've just finished reading it...you loved it...and yet you get the title of it wrong?! It's NeverWHERE!!!

Hey, look, Mike, it's Friday the 13th. These things will happen.

(chamelean75, don't sweat it!)

Welcome, both of you. If you come on down to the World's End section, people will be glad to say hi and give you red balloons and other strange virtual swag.

- Cho

Yeah, I have brain blips like that all the time, which can end up being very entertaining.

Welcome to the board!

I can't research it 'cos I lent out my copy of Neverwhere, but I think the whole Richard seeing Door thing was vaguely explained as some people can see London Below inhabitants, sometimes. Usually they are people who will eventually end up in London Below or people who really notice things or genuinely care for others. I would say Richard noticed people - all people.

Do keep in mind, this might not be a blip at all. Neverwhere's been translated into a few languages, and this board's set up for English only, practically speaking.

Maybe he was compassionate, but I think he was looking for something more. The way that at the end he left the girl he met, forgive me I forget her name, had the glimps of the future and decided he'd rather be in London Below... That couldn't have been the first time he thought regular life just wouldn't be enough.

I think that finding something more, or finding something fantastic vibe is pre eminant in a lot of Gaimans stories. It may be one of the reasons I am so uncureably infatuated with him.

When Door tries to escape from Croup and Vandemar, the last door she is able to open is not for somewhere, it's a door to "someone" -to Richard. Also, Richard was having dreams (or started having them very shortly after, can't remember which one) about the Beast, you could say he was destined to become the Warrior from London Below.
The way I see it, on the one hand Richard was destined to see Door, since she would set off the events that would enable him to fulfill his destiny.
On the other, Door opeed a door to the only person who could help him -maybe this meant the only person in London Above who would be able to see and help her. Or, maybe the door was opened just randomly to someone in London Above, who happened to be Richard, who could not ignore her even if he tried because the door had been opened to him now.

I like to think it's all of the above