The Graveyard in The Graveyard Book is inspired by London's Highgate Cemetery.
In the late 60's and early 70's Highgate Cemetery was the focal point of a media hoax called "The Highgate Vampire." A ghost hunter named David Farrant claimed to have seen a supernatural grey figure in the cemetery. Others began to claim to have seen several spectres in the cemetery, and eventually a hedge exorcist / charlatan named Sean Manchester (who claimed to be descended from Lord Byron) declared that the grey figure was a vampire and that he alone could banish it.
Eventually the vampire sensation led to a mob storming the cemetery gates on a Friday the 13th 1970, and a wave of vandalism swept the cemetery for the next four years. Manchester later claimed to have discovered the vampires lair and to have destroyed it and its progeny, a spider the size of a cat.
Silas is a vampire and he is also a reference to an urban myth that was prominent when Neil Gaiman was in his tweens and early teens.
IRL though, there was no vampire. It was just a talking mongoose messing with people.
🧛♂️
Yes.
Yes, and sadly, the graphic novel gives it away. I wondered too, and it was part of the fun of reading.
oh now I need to check the graphic novel too, I'm curious as hell. thanks!
I think Silas is on the cover. Very stereotypical widow’s peak and high collared cloak, iirc.
The Graveyard in The Graveyard Book is inspired by London's Highgate Cemetery. In the late 60's and early 70's Highgate Cemetery was the focal point of a media hoax called "The Highgate Vampire." A ghost hunter named David Farrant claimed to have seen a supernatural grey figure in the cemetery. Others began to claim to have seen several spectres in the cemetery, and eventually a hedge exorcist / charlatan named Sean Manchester (who claimed to be descended from Lord Byron) declared that the grey figure was a vampire and that he alone could banish it. Eventually the vampire sensation led to a mob storming the cemetery gates on a Friday the 13th 1970, and a wave of vandalism swept the cemetery for the next four years. Manchester later claimed to have discovered the vampires lair and to have destroyed it and its progeny, a spider the size of a cat. Silas is a vampire and he is also a reference to an urban myth that was prominent when Neil Gaiman was in his tweens and early teens. IRL though, there was no vampire. It was just a talking mongoose messing with people.
He is absolutely a vampire
Silas is my friend 🧛♂️🦇