She has the power to create doors that lead to any destination―it is this power that led her to Richard― and is the only surviving member of her recently killed family, all of whom shared this power. Door comes from London Below, a magical society that exists both alongside and underneath the world Richard knows, or London Above. The next day, he learns that the girl’s name is Door, and she is fleeing two men, Mr. Richard takes the girl to his home, where she falls asleep before he can figure out what happened to her. Richard is determined to help her so he skips the dinner, which causes Jessica to end their engagement because she is angry that he would choose a stranger over keeping up appearances. Stockton, Richard and Jessica stumble upon an injured girl who seems to have appeared out of nowhere. One night, on their way to dinner with Jessica’s boss, Mr. Richard seems content to just let life happen to him, following whatever directions Jessica gives him without question. Years later, he’s living and working in London and engaged to a strong-willed woman named Jessica, who believes that Richard should always strive to be the best possible version of himself. The night before he leaves, an elderly woman reads his fortune and warns him about doors. The novel begins with a prologue: Richard Mayhew is preparing to move from Scotland to London, England. This guide references the 2015 e-book edition of Neverwhere, which includes an introduction from Gaiman about the revisions this edition received. The story follows a “hero’s journey” as defined by Joseph Campbell, where the protagonist Richard Mayhew goes on a quest that reveals his true nature to himself and others. Important themes in Neverwhere include self-sacrifice, redemption, and betrayal vs. This urban fantasy takes inspiration from The Wizard of Oz as well as other allegorical sources, such as the Bible.

Neil gaiman neverwhere series