The Ocean at the End of the Lane
By Neil Gaiman
- Release Date: 2013-06-18
- Genre: Fiction & Literature
Description
A brilliantly imaginative and poignant fairy tale from the modern master of wonder and terror, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is Neil Gaiman’s first new novel for adults since his #1 New York Times bestseller Anansi Boys.
This bewitching and harrowing tale of mystery and survival, and memory and magic, makes the impossible all too real...
Reviews
Left a lot to be desired
4By MRah45It was a great book but it almost feels unfinished in a way. Not sure if that was the author’s intention but it really did leave a lot to be desired. When it was finished I only thought “that can’t be it?”What else is there?
4By mishachanchibadze“What else is there?” The book answers the question rather fairy tale-y but then again: it doesn’t pretend to be anything more than that — a fairy tale.Truly fantastic
5By Duckie1779This book encapsulates the essence of childhood. No one's in particular, but the the magic of belief, selfishness, sacrifice, and the way we see the world as children. I felt like I half remembered it myself, familiar, as if reading a dream I once had. One of the best books I ever read and I look forward to reading it againAmazing Fantasy by a Master of the Craft
5By Prairie_DogThe Ocean at the End of the Lane is a 2013 fantasy novel by British author Neil Gaiman. It tells the story of an unnamed man who has returned to his hometown for a funeral. He turns down a lane that ran by his childhood home, and at the end of the lane he falls into the events of forty years before. When he was a seven year old boy, there was a thing that slipped into the world. It used him as its gate, and began to influence the world in ways that were unnatural. Fortunately, he found the Hempstock Farm at the end of the lane. This farm was inhabited by three women, one very old, one middle aged, and one is a girl who appears to be eleven. These women will help him, but this will not be without great cost… This book is difficult to describe. It’s a literary fantasy, and seems like it has elements of myths and fairy tales woven into it. It is also reportedly semi-autobiographical, and it certainly seems to describe a very British childhood. My copy of the e-book includes a lot of great additional materials including a reading group guide, and an interview with the author concerning the book. Is it good? Indeed, it’s by Neil Gaiman!Good read
5By MeganC864I love anything by Neil GaimanI’m becoming a Huge Neil Gaiman fan.
5By Manicmechanic08Awesome!Ocean at the end of the lane is a must read
4By NM WilliamsLovely, convoluted, intriguing and immersed in imagery - wonderfully written and a joy to readWonderful
5By Jon-NCJust an amazing tale and thought provoking read about life.Riveting
5By TigonieAnyone rating this book badly does not understand Gaiman‘s writing. He is just on another level. He’s that good. His books are always incredible and have never failed to captivate me. This book was very well written and also very interesting. Some people also have said that it is a children’s book, from the eyes of a child. Not true. It is a childhood memory that is being reviewed by an adult. There are also some adult topics that may be inappropriate for children. I have always admired his talent of giving such grim topics such a fantastical mood. Not that I don’t admire his amazing talent as a writer in general. All of his books are worth a read. If you see a book with Niel Gaiman on the cover, buy it. Check it out. The money will definitely be worth it. And this book is also in that category. And if you’re mad your ebook didn’t download, then just buy it for real, for Pete‘s sake. All pages included, guaranteed.F
1By landsboyWould have never read if not forced to.Just Silly
1By Puss BompanseroThis is a book for children, not adults and should be advertised as such. Complete waste of my time and money but might be enjoyable for a 9 year oldExceptional - Gaiman Does It Again
5By asapr212I ate it all of one piece. The devil is in the details. I enjoyed finishing it and then starting again right away ...Fantastic.
5By ZakenfeinIf you haven’t read it do yourself a favor and do so.Already Read Twice
5By Ashley ZavislakI can’t say enough about this amazing imaginative and vivid story. It’s a short read but oh so immersiveLet me in the ocean, it did.
5By mabltA useful tool in finding somethings you may have lost.Creepy and Awesome!
4By Booked & LoadedNeil Gaiman has a special talent – writing creepy and not in the same way blood or gore are creepy. Gaiman does not need to use curse words or violence. His true talent is recognizing the childlike fears we hold inside and creating a story that explores the depth of them. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is such a great example of this talent. The innocent fears of an everyday child come alive in this shorter story about an impossible journey. Impossible, yet completely brought to life through the eyes of a child. That being said, this is not specifically a children’s book. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is more about the fears adults like to believe they have grown out of. Told in a way that pulls you into the book and allows you to live their quietly while watching the memories play out. Thought provoking and interesting, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a book I will not soon forget. If you are looking for a change of pace from the normal filler books, this is a great book to switch it up. The downside was the ending. I am not sure what happened and felt like the ending didn’t fit the rest of the story. It was a bland ending to a great story. Narration: Narrated by the creepy genius himself, Neil Gaiman was shockingly good. OK, so maybe that was kind of what I expected, so “shockingly” might be a bit of an exaggeration. I think a part of me wondered how different an author would interpret characters, and probably made a slight assumption that it would not be as good as I hoped it was going to be. That ended up not being the case. Gaiman glides through every part of the story and made feel childlike. I so wanted to close my eyes and wish myself young, cross-legged on the floor, with Neil Gaiman sitting on a stool reading this book to me. I rate The Ocean at the End of the Lane 4 out of 5 Bullets.Must read
5By Mlp102I love Neil's work he always grabs me in and I can't stop readingUgh!!!
1By DribreI tried to read this book several times but in the end decided I wasted $6.99. There are much better books to read than this one!!Amazing
5By Couch121107Love this book, definitely worth reading.
