The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Classic Gaiman. A book for adults who enjoy reading as a child.

What a great read. I didn't realize how allegorical this was until I was about half-way through.

Couldn't put it down.

neil gaiman is honestly a literary genius and i cannot emphasize it enough. This book is hands down one of my favourite quick reads so far. The allegories are just chef's kiss.

Perfect little fantasy/fairy tale. It left me wanting more. Oh, and parts were terrifying!

There were a lot of books this could have been and I think my opinion of it suffered from having heard so much about it and wanting it to have been those other books. I wanted this to be a book about the unreliable memory of childhood and how age gives a mundane tint and banal explanations for the remembered magic, both awesome and awful. I wanted this to be a book about the adult that we become and how that holds up to the children that we were and the continuous source of identity.

Instead, it's a modern fairy tale. I love modern fairy tales and this is a great one, but I can't forgive it for not being the book I wanted it to be.

What a deeply melancholic book. It's funny because when you compare this to Pratchett's work with similar ingredients it's really interesting how deeply sad and occasionally terrifying Gaiman's work is compared to the latters wry humour and empowerment.

A children's fable, suitable for adults as well. I would imagine this feels the same as Coraline.

I can't really say Neil Gaiman's books are bad, or that I don't like them. For one his prose is at the very least a bit compelling regardless of the story he is telling. Then his voice, he is the perfect narrator for his own stories.

That said, his stories are not usually my kind of stories. Like this one. It was just entertaining enough. I'm not into fables.

A curious reflection on life and reality. What is as we think it is? Who has our back?

I enjoyed both the narrative and the characters. With many little subplots, this story can keep you hoping for more.

Ok... Esto es un poco difícil de calificar. Pero haré mi mejor esfuerzo para dar mi sincera opinión: Antes, tengo 3 puntos que rescato de este libro:

Primero: Aunque he escuchado mucho de este autor, nunca había leído ningún libro de él, así que cuando descubrí esta novela del cual todo el mundo me hablaba, decidí que ya era hora de animarme y leer este libro.

Segundo: La narración es estupenda. El autor domina las palabras de una manera muy especial. Pinta los escenarios de manera magistral, lo cual hace que no sea difícil imaginarse los escenarios.

Tercero: La historia en general es buena. La idea es muy original y hasta ahora no he leído ningún libro con el cual pueda compararlo.

Y ahora, vamos con los aspectos negativos:

Primero: Por desgracia, no me sentí conectada con ningún personaje. Sentí que mi mente divagaba en medio de la historia y que las palabras flotaban alrededor. Por eso, los personajes me parecieron demasiado distantes e inalcanzables, lo cual, para mí, es un gran defecto.

Segundo: Por momentos, me apreció que la narración perdía misterio y por eso, la novela se me hizo un poco larga e interminable. Está bien que la narración tenga descripciones hermosas, pero a veces, esto le resta interés a la historia.

- CONCLUSIÓN: Le tenía altas expectativas a este libro, y lamento no haber podido conectar con la historia. Pero supongo que los demás libros de este escritor me pueden gustar más que éste, así que, sí, sí recomendaría este libro a otras personas pues a lo mejor termina gustándoles más que a mí.

-I recieved a free eBook through NetGalley but this fact didn't influence the review-

Started a little slow for me as I didn't really care for any of the characters. The narrator (never given a name) wasn't interesting until Lettie was a part of the story. Lettie's family was undefined but seemed to be witches and then just otherworld beings but were really the stars of the story. The boy was really just there to move the story along but was mostly unnecessary. Once the action started picking up, I really enjoyed the story and the whole world Gaiman managed to create in so few pages. I would like to see a sequel or prequel of this focusing on the Hempstock's family and their farm.

I have a feeling this book will stick with me and I'll wonder why I only gave it four stars, but for now four stars is what it is. It's a charming, small, sweet, haunting story and I'm glad that's what it is. It's no American Gods but its perfect in a completely different sort of way. Just charming.

How had I never read this before? It came across the desk at library while I was working and I thought maybe I should read it, because everyone I know has, and they seemed to like it, and it's by Neil Gaiman so it's going to be good...but I had no idea how good it was going to be. It was wonderful. And I'm so glad I've finally read it.

The ending parts, maybe the last 50 pages are basically the best thing ever. The rest is various degrees of good, a somewhat clunky novel but certainly a good one. Some elements feel out of place, or underdeveloped, too much time is spent on a certain plot point that feels weirdly unsignificant thematically. But that ending? Holy shit it really got me. The beginning is great but the ending is, again, sort of the best. Rating and deeper thoughts later maybe? great great book

If it weren't for some stuff in the middle this would absolutely be one of my favourite books. At this point, probably top 30 idk

Not a bad read. Not much depth.

Simply magical. I've loved many of Gaiman's books. Up until now, it was a toss up between NEVERWHERE, THE ANANSI BOYS, or THE GRAVEYARD BOOK for the top favorite. But I might just have to say that The Ocean at the End of The Lane has solidified itself on my top tier for Gaiman.

Why? It's perhaps as difficult to explain as the nature of the Hempstock women themselves. There was just something very profound...something that tapped deep into the heart of my inner seven year old boy. It was, as Gaiman said, just as children are different from adults: adults always follow an established path, whereas children explore and seek out hidden ways to things unknown. That's precisely the way this book made me feel. I was branching away from the safe, properly constructed roads of modern fiction, and moving in and out of mulberry bushes and shadows and upgrown vegetation to discover a world–within our very own–that is magical and full of wonder.

I loved the main character. I felt so much for that poor boy. That good boy, who only wanted to be happy, but never seemed to get what he wanted until his nose was in a book or if he was holding the hand of the 11-year-old Hempstock girl/woman/entity/ancient one. I was saddened by the fact that he had forgotten and had forgotten once again (if you've read it, you'll know what I mean). But also happy that he had forgotten for the trials he'd endured by the dark creatures.

I loved the mystery of the Hempstock women. Of where all the men had gone? Of the untold Hempstock men's adventures. Of the very nature of what the Hempstock women were. Were they the Fates? Were they some re-arranged version of the Morrigan? Or something else entirely. Thankfully, Gaiman believes in letting the imaginations of his readers get carried away with these things long after the book is finished.

Which brings me to my last point. It's not very rare for me to finish a book, offer a sigh of satisfaction, and then go on to prepare dinner and live my life as normal. It's much rarer when I finish with a sigh, and sit for untold clicks of the clock, absorbing what I'd just read. Marveling in it. Exploring the possibilities of it in mind. Wondering what became of the characters after the book is closed. This book was most definitely one of those.

It's simply a magical tale that will stay with you for a long time afterwards...that is, if you enjoy stories of whimsy and magic.

Probably my least favorite of Neil Gaiman's works. That being said, the worst of Neil Gaiman is still better than 90% of fiction out there. If I had to compare it to anything, I would say it's very similar to Coraline. It's from a child's perspective and deals with his coming of age in the midst of supernatural events. I much prefer the Graveyard Book.

This book was beautiful, horrifying, comforting, and insightful. Beautiful: the style flowed like an Irish folk song, each page felt lyrical. Horrifying: it wasn't scary in the way most horror is. Nothing was particularly scary in its on right. It was the fact that the novel reaches into deep childhood fears and the psyche of a kid to make you scared of things in the same helpless way a child would be. Seriously creeped out on multiple occasions. Comforting: the family on the farm was the definition of a safe haven. I felt comforted by its presence. Insightful: it had deep commentary on the lust of money and on the nature of adulthood and childhood. Adults afterall, are children in adult costumes. So well said.
I loved this novel. Beautiful short read.

What a good book. Like a modern fairy tale full of beauty and wonders.

Very underwhelming. I think I'll just have to accept the love/hate relationship I have with this book.

I wrote a full review here. Maybe I've just read too much Neil to properly enjoy this...

Neil Gaiman delivers another magical tale of childhood, mixing together bits of his own youth with delightfully wicked fantasy elements to create an emotionally engaging, mature piece of fiction. This is a shorter novel, but it is precisely focused, as Neil has trimmed all the excess packaging off the story, leaving only the sweetest bites intact. The central characters were all fleshed out fully, without many side characters entering or exiting the story, and the arc was beautifully executed with a tumultuous ending. Love.

For me, this one is a hard one to rate. I give it 4 stars because the writing is very good and it's an imaginative story. My problem with the story is that it's not my kind of read. Had it been longer, I probably wouldn't have finished it. But I wanted to give Neil Gaiman a try and figured I start off with something shorter.

My uncle raved about this book when I was visiting him last weekend and he bought it for me at Pegasus in Oakland. I know pretty little about Gaiman's work other than I always thought it wasn't my thing, as fantasy isn't a genre I have been able to (or have desired to) get into. But, this writing is great and the fantastical elements of the story gave my mind a different kind of workout than the books I typically read do. I loved the swift pace, vivid imagery, and the emotional/mental complexities and depth he reached very concisely and masterfully.

It was my first Neil Gaiman book. Great fiction/fantasy book about an 11 year old boy and his friendship with an 11 year old Lettie. Well written, I enjouyed it very much.

My second Gaiman book. A story I liked, filled with fantasy, mystery and nostalgia; made me think about my childhood years; in a similar way such as the protagonist reflected on half remembered adventures and things that were true back then but aren't anymore. With wonders and fears, amazement and disappointments. I think most of us can relate to some of that.

I enjoyed the narration by Gaiman, personally getting a longing feeling from it that just adds to the mystery of the story.

Two stars feels unfair to this book, but since I like to stick to the Goodreads rating system and three stars is ‘I liked it', two stars it is. It didn't suck, let's stick with that.I certainly don't feel the book lived up to its amazing hype or time spent on a bestseller list, but I suspect it appeals to those who are either a) Gaiman fan legions, or b) people who don't usually spend time in the fantasy genre. Nothing wrong with either of those, except I am not either of those. Gaiman certainly is someone who can put words together in a sentence in a lovely way, though.On a completely superficial level it reminds me a lot of Jo Walton's [b:Among Others 8706185 Among Others Jo Walton https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1317792367s/8706185.jpg 6449955] in that the fantasy aspects, while underlying the whole story, don't really penetrate the world in a tangible way. Yes, these things do happen to this kid, and yes they're supernatural, but he doesn't really remember. I suspect if this sort of Urban Fantasy was something I liked more, or if I were once a seven-year-old boy, I may have identified with this book in the same way I identified with Among Others.As it stands, it didn't suck. I don't think I'll pick up any more Gaiman though.