Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
I have to say, this book made me wish I'd read Neil Gaiman my entire life. My friends constantly praised his genius, but after a few false starts, I hadn't really latched on to any of his work. I got this as an audio book to keep me entertained on long plane ride while catching up on other things, and it quickly had my full attention. For one, he's a lovely reader, and the protagonist in this book was not unlike me as a child. He gave the narrator an unexpected amount of tenderness, and my affection for him just added to the depth of the world he immersed me in. I can easily see a coordination between this and Coraline--a little boy finding another world full of big baddies in the guise of adults--but the feel was entirely different to me. It was a reflection on becoming an adult as much as it was ethereal beings. It does what so few books seem to do these days--make me excited to read.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A quick, enjoyable read. Reminds one of the pre(mis) conceptions of our childhoods. The way we thought the world was, the way it ought to be, and the way it is.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It was like a hot mess of make-believe nonsense. Usually, even the most outrageous fantasy novels suck you into their world, but this one? Nope. I couldn't buy into any of the bizarre, disconnected ideas he threw in there. And that unresolved ending? Seriously, not cool.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love Neil Gaiman's writing. It consistently hits the sweet spot between 'excellent creepy fantasy story' and 'I totally believe this could have actually happened'. His characters always feel so real it seems more like I'm reading memoirs than fantasy stories, and this book is no exception. I particularly liked the twist of having the adult character remembering the story from his youth, as it gave Gaiman the chance to have several 'layered' scenes, where he could tell it from a child's perspective with the adult in the background pointing out what he realized about those moments after the fact.
This was written by the same author who wrote Coraline, so you have to like that style to like this book. It was a fast read and an unique, unusual, interesting story. I’ll probably have my son read it soon.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane read by the author (and recorded locally at Tequila Mockingbird Recording Studio) was entertaining while it lasted. But the the story ended abruptly. It seems like an unfinished novel.
Adult content was gratuitous. A kiss would have sufficed to make the point. To be clear, because of that content, this is an adult book. It contains mostly fantasy content for a child, but there are parts that are clearly adult. I won't be reading this one to my children like I did The Graveyard Book.