Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

109 reviews

liz_rath's review against another edition

challenging inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Well when I started reading I was pretty sure this book would make me cry. It did.
It's an absolutely beautiful book both the prose and Elise Hurst's illustrations. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes Neil Gaiman's writing even just a little bit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Animal death and Body horror

Minor: Infidelity

noms01's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Death, Suicide, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness

Minor: Animal death and Body horror

akirma's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Violence, Death, Torture, Suicide, and Child death

Minor: Car accident

tomoonarmy's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Body horror, Bullying, and Injury/Injury detail

tabookish's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Confinement, Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Child death, Physical abuse, and Suicide

Moderate: Abandonment, Infidelity, and Grief

riverofhorton's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

So I went into this book thinking it was a kid's book and would be a fun frolic in a fantasy world. A kid's book it most definitely is not, despite the main character being 7 through the main part of the story. Once I realised and came to terms with my own assumptions being wrong, I found the book to be really enjoyable.

It tackles a few quite mature themes through the wonder of a child's perspective, which is something I don't think I've seen before. It takes place pretty much in our world but with a bit of magic thrown in, some being things that are still magic to us as children, giving the impression that there is magic to be found in the real world, if you look through that child-like lens.

I did also appreciate some of the little call backs to things that previously seemed unimportant.

I also liked that it ends in such a way as to facilitate re-reading.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Murder, Torture, Suicide, Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Violence, Confinement, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Animal death, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Physical abuse

emreads0's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I feel bad almost for the rating because the concept is great, love the accuracy of trauma as a discussion not a shock value, and where it was going. HOWEVER, the 60% mark is really where it started to lose me I think. By the end, I just wanted it to conclude...  cool and magical realism, but felt like it dragged ironically for a short story 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Body horror, and Child abuse

Moderate: Infidelity and Animal death

stephanieluxton's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Stalking, Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity

Minor: Sexual content

antarcticophile's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

A wonderful sprint through a fantastical but familiar land in the shoes of a child.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicide, and Child abuse

Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Infidelity, Death, and Animal death

Minor: Body horror, Blood, and Confinement

ekcd_'s review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

Do not read this expecting Sandman or Stardust or Good Omens. It’s not a matter of quality, it’s a matter of completely different genres. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, and Death